Best electric heat for a week below freezing?

[Tom Powell]

[Timwhy]

A twin sized heated mattress pad works great with a 1500 watt electric heater. You'll be able to keep the heater on a lower setting.

I have used a bunch of different heaters. The oscillating ones work well at moving the heat around so not to have the heat
blasting on one location. Digital heater with a timer is also good if you don't want to leave it on all day.

The poptop insulation with a Wasser stopper together should keep the heat loss to a minimum. I also use a Harbor Freight
movers blanket to separate the cabin from the living area. Space that doesn't need to be heated!

The window blankets from Bus Depot are great at keeping the heat in during the cold and keeping the heat out during Summer.
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'15 Audi A3 Quattro
'09 VW Tiguan (dead)
'87 VW Westy
'91 Tin Top
'90 Cabby
What the Westy wants the Westy GETS


http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Timwhy&show_results=summary

http://www.youtube.com/user/TIMWHY2?feature=mhee

[Bulli Klinik]

It seems like every Goodwill I've been to has some of these old, radiant heaters. I used to use one in my Westy when I'd go up to the mountain in the winter. I would pop the top and hang it from the lower pop-top latch. Cheap and effective. Also makes for a romantic red glow at night in case you meet any lady friends.

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I've never met a Bus I didn't like.
Mike K
Bulli Klinik
Colorado Springs

[VicVan]

+1 for the oil-based heater. No noise at at all, and great thermal inertia. It will give you a steadier temperature in the van, rather than an electric blower.
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'90 Little Blue Truck, 2WD auto, FAS GenV 2.0 NA (AVH)

[Jon_slider]

I vote small ceramic heater, top up with reflectix on the inside.

Top down will create condensation from your breathing, on the roof flocking at the back of the upper bunk.. bad

the heater will reduce condensation, but be prepared to vent the van out in the morning.

my secret weapons are a Nalgene bottle filled with boiling water, and a fleece or wool beret or beanie, that can cover ears, and eyes.

The hot water Nalgene bottle can be tucked inside a jacket, or a sleeping bag.. The Nalgene insulates just enough not to burn your hand. Its magic!

I also hang a blanket divider behind the back seat, if I am alone.. but other times I prefer to just drape the blanket over the dash and stock curtain on the windshield (you can use the curtain to prop reflectix against the glass too), since I like to use the front passenger seat facing rearwards.. to add seating options when not alone..

reflectix will only help keep you warm if you use a heater. be warned there will be condensation and ice on the windows if you use reflectix. be prepared to wipe them dry with a towel in the morning. Hand the towel on the pop top bar to dry, heater on, roof vent open..

have a Fantastic time.. with shore power, you have little to fear with an electric heater plugged in.... I would pick one that does not make noise. The oil heater Imo is too big.

even without reflectix on the windows, you gain some separation from the cold glass by using the Westy curtains, all around...

I would still use reflectix inside the lifted pop top.. makes a Huge difference.. the pieces of reflectix around between the canvas and pop top bars, can be held in place just by tucking.. even without snaps, magnets, or velcro

I have not tried an electric blanket.. sounds like a great option.. anybody have a link?

I use a down comforter..
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My Soapboxes: Inflation; Handling; Gearing; Decoupling; Swepco

[IdahoDoug]

With shore power, the electric blanket/heated mattress pad is the hot setup. If you get a blanket, I'd put directly on the mattress and use it as a heated mattress pad. They sell the mattress pads at Costco for $80. As a blanket, they radiate/lose heat out into the air where atop the mattress and under your bedding they warm EVERYTHING. Woo - that's the best. All winter for 10 years now we've used heated mattress pads. A total treat to crawl into.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[MsTaboo]

[Akor20]

Anyone tried an electric kick panel heater. Similar to this:

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Broan-114-BROAN-Model-...00W-120VAC

With the cost/availability of heaters, I am thinking of upgrading my battery system and getting an electric heater...

