Free camping heaters

Colin Penrose · Senior Member

Free camping heaters

Bill B · Guru

If you are on 240v use a ceramic electric heater with a thermostat so you can set the temperature.

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello Colin Penrose

I am sure that if people have found a cheaper version of a Diesel Heater, which can be used when free camping, they will come along and let you know

While speaking to many seasoned travellers in the free camps, they did not appear to be unduly worried about the seasons or the weather.
They mentioned that if they were travelling/camping in the cold weather, they would just wear more warm clothes, and put extra blankets on the bed.
Some seasoned travellers told me that they carry hot water bottles

Hope this helps you out

JayDee · Guru

We have a diesel heater.which is absolutely idea for bush camping. But there is a cost involved.
any type of gas heater is a no no. as one may not wake to a beautiful wonderful winter day.

Jay&Dee

Bryan · Guru

Very little choice Colin. As bill says if you have 240v then a small ceramic electric heater will do, otherwise its either diesel or ducted gas. We use a Truma E2400 gas heater. Works very well but similar pricing to diesel.

Koala · Veteran Member

Hi Colin,

We used our Butane gas heaters over the weekend, I have 2 & they are fantastic,easy, cheap & portable, the ones I have are camp master from Supercheap, I believe they may not be stocking them anymore though. They actually throw out quite a bit of heat . Hope this helps.

K J

hako · Guru

We use a Aldi purchased butane heater with no problems in our camper and consider using it inside the van no different to cooking inside with the gas cooktop. Just don't leave it on all night.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

K J wrote:
Hi Colin,
We used our Butane gas heaters over the weekend, I have 2 & they are fantastic,easy, cheap & portable, the ones I have are camp master from Supercheap, I believe they may not be stocking them anymore though. They actually throw out quite a bit of heat . Hope this helps.
K J

These heaters will kill in any enclosed space.

Even quite small concentrations of carbon monoxide will cause permanent brain damage.

Posted by Motherhen recently on Caravaners Forum.

As we head into cold days and nights and think about the comfort of heating, this week is Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week. Time to check that appliances you are using at home are well maintained and operating safely. For those travelling, dont be tempted to use any unflued heating in your caravan or camper, nor ideas bandied around like an upturned flowerpot over a gas burner.

Some common products that can emit carbon monoxide when you use them are:
Barbeques that use wood, charcoal or gas
Fireplaces that use wood, charcoal or gas
Portable cookers that use gas or kerosene
Portable and/or outdoor heaters that use gas or kerosene
Flued gas heaters (under certain conditions)
Electrical generators that are diesel or petrol powered
Electrical equipment that is diesel or petrol powered (such as pumps, chainsaws, blowers and welders).
From Product Safety.

At higher levels, carbon monoxide can kill within minutes. Even if you get fresh air in time to save your life, carbon monoxide can cause strokes, heart attacks, memory loss and personality changes. This brain damage is permanent.

Carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin in our blood in place of the needed oxygen, and does so in preference to the oxygen in the air. This causes blood vessels of the body to leak, especially in the brain causing the brain to swell, leading to unconsciousness and neurological damage.
Source Carbon Monoxide Kills.

Last year a man was found dead from using an outdoor gas heater inside a house in Victoria
A Sydney man was found dead with head beads by his bed last year
In 2012 three men died in Tasmania while using a gas fridge in a caravan
A New Zealand mother and her three children died inside their house from fumes from a car idling in the adjoining garage.
Barbecue beads were placed in the porch of a tent for warmth, and a fourteen year old girl, being nearest to them, died.
In 2011 a man died during cyclone Yasi while using a generator inside his house.
In 2010, Chase and Tyler Robinson died from carbon monoxide poisoning from an unserviced gas heater in their rental property. They were only eight and six years old.

The Chase and Tyler Foundation raises awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning in Australia.

Thousands of people die every year throughout the world due to accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, directly resulted from using outdoor heating appliances indoors.
For camping off mains power in really cold weather, either a diesel heater (Webasto, Dometic or Eberspacher or cheaper copies), or installed gas heater (Truma) are the best options for heating your caravan.

You can get 12 volt electric blankets or use a 240 volt one off your inverter to warm the bed, or pull on Explorer or other thick woollen socks, and use a zero rated sleeping bag to keep the warmth you generate close around you.

STAY SAFE.

Cheers,

Peter

vince56 · Senior Member

Totally agree with Peter's comment, don't use naked flame heaters! Very very dangerous.

JayDee · Guru

be it on your own head if you use any type of gas heater. Read Peters comments and then read it again.

To bloody risky.

jay&Dee

Bryan · Guru

JayDee wrote:

be it on your own head if you use any type of gas heater. Read Peters comments and then read it again.

To bloody risky.

jay&Dee

Surely not any type of gas heater. The Dometic Truma E2400 gas heater is designed especially for caravans and is flued to the outside of the van similar to the diesel heater.

Hardranger · Member

We use a butane gas heater in our Jayco Expanda. Common sense and plenty of ventilation and you won't die. It is so efficient that we only use it for half an hour in the morning and perhaps a couple of hours at night. Don't leave it on while sleeping of course.

BruDi · Senior Member

We have a Truma gas heater in our van, fitted from new. It was not cheap, but its running costs are more than fair. It is vented to the outside, provides good heat but is noisy.

We also do a lot of 4WDriving and tow a Vista RV then which has no heating for free camping. We use a wool quilt which is beautifully warm and wear extra layers. We also have a fire pit which we can use for an outside contained fire when camping.

Di

GerryP · Veteran Member

We too have a Truma (it's on right now smile ), but we are guilty of using portable gas heaters and even the old terra cota flowerpot over the stove burner over previous years.

Having said that, if I was to consider doing that these days, I would at least get onto ebay and get a CO monitor and install it in the van. They are only a few dollars, battery operated and could save your life.

Whatever you decide, please be sensible and let common sense prevail. Don't leave it on any longer than you would, say cooking a meal with your stove.

macka17 · Guru

Simplerr remedy still.

Come up here to QLD for the dry.
Don't waste all that lovely money down there.

WE NEED IT To repair the worn out roads from all your rigs coming up here Annually...(chuckle)

We used to have gas heaters yrs ago.
They glowed red but no flame.
and if knocked over they shut off supply.

My first 2 kids were brought up with them in UK Winters.
They were often on for weeks at a time in cold (sub zero) sessions.
Hanging off the end of 100lb bottles on sites.

meetoo · Guru

Installed a diesel heater 3 weeks ago and have used it nearly every night since. Best thing ever.
Cheers, John

dogbox · Guru

Hardranger wrote:

We use a butane gas heater in our Jayco Expanda. Common sense and plenty of ventilation and you won't die. It is so efficient that we only use it for half an hour in the morning and perhaps a couple of hours at night. Don't leave it on while sleeping of course.

leave it on a bit to long fall asleep end of story common sense to one person is a brilliant idea to another why take the risk