Low wattage heater recommendations?

[David BW]

Has anyone any successful experience with low wattage 240v heaters ? We have recently added solar and feel that there’s probably something out there that could take the morning chill off the van, without using the gas up with our Truma when we’re off grid.

 

[DBK]

If you've got massive batteries then I guess it's possible but if you're off-grid how are you going to put back the energy used given on your vehicle you will be limited on how much solar you can fit - and solar won't do a lot in the colder months when you need the heating most.

Just turn the gas on.

 

[David BW]

If you've got massive batteries then I guess it's possible but if you're off-grid how are you going to put back the energy used given on your vehicle you will be limited on how much solar you can fit - and solar won't do a lot in the colder months when you need the heating most.

Just turn the gas on.

Haha - just realised I’d put 12v in the original post - I meant 240v! Edited now!

 

[DBK]

Haha - just realised I’d put 12v in the original post - I meant 240v! Edited now!

If you're off grid the voltage makes no difference. Power is power. As a minimum you might need a 500W heater but using an inverter to get the 240 volts is going to draw something around 50 amps from your batteries. You could probably run the heater for an hour but how are you going to recharge the battery?

Bed socks and thermals will be a better way of staying warm at minimum cost.

 

[oldiesontour]

Even a low power heater on 240v say 1000watt will be drawing around 80ah out of a 12v battery you'll need some good solar to put that back in the cooler months with duller shorter days and will also shorten the lifespan of your batteries and inverter

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[Wildbill]

I have experimented with heaters on my boat 500w and inverted power.
I do have a fairly large battery bank but have found it not the most effective way to use battery power.
I have reverted back to my trusty old diesel heater.
On startup it draws a round 6amp and when running hardly anything.
And my solar keeps up with it I also run low power LED lights.
In the camper we just use the gas when off grid less complicated.
Keep it simple
Wildbill

 

[cyberyacht]

Bed socks and thermals will be a better way of staying warm at minimum cost.

I was about to suggest a hot wife but forgot about the minimum cost aspect. Diesel heater if you want to save gas.

 

[David BW]

If you're off grid the voltage makes no difference. Power is power. As a minimum you might need a 500W heater but using an inverter to get the 240 volts is going to draw something around 50 amps from your batteries. You could probably run the heater for an hour but how are you going to recharge the battery?

Bed socks and thermals will be a better way of staying warm at minimum cost.

We’ve got 200ah lithium, 300W solar and a B2B so was thinking that running a small heater for an hour or so on a cold morning might be ok. We use Remoska quite frequently with no issues so I was thinking that something around 500W might be ok.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Has anyone any successful experience with low wattage 240v heaters ? We have recently added solar and feel that there’s probably something out there that could take the morning chill off the van, without using the gas up with our Truma when we’re off grid.

Fit a deisel heater .You won't regret it.
Really toasty and no gas

 

[PlacidoD]

I was about to suggest a hot wife but forgot about the minimum cost aspect. Diesel heater if you want to save gas.

So maybe a rich hot wife?

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[Lenny HB]

We’ve got 200ah lithium, 300W solar and a B2B so was thinking that running a small heater for an hour or so on a cold morning might be ok. We use Remoska quite frequently with no issues so I was thinking that something around 500W might be ok.

When you think about it your gas heater is probably 6kw, a 500 watt heater will do naff all. You have nowhere near enough batteries d solar to run a heater.

 

[Wildbill]

When you think about it your gas heater is probably 6kw, a 500 watt heater will do naff all. You have nowhere near enough batteries d solar to run a heater.

Like my post ether run gas or a diesel heater best option
Wildbill

 

[Shrimp]

Diesel heater gets our 6mtr van warm in no time and on a low-ish setting.

 

[Pausim]

Your 200Ah battery holds about 2.5kW of heating power when full. A full 6kg gas bottle holds about 84kW of heating power. 500W of heating is not a lot, about the same power as 5 candles. I would use your Truma gas heater.

 

[The Wino]

You could adopt the policy of a friend of mine a gas fitter whose wife was complaining about the living room being chilly in the evening sometimes he offered to fit a separate thermostat. She's now happy as she can turn it up he's a careful Yorkshireman and happy because he said he would fit a thermostat he never said he would actually connect it to anything!

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[David BW]

The thought behind the post came from our trip to France in the spring; the weather was much colder than expected and we found ourselves switching to our 2nd gas cylinder (Calor) on just day 2, so we were being very careful with the use of our heating.

 

[The Wino]

The thought behind the post came from our trip to France in the spring; the weather was much colder than expected and we found ourselves switching to our 2nd gas cylinder (Calor) on just day 2, so we were being very careful with the use of our heating.

