hi everyone.can anyone tell me how to stay warm in a gas powered cargo van ??? dont really want to run engine all nite. coleman 16oz propane bottles are only good for about 8 hrs. each. i've seen "ceramic" lighter plug-ins at truck stop but wouldnt it drain battery overnite ? do they work ? dont converters also drain battery overnite ? any suggestions would be appreciated. ttttthank yyyyou !!!
I'm Freezing !!!! ---- HELP !!!
- Thread starter 8Ball
- Start date
8Ball: This topic repeats itself every year. You may want to go back into the archives and look at some of the discussions. There are a couple of things a driver can do to keep warm in the winter. Truck stops are looking at providing shore power (electicity) to trucks, but that is very rare at this point (This would be about $10/night). Gasoline and diesel generators can be used, but are expensive. You could have a 2nd and or 3rd battery installed, to be charged off of your alternator and use it to run an electric heater or 12v heating pad (about $70 for pads at truck stops). There are small gas and diesel fired heaters that can be installed (I do not know if available for vans.) Beware of the Coleman type heaters - you are playing with fire hazards as well as risk of depleting oxygen in the van. I would think it best not to use these while sleeping. Your last option would be to invest in a really good sleeping bag and some fleece socks, pants, shirt and a skull cap.
Good Luck & Drive Safe
Good Luck & Drive Safe
Espar www.espar.com, among others, makes a heater that will work on gas or diesel vans. This is the only safe means of heating a van. Even idling a van all night to keep warm can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. A note to everyone in cargo vans. You are risking your life sleeping in an idling van. You are risking your life with propane heaters. Portable, gas fired heaters are against the regulations and most companies will place you out of service if you have them. Check out 393.77 (6)of the regulations. No one says that you should not have the ability to stay warm... Just do it the right and safe way. Do not gamble your life with portable gas fired heaters. Someone wants you to come home.
I read on this forum, not long ago about a heater you could buy at Walmart, that was supposedly safe. Can´t remember who posted it, but it´s worth checking out at Walmart. As the previous poster said, don´t use any kind of heater in a van or a truck that will emit fumes into the sleeping area, and don´t idle a gas engine with the unit closed up. Dangerous.
a sleeper with an insulated bulkhead helps. i used to get the interior warm with the heater and shut the engine off then crawl in my sleeping bag and close the sleeper curtains. that way your body heat is confined to a 24"x 40"x 72" space. i would sleep like a baby until the morning when it would finally get really cold. maybe i've got a little more grit than most but it worked for me. some drivers put a sheet of that silver bubble insulation under the sleeping bag to reflect heat back toward them but i never tried that. i would never trust any heat source with a flame while sleeping. i've heard that those electric bunk warming pads don't use that much juice, but i would still run it off an auxiliary battery to avoid a dead cranking battery.
G
guest
Guest
We used to drive a gas powered cube van and left it idle many a night for heat as well as in the summer for cooling. As long as the exhaust system is in good shape, I see very little risk. Today's gas engines with catalyst emit very little monoxide, anyhow. As long as the heater fan is on, fresh air is pulled in.
Last Sunday Target was advertising a 200 watt heater that was especially made for any type of vehicle. It plugs into the cigarette lighter and sells for only $14.95
Don't know if it would drain the battery by morning or not.
Was thinking of purchasing this. Has anyone tried this yet ??
Don't know if it would drain the battery by morning or not.
Was thinking of purchasing this. Has anyone tried this yet ??
GroundHawk
Expert Expediter
Never used any type of flame heater,even with an electric heater you should have a little ventaltion.If you got room for two batteries you can rig them up to run your inverter and heater off of one battery and switch to the other for starting power. I have a plan that shows you how to do this. Hawk
GroundHawk
Expert Expediter
Trying to find that drawing on that two battery set up.When I find it I will post.Hawk
In regards to extended battery supply I did the following.
Went to a welding shop and had a battery box made for van which would secure two 6 volt golf cart batteries wired in series for 12 volt supply. These batteries last longer than many other types. I ran two batteries for 3 years before deciding that they were to old. Im on my second set. You could run a small heater on this for several hours depending on the draw of your heater and the output of your inverter. Of course there is the inverter and switch that have to be mounted for voltage conversion. Takes about 2 hours or less for all of it.
Went to a welding shop and had a battery box made for van which would secure two 6 volt golf cart batteries wired in series for 12 volt supply. These batteries last longer than many other types. I ran two batteries for 3 years before deciding that they were to old. Im on my second set. You could run a small heater on this for several hours depending on the draw of your heater and the output of your inverter. Of course there is the inverter and switch that have to be mounted for voltage conversion. Takes about 2 hours or less for all of it.
Lostmarbles
Expert Expediter
check Petro Truck Stops for heaters. WWW.Petro.com They have a ton of DC stuff you can order online. The prices are very good.
Life is what happens to you while your busy makeing other plans.
Life is what happens to you while your busy makeing other plans.
I have used Coleman Catalytic heaters for over 3 winters now.Since there is no flame they do not delete the oxygen in the vehicle.These things work off a chemical reaction that produces heat.You ignite it with a flame and then the propane reacts with the warm catalyst to generate heat. Coleman would not reccommend it for indoors or for tent useage if they were not safe.I do crack a window about 1/4 inch which is their recomendation but other then that I never have had a headache etc. Larger heaters can be used in the Box of staight trucks to keep cargo warm so the DOT must approve these devices.Available in Walmart or K Marts in the camping sections..
