[Jim_77]

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.)

[Joe H]

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. 

[derek west]

(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

[John Kelly]

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.

[mark shannon]

Ebers last over 10 years so well worth the investment me thinks.

[Stu.Clem]

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

[carpetmas5]

Try a oilfilled rad I use one

[Peter Sweeney]

As Martin, Oil filled rad will be fine Jim

[GWCS]

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

[Tony Gill Carpet Smart]

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

[tony harrison]

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

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

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

[Joe H]

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.

[Karl Wildey]

oil filled rad for me and I use LPG, got to be the safest and cheapest way

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Just bought a oil filled rad today - hope it does the job 


Steve

[elliott cleaning]

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

[graeme marchbank]

Me too Steve £25 from Argos, the last one I had lasted 2 years, cheaper than a new van/machine.

[Dave_Lee]

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.

[paul moss]

Oil filled rad for me too. This is the 3 rd winter ive used it with no probs.

[Jim_77]

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!