Club 80-90 Forums

Do any of you guys use an electric heater when on hookup?
We usually only use hookup for keeping the beers cool and charging the leisure battery if nessesary.
Seems daft to use the gas heater when we're paying for hookup.

something like this would be nice-



But that's 12v, I'd want 240v.

We just use a plug in 2kW 240V fan heater we got from homebase... It lives under the bench seat when not in use.

Agree, you might as well use the electric if you are paying for it.

£10 worth of bog standard fan heater from B&M or somewhere alike .....
not that i ever use hook up these days .......

Aye, I thought about bog standard fan heater but don't know where I'd mount it where the dog won't get at it.
I fancied something built in.

Plinth heater?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004U5EFU2/ ... 2zbCQKFG1W" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good call Marlin, I could fit one of those in the cupboard under the potti, there's a gap under the cupboard door to allow hot air out. might warm the contents though.
I'll have to go and sit in the van and ponder.....

We use a small oil filled rad with a thermostat, think it was about £20 from Dunlem. Don't think you need too much power to heat a van, the hook ups are normally only 10 amps max

Thanks for the warning about the 10A Pete.
I'd assumed as they're a 16A plug they would be fitted with a 16A breaker.
maybe a 500W tubular heater would be better to give background heat, I can always use the propex too on colder nights.

Ok, I couldn't find a tubular 500w heater so ordered one of these-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sealey-CH2013- ... B00K1UPD2E

I can hopefully build it into a unit so it's out of the way and the dog doesn't get at it.

I use an oil filled radiator as it is silent, so can be left on during sleep time!

Well, the Sealey heater arrived and it's nothing like the picture.
It looks like this-



So I gutted it and I'm building the guts into the van under the seat, with a rectangular vent cut out of the front board behind the fold out bed leg and a grill fitted over it.
I've hard wired it to 700W (the low setting) and have an on/off switch behind the bed leg so you have to fold it out to turn on the heater.
The bed leg protects the grill from being kicked while the bed is in the upright position.
I wouldn't recommend you do this if you're not familiar with mains wiring and thermal conductivity.
But if you do, be careful how you mount it as the element fins are live so need protection from inadvertent wife's fingers/dogs noses.
Ditto on the inside under the bed, you need to provide protection from anything metal or combustible stored under there coming in contact with the live parts while still providing enough airflow for the fan.
I wouldn't use the 1400W setting as the bed boards would get pretty hot.

700W seems fine for taking the chill off, the fan is not too loud and I'm pretty pleased with it.
A few nights on Mull will prove it.

I have recently bought a van, and am going away for a night next weekend. I too have a dog, and I don't like fans running in the night.
I bought a 800w oil storage heater, http://amzn.eu/gtOw48d. If its still cold I like the look of the base board heater, except the fan.
Wish I had a Propex, even secondhand ones are expensive.
Great thread, its given food for thought.

Hi John.
The built in fan heater is quieter than the Propex.
Still a bit disturbing when you want to sleep though.
The blown air from the propex is also a bit hot, we risk roasting the dog as she sleeps on the floor and has a habit of sticking her head right in the hot air flow.
I'm tempted by electric blankets for us and the dog, no use off-grid but should be fine when on hookup as long as they're the type you can have on while you sleep. As long as the dog doesn't dig in it or chew it.
I'm still looking for the perfect solution.
Feel free to post your ideas here.

Hi BBB,
Still fancy a propex when not on ehu. Didn't realise they were a bit noisy.
I'm still looking for the perfect solution, if its out there.

Is everyone soft nowadays? I wouldn't be able to sleep with heating on, its only use is to be warm sitting around eating & whatever. Once you you have your covering of choice over you, duvet/sleeping bag etc, you have no need for further heat until you wake & get up.
Do people really heat their bedrooms at home at night?