# Blow/Fan heaters



## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

We are new to this and would like any advise are recommendation to buying a heater,we have a truma heating system but when we hook up why not make use of the electric we are paying for,what kilo watt would be advisable
any advise welcome
thanks
brian & lisa


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## badger (May 9, 2005)

Some people favour the small oil filled type, others myself included prefer fan heaters, the smaller ones are best but we run a standard 2 heat setting sort and dont experience too many problems (unless you try and put the electric kettle on whilst cooking in the microwave with the fan heater full blast.)


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Brian..there is an electric element that can be retro-fitted into some Truma gas heaters so that you can have gas alone, electricity alone or both if the weather is really extreme ! The electric element is on a thermostat and can be set on either 500w, 1 Kw or 2 Kw

It's called a Truma UltraHeat system. We have one and it is much better than a fan heater which we found noisy and which made us sneeze as it stirred up dust.

Its not cheap - about £200- but means you don't have the extra thing to carry in the van, socket taken up with the fire and wire trailing.

G

http://www.trumauk.com/products/heating/s-series-overview/trumatic-ultraheat/


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

W used to use a halogen heater but found the extreme brightness of them kept us awake at night! Now use (but only when using 'van in winter/very cold weather) a small cheapy fan heater with thermostat. Not very noisy and doesn't take up much room.

Grizzly- don't think you can use those ultraheat things with combi voiler/ 6002 series??


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## RobMD (May 9, 2005)

As has been said, the Ultraheat system is good - and worth fitting if you intend keeping the'van.

If you want a quick boost, Ceramic Fan Heaters are efficient and compact and may have selectable power settings.
Hook-ups often have quite a small power output of around 6A. Unless you know it is greater, only use a heater on the 1 Kw setting.


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## UncleNorm (May 1, 2005)

Hi Monsi. For what it's worth, my twopenneth...

We had blown-air AND an electric element fitted to our gas heater. Good decision! As stated already, the electric has three settings. The 500w setting is enough to keep the van comfortable whilst we are out during the day. We turn it up when we return.

We also use a fan heater through an electronic thermostat. As I write, the electronic thermostat is set at 5C, the fan thermostat is set at maximum so it doesn't interfer with our set-up. If it cools to 4.9C. the fan heater comes on with that bit of heat, enough to save worrying about frost etc.

When we are away during the cooler months, Christmas, New Year, Easter, the night-time setting will be 11C and the fan will be beneath the bed. At 10.9C, on comes the fan which happens to be very quiet. Easy to sleep! By maintaining a comfortable temperature over-night, we are able to sleep like logs. We also have an extremely efficient external silver screen and absolutely no condensation.

During normal daytime use, the electronic thermostat might be set at 20C. Once the temp. falls to 19.9C, on comes the fan.

Your mission, should you wish to accept it, is to sort through the waffle...

Trying to help. Good wishes.
UncleNorm


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

We have blown air gas heating in the RV - very efficient but too noisy to run at night - could even wake the neighbours. We also have a small 2/1Kwatt fan heater that works well when electric supply sufficient but the fan cutting in made it unsuitable for overnight heating. We finally settled on a 700 watt oil fill mini-radiator that is excellent at keeping the night chill off in our large van see here for best price we have found. http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Oil_Filled_Radiators/index.html
In a smaller van it would work even better.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Telbell said:


> Grizzly- don't think you can use those ultraheat things with combi voiler/ 6002 series??


Not sure Tellbell. I think you'd have to ask the makers about this one. If a combi boiler is what I think it is - ie a hot water tank - then no, I don't think you could. The heater you can fit it to looks like the standard wall mounted gas fire. It looks exactly the same when the electric elements have been added.

G


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

Thank you very much for all the replies
grizzly
we have a truma heating system with a combi boiler, it does work on electric only but the blow heater is very slow not wirth switching it on,we havnt got a fire space heater its a trumatic c 6002 h.
all advise welcome and an stores i may purchase one
many thanks
lisa


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*C6002*

Hi Lisa

Do I remember right that you have a Kontiki?

I have the C6002 heater in the van and it is gas and electric. I read with interest your comments "that it is noth worth switching on".

This is the way I keep warm.

Assuming the van has been left all day, no heat etc and you return to the van at teatime. I switch the heating to GAS ONLY operation for about 15 minutes. THe van is warm within this time and the fans powering the blown air system are running a t full pelt - turn your thermostat to number nine.

