I have a couple of trips to take this fall, and I don't have a furnace solution that I can use. The Previous Owner installed a Suburban 30K btu furnace in the black water bay, with no cold air return so it was drawing smelly air from the bay and sending it up into the bus! Plus it was installed with insufficient clearance, and the ducts were kind of just pointed at the hot air outputs, not actually attached. And you couldn't get at the thing to inspect it or service it. So I took it out and haven't decided what to do long term.
Are the Mr Heater Little Buddy space heaters of any use? I think they use a lot of propane, but my alternative that I can think of is to run the generator and have electric space heaters going. Any advice?
Brian
That is simple. Decide that you are going to get an Oasis heating system. We love ours! 8)
God bless.
John
And you would have it picked out, delivered, installed by this weekend? You're a better man than I...
emphasis on "temporary heating solution". I have two overnights without hookups to get through, temps around 40 degrees, then I can start to plan the permanent solution.
Brian
I use the Big Buddy heater for extra heat. Make sure it has o2 sensor. We have electric (milk Barn ) heater built in by PO and it works o.k but use the buddy when dry camping.
Big John
Sorry. I saw the this fall part. No the this weekend part. If it is just a weekend or two, I would just run your genset. It won't cost that much, then you just use a couple of space heaters. Ours takes two 1500wat heaters down to 20f.
Fwiw
God bless.
John
Posted from my Itouch.
Thanks. Running the genset to power a spacer heater seems so "conspicuous consumption" somehow, but it's probably the best and possibly the most economical way to go, what with having to buy the propane heater and all. I have two trips planned, one to Watkins Glen next weekend, and it's the one with no hook-ups. The other one is to Savannah in December and I would have a hook-up for that one so electric heaters are an option, or I can have a more permanent install of something done by then.
Itouch is really neat isn't it?
brian
Cheer,
Brian,
I think that you would have time to install an oasis by December. I assume that you have otr heat. What do you have for a hot water heater? That is the nice thing
about the oasis. It is a instant hot water heater too, and also it is an engine preheat too.
Btw I do love my touch. I have the best of both worlds. I have the touch, which has the function of a Iphone, but I have a BB for my phone.
God bless
John
I carry a couple of those oil filled radiator heaters, they are cheap and I had them already, will be fine if you happen to need them down to 40 or less. usually only have to run them on the 600 watt setting. Maybe bump one up to 1500w in the morning during breakfast. Maybe you can try the new kind and let us know how they work, mica I think?
Bear in mind that "Mr Buddy" type heaters will create ALOT of condensation. Even tho they have O2 sensors, the catalytic type heaters "cook" the air. I get headaches from them. We supplemented our heat one year when it was below 0*F. Never again.
Don & Sheila
I use two of the Mr Heater Little Buddy space heaters to heat my 4104. They are the only non-electric heat we have when parked and work fine.
There is a lot of condensation but, since my windows are all single pane, there is so much condensation that it is hard to tell just how much the heaters add anyway!!
They use a one lb LP bottle in about four hours on low setting. I have two 20 lb bottles in the basement with a hose hooking to one heater which works fine. I keep the second one in standby with a one lb bottle attached. I haven't used the first 20 lb bottle up yet but we try to avoid traveling in cold weather as much as possible.
However, when I need them they work fine. Never any breathing or any other health problems with them. I've never needed to use them on the high setting.
There is an altitude limit for their use but I've used them above it with no problems.
I would be more worried about gen exhaust fumes when using electric heat than fumes from the Mr Heater Little Buddy space heaters.
I have an Atwood 35,000btu/hr propane furnace that has been heating the bus for 14 years. Just got back from Morro Bay where we had to use the furnace, and it worked flawlessly. I haven't had to do anything mechanical to the furnace, except the annual cleaning. And at around $550.00, it is tremendously cheaper then any of the hydronic heaters.
If you have a Suburban furnace, you can mount it inside the bus with just the intake/exhaust plate on the side of the bus, compared to the Atwood that requires a big hole with access panel. On my next conversion, I will use the 40,000btu Suburban propane furnace with just the intake/exhaust panel on the exterior. Good Luck, TomC
I have used a Little Buddy in my pop-up camper, drafty enough to ensure no oxygen problems. The Bread Truck has a vented propane furnace {yet to be tested}, but I intend on carrying the Little Buddy for auxiliary heat. I'll crack a roof vent and windows near the beds to allow a little convection airflow.
