Mini -oil heater - Lidl

From Thursday, Oil filled Mini-Radiator with 3 year warranty......

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-B506E7DF-0047A3DA/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=7960

Hi Paulmold,
I have just seen your post as well as the Lidl 'newsletter' that has been put through our door.  I have a couple of questions about the heater that perhaps you could answer.  How would you use it?  From the point of, is it to heat the van while laid up for the winter, or when your away on hookup?  Would it be light enough to warrant carrying it with you,  bearing in mind that you have a limited payload and already have an on board heater, would it be that much cheaper than using your gas?
I hope I have made some sense and look forward to your reply.
KR
Ken

When we had the Symphony, we used whilst away with hook-up to 1) save gas and when not on hook-up, 2) to save battery as the blown air uses the battery to power the fan. When at home we used it last winter to keep things from freezing (any bits of water that may have been lurking in the pipes). I would certainly recommend one of these for any van that does not have a proper gas fire. Now we have the Nuevo, when on hook-up we will use the blown air with the fire but at night will use the radiator, when not on hook-up we would use the fire without the fan. If we have a harsh winter again then we will use it on hook-up on the drive just to keep things above freezing point. Never worried about the weight of it  (they are not as heavy as a gas cylinder.)

Hi Ken.
Speaking as the user of such an oil heater, I stand it between the driver/passenger seats when set up on site. Without doubt the coldest area in the van is the cab area, and so keeping it warm adds greatly to the comfort levels of the van as a whole.
There is also the valid point that it makes sense to use a heat source which is easily replaced when U/S rather than having to do the same with your expensive onboard space heater.
Yes, they are fairly heavy and with hindsight I would have bought a non oil filled heater, but they seem to be quite a rare beast in the smaller sizes.

Mick. 

Hi and thanks for your swift replies Paul and Mick.  

Looks like it's another thing to add to my already growing pile of motorhome accessories and I haven't even got the van yet    

It's being held for me (private sale) until my insurance pays out. 

Thanks again,

Ken

micknhilary wrote:
Yes, they are fairly heavy and with hindsight I would have bought a non oil filled heater, but they seem to be quite a rare beast in the smaller sizes.

I think oil filled ones are safer?

Frank

I'd never thought of my little oil filled heater as heavy so I've just weighed it.  At 2.4Kg I still don't think its heavy and for all the reasons given above would not be without it.

Peter

PS These are the same price at Argos and Dunelm Mill

Yep, use mine for same reasons as above. I have a 1kw one I have used in the caravan for years but found a 750w one at Argos a while ago which is really light and great for keeping the bathroom warm at night when on hookup  
As well as all the other uses.

Peter Brown wrote:
PS These are the same price at Argos and Dunelm Mill

Lots of different makes around from the discount stores. Ours came from 'The Original Factory Shop' and is an 800w. Dunelm, Poundstretcher, Argos etc etc. Worth checking the wattage, they range from 600w to 1kw. I think the Lidl one at 600w may struggle to heat up a van any bigger than a Symphony size if you are using it on its own, but you do get three years warranty from Lidl.

i bought a 600w one of these last year - it works very well - keeps my van cosy enough at night even on a low setting.

i do hope it won't trip the 6amp feed in spain this christmas!

Paulmold wrote:I think the Lidl one at 600w may struggle to heat up a van any bigger than a Symphony size if you are using it on its own

It probably also won't be enough in a van with a pop-top either. I had one that was perfect in my A-S high-top, but sadly it's not powerful enough in my current van, even though the interior volume is slightly smaller...

tcarne wrote:
i do hope it won't trip the 6amp feed in spain this christmas!

The heater will draw about 2.5 amps so assuming you have the charger and fridge on all the time it would be wise to switch the heater off before using the water heater and vice versa. If you have access to the circuit breaker I'd try leaving them all on as you might just get away with it.

On the subject of heat capability in a larger van, I use ours for frost protection during long periods of below zero temperature and when camping in winter leave it on 24hrs and use the van heater to supplement during the day as necessary.

Peter

many thanks for the advice peter - tc