[Clarkey2]

https://www.thecaravanwarehouse.co.uk/Products/boilers--water-heaters/BOI011

Anyone using this heater?
Can't afford diesel yet  lol

Cheers Rob

[Jonny 87]

Stay away mate.

I had one and nearly set fire to my van. I know a few others on here had close calls too.

Go down the immersion route instead.

[P @ F]

I still dont get how these things get fitted to caravans without issue , yet in a van they are a problem ?

[Clarkey2]

Stay away mate.

I had one and nearly set fire to my van. I know a few others on here had close calls too.

Go down the immersion route instead.

Thanks mate I was in two minds but you've just made my mind up cheers.

Is that an immersion in van tank? As I'll have a static tank in my garden and would ideally like to heat it up then transfer in morning but I'm thinking I'll maybe lose quite a bit of heat doing that?

[jonny thompson]

I and another 3 window cleaners have lpg heaters in there van for the past 5 yrs without any issues, wouldn’t be without it

[Jonny 87]

Stay away mate.

I had one and nearly set fire to my van. I know a few others on here had close calls too.

Go down the immersion route instead.

Thanks mate I was in two minds but you've just made my mind up cheers.

Is that an immersion in van tank? As I'll have a static tank in my garden and would ideally like to heat it up then transfer in morning but I'm thinking I'll maybe lose quite a bit of heat doing that?

An immersion In Your static tank would work.

There’s loads of videos on YouTube.  Go for a 3kw element, get a sparky in to make sure the wiring is good and bobs your uncle.

[Jonny 87]

I still dont get how these things get fitted to caravans without issue , yet in a van they are a problem ?

They are fitted properly with vents in the gas cabinet to let gas escape. The gas bottle is in a sealed separate box too.

[Jonny 87]

I and another 3 window cleaners have lpg heaters in there van for the past 5 yrs without any issues, wouldn’t be without it

Another reason I got rid of mine was insurance. I’m still yet to see a policy which states you are covered. Not just covered to carry a  gas bottle.....that’s the easy part, but covered to have the heater running while the vehicle is unattended.

[Lee GLS]

Go for it. I’ve had a gas heater for 8 years now. The only problem I’ve had is frost damage cracking them, so I had to replace it a few years ago. I only use it in the winter but would definitely not be without it

[Dry Clean]

I still dont get how these things get fitted to caravans without issue , yet in a van they are a problem ?

To be honest its more to do with the guys who fit them than the actual equipment, most things can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

[zesty]

I still dont get how these things get fitted to caravans without issue , yet in a van they are a problem ?

To be honest its more to do with the guys who fit them than the actual equipment, most things can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

They shouldn’t be a problem at all, installed correctly and looked after they should never cause any problems. Frost protection is important as are regularly checking for leaks and hose wear.

You can keep a gas alarm in the back of the van for extra vigilance as well, so you’ll know a leak has occurred when driving along etc.

I think diesel is a great idea, but initial cost and running costs are obviously much much higher...

Gas is safe, If your safe with it. Thousands upon thousands of people use lpg gas fired showers in there caravans and camper vans with no issues. We only hear of the negative stories like all things. But like lee has said, 8 years on and he’s been fine.

[mufcglen]

Same as others I’ve been using them 5-6 years now and only issue I had was my laziness not draining them down and cracking them in the winter😂
One thing I think to make sure though is many van walls aren’t straight vertical so you need to use the spacers and bring the bottom out off the wall so the flame inside is firing straight and not at an angle, other than that they’re very simple to fit, open one up though and you can see how crap and simple they are but they work.

[Jonny 87]

As every winter rolls by I just wait for the news story of a window cleaner killing themselves with these things, or setting fire to their van.

If they are made light of, it’s going to happen. Especially with the increase In Window cleaners, and increase of forum users.

On another forum I saw someone that looked like they were trying to replicate a diesel recirculate system. So (I think) they were running the lpg heater while they were driving, and they didn’t have it Flued. So essentially filling up the van with carbon monoxide as they were driving. 

I think there’s atleast 3 or 4 of us on here that has had admitted to having a near miss, and I couldn’t have done anything different other than checking the pipes that morning for a gas leak. I did it every week, (fairy liquid around all connections and looking for bubbles).

The one saving grace for me is that I had safety valve fitted to stop any flames travelling back through the pipe and into the bottle. 

[Dry Clean]

As every winter rolls by I just wait for the news story of a window cleaner killing themselves with these things, or setting fire to their van.

If they are made light of, it’s going to happen. Especially with the increase In Window cleaners, and increase of forum users.

On another forum I saw someone that looked like they were trying to replicate a diesel recirculate system. So (I think) they were running the lpg heater while they were driving, and they didn’t have it Flued. So essentially filling up the van with carbon monoxide as they were driving. 