Brian,
Keep in mind I don't have conversion experience, or common sense.
But it would seem to me that running the gen for heat is no different than running it for A/C!
I would use the gen for this coming weekend and make the time to have a system in by December. (if I had a coach that is! ;D )
;D BK ;D
BK, I think looking at it that was is good advice. I'll bring a couple of the 1500 watt space heaters so that I can do zones and minimise time running the gen, but it's what I have, it will work just fine, and maybe take a couple of gallons of gas. No problem!
I need some time to figure out the pro's and con's in my situation of the different types of heating options. If anyone has links to primers on this, I'd appreciate them. I like forced air since that's what I'm used to, the hydronic systems I must be missing something, they seem to need radiators or infloor, and I can't retro fit that easily. And I don't understand why diesel fired furnaces (which are just about the same as the fuel oil furnaces like I have in my garage) are three times as much money as propane RV furnaces from Suburban. I see a lot of research and thinking in my immediate future...
thanks, brian
I just got back from a trip where it was pretty darn cold and two 1,500 watt heaters kept my bus tolerable, but not super warm. I have dual pane windows and spray foam. Running an 8KW generator for two 1,500 watt heaters is a waste, but if it is all you have it works.
BK, there are more efficient ways to heat than electricity, but electricity is one of the only ways to air condition unless you add a compressor to a gas or diesel engine.
Two roof airs or two electric heaters are pretty much the same consumption....
So, all things being equal, running the generator to lower the temp by 30 degrees is no different than running it to raise the temp by 30 degrees...
Brian, just run the generator until you choose some more cost-efficient heating options.
Have you looked at the stuff the marine folks use for heat?
For instance: http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/ (http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/)
Lots of choices!
I have one of their Bering stoves, with water coils, waiting for deployment. The 3 gallon MCI washroom sink tap tank mounted up in a cupboard looks to be a great gravity feed tank. Install a small electric pump to refill it once a day, vented/overflow back to the main tank, sweet install. No electric consumption for 6500 BTU to 16 250 BTU, it'll keep the chill out for most of what we might see here in the Great Lakes Basin.
Dickinson does some quality assurance testing on their products, and then offer them for sale, discounted as such. All they did was run it through its paces.
And, they have outlets both sides of the border, avoiding all that red tape and expence.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
If you run the genset you might want to have smoke and CO detectors at least temporarily installed. I would not sleep well even with them.
Don 4107
Quote from: belfert on October 06, 2009, 05:25:43 PM
I just got back from a trip where it was pretty darn cold and two 1,500 watt heaters kept my bus tolerable, but not super warm. I have dual pane windows and spray foam. Running an 8KW generator for two 1,500 watt heaters is a waste, but if it is all you have it works.
BK, there are more efficient ways to heat than electricity, but electricity is one of the only ways to air condition unless you add a compressor to a gas or diesel engine.
Belfert,
"Duh, big red truck!"
#1) He said QUICK temp solution!
#2) I merely suggested fer this 1 trip to use the gen! (beats a campfire in a luggage bay by far!) Then find & due a more permanent solution!
#3) And on top of that he didn't ask for most economical!
Also, I said;
"Keep in mind I don't have conversion experience, or common sense." ::) BK ::)
Contrary to popularity here on the board, I installed a couple of these, very easy to install, they use very little power and actually keep the bus quite warm. Probably wouldn't work at -30 . But I have had the bus at a comfortable inside temp at -10 C, and I only have the 2000 series. Can find them at truck wreckers for a couple of hundred a piece, come with a inside thermostat. They do not give off teh humidity that propane gives off so you will be able to see out your windows!
Grant
http://www.webasto.us/press/en/am_trucks_heaters_826.html (http://www.webasto.us/press/en/am_trucks_heaters_826.html)
We hooked up a ventless LP heater that hangs on the wall in the living room, we have the carbon monoxide detectors as well as the gas sniffers, we're real pleased with the way it keeps the bus warm and doesn't require electricity, just hangs there and glows, kinda nice. The one we got is a 2 pad one from northern tool and cost us under 80 bucks each, we got 2, one for each end of the bus but I'm thinking we may not need the one for the back unless it gets really cold, we run a fan to keep the air from getting layered tho, the heater is rated at 10K BTU's on high 6K on low.
