Keeping warm in sub-freezing weather, using only a tiny amount of fuel for heat.

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I also bought this 12V electric car blanket to plug into it while I sleep. At bedtime, I set this blanket to medium and wrapped it around my chest over my T-shirt, then put on a comfortable thin-but-insulated jacket and zipped it up over the electric blanket.
I use that exact same electric car blanket, but put it under me. All the safety warnings say not to do that (probably due to the risk of burns if the temp is too high), but I've had no issues in the two winters I've used it. I put it on the lowest heat setting, and set the automatic timer for one hour (two, if it's really cold). That's plenty to warm me and my bed. It's under my sleeping bag, but on top of the mattress, arranged so it covers from my shoulders to my rear.

I also wear several layers of warm clothing, socks, a fleece balaclava, etc.

And in winter, I hang double layer fleece curtains over the side and back doors (because cold air seeps in through the edges of the doors).
 
I just had the good fortune of two nights of 19F cold outside as I slept in my van. I say "good fortune" because it's rare to have a winter where temps ever drop into the teens even once here in Arlington, Texas. These two nights of cold were just what I needed to test my van for winter warmth, and the test was a marvelous success, requiring only a tiny amount of heating fuel.

No one uses electric heat from house batteries to heat their entire van, as the electrical drain would be tremendous, killing the batteries. But I don't need to heat the whole van, I only need heat myself as I sleep. That's the trick, focus on heating yourself, not the whole van. It only takes a tiny fraction of the electricity to heat one person, as it would take to keep an entire van warm.

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So yesterday I installed this 12-volt jack on the wall right next to my bed.

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I also bought this 12V electric car blanket to plug into it while I sleep. At bedtime, I set this blanket to medium and wrapped it around my chest over my T-shirt, then put on a comfortable thin-but-insulated jacket and zipped it up over the electric blanket. Then I went to bed under two regular blankets. (It's amazing how much warmer two blankets are than one, regardless of what two blankets you use.)

I also had thick socks on my feet to ensure my toes stayed warm, and insulated gloves on my hands (required by my too-easy-to-chill fingers). Then I slept in total comfort, toasty warm all over! The cold was not uncomfortable to breathe, because my body was so warm. (I cut a small slit in two of the glove fingers so I can still use the touch screen of my cell phone even with the gloves on.)

I'd been concerned I might be wrong about the power draw, and might be about to kill my house batteries before dawn. But checking the gauge in the morning, I found the pull on my batteries had only dropped them 0.2 volts. (What a relief.) Now during the day, the solar panels can bring them right back up again.

Concerned water in the van might freeze, expand, and break containers and pipes, I keep the van about 10 degrees above freezing, ensuring all water stays in the liquid state. So I have a propane furnace with a thermostat on the wall, which I set to 41 degrees F. Set so close to the outside temperature, it requires very little propane to accomplish my goal even when temperatures are in the teens outside.

Planning well ahead for this, I have my van fully insulated on walls and ceiling with HaveLock wool. The metal van floor is covered with a layer of inch-think foam insulation, and that is covered with a layer of white linoleum. This combination makes my floor very soft on my knees. I cringe when I see videos of people putting hardwood floors in their vans, having seen pictures of the damage and callouses done to knees of van dwellers who must crawl over a hard floor every day. My floor actually feels good on my knees when I need to get down there for something.

I have lots of windows for light, but to keep the cold out, I cut a section of that inch-thick foam for each window. These covers are held in place by a bungee cord over each window running from top to bottom over the center of each. Then I place a two-inch-square block of wood under each bungee cord at the window's center to hold that foam insulation firmly against the glass. (Works like a charm.)

Having made all these insulation preparations -- and by keeping the temperature only a little above freezing -- the propane needed to heat my van is as insignificant as my mini electric blanket's drain on my batteries. Warmth in my van is almost free!
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But be sure to have backup ways of staying warm! I have two propane tanks so if one goes empty, the regulator automatically switches over to the second tank and shows me a red warning that the first tank is empty. (After I refil the first tank, the red warning will show when the second tank goes empty)

But what if batteries go dead and I can't run the furnace? As my furnace backup, I have a little cook stove burner connected to the same propane line, normally shut off both at the stove and at a valve on the wall.

But what if both tanks run out of propane? I doubt I'll ever let that happen; yet to be safe, I have plenty of blankets and warm clothing to put on (plus my little electric blanket to use if I still have electricity).

Cold winters should be fun, not brutal!
Great writeup! No such thing as bad weather....just wrong eqiuiptment. For me, its a 0° sleeping bag & a snow suit.
 
I have a question.. i hope its not DUMB. .. why WOUDL anyone camp out in cold weather?.. if you are uncomfortable and need to do all this blanket , tshirt , double jackets... WOULD
it not be better to go over to warmer climates?... just curious.... dont get angry .. i hate / detest. /Cant bare. / Loathe-....cold weather and would rather sleep on the jungle floor than be cold
People do it 'cause they can. Properly outfitted you're nice and toasty basically all of the time. For me, kind of like being in a tent during a hellashus (sp?) storm. All safe, cozy & dry while it's going nuts outside. It's awesome!
 
I have a question.. i hope its not DUMB. .. why WOUDL anyone camp out in cold weather?.. if you are uncomfortable and need to do all this blanket , tshirt , double jackets... WOULD
it not be better to go over to warmer climates?... just curious.... dont get angry .. i hate / detest. /Cant bare. / Loathe-....cold weather and would rather sleep on the jungle floor than be cold
I understand your hating cold. I'm like you but exactly the opposite; I hate HEAT! But my point is, I understand your matching feelings about cold.

