Portable Heaters for inside your rig?

[DrUmM@sT3r]

Hey just wondering what the people in the cold country use heater wise to keep from freezing hoses, etc inside your rig........ :?:

It got cold here 2 nights ago, and I can hear pieces of ice inside my rear fresh water tank, got a larger heater than I had and set the thermostat to 60 (min setting) hasn't turned off yet......need to find a powerful heater that I can set down to 40-50 perhaps...

Any recommendations?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[renegade_cowboy]

This is why i hate winter its so damn cold. Its been below freezing here for about a week now, in this case i really wish global warming was true. I use a 1500 watt heater with 3 furniture blankets draped over the top of the machine. I already had to replace the sensor to my fresh water tank because the nipple ruptured, but it was wearing out anyways. When I went to Jon don to get the part they told me they had 10 trucks that day that were froze up.

 

[ACE]

The cheep $20 1500 watt heaters with a fan work fine. If the van is not well insulated I use two on different circuits.

 

[DrUmM@sT3r]

The cheep $20 1500 watt heaters with a fan work fine. If the van is not well insulated I use two on different circuits.

That's what I used before (one), set it to 42 degree's and on "HI" (it has a fan and circulates)

Didn't even come close, I'm leaking water underneath the Apex now and there is ice in the tanks...........it did get down in the single digits......the bigger one I have in there now runs 24/7 and it's 27 degrees outside right now.

Oh it's an '06 Chevy Van Extended 2500 cargo van - no insulation in the roof or sides - just undercoating about a foot high on each side.....

Perhaps I should unplug my dryer and get a damn heater that runs on 220v (lol)

I'm wondering if I should fire up the Apex tomorrow and see how bad my leaks are.... :?

(so much for sunny California)

 

[DrUmM@sT3r]

This is why i hate winter its so damn cold. Its been below freezing here for about a week now, in this case i really wish global warming was true. I use a 1500 watt heater with 3 furniture blankets draped over the top of the machine. I already had to replace the sensor to my fresh water tank because the nipple ruptured, but it was wearing out anyways. When I went to Jon don to get the part they told me they had 10 trucks that day that were froze up.

I believe it, I bought my rig from Snohomish, WA - we drove up in Feb I believe - never saw any sunlight from around Mt. Shasta, CA, through Oregon, and into WA and none all the way back into a good part California again. It was cloudy, foggy, and raining for days.....real depressing.....

Hey is there a high suicide rate up there? shiteatinggrin

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Regarding frozen equipment:

Last February the whole state of Kentucky and nearby areas was hit by a massive freak ice storm. Billions of dollars damage. We had no electricity for 19 days, no telephone service for a week. Near zero temperatures, and we had to drive 70 miles to buy anything including gas.

I vacuumed all the water from the TM. Tee'd a line into the big pressure hose coming out of the pump so that it would empty the pump, waterbox, both HX and manifolds. Put an open male qc in front panel and vacuum until you hear air thru it, and for about a minute more for Mr. Murphy.

Now it takes only 2-3 minutes whenever I want to protect it away from a ready power source.

Thanks,
Lee

 

[DrUmM@sT3r]

Regarding frozen equipment:

Last February the whole state of Kentucky and nearby areas was hit by a massive freak ice storm. Billions of dollars damage. We had no electricity for 19 days, no telephone service for a week. Near zero temperatures, and we had to drive 70 miles to buy anything including gas.

I vacuumed all the water from the TM. Tee'd a line into the big pressure hose coming out of the pump so that it would empty the pump, waterbox, both HX and manifolds. Put an open male qc in front panel and vacuum until you hear air thru it, and for about a minute more for Mr. Murphy.

Now it takes only 2-3 minutes whenever I want to protect it away from a ready power source.

Thanks,
Lee

I printed this - Thx Lee great info.....