Sounds like a better idea would be a refillable cylinder or underslung tank or as others have said a diesel heater

 

[EuroTrotters]

Forget it, use Gas or fit a diesel heater .

What chassis is it ?.

Some people don’t realise they already have one they can make use of Factory fitted.

 

[David BW]

Sounds like a better idea would be a refillable cylinder or underslung tank or as others have said a diesel heater

I'm sure that refillable gas would be, and that was the other thought that came from our experience. It was just that having recently added the solar, I wondered if we could take fuller advantage of it, responses on here suggest not. Oh well.

 

[The Wino]

I'm sure that refillable gas would be, and that was the other thought that came from our experience. It was just that having recently added the solar, I wondered if we could take fuller advantage of it, responses on here suggest not. Oh well.

You could always try the electric heater first all are generally just as efficient (100%) as any other so a cheap low power fan heater would be a good bet. But as others have said I doubt it would really make much difference unless it was used to the point where you have no battery capacity left also I suspect your wallet is still feeling the pain of the lithium install and using a heater quite a bit might well reduce it's life.

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[David BW]

Forget it, use Gas or fit a diesel heater .

What chassis is it ?.

Some people don’t realise they already have one they can make use of Factory fitted.

Fiat Ducato max. We already have a Truma 4e.

 

[David BW]

You could always try the electric heater first all are generally just as efficient (100%) as any other so a cheap low power fan heater would be a good bet. But as others have said I doubt it would really make much difference unless it was used to the point where you have no battery capacity left also I suspect your wallet is still feeling the pain of the lithium install and using a heater quite a bit might well reduce it's life.

I might give a small one a go, keeping an eye on the charge level - I wouldn't anticipate using it for more than an hour at a time, using little more power than the Remoska cooking a meal.

 

[The Wino]

I might give a small one a go, keeping an eye on the charge level - I wouldn't anticipate using it for more than an hour at a time, using little more power than the Remoska cooking a meal.

If it's too keep the wife happy put it on just in fan mode!

 

[Brize]

David,

We went through exactly the same process, needed a little bit more warmth in cab area in mornings.

We use this:

500W Mini Personal Ceramic Fan Heater

Warmth where you need it. This compact personal heater keeps your workspace cosy while staying energy-efficient.

probreeze.com

We have had a mains outlet fitted in cab area, and we put this on a timer. Works very well.

 

[David BW]

David,

We went through exactly the same process, needed a little bit more warmth in cab area in mornings.

We use this:

500W Mini Personal Ceramic Fan Heater

Warmth where you need it. This compact personal heater keeps your workspace cosy while staying energy-efficient.

probreeze.com

We have had a mains outlet fitted in cab area, and we put this on a timer. Works very well.

That’s the sort I’d been wondering about; good to hear that it actually works. Thanks

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[akadingbat]

Go down the infrared route. This is 350W and works for me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CNW916YF/?tag=mhf04-21

 

[EuroTrotters]

Fiat Ducato max. We already have a Truma 4e.

Non on that one as far as I know

 

[Bessy765]

We have 2 x 100 amp Lithium, 700 watts of solar and a Victron Inverter/Charger. 7.5 mtr A Class 2019. We can run if required the Truma heater on 1 kw setting, we get warm by watching how fast the batteries capacity drops. And given the size of the van 1 kw does not scratch the surface. Given the low position of the sun during the time of year you are most likely to need heating not much will be gained, you. Will also end up with depleted capacity when you need it most.

 

[Ridgeway]

Refillable gas system is most likely the easiest solution and will remove the concern of a bottle running out.

Just finishing a 3wks trip and the heating system was on all the time (water permanent and heating on thermostat) had to top up the gas with €12 the other day but that’s been it.

 

[Bessy765]

We have 2 x 100 amp Lithium, 700 watts of solar and a Victron Inverter/Charger. 7.5 mtr A Class 2019. We can run if required the Truma heater on 1 kw setting, we get warm by watching how fast the batteries capacity drops. And given the size of the van 1 kw does not scratch the surface. Given the low position of the sun during the time of year you are most likely to need heating not much will be gained, you. Will also end up with depleted capacity when you need it most.

Just a further point we have 2 underslung LPG tanks, giving 55 litres, when away late season eve when using the gas for heating, cooking, hot water and fridge the batteries will still run down if not moving for a week or two. So the usage of batteries for heating is a no no. Like hopefully our next trip is leaving the UK late Sep early Oct and returning between Christmas and the new year using our90 days so not a lot of solar gain tobe had.

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