Lets talk heaters

[CoExplorer]

Have you considered a 12v mattress pad? A second battery to run it off of may be an option for you, depending on your travel style/charge capabilities.

I did consider this, but for me the primary reason for a heater is to have a comfortable living space when getting ready for bed, getting up, reading etc. We have good gear, so once we are actually in our bags it is perfectly comfortable. When traveling more than a week or so, I get very tired of not having anywhere that is a comfortable temperature to just relax. This is especially true in the winter when you can spend 12+ hours inside waiting for the sun to come up.

 

[Chorky]

Today I reached out to the team at Webasto. Of course because of the holidays it doesn't look like I'll get a response until after January 4th, but that is to be expected.

I think one other person mentioned Webasto as a potential heating solution, but they were looking at a diesel heater.

Webasto does have gasoline heaters. For air and coolant (water). I am considering their coolant heater for my Jeep. For me they seem to have had better customer relations than others.

 

[Christian P.]

Does someone offer a combo gasoline heater/water heater? I have seen this with Truma, but not sure if there is an equivalent version for gasoline - if that's even possible.

Truma Combi Eco 4 Propane Furnace + Hot Water Heater Boiler Sprinter Trailer RV | eBay

Truma Combi Eco. This is the US and Canadian Certified version of the Truma Combi 4. Propane Connection combination boiler and heat. 1 Year warranty direct from us. PDF Install and User manual included.

www.ebay.com

 

[krick3tt]

I had a Webasto gasoline heater in my Pinzgauer and it was great. So much so that often I had to get down to a t-shirt or open the window. They use very little gasoline of operate, about a pint for the day of 6 to 8 hours of driving, as the pinz heater was tremendously inefficient.

 

[JCS2179]

Hi all, I just built this diesel-heater-in-a-box. After researching tons of options, advise from here and other forums, and finally seeing the prices for the usual suspect's products (most are between $1,000-1700), I took a gamble on one of these little 5KW Chinese-made little heaters. I started with a HF Apache case, and went from there. It's been a lot of detailed and somewhat tedious work being the 1st time I've built something like this, and some time wasted waiting for additional parts too, but overall I'm pretty happy with how is turning out. Have NOT fired up yet, as I'm not done with the external 12V power source, but we'll see....
Biggest PRO is that's portable and we only have a Jeep JKU so not a ton of extra room for permanent mountings. The idea is to heat the RTT from this unit, and maybe the annex or an extended awning with sides. Ehhhh...we'll see.

 

[JDaPP]

Hi all, I just built this diesel-heater-in-a-box. After researching tons of options, advise from here and other forums, and finally seeing the prices for the usual suspect's products (most are between $1,000-1700), I took a gamble on one of these little 5KW Chinese-made little heaters. I started with a HF Apache case, and went from there. It's been a lot of detailed and somewhat tedious work being the 1st time I've built something like this, and some time wasted waiting for additional parts too, but overall I'm pretty happy with how is turning out. Have NOT fired up yet, as I'm not done with the external 12V power source, but we'll see....
Biggest PRO is that's portable and we only have a Jeep JKU so not a ton of extra room for permanent mountings. The idea is to heat the RTT from this unit, and maybe the annex or an extended awning with sides. Ehhhh...we'll see.


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Would love more info if you have it (parts list, which heater, etc.)

 

[JCS2179]

Would love more info if you have it (parts list, which heater, etc.)

I have it. Cant seem to attach a DOC of the parts list thou....what the heck

PM me your email and ill send it

 

[CoExplorer]

I have it. Cant seem to attach a DOC of the parts list thou....what the heck

PM me your email and ill send it

This looks like a pretty sweet setup. You should update when you find out how well it works. I think I have settled on a similar setup, but mine does not need to be portable. Do you have an external thermostat for control?

 

[JCS2179]

This looks like a pretty sweet setup. You should update when you find out how well it works. I think I have settled on a similar setup, but mine does not need to be portable. Do you have an external thermostat for control?

Thank u! It has an external controller, that allows for a timer and even a programmable timer, but I dunno how well it works yet. Most ppl have said they prefer the manual mode of on/off and temp up/down.

 

[beneng_jr]

Following...

