Mel B Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thinking about going away just after Christmas and over the New Year period but I do suffer with the cold. We've always turned the heating off overnight in the 'van but I'm just wondering if we should leave it on at a low setting but as our heating only runs off gas, it could consume a fair bit. The other option is to go on a site with hook-up but fan heaters can be noisy so I suppose we'd have to use a convector type heater. I just wondered what others do? When you're away over winter do you keep the heating on overnight or do you snuggle down into your duvets and not emerge until you are brave enough in the morning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Oil filled radiator, quiet like a convector, but not as likely to cause a problem if it get accidently covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 If on hook up we leave the heater on very low, but onlu if its realy cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Oil-filled radiator and two cocker spaniels (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 In the past we've used a 1/2/3KW fan heater on low setting (1KW), not been loud enough to bother us but we live on a fairly busy road so we're fairly immune to noise at night. In our present motorhome conversion I'm just fitting a Propex blown air gas fired heater. We're away very soon for a night so I'll get back to you on how noisy it is (or not). D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggyd Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I think the answer is Mel have it on till our ready for bed, keep tucked in and before you get up push hubby out to switch on again. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonB Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Mel - Take a look at a Botanico fan heater. 1000 and 2000 settings, thermostat controlled, frost setting, etc, small, tough and very stable. Also very quite. I can honestly say that we have to look at ours to see if it has cut out or not. They are popular with the greenhouse industry and most garden centres will sell them at around £25-£30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 It depends how cold its going to get - if its not dropping below freezing then snuggling under the duvet is fine - if its dropping below freezing then you need to keep temperature up to stop everything freezing. Our Truma heater has both gas & electric so on sites i use it on a mixture of both. If its really cold (we have been down to minus 15 C) then i add in an oil radiator and a fan heater! Just mix and match according to conditions. I would rather keep some warmth in van overnight otherwise everything gets so cold it never seems to get warm. Enjoy Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJH Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Like Colin we use an oil-filled radiator whilst asleep and then turn on the gas again when we get up. Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapido-lass Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 In our old van we used an oil filled radiator and set the temperature to low just to keep the worst cold off at night when we were on electric hook up. Now with new van only when it gets very cold do we leave any heating on as once snuggled down under duvet it is toasty hot and with 3 dogs not normally necessary. Just make sure as soon as someone stirs - the heating is put on low. Normally by the time I have taken dogs out for morning pee, the motorhome seems lovely and warm anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Don't often use hookups but when we do I take a small fan heater, never found heating necessary overnight. If it's really cold I would leave an oil filled radiator on low. At home over the winter always leave an oil filled radiator permanently on set to minimum to keep the van aired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minstrel Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I read recently (I think in the CC mag) that it's wiser and safer to use electric heating in the night. We bought a fairly cheap convector heater from B & Q, lighter than an oil filled radiator, we made sure it was lowish wattage for foreign campsites with low amp hook up. Sometimes when not on hook up we give the gas heating a quick blast when we get up in the night. He has to get up first and get in last as we sleep in the overcab bed, it's very cosy in there except for a cold nose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 We very rarely have hook up over the winter period, we leave the gas blow air heating on very low and it keeps the chill off, when in the caravan we did leave the gas fire on low over night (the down side is we have to carry a genny for a charge every so offten this is not on 24/7) do not like this system and hope to change the van soon back to the good old gas fire. As we have had Icicles hanging from the ceiling before I do not think dogs and meny blankets has the same effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifee Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Don't use sites much & the heating & hot water stays on whenever it's needed day or night. Doesn't seem to use a lot of gas. An 11kg refillable last me 2 weeks in southern european winters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 Some interesting ideas there guys. Unfortunately I really do suffer with the cold (I even have special dispensation at work to have my own convector heater in summer! 8-) ) and have been known to wear a hoodie top or a woolly hat overnight in the camper (yeah, passion killers ... but it was too cold anyway ... :D ). I seem to feel the cold even more now so I think having the heating on, in some form or another, is going to be a requirement. I'll have a shuftie at the Botanico fan heater and convectors too. I'm not keen on leaving gas heating on overnight unless vital, ie no hook-up. The best part is in the morning when a certain little dog sneaks up on to the bed around 6.30 am and shoots down under the bedclothes for a cuddle ... she's still usually wamer than me so I have a lovely furry hot water bottle! :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Now I know where I've seen you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smifee Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Forgot to mention my everlasting hot water bottle :$ see avatar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 Nope, sorry, I don't do balaclavas! I just do woolly hats .... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 'Ang on a minute, you're not supposed to post naughty pictures like that, this is a family site you know! D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter lambert Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 As others have already suggested, we use a small oil-filled radiator for background heat overnight. Ours is a 500w model, so only draws 2A max thus not tripping any low-rated hook-up. It is not much larger in size than a laptop computer, but about 3 times as thick. Being silent in operation it is ideal to be left on as it won't keep you awake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Do we put the heating on when camping? Too B****y true we do. The blood gets mighty thin at 80. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hymer1942 Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I have got Julie. works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 davenewell@home - 2009-10-16 7:33 PM 'Ang on a minute, you're not supposed to post naughty pictures like that, this is a family site you know! D. I'd better not tell you what we used to get up to in the back of the 'ambulance' then Dave! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 peter lambert - 2009-10-16 10:19 PM As others have already suggested, we use a small oil-filled radiator for background heat overnight. Ours is a 500w model, so only draws 2A max thus not tripping any low-rated hook-up. It is not much larger in size than a laptop computer, but about 3 times as thick. Being silent in operation it is ideal to be left on as it won't keep you awake Hi Peter Could you advise the make & model of the 500 W radiator, sizes and weight would also be appreciated. We have been looking for similar for a while, but have only come up with a 1.5Kw which is fairly heavy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 We bought a 500w oil filled radiator from B&Q some time ago, don't know if they still do them .May be worth a look if you can't find one elsewhere. Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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