When you feel snug, switch to electric only operation, setting at 1800 watts.

Even in the "below freezing" temperatures we have here in Italy at night time, the van stays warm.

However, try to warm the van up using the electric only takes for ever. The electric only is more of a back ground heat.

We sleep with one Heki slightly open and the loo window open.

One other point - I too was cold when I first got the Swift. The thermostat was then moved from its original place to another location. It was originally next to the wardrobe - which was already warn having the battery charger in there and the boiler/hot water beneath.

A word of warning too - if you do not run the vans heating system in bittery cold weather and rely for instance on a convector or fan heater, bear in mind there will be no heat being distributed between the double floor space - towards you pipes etc. You could potentially freeze up.

I think the C6002 is fabulous.

If you have a Kontiki, read my review on the Swift heating system here

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopict-22448-swift.html+heating

Russell


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## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> Brian..there is an electric element that can be retro-fitted into some Truma gas heaters so that you can have gas alone, electricity alone or both if the weather is really extreme ! The electric element is on a thermostat and can be set on either 500w, 1 Kw or 2 Kw
> 
> It's called a Truma UltraHeat system. We have one and it is much better than a fan heater which we found noisy and which made us sneeze as it stirred up dust.
> 
> ...


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi Monsi.

Most of the time we use a 700 watt oil filled rad, and leave it on all the time during the winter. It keeps the van at a temprature about 55 to 60 when its just above freezing outside. Nice when you have been out all day.

steve & ann ---- teensvan.


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## LPDrifter (Aug 17, 2005)

Based on previous discussion we opted for the 700W oil filled radiator. The Argos one which is still there for £24.99.

I must say we are very pleased with it, using it to keep the MH warm over the cold weather, and we just spent seven nights living in the MH and we again used the oil filled radiator for overnight heat.... it kept the whole MH nice and warm, around 18C.

In thinking about it, I could see that a fan heater would be smaller, if storage was an issue. If you get a fan heater, make sure it is a quiet one.


Drifter


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

I suspect that it depends on the size of your van. Ours is not big and so it is well worth while paying out to avoid wires extra equipment etc. With a bigger van I think i would go for an oil filled radiator which is very much less expensive.
One point to watch is that when it is very cold the ultraheat without a fan does produce a big temperature difference between the floor and the roof. In the evenings when it is cold we often switch on a halogen fire which helps to even out the temperature gradient.


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

Thanks Rapide561 
yes it is a kontiki,we do keep the heating on all the time even when not in use we keep the heating on a very low setting just to keep it aired out,good point about the thermostat we will have to look into that to be removed and placed some where else,we want a fan so that i run the trauma on electric at night and a little blow heater to boost the heat up im a very cold bloody person,i know the gas is cheap,but why use it when we've paid for electric
many thanks for your reply
we will be looking into the thermostat,maybe we are doing something wrong,it can only get better as we new to the game and loving it


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

Thanks for all your replies
im having a look around now,we only want something small,as being a women storage space is all taken lol,ill check the blow heaters out for the noisy ones first make sure they not noisy,im sure we will get there in the end
once again thank you all


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## 92859 (May 1, 2005)

Greetings,

Check this out this oil filled radiator from Makro monsi 
>>here<<

I have one similar and find it superb for all night use when camping or in the drive at home in the cold evenings to keep the frost at bay.

I also got a ceramic fan heater which I found ideal in the old van without blown air.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Heating*



monsi said:


> Thanks Rapide561
> yes it is a kontiki,we do keep the heating on all the time even when not in use we keep the heating on a very low setting just to keep it aired out,good point about the thermostat we will have to look into that to be removed and placed some where else,we want a fan so that i run the trauma on electric at night and a little blow heater to boost the heat up im a very cold bloody person,i know the gas is cheap,but why use it when we've paid for electric
> many thanks for your reply
> we will be looking into the thermostat,maybe we are doing something wrong,it can only get better as we new to the game and loving it


Hi

I amazed that you do not think it warm enough on electric. Overnight goes well below freezing here - hard frost etc but we are comfortable. I reckon the thermostat is switching off too early. Run it at number 9.

Russell


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## monsi (Aug 21, 2006)

Hi Russell

oops i have had the stat set at the same temp as it was set to gas  I will try it next time we are out on 9, Thanks again russ also to all the rest of the replys 

Brian

PS i have just told lisa what i had done no wonder she was cold  

Going to the Gmex to moz russ, something came up today let ya no about 669, :lol:


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