Just purchased a gas heater from Brisbane Caravan Show for around $100.
Only to be used while free camping, as we have A/c 240 V for C. Parks etc.
Will use same in the winter months when travelling down south or outback.
Instructions says not to be used in van or enclosed area.
But!!! we are very mindful of problems and would only have the heater on early morning and late evenings, with heater turned off prior to going to bed.
Yes, we bought a butane gas heater from Aldi (half the price you paid, sorry) and it said not to use in caravans and tents and they had a photo of a motorhome on the box!! We plan on using it with a poptop vent open and turn it off after an hour or two. I think it's a case of common sense needed. The first one we saw was being used in a large caravan last year and they had no problems.
Now. Please don't shoot me down just yet. I have read a lot of posts and criticism from people who predict death or other equally sinister outcomes for people who choose to use freestanding gas heaters inside caravans so I decided to check things out for myself. I recently ran an experiment with a similar gas heater which runs off 220g butane cylinders inside our Windsor Rapid van. I purchased a CO monitor to check the carbon monoxide level inside the van and ran the heater on a full cylinder until it ran out, which was about 3 hours. I kept all of the vents, windows and door closed during the test.
The CO level at the start was 2ppm(parts per million). After approx. 15 minutes it had risen to 6ppm but dropped back to about 4ppm not long after and stayed at that level for the duration of the test. (Hopefully I don't need to buy another CO monitor to test the first one.) The test was done on a typical cold Ballarat day where the outside temperature was about 11 degrees. After about 1 hour it was 22 degrees inside the van and still rising slowly. Not the best heating performance but better than freezing the proverbials off. Buying the butane cylinders at $1 each and using 2 or 3 on a cold day/night, it is definitely a lot cheaper than paying $30 per night for a powered site.
I do not endorse or recommend using this type of heater against the safety warnings issued when purchasing them, however the results I witnessed did not ring any alarm bells and for short term, intermittent use I find them a more cost efficient option than a fitted LPG system.
As I said previously, I have decided to use this type of heater but everyone else needs to make their own decisions about the safety of doing so. Shoot me down now if you wish.
Hi Robert, Thank you for your post on the test you did, I found it interesting and possibly a little reassuring when I use my gas stove to make a cup of hot brew inside a confined space as the caravan. Would that be like using our stove that is built into our Caravan by the experts manufacturers of these beautiful mobile homes. I would thing so.
Thank you for reporting that test Thomaso1. With all the naysayers about butane gas heaters I was beginning to doubt what I had seen for myself last year. And as you say, it works out a lot cheaper than a fitted heater. We are on a tight budget and we have to 'cut our pattern to our cloth'. I'd be interested in cost of CO monitor too.
NeilnRuth & Gerty, CO detectors are available from Bunnings for about $30. Cheaper on Ebay. They look very similar to a smoke detector.
Radar, I don't remember the exact figures but ovens and grillers generally use more gas than the butane gas heaters. It must also be remembered that the butane gas cylinders only run for about 2-3 hours.
On my travels so far I have met many people who use these heaters in their vans or motorhomes. Not many readily admit to using them for fear of being ridiculed of being on a death wish.
Do your own tests and make up your own minds. The cost of a CO detector is about 1 night in a caravan park on a powered site.
As retired gas shop owner for 20yrs and a licensed LPGas fitter I can assure you it is a VERY VERY unsafe practice to run ANY LPG appliance in an enclosed area like a caravan, motorhome or tent. Every month for 20yrs I got a report from the AGA on accidents and incidents relating to the use of LPG in Australia and I can assure you that there are lots of accidents and incidents the public never hear about. I love LPG and use it whenever I can BUT I also respect it. I have one message to those that think it is okay to use a gas heater/stove oven in an enclosed area to heat it..
WAKE UP---RUG UP--and WAKE UP next morning.. :)
I am a newbie to this forum becoz I saw this thread a few days ago while looking for somewhere that grey nomads like myself can share our interests and immediately knew I had to join so I could put in my tuppence worth on this subject..
If I sit in my caravan while cooking a leg of lamb or pork in the oven, which could take 2 hours or more, and at the same time used the hob burners to boil vegies or other side dishes, you would not expect that I would survive to eat it? Comparing the gas usage specs for SMEV ovens and Companion gas heaters the stove should get you first as it uses more gas.
I'm curious how the authorities allow ovens/stoves in caravans and motorhomes but not butane heaters.
If I sit in my caravan while cooking a leg of lamb or pork in the oven, which could take 2 hours or more, and at the same time used the hob burners to boil vegies or other side dishes, you would not expect that I would survive to eat it? Comparing the gas usage specs for SMEV ovens and Companion gas heaters the stove should get you first as it uses more gas.
I'm curious how the authorities allow ovens/stoves in caravans and motorhomes but not butane heaters.
Hopefully you can shed some light on this for us.
Regards Robert
Hi Robert,
Firstly there should be a label/sticker adjacent to your stove that clearly states that when you use your stove in a van or motorhome to cook you must have the van/mh ventilated.
Secondly if you were cooking you would normally be moving about whereas when you require a heater it is normally when you are sitting back relaxing trying to keep warm.
And Lastly these rules were made in the interest of the safety of the end user and there is no obligation to comply to them if you are happy to accept the consequences in the event of an accident. :-
Loss of insurance and more importantly loss of life.
Did you know that if you were to have an accident on the road regardless of what caused it your insurance company reserves the right to reject your claim if the gas and power is not properly installed and complied by a licensed Electrician/Gasfitter, that also applies to your house.
I understand rules are in place generally to protect people from themselves and from faulty equipment. I don't want to get into a slinging match with you or anybody else on this. If you go back through other threads on this topic you will see it usually starts with someone saying they are using/planning to use a freestanding butane heater and ends up with doomsdayers saying they will not see tomorrow if they do.
I did my own test to see which side of the fence I sat on, under my conditions, in my van to find out what would happen to me and I was happy with the results I had. I passed on my test results for others to observe and made it clear they should make their own decisions about what they do. As previously stated, I have met with many other vanners who admit to constant and frequent use of these heaters and as yet I haven't spoken to anyone who has encountered any problems by doing so.
Yes, I can foresee problems if the heater is faulty or unsafe modifications are made, but that rings true for any device whether gas or electric. Using faulty equipment is a one-way ticket to disaster. I also understand that as an ex-tradie you tow the regulatory line where there are no grey areas, only black and white.
Thanks for your input and advice. I may not agree with everything you say but it is always good to get the word from the experts.
Interesting post and replies from everyone we recently used a lpg rinnai convector heater the smallest one it was a rce229 h but got a bit scared with feeling comfortable in the van with it going at night, bit heavier on gas consumption than we thought too it needs 240ac to run the fan etc too so was a issue with either a gennie or inverter ,our main add to this post is we installed a smoke Co detector bought thru one of the adds in a magazine brilliant runs on 12 or 240 and detects Co gases as well as smoke and heat
