Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: frames to panes on April 14, 2008, 05:41:14 pm
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Did anyone use one in their van over the winter? I've seen a cheap greenhouse heater that burns parrafin or maybe meths. Are they safe in the back of a van with little ventilation or just too risky?
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I know a couple of guys who put those little heaters in the van overnight... it would just scare me, the thought of the whole thing going up in flames over night! :P:P
The few mornings it froze here over winter, I got up a couple of hours early, put a fan heater in the van and went back to bed. By the time I got up again, everything was defrosted and was nice and warm :) :) :)
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I'll try to remember to keep an eye open mid-summer for any bargains. :)
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My guess would be that if (God forbid) something should happen your insurance wouldn't cover you.
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My guess would be that if (God forbid) something should happen your insurance wouldn't cover you.
There is no way that they can fall over though, very very broad base.
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I got one,... complete waste of time and money IMO.
It only kicks out 300 watts of heat, and it STINKS the whole van out with a horrible paraffin smell. It also has a tendency to smoke a lot and it fairly destroyed everything in my shed with black soot one night!
I used it for a week,.. and then started filling 2 barrels with hot water in the bath, putting them in the van and throwing a blanket over them so they didn't leave the heat out too fast.
I still think is you can get power to the van, an oil filled radiator with the thermostat turned down low is prob the best solution,.... or a hot system to pre-heat your main wfp tank,..... ;D ;D ;D
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we used halogen electric heater safe as houses because if it tips up or anything it won t work.saved our lives last winter. cheers mick
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Believe it or not there is an even better way Nathan.
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Believe it or not there is an even better way Nathan.
Which is?
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It's a puzzle for Nathan to figure out, he's got till next winter to solve it. Like all good solutions it's really simple. Here's a clue (ltplo).
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It's a puzzle for Nathan to figure out, he's got till next winter to solve it. Like all good solutions it's really simple. Here's a clue (ltplo).
it woulden tbe the ionics thermo pro lol would it
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Leave The Pilot Light On
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If you can get power to your van then the easiest and cheapest way is to use a fan heater with a frost stat setting, therefore it'll only kick in to keep the van above freezing. It is the method I have used since I had the van.
£15.00 for a little fan heater and you are sorted....not a lot of cop if you can't get power to your vehicle of course.
Ian
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Have to agree with Nathaniel the van stinks for ages after using those heaters i stopped using it for this very reason and it also made little difference anyway and i was worried about the van going up in flames
Next year i will go for an electric heater
Dean
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Wayne yes, very good.
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Leave The Pilot Light On
My heater doesn't have a pilot light,....
Does the pilot really give out enough heat to keep the frost away?
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yes, and at some point you will get another heater.The flows a bit higher than you've got, and it's hotter on the high setting than you have, but remember we invented the bypass back to tank for this.
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Leave The Pilot Light On
My heater doesn't have a pilot light,....
Does the pilot really give out enough heat to keep the frost away?
He was joking with you, lol
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yes, and at some point you will get another heater.The flows a bit higher than you've got, and it's hotter on the high setting than you have, but remember we invented the bypass back to tank for this.
The bypass back to the tank is history,.... I'm installing a more efficient gizmo to control the on/off function normally handled by the heater's inbuilt flow sensor,... it'll switch on the heater at a much lower flow rate,.... AND reset the heater every time the flow stops, resetting the 20 minute failsafe, the overheat failsafe, the oxygen sensor failsafe etc etc,... allowing for a much more reliable and easier operation,... and using half the water.
I'll post details and pics when I have it sorted.
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I don't believe that's possible Nathanael. I would say it's impossible. Even for the most skilled gas engineer you know this is not possible.You are talking nobel prize winning IQ and physics capabalility to do this.
You have made some right howlers in the past and this doesn't look promising. For a start the high flow rates are engineered that way for safety. Mostly the systems you mention are mechanical electrical- the only way to reset them would be to overide them which is a bit perilous, because they haven't been installed to make life hard for us, but for safety.
I found the Marizboa's flow rate very good. The heater I have now has an even higher flow rate, and can be dailed up hotter, but it does have the CE mark. It does have a pilot light, and because of this it's on off is very positive.
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thinking about this, you guys I would bet on your insurance will not be covering you If reading this I would not insure any of you, trial and error is fair enough, but you are putting this in the public and some of the thing to are trying are dangerous including the discount he Sol.
I hope this never happens but you need to look at it as in yesterday.
Playing is one thing danger is another, again some of the comments I am shocked at.
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I don't believe that's possible Nathanael. I would say it's impossible. Even for the most skilled gas engineer you know this is not possible.You are talking nobel prize winning IQ and physics capabalility to do this.
That Nobel prize is going to look very nice on my mantle piece!!! It's done,... it's working! I'm going to change the relay for a more sensitive one which will allow me to dial the flow even lower,.. once I've figured out the right one for the job, I'll post details. It's really quite simple actually!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
thinking about this, you guys I would bet on your insurance will not be covering you If reading this I would not insure any of you, trial and error is fair enough, but you are putting this in the public and some of the thing to are trying are dangerous including the discount he Sol.