[veloandy]

I’ve used a cheap little ceramic electric heater for years. Mine always would pop the stock Westy breaker after running on high for a bit, so I just run the cord out the sliding window and plug directly into the RV power box (and bypass the Westy 110V system)

[4Gears4Tires]

With 200amp hours of lead acid battery on a cloudy day, I could run an electric heater for about 1 hour and 15 minutes before low voltage protection kicked in.

Certainly not a battery powered game.
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'87 Syncro
Ferric Oxyhydroxide Superleggera Edition

[MsTaboo]

[Silverghost500]

When plugged in to shore power you can use one of the small oil filled electric heaters. I use one, and the best thing about it is that it's quiet with no fan.

If you're looking for a heat source for off-grid use, you'd be best to research a propane heater solution like a Mr. Buddy, or one of the diesel/gas heaters on the market.
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1986 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia "Von Westy"
Honda K24A converversion-Road Testing Phase
3-Speed Automatic

Von Westy YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbhyZYxJEQrUuLnMbLleeIA

[71whitewesty]

I wouldn't over think it. If you have an electric heater, you don't need reflectix or anything and you can pop the top and still sit in your t-shirt. You are only heating a small space and one of those ceramic heaters will do just fine.
We camp several times during the winter and we stay warm and dry with nothing but an electric heater.
Since we are not in a campground with power in the winter, I just throw in a small generator and run the heater off that. Super easy and effective and you take it all out when you get home.

Ps, I also have a Mr Buddy but never use it because it produces too much condensation.

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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[the_benjamin_effect]

We use a small 700W/1500W electric space heater when at campgrounds (like the one you put under a desk at an office), pulls 12.5 AMPS at 120V, lower than the 15 AMP specs by Westfalia electrical hook up. Never popped that circuit breaker on the stock setup. This type of heater can be bought anywhere... WalMart, Walgreens, CVS, etc. Oil heaters, I'm sure work well also, I just have no experience with them, so I cannot speak on their use.




Also, on colder nights, we splurged and bought these in combination with the 700/1500w 120v electric heater and the JustKampers 8 piece window insulation set:

Vanagon Inside R-8 Pop Top Radiant Wrap Thermal 1980-1992
https://fanchers.com/shop/ols/products/vw-vanagon-...ocus=false

Vanagon Rear Hatch Thermal Insulation 1980 - 1992
https://fanchers.com/shop/ols/products/vanagon-rear-hatch-thermal-insulation-1980-1992

Expensive: yes.
Well built: yes.
Would I buy again: yes.
Worth it for extended cold night camping: most definitely!
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-1967 Sundial Camper 1914cc "Sunny"
-1978 Deluxe Westfalia Jake Raby built PowerStroke 2109cc "Westy"
-1987 SYNCRO Westfalia GoWesty 2400cc "Ruby"
-2000 Subaru Impreza Sport EJ22 ¼ million miles "Trusty"

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. I.A.M. 751
International Brotherhood of Naval Flight Engineers. I.B.N.F.E. LOCAL 8251
My other ride has 18,400 horsepower!

[82westyrabbit]

With shore power any electric heater will do. I camped below 32 three times last winter. I bought what ever heater was cheapest at Walmart. 700/1400 watts ran it on low sleeping up stares. Maybe it was the dog and kid that made it to hot. No extra insulation. Don’t over think. it will just work. Have fun. John

[Wolfram]

One thing we Kiwis embrace in our chilly weather is an electric blanket. An under-blanket that is.
It doesn't keep the air warm, but it makes getting into bed sooooo much nicer.
You can always dress when out of bed.
Under-rated IMHO.

We have Propex in Wolfram. (for sale in SF next year due to travel impossibilities)

Geoff in summery New Zealand.
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88 Westy, '07 EJ25 Vanaru.
Either van-less on Waiheke Island in New Zealand where we spend the Southern summer, or Wolfram is in Seattle/Olympia in storage.

[Gnarlodious]

[nemobuscaptain]