Motorhome heating on all night, off grid ?

[sweet caroline]

NEWBIE Question
I plan to take Dollie, out all through the Winter, and might even think about wild camping, can you have your heating on all night from the gas bottle, or do you need the electric, to circulate the air, or does this come off the auxilary battery to keep you warm off site please.
Yes as i said pretty naive here hahah

 

[Lenny HB]

What is the heater?
Normally heaters can be run overnight as they are room sealed but if your van is cabable of it depends on type of heater, size of battery bank and size of gas bottles.

We never use heating overnight but I have been know to get out of bed to turn the heating on at 5 am when it's dropped well below zero outside.

 

[Langtoftlad]

If your heating has a fan then yes it will need a bit of 12v from your leisure battery.

 

[monzer]

All vans are different so really need to see the kit you have. My old van had a heater that only needed gas to heat. Trouble was it didn't really work well enough so had an option fitted to blow the hot air around the van. This uses electricity from your leisure battery.

A basic set up should provide enough power to use this for a night or 2.

 

[sweet caroline]

What is the heater?
Normally heaters can be run overnight as they are room sealed but if your van is cabable of it depends on type of heater, size of battery bank and size of gas bottles.

We never use heating overnighet but have been know to get out of bed to turn the heating on at 5 am when it's dropped well below zero outside.

trauma, heating gas electric and battery etc is the heater

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[LesW]

We have often left our heating on overnight on the lowest gas setting, no blower, just to take the chill off.

 

[Lenny HB]

trauma, heating gas electric and battery etc is the heater

Is it a Truma Combi?
What size gas bottles?
What size batteries?

 

[Swifter]

We have often left our heating on overnight on the lowest gas setting, no blower, just to take the chill off.

We do the same . Don’t intend using electric hook up again unless we have to . No need to use the blower, ok the toilet and shower room will be colder but as you say the lowest setting just to keep the cold out

 

[sweet caroline]

Is it a Truma Combi?
What size gas bottles?
What size batteries?

mmm, shes in storage at present, so not too sure about all the above questions, so sorry, a bit of a lady (NOt an Engineer) with an old lady driving really

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

In our older can we had a combination ,electric/ gas convector type heater.used to leave it on the lowest gas setting at night, I dont think it used any 12v. Except for the pizo starter. Your van may haveca similar heater ifcits 21 years old.

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[Lenny HB]

mmm, shes in storage at present, so not too sure about all the above questions, so sorry, a bit of a lady (NOt an Engineer) with an old lady driving really

I thought you were a youngster still in your 60's.

A Combi just has blow air heating outlets, might help if you tell us what the van is.

 

[Two on Tour]

might help if you tell us what the van is.

As per the opening post.

Hi Guys, Newbie, nearly at Retirement, Single 66 year old lady, who is young in mind, and just bought an old lady as a M/Home!

I bought 2 weeks ago a 21 year old Boxer Star Dream, with a back lounge, I love her, but now having a few teething problems, since I paid over my money sadly. (See my thread for advise). I live in the beautiful town of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. My Dream is to travel the UK in my Retirement...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[Swifter]

might help if you tell us what the van is.

autocruise stardream I think
Edit Two on Tour got there first

 

[Basildog]

Having had many vans and caravans that we have lived in through numerous U.K. winters , you can keep the all singing all dancing blown air Truma combination and your Alde wet systems,
By far the best is the old style gas fire
Just leaving it ticking over pretty much all the time and never using the battery sapping blown air is by far the best heating system we’ve ever had.

 

[sweet caroline]

I thought you were a youngster still in your 60's.

A Combi just has blow air heating outlets, might help if you tell us what the van is.

Dollie, is a 21 year old Peuogot 2 seater boxer stardream vehicle

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[Lenny HB]

As per the opening post.

Hi Guys, Newbie, nearly at Retirement, Single 66 year old lady, who is young in mind, and just bought an old lady as a M/Home!

