are 150W 12V 2-in-1 Ceramic Heater/Fan any good?

[DAIZEE]

My front heater fan is not working and I'm not comfortable with using my automatic thermostat furnace YET and I hope to keep Scooby on the road for at least another month or until the salt flies. Princess Auto has a great 50% off sale starting November 1st and I can get one for $12.48. Is it worth it for occasional use? It might help around the windshield and/or my feet while driving and to use to temporarily to warm up inside for short periods. I do plan to take off the dash sometime this winter but are these a good item to have. The van's diesel so I can always run the van for the short while I'd have the heater on when not driving.

You know that I'd really appreciate some input on this. Thanks
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[Alaric.H]

Just use the furnace you have all ready it will work the best. Buy a carbon monoxide alarm and read your heaters manual and enjoy 3 more months or pack it up and go to Key West for the winter.

[presslab]

Why not use your furnace? If you are unsure of it's safety you should have a mechanic give it a once over. I have a Propex in my van and I feel it is very safe and a valuable item! Almost too safe in that I had problems with nuisance safety faults, but that has been fixed now.

I'm sure you know of the "Mullendore port" to as a possible fix to your front heater fan, maybe this option could be explored. Does your rear heater work?

I dislike the idea of the 12V heater because it is a pretty decent load on your electrical system and a possible source for fire if it is accidentally left on with a jacket over it, etc.
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti

[elsyr]

In my opinion, unless they have vastly improved heater efficiency lately, 150w of heater is not worth the electrical drain. It just won't throw enough heat.

I'm not much familiar with furnaces, but with a CO detector onboard, it should be safe enough, I would think. Unless you're concerned about some other safety issue with it? I've had good results with a Coleman catalytic heater, but of course that has no thermostat.

Doug
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'89 Carat "Brunhilde"

[MarkWard]

Daizee, I would play around with the slide controls. They are a little confusing, but even when my blower was not working, I was able to get enough heat and defrost flow just by driving down the road. Granted sitting still, you won't get much air movement, but underway I have to believe you would get some heat. The controls are not intuitive. There must be a sticky somewhere how they are to work properly. Granted, I am not in Canada, but we hit some cold temps in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevadas.
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[DAIZEE]

took rear heater out 20 mths ago. Have CO and smoke detectors mounted. I need someone to go thru the furnace with me. Have no idea of its capabilities, nor even if it works. So many problems in past, was just not on my priority list. Yes I do have to test the fridge, stove and furnace and the invertor/converter but I'd like someone with me to do it. Andrew sent me all the manuals and i will read up on the features, just don't know their condition and THAT makes me nervous. Yeh sometimes I'm a wimp but I've seen a lot of propane trauma over the years.

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty darn careful about potential fires, explosions etc... I don't have a sense of smell and I don't know there is smoke until it chokes me. Boiled many a pot of boiled potatoes growing up. I use a timer EVERY TIME I cook anything as I forget. Could write a book on it all!

Yes I have the sliders on heat (darn when hot weather, I was getting hot foot, now not ), I have a small 12V fan aimed at the front windshield when I start the van for defrosting. I can get by but thought I would ask for info/opinions and like always Sambanistas came thru. THANKS
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[elsyr]

[danfromsyr]

here in cold rainy upstate NY I don't run my front heater fan at all.
but I did R&R my front heater box when I had a chance and the core is free & clear.. blows ALOT of heat just pushing down the road..
gets a little cool at stop lights.. that's ok..

as for your furnace, they are very simple.
you do need to know your propane tank, valves and hoses are all good. but any Propane or RV service place or competent garage/service mechanic can verify that.

then it's turn on the propane tank gas valve (do you use your inside stove top, I don't recall)
make sure the furnace has 12v power.. coming in.. check the fuses in your ASI charge controller in the back
and turn the T-stat to a warmer setting (it may have an Off-override to switch ON)
it's really no more complicated than a home propane powered furnace.. even have the same safety controls.
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[Vango Conversions]

The little 150 watt heater may help keep your windshield defrosted but that's about it and only if you're lucky. Your cigarette lighter wires and fuse would have to be rated at 15 amps and be in cood condition as well (I forget what fuse they have)

Why did you remove your rear heater? Was it leaking? Storage space? I love mine, it really warms things up quickly.

[DAIZEE]

yes leaking and I have an open ZedBed/Sofa and it was in the way.
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[rubbachicken]

take out the dash and fix your heater motor, i took my dash out the other day, it's a lot less scarey than i was expecting
it took me about an hour to get the dash right out and to get the motor out of the heater box
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lucy our westy

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619 201 0310 or 617 935 4182

[Rhinoculips]

Are you sure its the blower that is bad? I had a time where I thought my blower was going bad, but ended up the switch was fried. If this is the case, its an extremely easy fix.
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[rubbachicken]

[bluebus86]

150 watt heater is about 1/10th of what a typical hair drier puts out, just to give you a general idea of what 150 watts of heat is.

[DAIZEE]

thanks that relativity example helps. Won't buy it.
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'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[70coupyel]

DAIZEE
This thread made me dig in my garage and find up my old ceramic heater. Mine is a 300 watts unit. My front heater core was slowly giving up. So it being winter I used it to just take the chill off the cockpit of my van in the morning. I had my curtain down behind the front seat to contain the front heat. Ran the rear heater till it kinda caught up. Worked great.

The 150 watt unit would be worth it for the price. You could put it down by your feet and it should be ok to take some of the chill off. A little bit of comfort for cheap.
.
Pullin 12.5 amp just make sure it gets wired to handle it. I would not use a cig. lighter socket. Use a real connector.
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