heat in cargo van
- Thread starter ndfan
- Start date
Nobuddys!:+
If it's too hot or cold to sleep without running the van, I run the van all night. I have a propane heater, but don't use it - with the bulkhead wall, it makes it too warm, and I'm afraid I may wake up to find it real hot, cause I threw a blanket on it in my sleep, and have set it on fire.
Once in awhile, I just check into a motel instead.
If it's too hot or cold to sleep without running the van, I run the van all night. I have a propane heater, but don't use it - with the bulkhead wall, it makes it too warm, and I'm afraid I may wake up to find it real hot, cause I threw a blanket on it in my sleep, and have set it on fire.
Once in awhile, I just check into a motel instead.
Check out the Espar heater at Espar of Michigan. Just about the best way to heat a Cargo Van
Dog_House2691
Seasoned Expediter
Get your self a sleeping bag that is rated to -30 below...never idle again.
Espar heater. Live comfortably. Live cost effectively.
Recently in -15F degree weather I was warm and toasty lounging in the van wearing less than a shirt and pants. No wasted money in fuel and engine wear to idling.
Depending on the Espar model, it'll cost between $1500 and $2000, which is also the same amount that you'll spend wasting fuel to idle over one winter. And that's if you idle minimally. If you idle most or all of the time, the Espar pays for itself in a couple of months. Next winter it's all money in your pocket.
Your mileage may vary, but if you idle 8 hours during the week, then idle all weekend, you're looking at 100 hours a week, which is about 100 gallons of fuel a week. Multiply that by the cost of fuel, then divide that into the $1500 or $2000 cost of an Espar, and that's how fast the Espar pays for itself (not including cost of engine wear).
It's a no brainer.
Recently in -15F degree weather I was warm and toasty lounging in the van wearing less than a shirt and pants. No wasted money in fuel and engine wear to idling.
Depending on the Espar model, it'll cost between $1500 and $2000, which is also the same amount that you'll spend wasting fuel to idle over one winter. And that's if you idle minimally. If you idle most or all of the time, the Espar pays for itself in a couple of months. Next winter it's all money in your pocket.
Your mileage may vary, but if you idle 8 hours during the week, then idle all weekend, you're looking at 100 hours a week, which is about 100 gallons of fuel a week. Multiply that by the cost of fuel, then divide that into the $1500 or $2000 cost of an Espar, and that's how fast the Espar pays for itself (not including cost of engine wear).
It's a no brainer.
If I ran a diesel van I would definitely go with an Espar. I've got a -30 degree rectangular sleeping bag from Cabelas for $80. I unzip my down mummy bag and stuff it in the rectangular bag and then pull it up over my head. I find sleeping in a mummy bag to be too confining.
The Mr. Buddy works well for just hanging around inside my van as long as the van is warm to begin with. WalMart sells two packs of 1 pound propane bottles for $5. The Mr. Buddy runs about 8 hours on low heat on one bottle.
The Mr. Buddy works well for just hanging around inside my van as long as the van is warm to begin with. WalMart sells two packs of 1 pound propane bottles for $5. The Mr. Buddy runs about 8 hours on low heat on one bottle.
Espar has a model that runs on gasoline.
There is a small 12 volt A/C unit available. They had it at the Expo. It was a bit pricey, I don't remember how much.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
Well here's a question:
I have a 2006 Sprinter that came equipped from the factory with the Heater Booster - this unit is basically an Espar D5 engine coolant heater. It is used as a supplement heater to raise the coolant temp when the (cold-blooded) Sprinter is running in cold ambient temps to maintain a coolant temp of around 180°. It has about 17K btu output at the high setting. As set up from the factory the unit will not run without the vehicle running.
Anyone ever heard of modifying the unit so that it will run while the vehicle is not (running) and running a set of coolant lines to a heater core (radiator) inside the cargo area ? Basically adding a heater core with a fan on it like is used in a school bus. Seems like this would be alot cheaper - only a couple $100 - compared to shelling out $1000 to $2000 for an Espar AirTronic air heater.
I have a 2006 Sprinter that came equipped from the factory with the Heater Booster - this unit is basically an Espar D5 engine coolant heater. It is used as a supplement heater to raise the coolant temp when the (cold-blooded) Sprinter is running in cold ambient temps to maintain a coolant temp of around 180°. It has about 17K btu output at the high setting. As set up from the factory the unit will not run without the vehicle running.
Anyone ever heard of modifying the unit so that it will run while the vehicle is not (running) and running a set of coolant lines to a heater core (radiator) inside the cargo area ? Basically adding a heater core with a fan on it like is used in a school bus. Seems like this would be alot cheaper - only a couple $100 - compared to shelling out $1000 to $2000 for an Espar AirTronic air heater.
All you van guys should get the ESpar or Webasto. Both are reasonable, and you won't get poisoned by your or someone else's carbon monoxide. Install around $1200? (I never broke it down with other wiring & inverter). Need a diesel engine! Perfect for a Sprinter or large open van.
talkinghorse43
Expert Expediter
That's called the auxiliary heater option. My '02 passenger came with the cold weather package which includes a switch to turn the Espar on w/o the engine running for a max 2 hrs (newer vans can have a 7-day timer so you don't have to go out to turn it on). Mine also has a heater core mounted underneath, near the fuel tank with floor level vents to heat the passenger compartment. So, all the parts are available. There was considerable discussion of how to modify what you have - heater booster - to make it into an auxiliary heater on the yahoo group "sprintervan" in the Fall of '06, but I didn't pay attention to the details. You can search the archives and links there to find the result.
No diesel needed. They have one that runs on gas.