I bought 2 weeks ago a 21 year old Boxer Star Dream, with a back lounge, I love her, but now having a few teething problems, since I paid over my money sadly. (See my thread for advise). I live in the beautiful town of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. My Dream is to travel the UK in my Retirement...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

You trying to catch me out, that's on a different thread also not in her profile.

 

[sweet caroline]

Having had many vans and caravans that we have lived in through numerous U.K. winters , you can keep the all singing all dancing blown air Truma combination and your Alde wet systems,
By far the best is the old style gas fire
Just leaving it ticking over pretty much all the time and never using the battery sapping blown air is by far the best heating system we’ve ever had.

sadly it doesnt have a gas heater fitted in the van

 

[Two on Tour]

You trying to catch me out, that's on a different thread also not in her profile.

I am deeply offended that you even suggest such a thing, merely trying to help dear boy.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Trauma combi system fitted in my PVC. This blows warm air through ducts with outlets in the rear lounge, shower/wc and front age of the van. It's served from a 25l underslung LPG tank and powered by the 12V battery for the fan and ignitions. It can also run off mains electric if on EHU. Overnight I frequently leave it set to come on if temp drops to say 15C. Seems very efficient and not a problem against battery or LPG use.

In cooler weather a good external windscreen cover that also extends over the front vent grilles makes a lot of difference to the inside comfort levels.

 

[Lenny HB]

Dollie, is a 21 year old Peuogot 2 seater boxer stardream vehicle

Looks like its a Combi, on the lowest setting will draw a bit over 1 amp but getting the van up to temperature will use 5 or 6 amps. You will be OK for a couple of nights providing you have two batteries in good condition.

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[sweet caroline]

thats brilliant thank yo for that tip. i suspect one or 2 night wild camping, driving for a bit, to top up the batteries, will be fine then. but is it SAFE to keep the gas running all night . I hate being cold

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Make sure your MH has a working carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm.

Even if you sleep with doors and stuff locked be sure the exit route is clear of obstruction and you know how to unlock even if you are a bit sleepy.

 

[Lenny HB]

thats brilliant thank yo for that tip. i suspect one or 2 night wild camping, driving for a bit, to top up the batteries, will be fine then. but is it SAFE to keep the gas running all night . I hate being cold

Yes fine keeping the gas on.
Unless you are driving a long distance you won't get much charge into the batteries.
e.g. If you used 50ah from the batteries it would probably need to 7 to 10 hours driving to recharge them.
You can improve this a lot by fitting a B2B (battery to battery charger).

 

[Richard n Ann]

Cooking dinner in the evening warms the van up great and by the time it cools off you're sound asleep in whatever you decide to sleep in

 

[sweet caroline]

Make sure your MH has a working carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm.

Even if you sleep with doors and stuff locked be sure the exit route is clear of obstruction and you know how to unlock even if you are a bit sleepy.

yes ive installed all th above thanks

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[davidbaldam]

Our van is an old one too, can I suggest that on your first outing you book a site with electric then you can use a small oiled filled radiator. Your certainly finding the benefit of this forum with all the advice your getting.

 

[funflair]

Nice warm duvet and bed socks I wouldn't be wasting gas and battery power heating the van overnight, and make sure you have some ventilation to stop the condensation.

 

[Jewellbags]

The wife . She keeps me warm and doesn’t drain batteries . Or does she ? ;-)

 

[Minxy]

We never have heating on overnight and I feel the cold terribly, I have 2 duvets (different togs), flannelette sheets and a throw for good measure, only really need the lot if it's very cold. I wear a hoodie to bed in addition to my PJs, this means I can put the hood up which really helps to keep me warm. Hot water bottles are good to take the chill off and a couple of warm dogs too!

 

[Lenny HB]

The wife . She keeps me warm and doesn’t drain batteries . Or does she ? ;-)

Doesn't work with single beds but you do get a big man cave (garage).