Midnight Mover
Expert Expediter
Espar heaters would be a great choice. Pricey, but I believe they are solid units? Anybody own one?
I have been into alternative power for a few years. What would you guys be willing to pay for a unit using PROPER auxillary batteries, inverter, and solar panel to run it (plus charging from alternator of course)? I have a couple of things in mind right now. Would flesh the ideas out if there is a demand.
Email me if interested. I will custom design anything.
[email protected]
Thanks.
I have been into alternative power for a few years. What would you guys be willing to pay for a unit using PROPER auxillary batteries, inverter, and solar panel to run it (plus charging from alternator of course)? I have a couple of things in mind right now. Would flesh the ideas out if there is a demand.
Email me if interested. I will custom design anything.
[email protected]
Thanks.
Hi Dirk, where you at? Far as I'm concerned a "proper system" wouldn't use an inverter. Straight 12vdc appliance. Why waste all that juice heating the inverter? I have Trace inverter, 4 85w solar panels, trace controller, rt now just 2 Trojan T-125 6v deep cycle batts. Was going to rig my 5er for solar and boondocking. That's when I had a real job, dam job went away, now I'm driving. You all know, a driver works all the time, don't use the 5er anymore. Anyway, I need this stuff rigged in my OTRPU, probably only room for 1 solar panel, don't need anywhere near the 3,500w inverter I have, got for the 5er, prolly get by with 1.5k or 2.0k. All I run is heater, and a CPAP pump while I sleep. If your interested email me. I'm C2C, prolly drive by your house without knowing it. I'll load all the stuff in the back and head your way. Looking at little 2k gen in case the sun don't shine and I run outta hours. (no driving to charge, and need heat and breathing). This driver don't require much, good thing cause I don't have much either. So if you want some practice installing solar crap on a PU contact me. I can pay alittle, or how about I buy you the beverage of your choice off hours? I run with the Big Boys, (log 10k a month solo, minimum), and know many wanna b's that would be interested in what you're trying to promote. Maybe what you need is a Live Model running around shouting your name and showing them an actual working application. I got most the expensive parts, all you'd need is alittle welding cable, some 8ga wire, a good quality disconnect, a shunt, and some kind of mount and your know how. What Say?
Steve J.
99 Ram 3500 QC Dually Auto, all I can say is, "It Hauls" [email protected]
Steve J.
99 Ram 3500 QC Dually Auto, all I can say is, "It Hauls" [email protected]
brewster1958
Expert Expediter
Looks like th espar heater is the way to go. It only uses on cup of fuel for every hour of heat. It has automatic shutdowns, for low fuel, and electrical supply. Warms your engine, and cab, at the same time. Right now the only thing I see, is that it is for Ford, and Dodge only. Here is the address to it: http://www.espar.com/htm/applies/pickup.htm
this will take you to the ad, for the pickups, but could be used in a cargo van. After reading the website over again, they make a "airtronics" which is a "air heater". They say this is the best for warming up cabs, and bunks. Uses even less fuel, and is available for gas, or diesel.
this will take you to the ad, for the pickups, but could be used in a cargo van. After reading the website over again, they make a "airtronics" which is a "air heater". They say this is the best for warming up cabs, and bunks. Uses even less fuel, and is available for gas, or diesel.
dieseldoctor
Expert Expediter
Wife and i have been in this business for five yrs and here are my experiences on keeping warm. See post about interior of vans for my way of doing that. Now we have used the heater in the van for heat and air conditioning for five yrs. Here is how we do it. First and obvious is a tight factory exhaust system. Now most vans get their air for heat and air conditioning from the base of the windshield. We keep a little strip of cloth on our antenna so we always park headed up wind. This is not fool proof due to wind change and other people parking with their exhaust pointing toward your windshield. Most important is a carbon monoxide detector in the sleeping area. Ours has gone off twice in five yrs. both times when someone pulled up beside us in the early morning with their exhaust pointing our direction. It woke us up and we moved before we even got a headache from the fumes. Every few months i unsnap the detector and carry it into my shop, close all the doors, start my tractor up and go outside until i hear it go off and then hold my breath go in, shut tractor off and open door. That is a sure way to check it for operation. Replace it every two yrs anyway. Now here's where i'm different from anyone else out there. I designed and built a automatic starting system for my van. I have a standard household thermostat in our sleeping area. I set it for about 65 degrees in winter and 78 in the summer. Then i turn on heat or air conditioning which ever i need. When the temp gets to set temp it starts the engine and runs it for 15 minutes heating or cooling the van. In Chicago with temps below 10 degrees the engine will run 15 minutes and stay off for about 20 to 25. Below 0 degrees it will run 15 and off 15. In the 20's it will stay off for over an hour. Saves a lot of gas let me tell ya. Also when its real cold if we go in to eat i leave the system turned on and when we come out the van is always warm. Turns some heads if someone is walking by when the van starts with no one in it lol. I also have aux batteries to run my cooler and all addon acces.These batteries are only hooked to the main battery when the engine is running. I have this system rigged so that if any of the batterys get below 11.5 volts the engine starts and charges them back up. I also have a auto battery charger wired in and when i'm home i plug into my house and leave the cooler running all the time unless i'm going to be home for several days. I use the foil covered bubble wrap cut to fit all windows. I put small pieces of velcro around them and the windows and cover the windows when we sleep. Keeps out light and heat or cold and also helps with noise. They fold up and store in a small space when not in use. Hope i didn't ramble too much and hope this helps a little.