Gas heater information please

Yuglamron · Guru

Gas heater information please

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Hi all, I was thinking of getting a gas heater for the caravan. Can anyone give me the pros and cons please and one that might be considered safest. I do have doubts about having a gas anything going in confined spaces but it would be just to take the chill off when I wake up on for a bit in the evening. Certainly not overnight. If not gas, what do folk use while not on power? Thanks Tess

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks for that. I did read about those poor folk, I think they had to stove on to keep warm. Just tragic.
Tess

PeterD · Guru

Yuglamron wrote:
Recently I believe in Victoria some unfortunate souls died because of fumes from a gas heater not flued outside.

I have not heard of the Victorian ones. However there were 3 deaths in Tasmania attributed to running a portable 3 way fridge on gas in the van.

We just use a standard fan heater when on power. Ours is a little different in that is has a maximum power of 1800 W and not the usual 2400 W. We generally run it on half power. It also gets switched off whilst cooking (the electrical appiances supply the heating during thattime) as we have had problems of tripping the parks circuit breaker in some parks.

There are some smaller ones on the market with maximum power outputs down to 1200 W if you lok around for them. I would recommend that what ever electrical heater you get, get one with a thermostat. You can leave it on overnight when necessary without overheating the van.

Our heater for bush camping is a Webasto diesel unit. The installed cost (including tank - which is allways an extra) was $2400. I consider it is well worth it to keep the cook from whinging.

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks for the input Peter D. I am not normally on power and I do have a fan heater for when I am, just wondering about the gas heaters in camp shops that use gas cartridge. I'm afraid I'm the cook and the supplier of the heater here and I'd winge about the cost of the diesel unit although I believe they are very efficient.
Tess

neilnruth · Guru

Evie n Rhys look up the thread 'I digress' and there is something on a Trumatic Gas heater there.

Yuglamron · Guru

Hi,Check out the following site.

www.dieselheatingaustralia.com

It will show you some info on their diesel heaters allegedly cheapest in Australia.

Safe Travels

pricey43 · Guru

We looked at some 12 volt ceramic heaters at the Caravan show. Looked very interesting.

As we are currently planning our new van, had probably better do some more investigation.

smile smile smile smile smile smile smile

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Just a thought, I am on bottle gas and have a gas heater at home so need to leave a window open a little when in use, I wonder if that would work with a small gas heater in a CV???? Leave a window open a little under the awning or annex. confuse

ozjohn · Guru

We've got a Truma E2400 LPG Gas Central Heater in our new van and wonder why we didn't have on years ago.
-3 to +20c in 15-20 minutes.
Ozjohn.

dogbox · Guru

i don't think everyone is on the same page here

is the topic about gas heaters that heat the area with a flame (stove/ cannister) or the diesel/ gas heaters that work on heat exchanger an no exhaust fumes in the living /sleeping area

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I was thinking of more of a small butane gas heater rather than heating systems for the van. They are a bit out of my price bracket and I don't think I will be (or I hope I won't be needing) heating that often. I have a small fan heater for while I'm on power. I remembered this evening where it was I saw a butane heater. It was the Caravan Superstore in Melbourne . Has anyone used one of those sort of heaters. I believe they have a cut off switch if they fall over and a cut off switch if the oxygen in the air runs low. I have a permanent vent in the pop top of the van for fresh air so I'm thinking it might be ok.
Thanks again,
Tess

pricey43 · Guru

Evie n Rhys wrote:
Thanks everyone for your feedback. I was thinking of more of a small butane gas heater rather than heating systems for the van. They are a bit out of my price bracket and I don't think I will be (or I hope I won't be needing) heating that often. I have a small fan heater for while I'm on power. I remembered this evening where it was I saw a butane heater. It was the Caravan Superstore in Melbourne . Has anyone used one of those sort of heaters. I believe they have a cut off switch if they fall over and a cut off switch if the oxygen in the air runs low. I have a permanent vent in the pop top of the van for fresh air so I'm thinking it might be ok.
Thanks again,
Tess

They say these should not be used inside without ventilation, but how many would use it outside?

ozjohn · Guru

Coleman Catalytic Propane Heaters are the most common used by RVers.
OJ

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Evie n Rhys wrote:
Hi all, I was thinking of getting a gas heater for the caravan. Can anyone give me the pros and cons please and one that might be considered safest. I do have doubts about having a gas anything going in confined spaces but it would be just to take the chill off when I wake up on for a bit in the evening. Certainly not overnight. If not gas, what do folk use while not on power? Thanks Tess

I tried to attach a link but it didn't work BUT,

Google 'coleman catalytic propane heaters' and check them out. It's what I have been looking for for my Avan Camper.

Good luck EnR

Dougwe · Chief one feather

ozjohn wrote:
Coleman Catalytic Propane Heaters are the most common used by RVers.
OJ

Thanks for that info ozjohn, I have been looking around myself and havn't seen that one but googled it and liked what I saw.

Thanks Mr Google as well.

ozjohn · Guru

The only problem with the Coleman (& Similar) heaters is they go through gas cylinders pretty quickly and at around $7 each for a new one it's gets expensive.

They can however be refilled if you have the correct adaptor (Not available in Australia). If you have two cylinders you can have one on the heater and another as a spare.

The adaptor called a 'MAC Coupler' for refilling the cylinders from you 4.5 or 9Kg cylinder is widely available in the US at around US$17.50 plus postage.
I imported some a few year back (All sold quickly) from Amazon.
www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F276172-Propane-Adapter/dp/B000AMC5WO

Cheers Ozjohn.

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Coleman use to sell in the camping stores a hose that connects a 4.5 or 9kg gas bottle to their "Hot Water on Demand" unit.

This same hose will connect to their Procat heater, which is what we now use on our back veranda on chilly mornings since we installed the diesel heater in the van.

A much better option than refilling those little green cannisters, IMHO.

Evie n Rhys · Senior Member

Thanks all, I'll look into that propane option.
Very helpful.
Tess