I hope this never happens but you need to look at it as in yesterday.
Playing is one thing danger is another, again some of the comments I am shocked at.
The modifications I'm making to the heater are minor, and electrical only. The safety features like the overheat sensor, the oxygen sensor etc. are all still in place and functioning,... the modification just replaces the flow sensor.
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Nathanael I am a qualified Plumber/heating engineer, you may well have a grasp on what is safe to alter but to give instructions online for others to follow if thats what you intend is irresponsible and dangerous it assumes a level of competence that not all would follow Please leave these things to the pro's.
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Nathanael I am a qualified Plumber/heating engineer, you may well have a grasp on what is safe to alter but to give instructions online for others to follow if thats what you intend is irresponsible and dangerous it assumes a level of competence that not all would follow Please leave these things to the pro's.
The Disclaimer:
First of all, let me say that this is for information only, and even the accuracy of the information contained is not guaranteed. The aim of this info is simply to show you what is possible, what I have done and how I’ve done it, along with the results I’ve enjoyed.
I by no means suggest that you should do the same yourself. If you do decide to follow my example, then I accept no responsibility for the results (unless they are good!).
Working with pressurised flammable gas is dangerous, and should only be attempted by persons qualified to undertake the work.
Hot water also presents a scalding risk, and precautions should be taken.
Gas heaters need to be adequately ventilated and have an exhaust system installed. Incorrect installation can lead to a deadly build up of fumes.
In short, this project should not be undertaken by any person, living or dead, in any circumstances, no matter how clever or qualified you may be.
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The top pic is the flow switch built into the heater. The green wire doesn't do anything, but connect the red and yellow and the heater starts,... simple as that.
The switch in the heater is operated my a manual lever that moves as the water flow increases, and depresses/releases the switch. The problem being that the flow rate has to be quite high for the lever to move and release the switch.
I'm simply replacing the flow switch with a more efficient and reliable switching device, that will operate at a lower flow rate. Lower flow rates mean higher temps, so it is essential that the overheat sensor is left in place and is fully operational.
I've simply connected the red and yellow wires to a relay which is activated by the power running through the pump. Jeff on the training academy drew up the diagram below for me. The relay is connected with the pressure switch in between, so when the pump stops, the heater does too.
The flowmaster is basically a variable resistor,.. so at low settings there isn't the full 12 volts across the relay to activate it,... I still have to turn the dial to 4 or 5 to get the relay to switch.
All I need to do to perfect the system is source a relay that operates on a slightly lower voltage and will kick in when the flowmaster is at setting 1 or 2.
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well done my application for the MGWC is in the post ::)
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well done my application for the MGWC is in the post ::)
Great stuff Chris! Richard is handling the new applications at the mo,...you should hear back from him shortly.
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Nathanael,
Take your pic and comments down because you'll get into legal trouble. No disclaimer can cover you for this, even if you think i'm talking rubbish please do this.
Honestly,... I don't believe that the modifications I've mentioned could be described as anything but minor,.. and seriously, anyone who attempts it does so at their own (very small) risk. I'm not worried.
If the Mod's feel otherwise I'll happily remove the pics & info.
These heaters cannot be sold in the UK, they are dispatched as gifts. This is because of the absent CE mark. If it was doable to dial down the flow whilst still allowing a safety margin i'm sure the manu's would have done it.
The heaters are dispatched as gifts to bypass import duty,.. no other reason. They are UKAS and moody certified, and I searched for info to find out if the CE mark was a legal requirement, but could find no evidence that it was,.. battery powered devices seem to be exempt?
What safety margin is compromised by reducing the flow rate? At standard flow rates it is possible for the heater's overheat protection to kick in when the flame is turned up high,.. so with a lower flow rate and a lower heat setting I can't really see any difference?
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They are being sold and imported to the UK,.. albeit through ebay,... but aren't many other goods from China exactly the same?
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They are being sold from america, this is not part of the uk last time i looked. They come in as gifts not gas heaters and this is because they need a CE mark to be sold directly in the UK. That parts not the concern though, as you know i've got one too.
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Mine came from China, from and ebay seller based in Australia.
You mention "Mariboza" heaters,... mine is an "Arazibo" one, and it does have the UKAS and Moody safety marks. From what I could find out, mains voltage equipment does need a CE mark to be sold in the UK,.. battery powered equipment does not,.... at least as far as I could discern.
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Hi Nathan, hows things going? Havent spoken to you in a while!! Luke
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Hi Nathan, hows things going? Havent spoken to you in a while!! Luke
Hi mate, how you keeping?
Things are good,... VERY busy,.. but that's always a good complaint!
You make a start on your hot system yet?
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Youve got email Nathan, Luke