 

[joeynbgky]

got a 20 buck ceramic from lowes. I put a thermometer in fornt of it. WOW 220 degrees. Dont put the dial on low keep it on high and make it run constantly. your be fine. Of course today, I moved my office and know i have a garage. which is so much easier. First night in the garage. I got a 3500 sq foot garage with office. So cool

 

[PTMatt]

Freezing cold even in California. Had a truck go in today with busted lines from freezing. Just put a portable 1500 watt heater overnight and cranked it to high. Damn repairs arent cheap!

 

[randy]

I used to have these units for really could nights.

 

[MicahR]

When I was on the supply side of things I only had one customer take my advise on how to heat is van. Everyone else thought it would be too expensive. You have how many thousands of dollars tied up in your truckmount and it is the line between making money or spending a lot getting it up and going. It still boggles my mind why more aren't willing to spend a few hundred bucks to have an almost fail proof heat source.

Anyway, if you absolutely can't afford or find a heated shop, which is the best way to go. Have an electrician come out and wire in a dedicated 220v outlet. Get yourself a 220v heater and put that puppy in your van. You shouldn't have any problems. That one customer did that over five years ago and just recently added heat to his shop. He never had any problems even in the in the -degree weather that is common here in Montana. Now he has a 220 outlet to run his new industrial table saw

Most distributors absolutely love the winter months because of what the freeze ups do to the service dept. You can almost bank on the first cold snap bringing in a few thousand in broken brass, heat exchangers etc. A lot of the freeze ups are due to those el cheapo ceramic heaters guys pickup for less than 50 bucks. If you say you've never had a problem and have run those for years.....just wait, a freeze up is in your future and it will cost you. Better start a winter freeze up kitty.

 

[Greenie]

I can't believe nobody mentioned to the DrumMaster to NOT start his unit after a freez up.

He did say there was water dripping (I assumed after things warmed up a bit during the day) under the van.

And Micah makes an excellent point. If I lived in an area that got down to even 25 degrees in the winter that 220v would have already been installed, and one better woudl be to run a 110v line right next to it, and have two different types of heaters on two circuits, redundancy would be cheap during a harsh winter....like right now!

 

[charles]

I use the oil filled electric heater with a small fan to circulate the heat.

When I had the box built I paid for the insulation package.

The whole box is insulated including the floor.

It's 11 degrees this morning and 45 degrees inside the box and the heater is set on low.

I use the truck everyday, so winterizing with antifreeze is not an option.

 

[ACE]

Sorry to hear about all the damaged equipment. That extra expense sucks in the winter when things are slow anyways. I am working of insulating all my trucks a little better. Without good insulation you really need multiple heat sources and good airflow to prevent a freeze. I pulled the wand out yesterday and it was frozen sold. The van was in the garage but the back of the van gets damn cold on a job with an outside temp of 8f. The box truck I am setting up has 1” foam, 3/8” plywood and 2” shag. The vans are going to get fiberglass insulation covered by plywood. On the new van I just picked up I want to put 1” yellowwood down on the floor then cover it with bedliner.

Does anyone know where I can buy a wireless thermometer that has a good range with low temp alarm?

 

[TimM]

One of the most important part of keeping the van warm with the heaters is to make sure you insulate the van. this is my third winter with my truckmount, and the first two were pretty nerve wracking. I did not have the van insulated at all. Well this summer I spent the $30 dollars and bought the foam panels and insulated the entire van. Right now it is 3 degrees outside and I just checked on the van and it is a toasty 50 degrees inside the van. And the van is parked outside because I have no garage.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

[quote="Lee Stockwell":12epg47g]Regarding frozen equipment:

Last February the whole state of Kentucky and nearby areas was hit by a massive freak ice storm. Billions of dollars damage. We had no electricity for 19 days, no telephone service for a week. Near zero temperatures, and we had to drive 70 miles to buy anything including gas.

I vacuumed all the water from the TM. Tee'd a line into the big pressure hose coming out of the pump so that it would empty the pump, waterbox, both HX and manifolds. Put an open male qc in front panel and vacuum until you hear air thru it, and for about a minute more for Mr. Murphy.

Now it takes only 2-3 minutes whenever I want to protect it away from a ready power source.

