Oil filled rad while stored?

[Lee1st]

Hi All,

I read on this forum, someone who uses an oil filled radiator in their motorhome whilst it's not in use, to keep the edge off the cold. Seemed like a good idea at the time but does it cause condensation? I wouldn't want to do it if it ended up contributing to interior damp. Just don't know, what's the consensus.

Cheers,

Lee

[empress]

May be quite wrong but am sure I read somewhere about an oil filled raditor that either burst or leaked - sounds unlikely, I know but do check it out.

 

Empress

[colin]

I use an oil filled rad on the rare times we hook up to mains, it does not add any moisture to air.

[Lee1st]

Put an oil filled rad in last night.

There was evidence of condensition on glass this morning, but really nothing horrific. Shall continue ;-)

[Mr. Grumpy]

We use an oil filled rad on frost setting in combination with silver screens and curtains, no condensation evident, while the van is stored. We also use it while on sites and hooked up to the mains just to take the edge of chilly evenings.

[GJH]

Mr. Grumpy - 2007-02-20 11:03 PM

 

We use an oil filled rad on frost setting in combination with silver screens and curtains, no condensation evident, while the van is stored. We also use it while on sites and hooked up to the mains just to take the edge of chilly evenings.

Similar with us except that we don't use the silver screens & curtains when the van is parked on the drive. It's our first winter with the van and we've been using the oil filled rad on cold nights with no problems.

 

Graham

[KIMU]

We use oil fired rad while hooked up on site but use a de-humidifier while hooked up at home. Even though motorhome is new it is surprising how much condensation is collected each week.

 

[Brian Kirby]

In practical terms, whether you add heat, or dehumidify, will have more or less the same effect.

If you put a heater into the van you warm the air inside it, and also its internal surfaces.  In so doing you reduce the likelihood that condensation will form.

If you put a dehumidifier inside you remove water vapour from the air inside the van, also reducing the likelihood that condensation will form.

However, in cold weather the van will lose heat through its fabric, so the heater must keep heating.  In humid weather, on the other hand, the permanent ventilation in the van will allow new, moist, air to enter, so the dehumidifier must keep dehumidifying.

By removing water vapour from the air a dehumidifier will tend to dry out the van's atmosphere, in absolute terms, but the van will stay cold.  On the other hand, by warming the cold winter air, a heater will dry out the van's atmosphere in relative terms, but the van will stay warm.

The difference between the two approaches (assuming the van remains unoccupied) in terms of condensation, will thus be negligable.  However, the heater will probably cost more to run overall. 

Keeping the van warm will allow the actual amount (as opposed to the relative amount) of water vapour in the air to stay that bit higher.  Consequently the wood in the van will change temperature, and moisture content, that bit less less between summer and winter.  This may have benefits in terms of reducing the tendency of door and drawers to stick, or frames to move and joints to open up.

A simple cheap electric greenhouse heater will do just as well as an oil filled heater, although the oil filled heater will keep the temperature that bit more constant.

It is a good idea generally to empty the van of everything that may retain moisture, such as upholstery and fabrics, to further reduce the condensation risk.

If you can't put either heater or dehumidifier in the van, try silica gel packs.  Once exhausted, these can be reactivated by heating them in your oven at home.  You just need two lots, to rotate periodically between van and oven.