candapack Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 So, you're not on EHU, and the only heating is blown air. You're in Scotland in winter, can you run the heating overnight? Would one 100aH battery, with a 100watt solar panel to recharge during the day, be enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timabob Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Can't you use gas when your not on EHU? Perhaps I'm missing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 timabob - 2015-10-14 11:16 AM Can't you use gas when your not on EHU? Perhaps I'm missing something. Yes, but you still need the 12v fan n to be running to distribute the warm air. AFAIK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevina Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I'd say you could scrape 2 nights out of a single battery in sub zero night time conditions. The solar panel is virtually worthless, it might contribute 5 or 6Ah but only if sunny. You will be living in the van a lot during the hours of darkness so it's not only the heating that will consume electricity. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 A typical "how long is a piece of string" question. Scotland! Would that be Inverewe, one of the mildest areas in UK or Cairngorms one of the coldest? How good is the insulation in your van? What other power would you be using? What temperature would you set it at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Use a DC clamp meter on the positive wire off the battery and just run the heating fan. Note the amperages on different fan speeds and work it out. when our van was new I did this for all the equipment so I know roughly what uses what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve928 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 colin - 2015-10-14 2:04 PM A typical "how long is a piece of string" question. Scotland! Would that be Inverewe, one of the mildest areas in UK or Cairngorms one of the coldest? How good is the insulation in your van? What other power would you be using? What temperature would you set it at? And why leave it running at night? Wear bedsocks if you have to (lol) , use a good duvet pulled up under your nose and enjoy! We're from Scotland and continue using the van throughout the winter but have never felt the need to run the heating overnight - the van is better insulated than our house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolandrat Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 Steve928 - 2015-10-14 3:27 PM colin - 2015-10-14 2:04 PM A typical "how long is a piece of string" question. Scotland! Would that be Inverewe, one of the mildest areas in UK or Cairngorms one of the coldest? How good is the insulation in your van? What other power would you be using? What temperature would you set it at? And why leave it running at night? Wear bedsocks if you have to (lol) , use a good duvet pulled up under your nose and enjoy! We're from Scotland and continue using the van throughout the winter but have never felt the need to run the heating overnight - the van is better insulated than our house. Also a pair of mittens and a bob hat pulled down over your ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted October 14, 2015 Author Share Posted October 14, 2015 Steve928 - 2015-10-14 3:27 PM And why leave it running at night? Wear bedsocks if you have to (lol) , use a good duvet pulled up under your nose and enjoy! We're from Scotland and continue using the van throughout the winter but have never felt the need to run the heating overnight - the van is better insulated than our house. Mrs Candapack finds bedsocks and the like something of a turn-off. Hmmm, worth a try then. But seriously, we don't go on holiday to be less comfy than at home. Otherwise we'd still use a tent. Thanks all for responses. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HymerVan Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 As a poster has said not many parameters. If you are going to camp in sub zero temperatures cabin temperatures are not the only issue e.g. Water tanks freezing site taps freezing so unable to top up water etc. Assuming a modern coach build even without heating the overnight temperatures will be reasonably comfortable with a 15 tog duvet. So with careful use of heating your van will be useable. You really just have to try it and see. If your really want to achieve a full domestic standard of comfort without EHU you probably need to either beef up your battery power or avoid sub zero temperatures. My coldest experience was not in Scotland but Yorkshire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted October 15, 2015 Author Share Posted October 15, 2015 OK, maybe I was a bit light on information. Despite that, I think I got what I was looking for from you lot, so thank you. Again. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 We've left heating switched on overnight in several different vans. In our present van have left on lowest setting during sub zero temps 'to be on safe side', to my knowledge it's only ever fired up once. In a RV in Arizona near GC, had a damn noisy heater constantly firing up as we struggled to keep warm with the inadequate supplied bedding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 colin - 2015-10-15 8:44 PM We've left heating switched on overnight in several different vans. In our present van have left on lowest setting during sub zero temps 'to be on safe side', to my knowledge it's only ever fired up once. In a RV in Arizona near GC, had a damn noisy heater constantly firing up as we struggled to keep warm with the inadequate supplied bedding. Sounds like Cruise America/Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted October 15, 2015 Share Posted October 15, 2015 One way to get some heat overnight without drawing too much power from the battery is to leave only the water heating on. We find that in our IH Tio R PVC this keeps the foot of the bed warm and takes the frostiness out of the small room. However it does depend upon the relative positions of Truma heater outlets and bed. Do you really leave your heating on 24/7 when at home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 starvin marvin - 2015-10-15 9:33 PM colin - 2015-10-15 8:44 PM We've left heating switched on overnight in several different vans. In our present van have left on lowest setting during sub zero temps 'to be on safe side', to my knowledge it's only ever fired up once. In a RV in Arizona near GC, had a damn noisy heater constantly firing up as we struggled to keep warm with the inadequate supplied bedding. Sounds like Cruise America/Canada. you got it in one. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 Alanb - 2015-10-15 10:44 PM Do you really leave your heating on 24/7 when at home? In 'the old house' the multi fuel heater was fired up a month ago, it will be shut down around christmas for cleaning and then on constantly again until may. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted October 16, 2015 Share Posted October 16, 2015 A warm wife and a dog trained to sleep at the foot of the bed on your feet works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candapack Posted October 16, 2015 Author Share Posted October 16, 2015 Colin Leake - 2015-10-16 7:22 PM A warm wife and a dog trained to sleep at the foot of the bed on your feet works well. I have a warm wife, and a dog. However, it's the wife I need to train, as she won't let the dog on the bed. :'( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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