Temporary heating solutions

bevans6 · October 05, 2009, 07:25:41 AM

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

John316 · October 05, 2009, 08:09:54 AM

That is simple. Decide that you are going to get an Oasis heating system. We love ours!

God bless.

John

bevans6 · October 05, 2009, 08:24:52 AM

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

bigjohnkub · October 05, 2009, 08:51:24 AM

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

John316 · October 05, 2009, 09:04:43 AM

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.

bevans6 · October 05, 2009, 09:45:17 AM

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,

John316 · October 05, 2009, 10:35:29 AM

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

NewbeeMC9 · October 05, 2009, 06:08:02 PM

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?

skihor · October 05, 2009, 06:10:45 PM

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

gus · October 05, 2009, 09:51:33 PM

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.

TomC · October 05, 2009, 11:41:54 PM

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

Ob1quixote · October 06, 2009, 04:23:48 AM

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.

Busted Knuckle · October 06, 2009, 08:22:09 AM

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!

)

BK

bevans6 · October 06, 2009, 08:40:33 AM

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

belfert · 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.