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Author Topic: Blow Heaters  (Read 8566 times)

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Offline Stylemaster70

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Blow Heaters
« on: July 15, 2015, 09:53:50 AM »
Hey swaggers, I'm heading up to Pebbly Beach Coffs Harbour next week and looking at last nights temps up there I'm thinking of heating.
Can I run a blow heater for say 15 mins through the inverter in the car if the car is running? or will it be too much draw?
It's just to take the chill out of the air when the kids hop into bed.

Or am I better off with a butane heater? I know they are not safe to sleep with on. Just on for 10 mins while we are outside.

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Offline Ben.Archer

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2015, 10:07:32 AM »
Any form of heating draws large amounts of energy.  Typical fan heaters are in the 1200w / 5A @ 240v bracket which by the time you get it down to 12v going to be 60A.

It is possible to get inverters that will give that sort of juice but you are going to seriously hammer your battery, and it really isn't a good idea.  If you want to heat using electricity use the mains and stay in a Caravan Park.

Otherwise look at some form of safe fuel based heating - running a naked flame such as a propane heater is not one of these - you have the risks of fire and CO. 
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Offline Stylemaster70

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2015, 10:15:07 AM »
Thanks Ben, you confirmed my suspicions. I have a gas hot water system in the camper and have just contacted Goldstream about retro fitting a heater to it.

Thanks for the reply
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Offline Ben.Archer

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2015, 10:21:26 AM »
Yup - that is probably the best option - we have a Eberspacher Diesel heater in ours and it really rocks.  We were camped in -5c recently and it kept the camper at a comfortable 18C.  Not a cheap addition but well worth it as it means I can persuade the family to camp most of the way through the year.  Winter camping can be great as you get the best spots to yourselves :-)

There have just been far too many accidents with people either setting fire to their tents or from CO poisoning, and as it is a tent just running the heater for five or ten minutes will not do much as canvas doesn't keep the heat in too well - so you will end up running the heater for longer and whilst you are in the camper.
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Offline D4D

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2015, 10:27:30 AM »
What about an electric blanket or rug, can run off an inverter, relatively cheap, safe.
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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2015, 10:36:12 AM »
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Offline Stylemaster70

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2015, 10:52:28 AM »
Might have to look at the Electric blankets D4D. It more when we are getting changed for bed though. We have great sleeping bags and thermals.

Bird are those ones the heaters Ben was saying are dangerous? That's the way I wanted to head because that is the cheapest way.
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Offline D4D

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2015, 10:54:08 AM »
Quote from: Stylemaster70 on July 15, 2015, 10:52:28 AM
Might have to look at the Electric blankets D4D. It more when we are getting changed for bed though. We have great sleeping bags and thermals.

Put your thermals on earlier in the day, that way they're already warm and you can quickly strip your clothes off and jump into a pre-warmed bed/bag.
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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2015, 10:55:31 AM »
Quote from: Stylemaster70
Might have to look at the Electric blankets D4D. It more when we are getting changed for bed though. We have great sleeping bags and thermals.

Bird are those ones the heaters Ben was saying are dangerous? That's the way I wanted to head because that is the cheapest way.
dunno.. have 2.. had them over 8 years no problems so far.... first time used them was in a tent at -4 at Pineapple Flat.
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Offline edz

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2015, 11:20:03 AM »
Make up a gas version of this using Birds coleman heater outside   in a box https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPw36OUrJgc   or find one of these  http://zodi.com/tent-heaters
Did you say you have a gas hot water unit .. rig up a car heater core and fan running of it ..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWQzmG6qUB0     2nd vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDl_E1fWsro
should be available pretty easy from the U.S.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzOyajy4bzw
« Last Edit: July 15, 2015, 12:15:21 PM by edz »
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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2015, 11:22:41 AM »
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Offline Ben.Archer

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2015, 11:37:21 AM »
Quote from: Stylemaster70 on July 15, 2015, 10:52:28 AM
Might have to look at the Electric blankets D4D. It more when we are getting changed for bed though. We have great sleeping bags and thermals.

Bird are those ones the heaters Ben was saying are dangerous? That's the way I wanted to head because that is the cheapest way.

Yes - whilst they may be safer and have a lower risk due to the lack of a naked flame testing still shows that they deplete the O2 and when the O2 levels drop they do have the potential to create CO.

Have a look at this report essentially they say the biggest issue is the degradation of O2 and go on to suggest CO isn't such a large issue but there is one key sentence in the report that frightens me :   "CPSC is aware of one CO poisoning death that occurred while a catalytic heater was being used in a confined space"

https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103972/CO03.pdf

One (reported) death is still to high personally I wouldn't take the risk.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2015, 12:00:43 PM by Ben.Archer »
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Offline slydar

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2015, 05:57:02 PM »
 used a camping gas heater attached to the top of an lpg tank one easter on Stockton beach, that kept us warm enough in the tent while we were sitting and reading (and changing) but we had tracksuits on to help absorb the warmth - and it was only easter . don't think it will be too much of an issue at coffs as the eldest has been grizzling about not being able to sell his firewood up there at the moment...
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Offline DarWen

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2015, 06:49:42 PM »

one (reported) death is still to high personally I wouldn't take the risk.