Hello Tom.
Yes, I wonder why more busnuts don't use the bunk heaters?
Those you listed are good for up to 2 Kw, or 6800 BTU each.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: Busted Knuckle on October 06, 2009, 10:37:05 PM
Quote from: belfert on October 06, 2009, 05:25:43 PM
I just got back from a trip where it was pretty darn cold and two 1,500 watt heaters kept my bus tolerable, but not super warm. I have dual pane windows and spray foam. Running an 8KW generator for two 1,500 watt heaters is a waste, but if it is all you have it works.
BK, there are more efficient ways to heat than electricity, but electricity is one of the only ways to air condition unless you add a compressor to a gas or diesel engine.
Belfert,
"Duh, big red truck!"
#1) He said QUICK temp solution!
#2) I merely suggested fer this 1 trip to use the gen! (beats a campfire in a luggage bay by far!) Then find & due a more permanent solution!
#3) And on top of that he didn't ask for most economical!
Also, I said;
"Keep in mind I don't have conversion experience, or common sense."
::) BK ::)
I was merely responding to your comment about why running a genset for heat is any different than running it for A/C. Running a genset for heat is very inefficient compared to propane or diesel heating. There isn't much other choice for running A/C unless one goes to a lot of work.
Nothing wrong with running a genset and electric heaters for a short term solution. It is what I did on my trip this past week. It just isn't very efficient.
Quote from: belfert on October 06, 2009, 05:25:43 PM
I just got back from a trip where it was pretty darn cold and two 1,500 watt heaters kept my bus tolerable, but not super warm. I have dual pane windows and spray foam. Running an 8KW generator for two 1,500 watt heaters is a waste, but if it is all you have it works.
BK, there are more efficient ways to heat than electricity, but electricity is one of the only ways to air condition unless you add a compressor to a gas or diesel engine.
Quote from: Busted Knuckle on October 06, 2009, 10:37:05 PM
Belfert,
"Duh, big red truck!"
#1) He said QUICK temp solution!
#2) I merely suggested fer this 1 trip to use the gen! (beats a campfire in a luggage bay by far!) Then find & due a more permanent solution!
#3) And on top of that he didn't ask for most economical!
Also, I said;
"Keep in mind I don't have conversion experience, or common sense."
::) BK ::)
Quote from: belfert on October 07, 2009, 08:02:44 PM
I was merely responding to your comment about why running a genset for heat is any different than running it for A/C. Running a genset for heat is very inefficient compared to propane or diesel heating. There isn't much other choice for running A/C unless one goes to a lot of work.
Nothing wrong with running a genset and electric heaters for a short term solution. It is what I did on my trip this past week. It just isn't very efficient.
Belfert,
I was merely pointing out that my original post was merely giving Brian an answer to his original question!
The original question was not about efficency, but what to do in q hurry for this weekend! FWIW
;D BK ;D
If you want to heat the bus up quick, tell the Mrs. to dry her hair :).
If you use sleeping bags at night, and just crank the Genny in the morning to knock the chill of and hold you till sun shines on it and the day warms up.
Savannah probably won't be an issue,
I am with Tom on the propane recommendation. Used mine for the past two weeeks at the coast. Down to 40 degrees and never had a clue till I went outside in the morning.
Get the Suburban. Determin your future location and cut that little square hole and run a propane line. You don't need to duct it yet, just take off the end plate off and dump the air into the coach. This should be a very fast temp install in the perm location. If you decide to change the location just leave the square external hull penatration in place for a neat cover and cut the new hole. If my new bu8s ahs hydronic I will still install Suburbans as my secondary and I use cubes when connected to shore unless Mama wants to use the toaster oven.
Regardless of how you heat or with what....do what Cody suggested: Get a small fan, AC or DC, about 6 or eight inches in diameter and put it on the floor pointing at the ceiling. Run it 24/7. That will make the home, coach, office more comfy than you can imagine.....winter or summer. Cheap thrills.
John