[sparklebright]

All my gear is frozen, because like a fool, I didn't put the heater on.
Thinking of linking my radiator to a heat exchanger.
I'm sure I remember someone talking about this a while ago, it wouldn't end up heating the tank just stop it from freezing.

Any views on this, don't really want propane or everything, just want to redistribute some heat

[ftp]

  what run your engine all night? I don't understand.

[Paul Coleman]

All my gear is frozen, because like a fool, I didn't put the heater on.
Thinking of linking my radiator to a heat exchanger.
I'm sure I remember someone talking about this a while ago, it wouldn't end up heating the tank just stop it from freezing.

Any views on this, don't really want propane or everything, just want to redistribute some heat

I've found it helps to remove the feed pipe from the tank for a short while and run the system.  I feed the water left in the pipes back into the tank.  Not sure that running the pump dry for a short while is a good idea but it certainly empties the pipes out.

[sparklebright]

what run your engine all night? I don't understand.

Fair comment.
No the idea is that as I drove around I will warm up the water in the tank, the heat should spread to the back of the vehicle, which is  also insulated and if I insulate the tank, the warm water left in it won't freeze overnight. Unless the temp really drops I guess in the way that if you keep a part of the house warm it's easier to warm it up again.
Then again as I type this I realise that theory doesn't hold water(no pun intended)
But I would think it will make a difference

[Nathanael Jones]

This idea would work,.. and I've often considered doing it myself. You'd need to add a heat exchanger of some description,.. something like this maybe:
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Solar-Panel-Hot-Water-Immersion-Coil-Heat-Exchanger_W0QQitemZ280309336593QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air?hash=item280309336593&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

But it'd warm your tank up enough during the day to stop freezing overnight I'd imagine.

[ftp]

I've never had my tank freeze, only the pump and the reel, oh and the hose from tank to di.

[sparklebright]

I've never had my tank freeze, only the pump and the reel, oh and the hose from tank to di.

I guess what I had in mind was that maybe the heat that radiates from the warmed up tank keep all of it from freezing

[ftp]

Would it not be simpler to put a heater in the van or are you too far from your house for electric?

[sparklebright]

This idea would work,.. and I've often considered doing it myself. You'd need to add a heat exchanger of some description,.. something like this maybe:
http://cgi.ebay.ie/Solar-Panel-Hot-Water-Immersion-Coil-Heat-Exchanger_W0QQitemZ280309336593QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Hearing_Cooling_Air?hash=item280309336593&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

But it'd warm your tank up enough during the day to stop freezing overnight I'd imagine.

Thanks for that will investigate it

[sparklebright]

Would it not be simpler to put a heater in the van or are you too far from your house for electric?

Yeah, got me there. Valid point. I guess I'd like warm water without paying for it.

[Nathanael Jones]

Not paying for it,.. not having to think about it,... frost free without the hassle!!

[Paul Coleman]

Would it not be simpler to put a heater in the van or are you too far from your house for electric?

If you're asking me then yes, I live in a flat set back from the road quite a way.  Also, no guarantee of parking.  Sometimes I must park in the next street over.

[mikethechamois]

have you considered a leisure battery with splitter to run a caravan heater..........can be thermostaticly controlled

[Neil Williams]

With the best will in the world trying to get 20L of engine coolant to heat up 400L of pure water is asking a bit much, unless you do a 200 mile journey first.
And, even if you boiled up the 400L of pure water at 6pm the chances are that it would be cold by 10pm and by 2am it would then be the same temperature as the surrounding air temperature.

[LWC]

I was looking into this a while ago, but im not that mechanically minded so thought best leave it.

Have you thought about exhaust heat, that free wate heat energy. someone suggest wrapping a coil around the exhaust and then getting that to tank...ok i dont know, just a thought.

[sparklebright]

Have you thought about exhaust heat, that free wate heat energy. someone suggest wrapping a coil around the exhaust and then getting that to tank...ok i dont know, just a thought.

Yes that's a good one. I looked at sourcing high temp hose to do just that.
Put a pipe into the tank around the exhaust and then back in and let convection do the rest. But I think there are two issues: when the tank is empty the bit in the tank would get v hot, so you'd need to be able to turn it off, and you would need to cover sufficient area of the exhaust to get the heat out, lots of pipe bending...maybe

[sparklebright]

have you considered a leisure battery with splitter to run a caravan heater..........can be thermostaticly controlled

I thought caravan's got most of their heat from gas, cos I don't think 12 volt will give enough power for a water heater. I'm beginning to think that maybe a 240volt heater on thermostat for the 4 weeks a year I get frost on the south coast! As I do park on the drive. Maybe I'm trying to be a bit clever and reinvent the wheel instead of taking the simple solution.

[matt]

Have you thought about exhaust heat, that free wate heat energy. someone suggest wrapping a coil around the exhaust and then getting that to tank...ok i dont know, just a thought.

Yes that's a good one. I looked at sourcing high temp hose to do just that.
Put a pipe into the tank around the exhaust and then back in and let convection do the rest. But I think there are two issues: when the tank is empty the bit in the tank would get v hot, so you'd need to be able to turn it off, and you would need to cover sufficient area of the exhaust to get the heat out, lots of pipe bending...maybe

you would have to have a coil of pipe / wire around the HOT pipe ( somewhat of a stand ) to make it stand up off the tank

[matt]

have you considered a leisure battery with splitter to run a caravan heater..........can be thermostaticly controlled

I thought caravan's got most of their heat from gas, cos I don't think 12 volt will give enough power for a water heater. I'm beginning to think that maybe a 240volt heater on thermostat for the 4 weeks a year I get frost on the south coast! As I do park on the drive. Maybe I'm trying to be a bit clever and reinvent the wheel instead of taking the simple solution.

they are, 12 V heaters are not upto much