Just got an OVRLND and have been curious about the B4 but my truck doesn't have an aux port on the fuel pump AND you have to drop the tank to access it. Tentatively going to install a Dickinson P9000. Part of that decision was based on having 2 different pop-top Tigers which are built the same as the OVRLND- when the furnace came on I would sweat in my sleeping bag, but when it shut off, due to the limits of how much you can insulate them, start freezing in my wet sleeping bag. Starting looking at the Dickinson as a way to just have a slow burn while I'm sleeping, even if its not super powerful. They can be adjusted for altitude and don't require 12v to work.

Definitely curious to see what your experience with the B4 is and how you route the intake/exhaust

 

[CoExplorer]

Following...

Just got an OVRLND and have been curious about the B4 but my truck doesn't have an aux port on the fuel pump AND you have to drop the tank to access it. Tentatively going to install a Dickinson P9000. Part of that decision was based on having 2 different pop-top Tigers which are built the same as the OVRLND- when the furnace came on I would sweat in my sleeping bag, but when it shut off, due to the limits of how much you can insulate them, start freezing in my wet sleeping bag. Starting looking at the Dickinson as a way to just have a slow burn while I'm sleeping, even if its not super powerful. They can be adjusted for altitude and don't require 12v to work.

Definitely curious to see what your experience with the B4 is and how you route the intake/exhaust

I looked at the P9000 heaters, but it seemed like they would take up a lot of space once you account for the clearance needed around and in front of it. With space being so limited in teh OVRLND camper, I was trying to conserve as much space as possible. I wonder how high in altitude they can function.

 

[beneng_jr]

Dickinson has replacement orifices in 2000' increments that will allow the p9000 to function up to 10,000'. Also seems like a lot of people are running them at elevation with the stock orifice without problem. OK4WD has an Alucab mounting bracket for the P9000 that completely ignores the clearances and seems to not be a problem. I reached out to someone in the OVRLND instagram who has a p9000 in theirs and said that that it doesn't;t get very hot above and below it, and feels that the 20" above/6" below clearances aren't necessary.

All that said, I'm not 100% committed to installing mine when it arrives. Gonna take some time to get some measurements and fully think it out. If my Canyon had an aux port on the fuel pump AND it could be accessed without dropping the tank I would already have ordered a B4. Add in the fact that the B4's fuel line can't be longer than 3' and potentially having to punch holes in the truck bed for the intake/exhaust, I'm a little deterred by it. Wish I could find more examples online of people that have installed them in truck beds and not vans. Curious to see how your install goes as having a heater that runs off the vehicles fuel tank is more appealing that finding a place to mount a propane tank.

"Analaysis Paralysis"

 

[billiebob]

White gas is the best fuel for availability and performance at altitude. If you have cold issues, think thermal clothing, layering. If you have have insulation issues, solve them, make yourcamper efficient. Use a heater to burn off condensation but not actually keep the camper warm. And you will need to ventilate the camper to reduce moisture build up.

For heat sleeping, consider an electric blanket. The few people I have met with them seem incredibly happy.

But white gas stoves and heaters put out more BTUs than any other choice at high altitudes. Hence it is the choice of mountaineers.
For average guys in North America not doing anything extreme, propane is a real simple excellent choice.

This is my go to choice, Dad bought it in the 1940s and it still works like new at any elevation.

My only recommendation, only burn white gas. Gasoline for your RV contains all kinds of additives which can create problems. I remember in the 1960s Dad used gas for a bit..... it would not light easily and it took longer to boil water. We switched back to brand name Coleman White Gas and 50 years later it still runs like new.

We have used it a few times over 9000 feet and not noticed any decrease in performance. And they are simple to refuel.

 

[JCS2179]

........Curious to see how your install goes as having a heater that runs off the vehicles fuel tank is more appealing that finding a place to mount a propane tank.
"Analaysis Paralysis"

Make a shift and concentrate your research efforts in the UK forums. MOST of them tap their existing fuel lines, and their products are geared towards such. Just a thought. While building my Diesel Heater In A Box, I learned a lot from the Britts forums. Crafty **************....

 

[Joe917]

2 problems with tapping existing fuel lines. 1, you can empty the tank with the heater.2, If it is a diesel you are introducing points of possible air leaks to the fuel system.