Electric Convection or Panel heater - suggestions please

[Gary217]

Hi - we're going to use our van more this winter than before for various reasons (a mix of having to be near aging parents-in-law and 'pleasure'). We have gas blown air heating which is very effective in our PVC but don't want to use that too much and not overnight, we also have a portable fan heater which we use in the cool periods but even though it is new it is noisy when it kicks in so not suitable for overnight sleeping.

So, for overnights in the winter we could do with something that is virtually silent and with a thermostat to take the worse of the cold off as it does get very cold in an unheated van in the frost. There are a couple of small wall areas in the van where I could put an electric heater on a permanent fixing but it will have to be fairly small in size. I have one area where a skirting board type heater would go quite nicely which is around 750mm long and another area around 700 wide by 450 high, but this will impede a bit into the walking through area so is less appealing. My final option is an area towards the back of the van where I could put a narrow electric towel rail but I'm thinking that these get warm and dry a towel but do not really heat a room. The latter would be just outside the washroom toilet so I guess it would be handy.
I've trawled the net and am struggling to find anything suitable that looks ok as most such heaters are larger than I can fit into these spaces. I'd love something like this as they look neat but are a bit too long sadly...
https://adax-solaire.co.uk/product/...ion-panel-heater-timer-thermostatic-option-2/

Failing that a more traditional skirting heater would be ok (can always spray paint it) but am struggling to find something suitable. So just wondering if anyone else has gone down the convector heater route in a limited space vehicle and whether I am missing a trick? All ideas gratefully received.

 

[rosalan]

A lot of people opt for a small oil filled radiator. No fumes, enough heat, not expensive.

 

[Gary217]

Hmm...that's an embarrassingly simple solution...embarrassing for me that is as I didn't think of it

 

[Nasher]

Yep, same here, small oil filled radiator with thermostat.

Great for when on hook-up, cheap to buy and small too store

 

[pappajohn]

Worth standing an oil rad on a small tray, they have been known to leak.
Better safe than sorry.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Rapido925M]

IF payload is a problem, you can remove it during warm months [probably equal to a box of wine ]

Gordon

 

[Infinity31]

I used this oil free radiator in a VW camper van for a number of years.

Only 0.7Kw but kept the chill off when sub zero outside. The van was already warm from a Webasto heater that we found to noisy at night.

 

[mitzimad]

0.7kw is a bit small i would think 1kw minimum

 

[wardj2010]

Hi, we have a small van that we use on the margins of summer and def need some low level heat at night - like infinity31 we find the main heater too noisy and also too hot - have a small fan heater for boost but overnight we have a small panel convection heater - loads on ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/sis.html...id=182382296787&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658

 

[CazPaul]

Do your vans not retain enough heat overnight when it is cold outside after the main heating has been on, surely that means insulation is not that good?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gary217]

Being a german conversion the van is actually very well insulated, and in temperatures of down to around 7-8 degrees no problem (it's also brilliantly cool in the heat of S. Europe) but it is only a van and once we get down towards freezing point it does get cold inside by early morning. We've never had frost inside or anything like that but it's c-c-cold so looking for something to take that cold edge off.

 

[Petehvan]

Radiated heat is more efficient than connected heat. If you are using a site hook up the oil filled rad would be the cheapest, if you are paying for the power at home for instance a ceramic or glass panel heater would prove cheaper to run.

 

[Ranger]

The problem with oil radiators are they are heavy, can leak and have in some instances been known to catch fire. We use a free standing, thermostatically controlled convector heater with a safety switch in case of it getting knocked over. They are very light and simple, are as efficient as any other mains heater as in if you put 1kw in you get 1kw heat out. they are available from many places and at reasonable prices. The 2kw ones usually have a 750w and 1250w elements and we find 750w is enough unless below freezing.

 

[iandsm]

The problem with oil radiators are they are heavy, can leak and have in some instances been known to catch fire. We use a free standing, thermostatically controlled convector heater with a safety switch in case of it getting knocked over. They are very light and simple, are as efficient as any other mains heater as in if you put 1kw in you get 1kw heat out. they are available from many places and at reasonable prices. The 2kw ones usually have a 750w and 1250w elements and we find 750w is enough unless below freezing.

Yep, I second that, we have a small one from Argos I think it was, very lightweight, silent and efficient, I don't think it cost more than £25. Also has a timer so it can be programmed to go off once we are sleeping ad come on again in the morning around 8am. No issue with potential leaks and safety cut out prevents any problem if it falls over which is highly unlikely as its very stable.