Heater for back of van

Hi, I have gone from pure freedom trolley system to van mount, and as winter is approaching i'm looking at running an extension lead from my garage into the back of my van and plug into some kind of heater, im looking for one that switches itself on when it gets to 4 degrees or less. In order to stop the pumps and controllers and pipework from freezing. Was wondering if any of you guys that have been van mount for a few years can recommend a heater that would do the job and wont cost a fortune to run. I appreciate any replies Thanks 

Viggers said:

Hi, I have gone from pure freedom trolley system to van mount, and as winter is approaching i'm looking at running an extension lead from my garage into the back of my van and plug into some kind of heater, im looking for one that switches itself on when it gets to 4 degrees or less. In order to stop the pumps and controllers and pipework from freezing. Was wondering if any of you guys that have been van mount for a few years can recommend a heater that would do the job and wont cost a fortune to run. I appreciate any replies Thanks 

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Most use an oil filled heater with a frost stat.

I use an old 800 watt skirting board heater. I salvaged 3 from a skip 28 years ago outside a hose refurb in Johannesburg on my way home from work. They were about 20 years old then. One didn't work but the other 2 did. I welded up metal frames with wheels and they each went in the children's bedrooms. 

I added a frost stat to each of them about 10 years ago. I use one in my van and we drain the pump down on son's van to protect the pump from freezing up. My frost stat kicks on at 2 degrees and off at 5 degrees. We have had a couple of bad winters and haven't had anything frozen in the past 10 years.

My pumps are fitted to the tank frame about 1/2 way up. I have a duvet over the tank which covers the pumps and hose reels. Filling the tank with water at 8 or 9 degrees also helps to keep the pumps from freezing up.

spruce said:

Most use an oil filled heater with a frost stat.

I use an old 800 watt skirting board heater. I salvaged 3 from a skip 28 years ago outside a hose refurb in Johannesburg on my way home from work. They were about 20 years old then. One didn't work but the other 2 did. I welded up metal frames with wheels and they each went in the children's bedrooms. 

I added a frost stat to each of them about 10 years ago. I use one in my van and we drain the pump down on son's van to protect the pump from freezing up. My frost stat kicks on at 2 degrees and off at 5 degrees. We have had a couple of bad winters and haven't had anything frozen in the past 10 years.

My pumps are fitted to the tank frame about 1/2 way up. I have a duvet over the tank which covers the pumps and hose reels. Filling the tank with water at 8 or 9 degrees also helps to keep the pumps from freezing up.

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And you actually shipped them to the UK ? I know you don't like to throw things away but @spruce even you must admit that's extreme ?

spruce said:

Most use an oil filled heater with a frost stat.
 
I use an old 800 watt skirting board heater. I salvaged 3 from a skip 28 years ago outside a hose refurb in Johannesburg on my way home from work. They were about 20 years old then. One didn't work but the other 2 did. I welded up metal frames with wheels and they each went in the children's bedrooms. 
 
I added a frost stat to each of them about 10 years ago. I use one in my van and we drain the pump down on son's van to protect the pump from freezing up. My frost stat kicks on at 2 degrees and off at 5 degrees. We have had a couple of bad winters and haven't had anything frozen in the past 10 years.
My pumps are fitted to the tank frame about 1/2 way up. I have a duvet over the tank which covers the pumps and hose reels. Filling the tank with water at 8 or 9 degrees also helps to keep the pumps from freezing up.

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That's what I like about you Spruce, you don't waste anything[emoji1] [emoji1]

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Viggers said:

Hi, I have gone from pure freedom trolley system to van mount, and as winter is approaching i'm looking at running an extension lead from my garage into the back of my van and plug into some kind of heater, im looking for one that switches itself on when it gets to 4 degrees or less. In order to stop the pumps and controllers and pipework from freezing. Was wondering if any of you guys that have been van mount for a few years can recommend a heater that would do the job and wont cost a fortune to run. I appreciate any replies Thanks 

Click to expand...

An oil filled radiator costs around £35, I haven't a clue what they cost to run but it will save you a fortune in lost hours compared to if the reels do freeze 

I never got on with the oil filled rad, I found the heat went straight out of the roof above it. 

I use a 2Kw fan heater, it clicks in at 2* but circulates the warm air better.

I'm in the same boat. This will be my first winter with a 350L set up. I was considering a Greenhouse tube heater. Does anyone have any experience with one?


