Oil heaters

[Jewellbags]

So , I’ve a diesel blow heater - it works fine but would you funsters recommend using a oil heater when on EHU instead -‘as its a more radiated heat? It does weigh about 15kg

 

[Lanerboy]

I had diesel heaters in my boats and they are good but I found them very noisy I would use a rad

 

[Podney]

They seem to have a reputation for being noisy and also using a lot of leccie on startup.

 

[Lenny HB]

The problem with using an oil filled radiator or fan heater is that it doesn't heat the whole, you end up with cold spots e.g the loo.
I sometimes use a fan heater to warm up the van when on EHU then turn the gas heating on (Truma Combi blow air) as it gives a nice gental heat throughout the whole van.

 

[Madcaravanner]

WE use an oil filled radiator when at home it's rated at 500w and when on that's what it pulls.
it works out about £3 a day on full of course I had to explain that the thermostat doesn't adjust the power just the duration of it working to SWMBO

We have the blown air heating as standard on electric that pulls 675W when wet on 500W (yes not actually 500W)- - it also can work on gas but does eat a lot of gas a dayif on full for more than an hour

On the charity narrow boat I crew on it has a Diesel blown air system and that is so noisy they crew keep it as low as we can to reduce the noise

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[The Wino]

Sounds heavy to me are you sure you need one that big?
Maybe you can use diesel to get up to temperature then a lower powered electric heater to maintain the temperature. We have a small ceramic fan heater from Aldi it's small and light enough to take just in case.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

I would use a low wattage fan heater, because I’m impatient

 

[Jaws]

I had diesel heaters in my boats and they are good but I found them very noisy I would use a rad

Well the one I have just fitted is so quiet the only noise you could hear was the tick tick of the pump ( but I sorted that out too )
It is no louder than the normal blown air system in the van

 

[TheBig1]

i use an oil filled radiator on low to keep the van aired through the coldest part of winter

 

[Ranger]

Or you could just use a thermostatic convector heater, very light, very cheap and a hell of a lot safer than an oil radiator.

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[gus-lopez]

Well the one I have just fitted is so quiet the only noise you could hear was the tick tick of the pump ( but I sorted that out too )

Same here.

 

[PeteH]

I'm not sure if I asked before?. But anyone have the warmup heater fitted to the Mercedes based models, and has managed to make it work as an independent heat source?

 

[Vanderek]

Jewellbags we use a VONHAUS 6 FIN 800W MINI OIL FILLED RADIATOR WITH ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT - BLACK...cost about £22...sorry its pasted in capitals...does a good job and easy to transport.

 

[Reallyretired]

I'm not sure if I asked before?. But anyone have the warmup heater fitted to the Mercedes based models, and has managed to make it work as an independent heat source?

I have one. Its set up to only work with the engine running, presumably because of a high current draw from the vehicle starter battery. I don't think its output would be worthwhile on its own in any but the smallest motorhomes.

 

[PeteH]

Well the one I have just fitted is so quiet the only noise you could hear was the tick tick of the pump ( but I sorted that out too )
It is no louder than the normal blown air system in the van

What's the current draw like?.

I have been toying with the idea of making the warmup heater fitted to the van, run off the hab system through a separate controll, to inject heat into th cab area,, not just as a defrost/demist unit. Would seem to be a waste, having it only work when the engine is running.

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[Jaws]

What's the current draw like?.

I have been toying with the idea of making the warmup heater fitted to the van, run off the hab system through a separate controll, to inject heat into th cab area,, not just as a defrost/demist unit. Would seem to be a waste, having it only work when the engine is running.

On startup 8 amps.. but that is for about 2 minutes
After that it flicks between .4 and .5 amps, so not greedy at all
I posted the full work up here: https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/installing-diesel-heater-in-autotrail-chieftain.209383/


I have been running it a few times now and STILL the diesel has not dropped in the tank !!!