Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jim_77 on November 29, 2009, 07:08:12 pm
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Looking at the forecast I see we're in for a couple of nights around 0 deg C next week. I'm trying to work out the safest way of keeping the TM warm.
My TM uses LPG. I was surprised to find this out tonight... the vapour from LPG is heavier than air, so it'll sit on the floor if there's a fuel leak. I was going to stand an electric heater in the back but now I'm getting paranoid!!
I have a normal electric convector heater but I see a little spark every time the thermostat kicks in. I don't really fancy that in the back of my van.
I know some folks use an oil filled rad, but does anyone know do they make a little spark as well when the thermostat kicks in?
(ps Yes i know an eberspacher is probably the safest thing but obviously that's a lot of hassle an a hell of an expense.)
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tonight should be ok Jim, forcast for north west is Monday night/early hours tuesday is a worry.
If lpg sits on the floor you no problem - hang the heater from the roof. ;)
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(ps Yes i know an eberspacher is probably the safest thing but obviously that's a lot of hassle an a hell of an expense.)
do the math gym.
works out quite cheap in the long "BOOM"
derek
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Jim, machine mart do a ceramic panel, see here: http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/slimheat-pro-400w-panel-heater/path/panel-heaters
There is no spark as it is just a certamic panel with a coil of cable running through it. Best place to put it if there is room is on the bulkhead. I have the 200 watt but it is a little under powered.
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Ebers last over 10 years so well worth the investment me thinks.
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lpg is heavier than air thats why caravans have"gas drops" - a wire meshed covered hole / vent in floor beneath gas appliances or where gas may gather
Stu
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Try a oilfilled rad I use one
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As Martin, Oil filled rad will be fine Jim
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Try a oilfilled rad I use one
oil filled like mine have a thermostat which sparks as it turns on..
just take your lpg cannister out :P
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Jim Itake it there will be a shut off valve on the system between supply tank if fitted under van or if bottle valve on the top. The odds are you won't have a leak and if you did the odd's are you would smell it a couple of drop out vents would be a good idea any way.
CHEERS TONY
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Jim, it pays to be cautious ( sounds a bit masonic ) but I would have thought that the sparking from the starter motor would give off a bigger spark.
I use a portable ceramic green house heater in mine with the usual douvets, and touch wood have not had any problems to date although mine is petrol.
Tony
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Shouldn't the gas bottle be in its own sealed locker with a vent running outside of the van from the bottom of the locker?
This is what we did for the yachts and so on when i was an engineer for boat builders!
Cheers Goron
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Similar to you Goran.
When I was writing specifications for conversions in vans for crew facilities, the gas bottle was in a sealed locker with vents thro the floor.
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oil filled rad for me and I use LPG, got to be the safest and cheapest way
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Just bought a oil filled rad today - hope it does the job :-\
Steve
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That will do the trick, Steve - especially if you are parked up on the drive. No sidewalks to string your flex across. Anything above -5C you should be ok without a heater for your t/m; provided you use the machine on a daily basis. First thing to blow is normally the pressure gauge
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Me too Steve £25 from Argos, the last one I had lasted 2 years, cheaper than a new van/machine. ;)
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Jim,
LPG tank contained in box in back of the van. I too use an oil filled rad. LPG vapour is not as explosive as petrol vapour.
Dave.
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Oil filled rad for me too. This is the 3 rd winter ive used it with no probs.
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Thanks for all the replies chaps :)
The LPG tank is boxed in next to the wheel arch with the hose reel on top, there is no way of getting to the tank at all. But it still connects to the engine though, fuel leaks can happen anywhere, I'd have thought it more likely to be at the engine end than the cylinder end if it was going to happen. Maybe I'm just being paranoid :-\
Tony H, the starter motor won't turn over in the middle of the night with the doors closed up! If I open the doors one morning and it hums of LPG in there hopefully I'll have the good sense to not switch anything on!
JK those panels look interesting. Are they thermostatically controlled or just turn it on and it stays on all the time? It's the thermostat part of heaters I think that causes the spark, so that may get around it in one way but would use a hell of a lot of electricity over a long cold weekend!
The problem with eberspachers is that yes they are a very high quality piece of kit, designed fo more than double the lifetime of how long I'd want to keep the van... so you're spending all that money for something you're not going to get the full benefit out of. Plus I really don't want to hack the van around any more than it has been, it would be a major hassle.
[started typing a reply this afternoon but had to go out before posting....]
Picked up an 800w oil filled rad from B&Q today, just tucked the TM up for the night with it standing in the middle on the floor, on the 500w setting and thermostat set to 50% so we'll see how snug it is in the morning!
I have found out tonight that alltec install the tank with a drop out vent through the floor and that when the machine isn't running there's no way it can draw fuel from the tank, so that's a little more reassuring :)
I'm glad the bloody postman doesn't come until lunch time round here, don't want him tripping over the wire!
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The wife went into the garage earlier to check on the dryer!!! "Jeeeez, it's warm in that garage!" she says.... ;D That'll do for me!!!!!!
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No thermostat on panels just on constantly.
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Got up this morning and the car was covered in frost - nothing on any of the van windows !
Not bad for a £ 30 rad - mind you I kept looking out the window to make sure the light on the heater was still on ! :-[
Steve
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Yeah me too Steve.
Going to have to park the van so I can see the windows without having to go outside next time. ;D
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Blimy Steve - might have been warmer in the van then your lounge :D
Had my oil filled rad in last night but at a lower level, just enough to keep the temp above freezing.
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I've always put a high tog rated duvet cover over machine making sure that the HX is covered and oil filled rad.
David
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Weather forcast indicates a mild night tonight - at least in Cheshire area.
Left the blanket around the machine though.
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Weather forcast indicates a mild night tonight - at least in Cheshire area.
Left the blanket around the machine though.
Aww ;D
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B & Q are doing 800w oil filled rads for £19.98, and 8m extension cables for £5.98, ideal for putting in the van overnight. Just bought 3 sets for mine.
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You that are lucky enough to be able to put rads in the back of your vans will find another benefit.
You will have a lot less residual moisture/condensation in the van. Thats what can do a lot of damage.
My van failed its MOT last week on rust , OK its a transit and thats what they do, but he said as I have all that water and chemicals in the van and the condensation is adding to the problem.
I have an eberspacher that keeps it warm but I still have condensation probs. I would be inclined to keep the rad on low when its not that cold, it must keep the warmth up to a level whereby the condensation doesnt start and all that water that gets slopped around in there dries out.
Murky