How can I power diesel heater since solar is probably going to be almost useless in winter when I want heat most?

[12vDC]

I would never try to sell you a hole…But I would suggest that what you limit yourself to is exactly what you will get.

Im as frugal as they come and while there is something to be said about simplicity, other times its much better to do something more difficult. Because living in a van is not so easy.

I started out with SLA which ultimately required replacement. Invested in 2 Renogy Lithium batteries (on sale) back when Lithium was becoming a big thing $$$ (expensive, but I was forward-looking). Great batteries! Still in GREAT condition after four years, gave them to a friend for his RV.

But then the Mini’s came out and it was time to up the capacity. This was my response to bad weather/greyouts. I no longer worry about capacity in the winter.

My point is you have to pay to play. There are gives/takes for everything in a van but mostly the only time you can have your cake and eat it too is if you can afford it.

No such thing as free heat. Get another battery and/or DCDC charger and enjoy the spoils of your labor.

However, If you are determined to make more with less, then more power to you (pun intended).

 

[Gueyog8a7]

I've cooked on diesel powered stoves, they SSSUUUCCCKKKEEEDDD for temperature control or even heating. I'd rather spend the money on honkin batteries and power a hot plate any day than ever have to cook on diesel again.

Sucked how? Depends what kind of space you are trying to heat. I only have a transit connect van so won't take much to heat that. My mums electric 2k watt heater warms it up in an hour or so so I guess efficiency is not really a problem in my case.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

I would never try to sell you a hole…But I would suggest that what you limit yourself to is exactly what you will get.

Im as frugal as they come and while there is something to be said about simplicity, other times its much better to do something more difficult. Because living in a van is not so easy.

I started out with SLA which ultimately required replacement. Invested in 2 Renogy Lithium batteries (on sale) back when Lithium was becoming a big thing $$$ (expensive, but I was forward-looking). Great batteries! Still in GREAT condition after four years, gave them to a friend for his RV.

But then the Mini’s came out and it was time to up the capacity. This was my response to bad weather/greyouts. I no longer worry about capacity in the winter.

My point is you have to pay to play. There are gives/takes for everything in a van but mostly the only time you can have your cake and eat it too is if you can afford it.

No such thing as free heat. Get another battery and/or DCDC charger and enjoy the spoils of your labor.

However, If you are determined to make more with less, then more power to you (pun intended).

Umm your profile says SoCal I don't think we are in the same ballpark when you are saying "no problems in the winter" compared to uk winters .

I am not sure where you got the idea I am avoiding spending money. I paid £900 for a stove/heater which incidentally has been nothing but trouble and now broken after a few weeks. This turned out a bad choice, paying high price for shit chinese product but the alternative of that product was twice the price due to being such a niche thing.

 

[12vDC]

Umm your profile says SoCal I don't think we are in the same ballpark when you are saying "no problems in the winter" compared to uk winters .

And hopefully you take the point in my lecture.

 

[Rednecktek]

Sucked how? Depends what kind of space you are trying to heat. I only have a transit connect van so won't take much to heat that. My mums electric 2k watt heater warms it up in an hour or so so I guess efficiency is not really a problem in my case.

Heating the space wasn't a problem, it was the cooking that sucked on that stove. The heat was always uneven, the oven took hours to get up to temp, and it was either HOT! or REALLY REALLY HOT!!!111oneoneone on the cooktop... but only on the left side...

Diesel likes being up in the 200c range for optimal cumbustion, and it's really hard to simmer at 200c.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

Heating the space wasn't a problem, it was the cooking that sucked on that stove. The heat was always uneven, the oven took hours to get up to temp, and it was either HOT! or REALLY REALLY HOT!!!111oneoneone on the cooktop... but only on the left side...

Oven? That is luxury. I am happy with a tiny stovetop.

 

[Rednecktek]

It's that uneven and too hot heat that broke me.

Given the choice between a diesel stove or blowing the money on a Victron/BattleBorn setup for cooking?

I'd just rub 2 sticks together really fast.

 

[12vDC]

Umm your profile says SoCal I don't think we are in the same ballpark when you are saying "no problems in the winter" compared to uk winters .

I am not sure where you got the idea I am avoiding spending money. I paid £900 for a stove/heater which incidentally has been nothing but trouble and now broken after a few weeks. This turned out a bad choice, paying high price for shit chinese product but the alternative of that product was twice the price due to being such a niche thing.