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Hi Minty where did you get it from, what make is it, does it cost a lot to run ??

Hi mate, I got it from B&Q.

not sure on running costs as it flicks in and out. Through the winter months on a Friday afternoon I connect it up and unplug it on the Monday morning 

Energy input (kW) x pence per kWh= running cost.
For example a 2kW fan heater run continuously (without stopping) for 1 hour would be:
2kW x 14p/kWh = 28 pence per hour.
(Calculation is based on 0.14p per kWh - please check with you current electricity bill for an actual hourly rate you are paying.


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I bought an electric/oil one from Argos for £25.00 I did roughly work it out, about 12p an hour on a medium heat. 

Ive got a vw Transporter . it didn't cone with a roof linieing.I take my gear out,sling a bed in the back and go a way for a few dys.In the winter though,put yer hand on the steel roof your know what cold realy feels like. so you know guys insulate their camper vans,so I put some insulation on my roof 1/4"" aprox Foil coated oneside,very sticky tother high density rubber from ,HARRISONS TRIM this stuff,s the real deal, and the difference, was great 5 maybe 6 degrees,i put an oil heater in van but saved money iam sure.

Thanks guys for the comments

Wouldn't fancy leaving a 2kw fan heater on all night connected to an extension lead.

I found this self adhesive thermal and sound liner which looks good.
http://vi.raptor.ebaydesc.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=151674689783&category=36678&pm=1&ds=0&t=1531837303000&ver=0


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J and S said:

Wouldn't fancy leaving a 2kw fan heater on all night connected to an extension lead.

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Make sure the extension lead is a heavy duty one ?

spruce said:

Most use an oil filled heater with a frost stat.

I use an old 800 watt skirting board heater. I salvaged 3 from a skip 28 years ago outside a hose refurb in Johannesburg on my way home from work. They were about 20 years old then. One didn't work but the other 2 did. I welded up metal frames with wheels and they each went in the children's bedrooms. 

I added a frost stat to each of them about 10 years ago. I use one in my van and we drain the pump down on son's van to protect the pump from freezing up. My frost stat kicks on at 2 degrees and off at 5 degrees. We have had a couple of bad winters and haven't had anything frozen in the past 10 years.

My pumps are fitted to the tank frame about 1/2 way up. I have a duvet over the tank which covers the pumps and hose reels. Filling the tank with water at 8 or 9 degrees also helps to keep the pumps from freezing up.

Click to expand...

@spruce you take ''make do and mend'' to the next level. Fair play to you!

J and S said:

Wouldn't fancy leaving a 2kw fan heater on all night connected to an extension lead.

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Neither would I, we have a fan heater for occasional use and the plug can get hot it does cut out, but I wouldn't stick one in my van 

I have throw a old duvet over my tank and reel and also use a small oil fill radiator. 

I just park my van in the garage [emoji16]

County Durham Lad

P4dstar said:

@spruce you take ''make do and mend'' to the next level. Fair play to you!

View attachment 14867

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I'm afraid I'm from another generation. The world has changed and I've been left behind in the old one. I grew up in a world where you had to fix something when it broke as a replacement could be 3 to 4 months away. It was like that on the Copperbelt on the Congo boarder in the late 1950's and 1960's.

I have an industrial Bosch battery drill/screwdriver which is about 12 years old. The batteries are Nicad. (Some of the younger ones might not know what those are. ? But I can tell you in the late 1980's they were cutting edge technology that we were so excited about in the power tool industry.) It just bugs me that the cost of upgrading/replacing 2 battery packs is more than a new drill with 2 lithium battery packs.

This throw away market is something you younger ones see as normal. My son's flat screen Samsung TV set packed up a couple of months ago. We opened it and I pointed out a couple of swollen capacitors. A few pence, solder and a soldering iron could fix that. No, he went out and bought a new bigger TV and took the old one to the tip.

Whilst they awaited their new tv the grandkids were rather upset with not having a TV to watch. So we loaned them an old small flatscreen we had upstairs for a few days. I put new batteries into the remote for them. Did the GKs moan about this 32" TV being too small! To add insult to injury, they nicked the batteries from my remote as they didn't receive batteries with their new TV when it was delivered. ?

I have a perfectly good Bosch sabre saw (PFZ550 all purpose saw Bosch calls it) in the garage. It needs a new armature. A replacement armature with new carbon brushes is a similar price as a new machine.