I came up with a great idea for a van heater...a food dehydrator!

[Giggles]

So, a few weeks ago,  I was making some sweet potato chips in my food dehydrator, and my apartment got so hot within 30 minutes, I had to turn off the heat in my apartment.

 I started thinking of all the different uses that the food dehydrator could be used for. I was thinking it could be great for drying out wet gloves or wet socks, etc...

Then a few weeks later, I finally got my van, and I started thinking about what kind of heater I wanted. I really didn't want to use propane, and then I thought about my food dehydrator. All it does is blow hot dry air over the food...but if you open up the dehydrator door, the air escapes and warms up the room.

It works really quick so you probably wouldn't have to use it very long....maybe about 10 minutes to heat up a van??

 Then, I was watching a YouTube video tonight by a van dweller, and this guy said that he was installing a hot air heater in his van. And I thought... well hey I already have a hot-air heater!!

Anyway, I just wanted to pass on the idea. I'm not a mechanical wizard, by any means, but I think it would be pretty safe since it just runs on electricity. However... if any of you guys think that it could be dangerous, let me know.

 

[highdesertranger]

How are you going to power it? if it's putting out that much heat it's sucking up a ton of electricity. highdesertranger

 

[MrNoodly]

Generating heat with electricity consumes a lot of power. Have you measured how much your dehydrator uses? Have you done the arithmetic to see how much electricity you'd need to warm your rig? Would you be plugged into the grid or using solar and batteries?

 

[Giggles]

How are you going to power it? if it's putting out that much heat it's sucking up a ton of electricity.  highdesertranger

I was thinking of running on a renegy battery for shirt bursts.

 

[Giggles]

Generating heat with electricity consumes a lot of power. Have you measured how much your dehydrator uses? Have you done the arithmetic to see how much electricity you'd need to warm your rig? Would you be plugged into the grid or using solar and batteries?

I was going to get a Renegy battery and a portable solar panel. I havent calculated anything yet. But the dehydrator runs all night long and doesn't use a lot of energy. Its just a small fan in the back of the dehydrator. 

I think a dehydrator works similar to an Easy-bake oven (a toy for little girls)....except with a fan.

 

[Uncle Todo]

I was thinking of running on a renegy battery for shirt bursts.

So this is just for upper body warmth?

 

[Giggles]

Lol. Typo! Short bursts!

I calculated the amps with an amp calculator with the info on the back of the unit. It would use 4 amps. (480 watts/120 volts).

Is 4 amps a lot if I just run it long enough to heat the van and turn it off? It's very well insulated.

 

[Sofisintown]

480 watts will suck 40 Amps out of your 12 volt battery

unless you have 120 volt outlet in your vehicle (In which case it is more, because of conversion losses.)

 

[Giggles]

Hmmm. Well, the amp calculator was wrong then.

Ok, well so much for that idea. I guess I'll just do the Coleman stove thing, then.

 

[highdesertranger]

no the amp calculator was right. 4amps @ 120v is 40amps at 12v.

heating anything with electricity takes a ton of power. you don't notice when you are on the grid because power is so cheap. but when you are your own power company it becomes obvious. you ain't going to heat much of anything with one battery.

highdesertranger

 

[BelgianPup]

Another problem is that, while it may put out a lot of heat while it's on, the moment you turn it off, the heat will be escaping from the vehicle.

 

[jacqueg]

Hmmm. Well, the amp calculator was wrong then.

Ok, well so much for that idea. I guess I'll just do the Coleman stove thing, then.

Or just use your ignition key.

Currently here in Qsite it is in the 60s during the day and the high 30s at night. I stay plenty warm with no heating system.

 

[Giggles]

no the amp calculator was right.  4amps @ 120v is 40amps at 12v.

heating anything with electricity takes a ton of power.  you don't notice when you are on the grid because power is so cheap.  but when you are your own power company it becomes obvious.  you ain't going to heat much of anything with one battery.

highdesertranger

Ah. Got it. Ok, makes sense now.

 

[vanpocalyptic]

Hmmm. Well, the amp calculator was wrong then.

Ok, well so much for that idea. I guess I'll just do the Coleman stove thing, then.

Is heating with a Coleman stove a thing people do on a regular basis?

I admire your creativity, but there are a ton of options actually designed for heating that are cheap and efficient - like diesel heaters and Mr. Buddy heaters.

Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk

 

[Giggles]

Is heating with a Coleman stove a thing people do on a regular basis?

I admire your creativity, but there are a ton of options actually designed for heating that are cheap and efficient - like diesel heaters and Mr. Buddy heaters.

Yeah, Bob Wells made a video about it on You Tube. He doesn't recommend Mr. Buddy heaters.

 

[vanpocalyptic]

Yeah, Bob Wells made a video about it on You Tube. He doesn't recommend Mr. Buddy heaters.

Does he have an attachment that goes over the burner or does he just run the flame?

I agree Mr. Buddy has some issues - especially with safety. When I use mine it is only as a back-up heating source when I am awake and you need to be really careful not to knock anything onto it!

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[Giggles]

He just runs the flame for 15 minutes until the van is nice and toasty. Then he turns it off. He doesn't use it when he's asleep, since it's an open flame.

 

[vanpocalyptic]

OK, I get it now. I have seen a video where someone uses a little heat distributer thingy that sits over the flame, but can't remember if it was manufactured or DIY.

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[doublegregg]

the mr buddy, the standard little one, simply puts out too much heat, so bob wells says you're constantly turning it on and off all the time. sounds like a nuisance.

 

[grandpa pete]

If you check Bobs videos you will see where he explains the advantages of the Wave 3 heater instead of the Buddy because it regulates better