The Auto-Sleeper Motorhome Owners Forum (ASOF)
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Cab Heater

+11
Lucyc1937
frederic
crosgor
Peter Brown
PLOUGHLIN
-mojo-
Molly3
MelB
rogerblack
Paulmold
pjonesf1
15 posters

Page 1 of 2 1, 2  Next

Go down

Cab Heater Empty Cab Heater

Post by pjonesf1 Thu Nov 22, 2018 3:55 pm

Good afternoon all
I have arrived back in the UK today after driving up from the Dordogne. The external temperatures on Wednesday rarely got above 0 degrees. The cab heater was OK at slow vehicle speeds but at 90 KPH my lower body was bloomin cold. I turned the air flow to recirculate but it made little difference. Is this a characteristic of the Broadway/ coachbuilt?

My description, not very hot could be a little misleading because if I had my feet under the dash I could feel the heat but legs against the seat and they froze even with the air directed down.
pjonesf1
pjonesf1
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 120
Joined : 2017-12-18
Location : West Malling
Auto-Sleeper : Broadway EB
Vehicle Year : 2016

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paulmold Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:06 pm

It's not a characteristic of just the Broadway as that uses the same base vehicle as loads of other models. My Sussex isn't great at heating in cold weather either.

_________________
Nice to be important but more important to be nice
Paulmold
Paulmold
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 25623
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 72
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by rogerblack Thu Nov 22, 2018 4:53 pm

It's my belief that the cab heater on these commercial base vehicles is designed just to heat the cab, not the large additional volume of the open habitation area.

I screwed six awning skirt fixing studs to the wooden bulkhead between the cab seats and the hab area; I have a large sheet of material* fitted with matching poppers so that I can have it fixed either floor to waist height or full ceiling height. Even at waist height, it significantly reduces the draught over our feet and legs; fixed at full height it completely isolates the cab area and with the cab heater on this becomes toasty in no time.

It only takes a moment or two to fit or remove it, so access to the rear when we stop for a break is not affected.

* It's actually one half of the zipped side section of a redundant garden awning. So if you ever see a Pollensa with bright green and white vertical stripes behind the driver and passenger, that'll be us!

_________________
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
cheers
Roger
rogerblack
rogerblack
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 3097
Joined : 2012-09-22
Member Age : 68
Location : East Neuk, Fife / Berkshire
Auto-Sleeper : Pollensa/Boxer2.8HDi
Vehicle Year : 2002

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by pjonesf1 Thu Nov 22, 2018 5:05 pm

I'll look out for you Roger. I was thinking of the same sort of thing because I put my hand between the seats and could feel cold air coming through.
pjonesf1
pjonesf1
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 120
Joined : 2017-12-18
Location : West Malling
Auto-Sleeper : Broadway EB
Vehicle Year : 2016

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by MelB Thu Nov 22, 2018 5:14 pm

rogerblack wrote:It's my belief that the cab heater on these commercial base vehicles is designed just to heat the cab, not the large additional volume of the open habitation area.

I screwed six awning skirt fixing studs to the wooden bulkhead between the cab seats and the hab area; I have a large sheet of material* fitted with matching poppers so that I can have it fixed either floor to waist height or full ceiling height. Even at waist height, it significantly reduces the draught over our feet and legs; fixed at full height it completely isolates the cab area and with the cab heater on this becomes toasty in no time.

It only takes a moment or two to fit or remove it, so access to the rear when we stop for a break is not affected.

* It's actually one half of the zipped side section of a redundant garden awning. So if you ever see a Pollensa with bright green and white vertical stripes behind the driver and passenger, that'll be us!
Thanks Roger.
Good idea when driving in our cold winter weather. Simple to copy and seemingly effective.
MelB
MelB
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 889
Joined : 2015-06-23
Member Age : 74
Location : DONCASTER
Auto-Sleeper : KEMERTON
Vehicle Year : 2014

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Molly3 Thu Nov 22, 2018 8:00 pm

Is the engine getting up to temp, my nuevo  seems OK. Is it possible to run Hab heating on the move ?.
Molly3
Molly3
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 561
Joined : 2017-11-06
Location : Sheffield
Auto-Sleeper : Nuevo
Vehicle Year : 2014

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paulmold Thu Nov 22, 2018 8:09 pm

I took my Sussex to supermarket today, 5 miles each way. Temp only rose half way to normal, did the shopping , drove home and it reached normal about half way home. Heater was just coming good when we got home.

_________________
Nice to be important but more important to be nice
Paulmold
Paulmold
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 25623
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 72
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by rogerblack Thu Nov 22, 2018 9:59 pm

Do diesel engined vehicles take longer to heat up?  Our diesel Vectra also takes a while before the heater warms up (thankfully it has heated seats!) whereas my daughter's petrol car seems to warm up within a couple of minutes. And I seem to recall all previous petrol cars I've had were the same.