Maybe I was presumptuous given the title of the thread - the simple solution is to improve your electrical system.

So I would change my response to: Make wiser purchases.

Maybe not your fault it was susceptible to cracking. Sucks to find out this way. Otherwise I also presume you would have been happy with it.

This could be education for me as well, I didnt know such a stove existed despite being a member of a van forum. Maybe I missed it but do you need a “stove”?

 

[Gueyog8a7]

Maybe I missed it but do you need a “stove”?

What do you mean? I am not a robot so need cooked food yea.

What do you mean improve your electrical system? ask @Rednecktek above who has similar climate to us in the UK. Convection cooking is simply not viable in winter in these parts of the world. Your answer is just buy more panels/batteries? There is a physical limitation to just how many can be fit on one van, especially a small one like mine.

 

[Rednecktek]

Due to the space limitations and weather, propane and an exaust fan is probably the best option. As you say, more panel and battery runs out of space real quick and physics just says NO! before too long. A diesel combo heater/stove sounds great on paper but my personal experience with diesel cooking has been krap.

Diesel heaters however I'm a total man-whore for.

At near $900 I would be real hesitant unless there were a LOT of videos of people actually simmering something without choking up the burn chamber or burning the food.

 

[Gueyog8a7]

At near $900 I would be real hesitant unless there were a LOT of videos of people actually simmering something without choking up the burn chamber or burning the food.

Well the problem isn't with them it is that I got the chinese knock off which there were already lots of reports online of them being shitty, but some who have had ok experiences so a mixed bag, but I took the chance and paying the price it seems. Even 900 is huge but for the 'real deal' it is twice the price but people seem very happy with the real mccoys from what I found for those.

Second hand market for a real one would have probably been the better option but here we are. I am being told I might not even be on good footing to get a refund or even replacement for this one as it may be hard for me to prove it was a fault and not undue care or something so I could be looking at loosing that money and left with a brick.

 

[MisterB1959]

Your answer is just buy more panels/batteries? There is a physical limitation to just how many can be fit on one van, especially a small one like mine.

if you built the batteries yourself, you can make them fit into most locations. without complicating matters, they are just four cells connected together that you can arrange in lots of shapes, so long as they are connected together correctly. they could even be placed under the van if protected?

sorry to hear about the diesel stove issue (PS 'stove' can also mean just a heater as in wood burning stove .... )

 

[Rednecktek]

PS 'stove' can also mean just a heater as in wood burning stove ....

You don't cook on yours?

The bigger issue is panels + van roof space + clouds 372 days a year. Getting enough panel to compensate for our skies requires acres in winter/spring/fall.

 

[12vDC]

Some will find a way how. Some will find a way not to.

In my van I dont have a cooking stove, dont need one. I certainly wouldnt spend $1100 and some change to put one in a van unless there was an absolute advantage. But I get that you wanted to leverage the fuel aspect.

And I have just returned from perusing this entire thread from the beginning.… I have never meant to be antagonistic in my comments but I will now say anything and everything I would suggest to mitigate your UK weather predicament has already been mentioned several times throughout. But you bought a stove.

So youre either incredibly dense, stubborn to a fault, or just need the chatter.

I say sincerely good luck!

I would still get a larger bank and a large charger for your alternator. It IS a viable solution. Cheers

 

[Dave911]

Well the problem isn't with them it is that I got the chinese knock off which there were already lots of reports online of them being shitty, but some who have had ok experiences so a mixed bag, but I took the chance and paying the price it seems. Even 900 is huge but for the 'real deal' it is twice the price but people seem very happy with the real mccoys from what I found for those.

Second hand market for a real one would have probably been the better option but here we are. I am being told I might not even be on good footing to get a refund or even replacement for this one as it may be hard for me to prove it was a fault and not undue care or something so I could be looking at loosing that money and left with a brick.

The 8KW Chinese heaters are being sold for less than $90 US here. Buy two or three. You have spares and backups for less than $300 US.

 

[KellyGB]

The 8KW Chinese heaters are being sold for less than $90 US here. Buy two or three. You have spares and backups for less than $300 US.

I purchased -2- of the diesel heaters. Mounted one permanently & set the second one up as a portable.
For the permanently mounted heater I purchased a power supply and a AGM battery for the 12v power feed.
For the 2nd heater, portable, I am using the 12v feed off of my solar battery bank