I think there’s atleast 3 or 4 of us on here that has had admitted to having a near miss, and I couldn’t have done anything different other than checking the pipes that morning for a gas leak. I did it every week, (fairy liquid around all connections and looking for bubbles).

The one saving grace for me is that I had safety valve fitted to stop any flames travelling back through the pipe and into the bottle. 

What would you call a near miss ? the biggest problem with a gas system is that at times a small amount of gas can build up before it ignites which can then lead to a bang or a flame burst, in a caravan or motorhome this flame burst will travel up the flue and never be seen, slightly scary and might singe the eyebrows but but hardly a near death experience and can be easily solved by installing a flue or keeping the ignition system working properly , as for gas going back up the pipe or into the bottle, gas also needs oxygen to create a flame which wont be in the pipe or bottle so it cant happen, far too much hearsay and urban myths on faceache and forums.

[Jonny 87]

As every winter rolls by I just wait for the news story of a window cleaner killing themselves with these things, or setting fire to their van.

If they are made light of, it’s going to happen. Especially with the increase In Window cleaners, and increase of forum users.

On another forum I saw someone that looked like they were trying to replicate a diesel recirculate system. So (I think) they were running the lpg heater while they were driving, and they didn’t have it Flued. So essentially filling up the van with carbon monoxide as they were driving. 

I think there’s atleast 3 or 4 of us on here that has had admitted to having a near miss, and I couldn’t have done anything different other than checking the pipes that morning for a gas leak. I did it every week, (fairy liquid around all connections and looking for bubbles).

The one saving grace for me is that I had safety valve fitted to stop any flames travelling back through the pipe and into the bottle. 

What would you call a near miss ? the biggest problem with a gas system is that at times a small amount of gas can build up before it ignites which can then lead to a bang or a flame burst, in a caravan or motorhome this flame burst will travel up the flue and never be seen, slightly scary and might singe the eyebrows but but hardly a near death experience and can be easily solved by installing a flue or keeping the ignition system working properly , as for gas going back up the pipe or into the bottle, gas also needs oxygen to create a flame which wont be in the pipe or bottle so it cant happen, far too much hearsay and urban myths on faceache and forums.

Not really........ that’s why there is a safety device to stop the reverse flow of a flame, it’s called a Flash back arrestor. They wouldn’t be produced if they were pointless.

My gas supply into the heater had a tiny leak and caught the flame which is just inches away. I came back to the vanto find a small flame underneath my boiler melting the plastic.

I seriously think these things are accidents waiting to happen. They are designed to be hung on a tree outside so you can have a shower. Not so you can keep them in an enclosed van and used 6 hours a day. There’s a reason why no professional company will Fit them, and you’ll never get them signed off as being safe or insured.

[Dry Clean]

No professional company will fit them because there is no or not enough demand, Sureclean in N Ireland used to build and sell them but at £3k a pop  guys just built their own.
A flashback arrester is used for things like burning/welding equipment where both compressed oxygen and gas are used and mixed together, totally pointless on an lpg only heater.

[Jonny 87]

No professional company will fit them because there is no or not enough demand, Sureclean in N Ireland used to build and sell them but at £3k a pop  guys just built their own.
A flashback arrester is used for things like burning/welding equipment where both compressed oxygen and gas are used and mixed together, totally pointless on an lpg only heater.

Not sure about that with the The flashback arrestor. I think it’s still valuable for these heaters in an acccident scenario.  The reason for the £3k price is because it takes a decent amount of work to fit one properly. people cut corners when they self fit. I’m yet to see a window cleaner fit a box with a vent to house the gas bottle, preferably under the chassis of the van. That’s the safe way to have them fitted. Not tied with a bungee rope to your tank.

[dazmond]

at the end of the day its your van your putting at risk using these lpg heaters....do what you want......BUT every gas engineer i ever spoke too had told me to take mine out...i heeded their advice after a small explosion.......

a professionally fitted diesel heater might be expensive but they are a hell of a lot better(and safer)than gas shower heaters...im glad i invested in one now.....

[Dry Clean]

at the end of the day its your van your putting at risk using these lpg heaters....do what you want......BUT every gas engineer i ever spoke too had told me to take mine out...i heeded their advice after a small explosion.......

a professionally fitted diesel heater might be expensive but they are a hell of a lot better(and safer)than gas shower heaters...im glad i invested in one now.....

Any equipment in this game has either to make you more money than they cost to buy and run  or make your working day easier, in most cases diesel heaters cost too much to do either.
As has already been said the country is full of motorhomes and caravans all using lpg heaters so why a gas engineer would say you need to remove yours is beyond me, unless he was looking at your workmanship. lol.