_________________
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
cheers
Roger
rogerblack
rogerblack
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 3097
Joined : 2012-09-22
Member Age : 68
Location : East Neuk, Fife / Berkshire
Auto-Sleeper : Pollensa/Boxer2.8HDi
Vehicle Year : 2002

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by -mojo- Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:13 pm

In my experience, diesels do take longer to warm up. The 2.5l TDi lump in my Mk5 Transit took ages (but the original owner specified an Eberspacher Hydronic to help it in winter) and never got very hot, even in the hottest of weather. The 2l CR in the T5 is the same - although when the DPF is regenerating it smells like it's about to catch fire.

I think the simplistic view is that they are more efficient and so waste less of their output as heat.

Yes - you should be able to run most types of hab heating * with the vehicle in motion, but check the manual. I've run the Webasto diesel heater in the Celex a couple of times on the road and it gets toasty pretty quickly!

[Edit: * should have said most types of diesel-powered hab heating - not true of gas, as Paul says below]


Last edited by -mojo- on Fri Nov 23, 2018 12:01 am; edited 1 time in total
-mojo-
-mojo-
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 4566
Joined : 2012-08-04
Member Age : 24
Location : Southeast
Auto-Sleeper : Trooper
Vehicle Year : 2006

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paulmold Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:31 pm

Molly3 wrote:Is the engine getting up to temp, my nuevo  seems OK. Is it possible to run Hab heating on the move ?.
Only if you have the Truma Crash Regulator fitted.

_________________
Nice to be important but more important to be nice
Paulmold
Paulmold
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 25623
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 72
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Molly3 Fri Nov 23, 2018 1:17 am

Don't all factory fitted underslung tanks have crash regulators fitted  ?.
Molly3
Molly3
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 561
Joined : 2017-11-06
Location : Sheffield
Auto-Sleeper : Nuevo
Vehicle Year : 2014

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paulmold Fri Nov 23, 2018 9:09 am

Molly3 wrote:Don't all factory fitted underslung tanks have crash regulators fitted  ?
Don't know, I think it  depends on year. But think it's irrelevant as the heater requires 12v to ignite and with engine running the 12v system is isolated so can't see how you can run habitation heater whilst travelling.

_________________
Nice to be important but more important to be nice
Paulmold
Paulmold
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 25623
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 72
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by PLOUGHLIN Fri Nov 23, 2018 9:48 am

AS Sprinters are fitted with a Eber auxiliary heater which heats the engine circuit for fast warm up of the engine and hence the cab heater.

_________________
Peter L
PLOUGHLIN
PLOUGHLIN
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 4690
Joined : 2014-06-24
Member Age : 54
Location : NORTH HERTS
Auto-Sleeper : MB Gloucester
Vehicle Year : 2011

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Peter Brown Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:01 am

PLOUGHLIN wrote:AS Sprinters are fitted with a Eber auxiliary heater which heats the engine circuit for fast warm up of the engine and hence the cab heater.

I couldn't see the heater switch in the new Sprinter cab so they may not be fitted on the latest Euro 6 engines.

_________________
Peter #1
Peter Brown
Peter Brown
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 10280
Joined : 2012-11-10
Member Age : 71
Location : Staffs
Auto-Sleeper : Broadway EB
Vehicle Year : 2016

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by crosgor Fri Nov 23, 2018 11:05 pm

A curtain between the cab and the habitation area is almost guaranteed to remedy the situation.
crosgor
crosgor
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 237
Joined : 2017-06-23
Member Age : 69
Location : Monkseaton
Auto-Sleeper : ex-Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2005

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Molly3 Fri Nov 23, 2018 11:16 pm

Paulmold wrote:
Molly3 wrote:Don't all factory fitted underslung tanks have crash regulators fitted  ?
Don't know, I think it  depends on year. But think it's irrelevant as the heater requires 12v to ignite and with engine running the 12v system is isolated so can't see how you can run habitation heater whilst travelling.
Thanks
Molly3
Molly3
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 561
Joined : 2017-11-06
Location : Sheffield
Auto-Sleeper : Nuevo
Vehicle Year : 2014

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Guest Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:37 pm

Paul, not all MH have their 12v systems isolated, mine (and most continental vans) don't, meaning we can use the gas heating en route if needed.
I wonder why it's deemed necessary to isolate it? is it UK (NCC?) reg?
what if a rear passenger wanted to read during an evening journey?
Anonymous
Guest
Guest


Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paulmold Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:57 pm

Again Chris, I was answering a question relating to Autosleepers as this is a forum for owners of AS's (past or present). Quoting from AandNcaravan  (you'll know them from outandaboutlive forum) "Motorhomes, do not require their habitation electrical systems to be disabled when the engine is started as is commonly believed. It is the path taken by UK Motorhome builders to save them conformance testing each installed product. "

_________________
Nice to be important but more important to be nice
Paulmold
Paulmold
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 25623
Joined : 2011-02-21
Member Age : 72
Location : North East Wales
Auto-Sleeper : Sussex Duo
Vehicle Year : 2010

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by frederic Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:58 pm

Our Erber in the Duetto will fire up with the engine running, sometimes its the only way to overcome the voltage drop on a part exhausted leisure bat. in the cold weather.
Though the rest of the 12v system inc. toilet flush won't work when the engine is in action.
frederic
frederic
frederic
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 1348
Joined : 2011-11-15
Member Age : 77
Location : Stranraer, Wigtownshire
Auto-Sleeper : Topaz TipT
Vehicle Year : 2008

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by -mojo- Sat Nov 24, 2018 10:46 pm

Yep - same is true of the Eber in the Trooper - that will run happily with the van in motion. As will the Webasto in the Celex (though that's not relevant here as it's not built by A/S).