I Don't want to sound Harsh, But I think there would be a higher risk driving to Coffs Harbour.   I use a Little Buddy portable gas heater for about 1 hour before we go to bed, I have a 2 way zipper on our doorway that I leave open a small way at the top and bottom. the let the bad gases out. so far I  have woken up every morning after  doing this.   Darren[/quote]
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Offline xcvator

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2015, 07:15:21 PM »
Let your head go, install a diesel heater  :cheers: :cheers:
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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2015, 08:41:39 PM »
Quote from: DarWen
I Don't want to sound Harsh, But I think there would be a higher risk driving to Coffs Harbour.   I use a Little Buddy portable gas heater for about 1 hour before we go to bed,
yep... great minds...  1000 buys a lot of canisters that u can fill yaself
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Offline slydar

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2015, 09:20:13 PM »

"One (reported) death is still to high personally I wouldn't take the risk."

"I Don't want to sound Harsh, But I think there would be a higher risk driving to Coffs Harbour."

Love this site - always good valid arguments both ways. On both counts we need to be careful - I was glad we were half a day behind the truck that went off the single lane highway stretch south of Coffs a few months back - there are wires down the centre of the roda but I'd still hate to have a semi come across on me on that stretch

From what I have seen of these blow heaters, they don't pump fumes into the camper, just warm air? Even so it would be less dense than air at ambient temperature - as for us, we turn pretty well everything off before we climb into bed no matter what the weather is. Nobody ever said camping brought nor had to have all the comforts of home - if it did we may as well stay home!
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Offline stiffbreeze

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2015, 09:38:43 PM »
Has anyone tried or got ideas about this?
http://www.bunnings.com.au/gasmate-portable-butane-outdoor-gas-heater_p3170715#

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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2015, 10:02:21 PM »
Quote from: stiffbreeze on July 15, 2015, 09:38:43 PM
Has anyone tried or got ideas about this?
http://www.bunnings.com.au/gasmate-portable-butane-outdoor-gas-heater_p3170715#
I would expect it to work the same as the black cat.. but those cans freeze in cold weather when in use...
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Offline Big Damo

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2015, 10:29:11 PM »
Just buy the 240 volt 2000 watt cheap heater and run it from a generator all night
This will also keep your neighbours happy  ;D
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Offline Alan Loy

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2015, 07:03:33 AM »
Quote from: Bird on July 15, 2015, 10:36:12 AM
http://www.coleman.com/product/2000004165#.VaWrNk0w_RY
these work a treat.


I noticed Coleman doesn't have any heaters on the Australian site.  Do they still import any?

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Offline Stylemaster70

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #21 on: July 16, 2015, 09:07:01 AM »
Thanks for the great ideas everyone.

Just got a price back to have the gas heater hooked up.......$2900!!!!! That's  a lot of fun coupons.

Yeah I think I will get the really noisy generator to run everything.....after all Im staying in a National Park.

Nah I'm getting a 1000w inverter and hooking up a couple of electric blankets.

The weather forecast is looking up anyway. :cheers:
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Offline motoz

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #22 on: July 16, 2015, 02:36:39 PM »
Quote from: Stylemaster70 on July 16, 2015, 09:07:01 AM
Thanks for the great ideas everyone.

Just got a price back to have the gas heater hooked up.......$2900!!!!! That's  a lot of fun coupons.

Yeah I think I will get the really noisy generator to run everything.....after all Im staying in a National Park.

Nah I'm getting a 1000w inverter and hooking up a couple of electric blankets.

The weather forecast is looking up anyway. :cheers:


You could get the 'Snugger Remote' in a frame only...

http://www.dieselheatingaustralia.com/products-pricing/snugger-remote-sf2-diesel-heater/

Then add a standard 2KW heater...

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/2KW-12-24V-air-parking-heater-for-diesel-truck-boat-car-caravan-Webasto-Snugger-eberspaecher-type/830189_32237681595.html

Would come in a lot cheaper that the other option.
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Offline Bird

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #23 on: July 16, 2015, 02:55:26 PM »
IMWO $1500 is still Shit loads...
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Offline slydar

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Re: Blow Heaters
« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2015, 06:31:21 PM »
Quote from: stiffbreeze on July 15, 2015, 09:38:43 PM
Has anyone tried or got ideas about this?
http://www.bunnings.com.au/gasmate-portable-butane-outdoor-gas-heater_p3170715#



same element as our lpg unit - think the propane burns slightly hotter - both are even higher in blow torches (which hopefully isn't an issue here!)
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