Thanks,
Lee

I printed this - Thx Lee great info.....[/quote:12epg47g]


When i freeze guard my TM this way, sometimes, for me I have to bleed the pump. I have a 290 cat pump. You do that by doing what you did to remove the water, but doing it until water starts coming through.

 

[Spurling]

years ago .. before the heated warehouse .. I used to park outside with a space heater .. I bought a water heater blanket from home depot and clipped it to the top of the van on the inside .. the blanket covered the whole back door area .. the truck was toasty .. my windows were always defrosted ..

 

[BLewis]

Micah,
Can you give us a good suggestion on a 220v heater?

 

[bob vawter]

you guys can drain the TM's till the cows come home...
and the pressure gauges will still.....max out and break!

 

[Able 1]

I park in a garage about a mile from my place so I got to have faith in my space heater. The one I was using was 4 years old, this morning it was -3 with a -20 WC and all was fine and it wasn't running when I got there. I throw a sleeping bag over the top of my TM and leave about 15" uncovered in the front and blow the heat in from there. I keep my thermostat in the cup holder(set at 45 degrees). All my tools are kept in the front of the van over night.

I bought one of those $20 ones today and I plugged it in and.... nothing :shock:

so I returned it for this one. It seems to have great heat.. 30 bucks.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Pressure gauges are filled with glycerin, not water.

 

[MicahR]

Micah,
Can you give us a good suggestion on a 220v heater?

I used to have one spec'd out but I don't have the info anymore. I believe my custy bought one locally from either Home Depot or Lowes.

 

[bob vawter]

Pressure gauges are filled with glycerin, not water.

yes they are ....HOWEVER....

the capilary tube going TO IT.....

is water and will peg the needle! and break it FIRST ever time! I used to hang a small electric bulb by it!

 

[Lee Stockwell]

bob there's a little trick to avoid that. A little loop.

 

[Scott S.]

As a Warning to all of you who have a Heater in your van with a digital Thermostat.. When the power flickers it will not turn itself back on!!!! i bought an old school oil filled electric heater and it does not have a digital thermostat so it turns back on when electric comes back on.... the first one did have a digital. but luckily i figured that out before i actually used it in the cold weather..

 

[DrUmM@sT3r]

Update.......Today things thawed out and it was 48 degrees......I started my Apex.......all good......but when I turned on the solution pump - water came gushing out from under the Apex. (Lovely)

I didn't go into it any further...............just parked it and threw the heater back in it......

I don't even want to know..........



ps I think the 220 oulet and the stronger heater is really a great idea and safer than a 1500 heater.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Tim said "I spent the $30 dollars and bought the foam panels and insulated the entire van. Right now it is 3 degrees outside and I just checked on the van and it is a toasty 50 degrees inside the van." End quote. couldn't use the quote feature.. sorry.

So Tim, what type of insulating material did you pick up? I went to Lowe's and they had some thick stuff about 2in thick, some 1in stuff and then some 3/8 or 1/2 inch with a foil skin on one side. The first two would not bend but the last one was fairly flexible and should follow the contour of the van walls and ceiling. Should I go with this stuff and apply two layers in increase the insulating factor because I can't imagine the thinest stuff to be best insulating.

Of the foam board adhesives, none said they could be used on metal, but I found some Gorilla Glue with can be used on metal and styrofoam.. I think I found a winner there!

I've been using a oil filled heater with a furniture blanket over my machine. I started using the blanket when my pressure meter cracked up on me... so I know the heater can't keep up. I was thinking of getting a bigger heater but my electric bill has already more than doubled. I think insulating is my best option because I can't afford a heated garage around here.

Thanks guys,
Bill

 

[ronbeatty]

If you have an E-tes, that would work. :mrgreen:

 

[Erik]

A garage. :idea:

 

[Shane T]

Bill, Are you going to cover the foam board with something? I have used the 1.5" foam in two different vans. I don't glue it in place. Just cut it tight and cover with your choice of wall board. I use the foil covered bubble insulation for the ceiling and upper door panels.