12Volt Heaters

Bravehearts · Veteran Member

12Volt Heaters

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I hate to say this Bravehearts but I had a 12v Ceramic heater, just a small one and sad to say it wouldn't even heat the box it came in so the local tip is now the proud owner, well owner anyway.

KFT · Guru

We have a Truma LPG heater that runs on 12 volt and ir is excellent.

uses about 100 grams per hour of LPG.

PeterD · Guru

12 V heater? Are you talking of a space heater or a water heater?

Bravehearts · Veteran Member

Hi Peter, I am talking about a space heater that we could use when free camping. We are currently experiencing cold overnight temps ( down to 0) overnight. Had thought about installing a gas unit, which I believe can be an expensive exercise. Thanks to all who have responded. David.

GerryP · Veteran Member

To run purely on 12 volts (i.e. using an electric element) would need far too much power. Even a 500watt heater would use some 42 amps continuously and would not be very warm anyway. A 100ah battery would be effectively flat in an hour. Note that most fan heaters are 1800 - 2400 watts.

We installed a Truma E2400 gas heater in our van a year ago and then cursed that we didn't do it years ago. It is brilliant!

hako · Guru

We use a gas heater that runs on the disposable 220g cylinders - paid $49.95 from Aldi and is the same as the one in the link. We only use it to heat the inside of the van before going to bed and also first thing in the morning and found it pretty good.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gasmate-Gas-Camping-Heater-Butane-outdoor-portable-BH50-/161223360549?pt=Caravan_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2589a94025

oldtrack123 · Guru

HI
Just a reminder to all
Unflued gas heaters Should not be used INDOORS
They are for OUTDOOR use only[as specified in their SPECS]
Inside any enclosed space IS INDOORS.
Using such INDOORS risks a silent death with little warning!!!

PeterQ

aussie_paul · Guru

oldtrack123 wrote:
HI
Just a reminder to all
Unflued gas heaters Should not be used INDOORS
They are for OUTDOOR use only[as specified in their SPECS]
Inside any enclosed space IS INDOORS.
Using such INDOORS risks a silent death with little warning!!!

PeterQ

A couple of months ago we had a couple and their dog die due to running gas heater in the car they were sleeping!!!!

Aussie Paul. smile

Bravehearts · Veteran Member

Thanks to all for your responses. I will probably invest in the trauma gas heater. David

Phil C · Guru

We did it a little different.

We have a 2500W inverter and a 150W electric blanket. At 150W the DC draws around 15 Amps from the batteries. This allows us to be toasty warm all night with no damage to the battery, the blanket cycles on and off during the night at comfortable temps so its not drawing on the battery all night.

Mind you the solar panel works hard the next day. biggrin

Safe travels

-- Edited by Phil C on Tuesday 7th of October 2014 04:36:39 PM

Blue · Senior Member

Diesel Heater...

get a European one ... they are quality and run on the smell of an oily rag...

4 Hours on ONE litre if it runs flat out for all that time..

of course it wont as they'll heat up your van and then turn themselves down again low or even off... then they'll restart again when it cools down smile