Camping Conundrum

[stockhatcher]

I need the advice of the PH massif.

I wish to take my camper van to Snetterton in January, to stay overnight in preparation for some testing the following day. However whilst my van has a leisure battery, it does not have any heating. I need to heat the 'pop top' to at least keep the chill off. (Campervan is a Mazda Bongo).

Does anybody have any recommendations as to heating products I could use to keep the van warm. E.g, transformers, fan heaters etc, indoor gas heaters, that would allow me to stay warm overnight, but without draining the battery in 45 mins. Leisure battery is rated at 110amh.

tia.

[Piglet]

Is there not power in the Paddock that you can connect into? Ring MSV and ask - I haven't been to Snet for a while but there is power in most MSV paddocks.

[munroman]

Don't get an indoor gas heater, they use up the oxygen in the van and can give out carbon monoxide.

If you can get an electric hook up, a lot of Bongo owners use a 700watt oil filled radiator, fan heaters are too noisy.
If you cant get a hook up, its lots of sleeping bags and hats, with a hot water bottle!

[hornetrider]

Tiger skins should do the job nicely.

[10 Pence Short]

How many? 3 or 4 skins?

[guru_1071]

snet has hookup in the paddock area

[stockhatcher]

guru_1071 said:

snet has hookup in the paddock area

does it? i was told, and IIRC, can't remember there being any hook up?

[Emsman]

Parafin heater is the way forward.

Except the fumes

[louiebaby]

Emsman said:

Parafin heater is the way forward.

Except the fumes

Oh Lord...



Try a sleeping bag and a big duvet.

Either that or cuddle up with someone and share body heat...

[Smart roadster]

Any form of heater that burns fuel will use up the oxygen in the van. So you either leave a window open to allow air in and freeze anyway. Or keep the windows closed and die of carbon monoxide poisoning. If there are no power hook ups then see if you can blag a small genny and an oil fired radiator.

[stockhatcher]

munroman said:

Don't get an indoor gas heater, they use up the oxygen in the van and can give out carbon monoxide.

If you can get an electric hook up, a lot of Bongo owners use a 700watt oil filled radiator, fan heaters are too noisy.
If you cant get a hook up, its lots of sleeping bags and hats, with a hot water bottle!

if i got a transformer, and plugged the oil radiator into the cig lighter, would it work, and how long would it be until the battery runs out?

[fathomfive]

10 Pence Short said:

How many? 3 or 4 skins?

Panda fur. They're almost extinct anyway so they won't really need them.

[spikeyhead]

stockhatcher said:

munroman said:

Don't get an indoor gas heater, they use up the oxygen in the van and can give out carbon monoxide.

If you can get an electric hook up, a lot of Bongo owners use a 700watt oil filled radiator, fan heaters are too noisy.
If you cant get a hook up, its lots of sleeping bags and hats, with a hot water bottle!

if i got a transformer, and plugged the oil radiator into the cig lighter, would it work, and how long would it be until the battery runs out?

You'd need an invertor not a transformer

and you'd have a flat battery in 45 mins, possibly quicker if the battery is cold.

[Smiler.]

stockhatcher said:

munroman said:

Don't get an indoor gas heater, they use up the oxygen in the van and can give out carbon monoxide.

If you can get an electric hook up, a lot of Bongo owners use a 700watt oil filled radiator, fan heaters are too noisy.
If you cant get a hook up, its lots of sleeping bags and hats, with a hot water bottle!

if i got a transformer, and plugged the oil radiator into the cig lighter, would it work, and how long would it be until the battery runs out?

Depends upon the AmpHour rating of the battery

[4mo]

I looked at inverters yesterday, it said it could run a 60-90w laptop for about 4 hours from a 45ah battery or about 10 hours from your 110ah battery.

Multiply that wattage up to a heater (at least 600 - 900w but more likely much higher) your battery would only give you 1 hour of heating.

So I think that option may be out.

[Eggman]

You need to install an Eberspacher or Webasto cab heater, but they're not exactly cheap. Alternatively, for the few hours you'll be asleep you could just leave the engine idling and run the heater. Electric hookup sounds the best option though.

[Dudd]

Just get one of these and fill your sleeping bag with them

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001G6SQMG/ref=...

[stockhatcher]

Eggman said:

You need to install an Eberspacher or Webasto cab heater, but they're not exactly cheap. Alternatively, for the few hours you'll be asleep you could just leave the engine idling and run the heater. Electric hookup sounds the best option though.

hmmm, would my engine cope with this i wonder? bit more than for a few hours though. at least 7. 7 hours idling..hmmm

[cs02rm0]

stockhatcher said:

I need the advice of the PH massif.

I wish to take my camper van...

[gingerpaul]

Isn't the obvious solution just get a decent sleeping bag? As long as you are out of the wind and dry you shouldn't need anything else.