I'm not sure I can see the logic behind AACaravans comment about "It is the path taken by UK Motorhome builders to save them conformance testing each installed product", because it is a feature that is implemented by Sargent (and other control panel makers) and not the motorhome builders. I think a more plausible explanation is that it was a UK interpretation of an EU directive (the reference of which escapes me at the moment) and that a different interpretation of that directive was taken in other EU countries.
-mojo-
-mojo-
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 4566
Joined : 2012-08-04
Member Age : 24
Location : Southeast
Auto-Sleeper : Trooper
Vehicle Year : 2006

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Guest Sun Nov 25, 2018 8:20 am

ŵqPaulmold wrote:Again Chris, I was answering a question relating to Autosleepers as this is a forum for owners of AS's (past or present). Quoting from AandNcaravan  (you'll know them from outandaboutlive forum) "Motorhomes, do not require their habitation electrical systems to be disabled when the engine is started as is commonly believed. It is the path taken by UK Motorhome builders to save them conformance testing each installed product. "
thanks Paul.
I realised the nature of your answer, I was just curious...
Anonymous
Guest
Guest


Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Lucyc1937 Sun Nov 25, 2018 10:29 am

Am I missing the point here, if you travel with gas heatng on and decide to call in at a filling station surely there is a big risk, I know it can be switched of before entering filling station but people being people this does not always happen.

_________________
We are not lost, we are just admiring the view
Lucyc1937
Lucyc1937
Donator
Donator

Male

Posts : 172
Joined : 2013-07-12
Member Age : 87
Location : Barnsley, S Yorks
Auto-Sleeper : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2017

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by -mojo- Sun Nov 25, 2018 11:42 am

No, you're not missing the point! For the same reasons as with a gas fridge, you shouldn't be on a fuel filling station forecourt with any source of ignition. That also applies to diesel-powered heaters such as Ebers and Webastos, as well as the gas-powered ones.

But, in fairness, it has to be said that the risks of doing so are likely to be low. You may recall that at one time there were instructions at (some) filling stations that mobile phones should be turned off while in the area - but that now seems to have been quietly dropped - probably because it was almost universally ignored. Fuel stations are very well designed, regulated and inspected these days, and there are all sorts of measures in place to make sure that vapour levels can't get anywhere near flammable levels in the public areas, barring an accident or someone doing something stupid.

However - even though the level of risk would appear to be low - it's still essential to turn off any appliance that has a naked flame while at a fuel station, and to only use a gas-powered heater while on the move if a crash safe regulator is fitted to the van.
-mojo-
-mojo-
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 4566
Joined : 2012-08-04
Member Age : 24
Location : Southeast
Auto-Sleeper : Trooper
Vehicle Year : 2006

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Paramedic Sun Nov 25, 2018 1:57 pm

-mojo- wrote:
However - even though the level of risk would appear to be low - it's still essential to turn off any appliance that has a naked flame while at a fuel station, and to only use a gas-powered heater while on the move if a crash safe regulator is fitted to the van.
Thank you, that's very interesting and referring to the owner's manual, when on the forecourt for ' longer  than fifteen minutes (ie with the ignition turned off) then turn the refrigerator off at it's main switch in order to prevent it from switching automatically to the alternative energy source of gas and producing an ignition spark'. Well I've learnt something today as didn't realise that in any event when the ignition is turned off, it took that long before the fridge freezer switched to gas. Regards.

_________________
In the land of the blind, the man with one eye is king
Paramedic
Paramedic
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 2487
Joined : 2016-01-27
Member Age : 77
Location : Chichester West Sussex
Auto-Sleeper : Broadway FB
Vehicle Year : 2013

Back to top Go down

Cab Heater Empty Re: Cab Heater

Post by Dbvwt Mon Nov 26, 2018 12:27 pm

Lucyc1937 wrote:Am I missing the point here, if you travel with gas heatng on and decide to call in at a filling station surely there is a big risk, I know it can be switched of before entering filling station but people being people this does not always happen.

I think I read I’m my manual that the gas heating can be run while in transit but if the ignition is turned off It will switch off automatically (eg. pulling into a petrol station) and you will need to restart again at the panel.
Obviously this may well be different depending on the van
Dbvwt
Dbvwt
Member
Member

Male

Posts : 3043
Joined : 2018-10-04
Location : Aylesbury
Auto-Sleeper : Symbol
Vehicle Year : 2018

Back to top Go down

Page 1 of 2 1, 2  Next

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum