Keeping van warm whilst driving (1 Viewer)

[Glyn and Debbie]

people keep saying run your gas heating whilst on the road, well in my autotrail cheyenne you can't use anything in the habitation area whilst the engine is running, so alternative heating would be necessary.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

No need to take that tone Snowbird,I have received very good advice on many things on this forum and acted on a few.I took on board your earlier threads and was thinking along the lines of going for gas on the move. As things developed questions arise along the lines of have I the right flue do I need modifications is it safe .I travel with 2youngsters and a dog ,I love them dearly and would hate to make the wrong choice.
If it ever did go wrong and I wanted to relocate the wife to act as a blast shield where would be the best place to sit her.

 

[TheBig1]

Very good point!

Have you also considered that an automatic energy selection fridge can also spark up on the residual gas left in the line when you stop your engine?

-Just another thought!

the AES fridge mainboard has a timer, which delays the fridge from trying to light on gas until 15 minutes after the engine stops, cutting the 12v feed:thumb:

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

 

[haganap]

You would need a secumotion regulator system. The other problem is your van is British hence why nothing on 12v works when you are driving including theheating on gas. You need to carry out some mods to that too. I modified mine, wire cut, an chenaged the regulator system. Far easier to get a good blanket..... Mine also has a fan in the back the same that comes through the engine heater, I have also modified that cheaply to heat the back of the van, are you sure yours does not have one? Look to the right of the steering wheel for a fan shaped button which heats behind the drivers seat.

Big 1s advice is very sound,

Advice is often given but rarely taken

 

[jonandshell]

the AES fridge mainboard has a timer, which delays the fridge from trying to light on gas until 15 minutes after the engine stops, cutting the 12v feed:thumb:

I'll check ours out and hold you to that!!!! LOL!

I am sure our Thetford fridge switches over faster than that, but I'll check it out!:thumb:

 

[Snowbird]

No need to take that tone Snowbird,I have received very good advice on many things on this forum and acted on a few.I took on board your earlier threads and was thinking along the lines of going for gas on the move. As things developed questions arise along the lines of have I the right flue do I need modifications is it safe .I travel with 2youngsters and a dog ,I love them dearly and would hate to make the wrong choice.
If it ever did go wrong and I wanted to relocate the wife to act as a blast shield where would be the best place to sit her.

Sorry Vlad, I didn't realise I was taking any tone....maybe you could enlighten me. You asked for advice......I gave it.

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

 

[jonandshell]

the AES fridge mainboard has a timer, which delays the fridge from trying to light on gas until 15 minutes after the engine stops, cutting the 12v feed:thumb:

No, sorry mate!

Our Thetford switches over from 12V to gas the moment you stop the engine!

I've just been out and checked!

 

[haganap]

No, sorry mate!

Our Thetford switches over from 12V to gas the moment you stop the engine!

I've just been out and checked!

Bloody crappy French builds

 

[TheBig1]

No, sorry mate!

Our Thetford switches over from 12V to gas the moment you stop the engine!

I've just been out and checked!

will go dig out the manual in a bit, but seriously I remember reading about it when we had our first AES fridge, it has 15 minute delay.

if yours has no delay, its faulty!

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

 

[jonandshell]

So, Vlad!

This thread is rapidly drawing conclusions!

Motorhoming is inherently DANGEROUS!

If you use gas on the move, you and your family WILL DIE!

If you don't sort some heating out in the back of your van, hypothermia will set in and your Kids and dog WILL DIE!

If we forget to switch off our fridge before we arrive at the petrol station, Shell and I WILL DIE!

I'm taking up hang-gliding instead!

 

[TheBig1]

just found it..... and i was wrong... dometic say the delay is 20minutes

see here
http://www.dometicapproved.co.uk/page.aspx?p=3way

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Coming back over the moors from Whitby today , we noticed the drop in temperature in the MH. By the time we got to Pickering it was 3 degrees.
We usually have the kids with us , so the Webasto is on whilst driving when its cold , that keeps the whole of the hab lovely and warm.
As we didn't have them , or the dogs , along with us we only had the cab heating on. You could definitely notice the difference in temperature. It was draughty from the back .
Rather than put the diesel heating on , i got my big furry blanket and tucked it under our luton mattress.
Leaving it to hang down the back off our driving seats , blocked off the hab and the chill. We even had to turn the cab heating down :thumb:

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

 

[jonandshell]

Coming back over the moors from Whitby today , we noticed the drop in temperature in the MH. By the time we got to Pickering it was 3 degrees.
We usually have the kids with us , so the Webasto is on whilst driving when its cold , that keeps the whole of the hab lovely and warm.
As we didn't have them , or the dogs , along with us we only had the cab heating on. You could definitely notice the difference in temperature. It was draughty from the back .
Rather than put the diesel heating on , i got my big furry blanket and tucked it under our luton mattress.
Leaving it to hang down the back off our driving seats , blocked off the hab and the chill. We even had to turn the cab heating down :thumb:

A good idea:thumb:

On a long trip however, in colder conditions, what will keep your water system frost-free? Like us, I imagine the Webasto will come to the fore!

Just another thought!

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

So to recap unless you want to risk your life,or spend a fortune,or wrap the kids like mummies,there's not a cheap solution.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

A good idea:thumb:

On a long trip however, in colder conditions, what will keep your water system frost-free? Like us, I imagine the Webasto will come to the fore!

Just another thought!

The waste water tank has a built in heater in it.
As for the fresh water tank its under the seat behind the passenger seat. It would have to get freezing cold inside for that to freeze up.
Cant see it happening. We empty the water after each trip too.

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

 

[jonandshell]

just found it..... and i was wrong... dometic say the delay is 20minutes

see here
http://www.dometicapproved.co.uk/page.aspx?p=3way

I have just checked our manual too!

Apparently, although the 'gas' symbol appears on the LCD panel, the fridge only actually ignites after 15 minutes!

Thank you for prompting me to ignore my male instincts and read the instruction book!oh:

It looks like Shell and I have a 15 minute reprieve at the petrol station before we die!:thumb:

-Just enough time to fire up the hob and have a cuppa!

 

[steveclecy]

fit one of these in the hab side of the van Broken Link Removed

Our first MH had something similar fitted in a bed locker (if I have got it right it needs plumbing in to the cooling system at the engine). Quite a lot of rubber hose to insulate to avoid heat in areas you don't want, and risk of rupture causing coolant to spill where you don't want, it actually was quite efficient (after you had driven a few miles) and made the Hab area reasonably warm.

Steve

 

[Welsh girl]

No, sorry mate!

Our Thetford switches over from 12V to gas the moment you stop the engine!

I've just been out and checked!

Ours switches over straight away too, does that mean we are posing a fire risk when filling up with fuel?
We are diesel but take on board what some of you has said about others filling with petrol on the forecourt.
We can have heating in motion, we are designed to do that.
We never switch off the gas except for the eurotunnel, we were told it was ok by the dealers.

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

 

[dottyju]

running fridge on gas whilst on the move

After forgetting to switch the fridge over from 12v to gas a couple of time in hot weather when parking up for an hour or two and ending up with a defrosting freezer compartment I started using it on gas all the time.
Some months later we started getting problems with the fridge not cooling properly and finding the green light occasionally flashing, particularly after a journey.
Eventually it became a real nuisance and on investigation found the burner, instead of a blue flame, was a dim red ball caused by the burner assembly being choked by carbon build up. Cost £80. at a MH show for the dometic man to diagnose and change the burner unit.
I am convinced this was due to the flame being affected by air blowing in to the burner whilst driving and causing a build up of soot.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

Potential Armageddon !
Ditch it and buy loads of blankets
Fao TrishnTez

 

[knokinonabit]

Very good point!

Have you also considered that an automatic energy selection fridge can also spark up on the residual gas left in the line when you stop your engine?

-Just another thought!

I have found that the auto energy system sometimes fools itself and after trying to ignite gas after stopping the engine (with gas turned off) it gives up and switches the fridge off. It has done this twice, so I now manually select 12 volt, and AES when I park for the night, whether on ehu or not.

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

 

[aba]

if you had one of these heating systems fitted it wouldn't be a problem. http://www.alde.co.uk/itemdetails.php?itemId=1
we have this in ours and you turn off the gas and mains settings set the desired temperature and drive off and when we arrive we have a boiler full of hot water and a warm van.:thumb:

 

[Dubiousp]

Link Removed

 

[Snowbird]

Or an Eberspacher.

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

 

[spannermanwigan]

Hi Steve,I have got a divider and had not thought about closing that.Its always the simple things you overlook.
The large opening window in my van is above the rear lounge I have a smaller one with an extractor fan above kitchen.Both have surrounds with perforations for venting.From your advice am I right in thinking you were not using gas fire on move?

Hi Vlad

Glad to know you have the centre curtain you will find closing this makes a big difference, having your big Heiki at the rear of the van is also a big plus because the draught it creates will be behind the curtain,unlike mine which has them in the opposite positions, I would still look at draught proofing the big Heiki, when Ive done something with mine I will let you know what, as it looks like we are off to Spain in December to see family for a few weeks so will be using the van as I cant fly.We are only going to Madrid,Barcelona then Lourds on our way back so the weather is not likely to be any different than here,from past experience.So we will also need as much heat as possible as our 15 year old daughter travels in front dinette.
As for travelling with gas heating on I dont have a problem with this and would do so if it got so cold, I too have looked into this and the vans truma heater is in fact designed to operate in motion,providing the manufacturer has in fact fitted the correct top on the roof flue and it stands about 100mm proud with a flat top, as is the case with mine,(check yours). I am also going to fit a switch into the circuit which I know you have already disconnected, to allow me to use the 12v in the habitation area as and when I wish too. I would however prefer to heat up the interior of the van using truma before setting off and then maintain a comfortable temperature using the cab heater,stopping every couple of hours for a rest and replenishing the heat in the van with the truma whilst stationary. Then setting off again works for me.

Hope this answers most of your questions

Regards
Steve:thumb:

 

[haganap]

I would suggest using petrol to set the rear of the motorhonme alight this could keep u all warm for THE WEEKEND unfortunately the public have such a dim view of this

 

[Wildbill]

i am gowing to fit heater from a mine bus in the back of my new to me van.
I will just T off my heater pipes under bonnet run them under floor to where i am siting my heater and connect.up.
Done it on my first van then just wire up the fan with switch on dashboard.
I put it in one of the storage lockers under one of the beads with louver vent on front.
And a ther is usualy plenty of vents for air to get in to supply heter then you don't need to worry about carbon monoxide as for engin runing coald the thermostat will tack up the slak

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

 

[jumar]

We have a Spanish built motorhome and it has a heater vent in the living area that we can open to heat the living area whilst travelling. It works the same as the heating vents in the cab when the engine is running. If a Spanish motorhome can have this, why can´t other manufacturers fit them? Especially for motorhomes built for colder climates.

 

[Snowbird]

We have a Spanish built motorhome and it has a heater vent in the living area that we can open to heat the living area whilst travelling. It works the same as the heating vents in the cab when the engine is running. If a Spanish motorhome can have this, why can´t other manufacturers fit them? Especially for motorhomes built for colder climates.

Quite simply because it costs money. But if the original purchaser orders it when new, like most other things it would have it fitted.

 

[FULL TIMER]

It's because in this country they build vans to a price rather than build something fit for purpose and then work out the price.

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