This girl had always tried to stay in a warm climate, but woke up this morning to find she'd goofed, for it had turned icy cold with snow everywhere! That had never happened to her before. But, after a while (with no tire chains or other means of escape) she discovered she loved it; loved the quiet, loved the white beauty everywhere, and more.

Starting at 8:10, she explains, "I get it now. Really, I'm starting to get why people love Winter so much. I've always been like, a sunshine girl and loving warm weather, but this is incredible. The stillness, the quiet, the beauty of the freshly-fallen snow on the pines; [my dog] Lucha and I are having a blast. We normally don't do stuff like this; we normally chase good weather. And uh, this feels really special. A man named Alan Saunders thoughtfully said, 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.' The true joy of living is found in the small, simple, unplanned moments. [For me, today, well, it's] a dance under the falling snow."
 
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I'm a no-frills kind of guy and keep it very simple. I am constantly traveling versus camping in one spot for several days, so my situation is a little different then most of you. I can't sleep with socks and gloves on, but all the power to you if you can. My bed set consists of a sheet, a light blanket, a heavy blanket, and a medium weight sleeping bag that I use as a comforter. As the temperature drops, I add layers. If the temps are supposed to fall below freezing, I have a candle lantern that warms up my cargo van very nicely. As long as the inside of your vehicle is 34 degrees or higher, your water should be fine. If your water lines are inside the walls or cabinet space, you will need to find a way to heat those areas. Even with a space heater, your cabinet doors can keep the heat out. I travel with a 5 gallon jug of water and I wrap it in a blanket while the cab temperature is high. I have woken to frost on the roof of my van from my exhaled breath, but the water was just fine.
Are you concerned about carbon monoxide gas from the candle lantern?
 
Are you concerned about carbon monoxide gas from the candle lantern?
Not really. A single candle will not have much of an impact. I can always open a window for a few minutes if necessarary. I nearly froze to death when I was 12 when I got caught in a blizzard and since then I have developed a high tolerance for cold. Cold is a state of mind, it's merely the absence of heat. If you look outside and see snow, your mind tells you its cold. I have been known to scoop snow in short sleave shirts and no coat. :eek:
 
I have two propane heaters in my rig. I'm really surprised that my little Wave 3 heater, which sips fuel by the way, heats my rig up to 70-degrees so easily even on a cold day. I will be warm whatever the cost.
 
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Yes, very similiar to that one you found on Amazon. Last night I was watching a Youtube video where a woman used an alcohol stove to heat her van. It uses cans of alcohol canned fuel and would burn for about 2.5 hours. When she lit it, it raised her van temperature several degrees degrees and the van wasn't insulated very well.

Alcohol Stove, Portable Barbecue Alcohol Oven Stove Furnace Kitchenware Cooking Utensil for Outdoor Picnic, Suitable for Soup Pot/Baking Tray/Kettle

Fancy Heat Eco-Friendly GREEN Ethanol Chafing Dish Fuel Burns Very Hot for 2.5 Hours - 6 Pack

 
Yes, very similiar to that one you found on Amazon. Last night I was watching a Youtube video where a woman used an alcohol stove to heat her van. It uses cans of alcohol canned fuel and would burn for about 2.5 hours. When she lit it, it raised her van temperature several degrees degrees and the van wasn't insulated very well.

Alcohol Stove, Portable Barbecue Alcohol Oven Stove Furnace Kitchenware Cooking Utensil for Outdoor Picnic, Suitable for Soup Pot/Baking Tray/Kettle

Fancy Heat Eco-Friendly GREEN Ethanol Chafing Dish Fuel Burns Very Hot for 2.5 Hours - 6 Pack

Thanks Tony
 
I use an 'old skool' externally vented convective propane furnace in my current rig, which is an '85 Winnebago Chieftain. It's not nearly as well insulated as my previous steppy & struggles to heat the rear bedroom section at -25C, whereas it easily heated the whole steppy, minus the driving area (which was partitioned off). I just picked up a Pomoly Dweller wood stove which I plan to use next winter, alongside of the propane furnace in my next rig.
When it comes to keeping warm/cool I find that as much insulation as practical is key & can greatly reduce the amount of energy needed for heating/cooling. It's also better to adhere to the KISS principle which, in my case, means little or no electronic regulation of my heating/cooling sources. I don't stay in town & boondocking for extended periods means I put a premium on reliability & the ability to (cheaply) repair what I have. Also, up here in Canada, means much less solar in the winter so any heater that draws current in order to operate is a non-starter for me. I DO have a small Honda EX650 generator, if needed, to run my tablet/phone/lights/compressor coolers, but that's (barely) taken care of by my solar setup. ..Willy.
 
What kind of candle lantern?
If you want to use regular candles, I think these are a great deal. Not sure how much energy burning paraffin puts out relative to other fuels, or the fumes/soot... but they are only $1.25 each at dollartree. I have used candles like this a lot and had no ill effects. I think they last over 10 hours and definitely warm a well insulated rig.

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Maybe a better option would be propane provided that you use bulk containers. Probably much cleaner, and pretty cheap. Buddy heaters are just too much IMO. This would be a good option: https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Prop...ds=mini+propane+lantern&qid=1674668196&sr=8-6

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Thanks.

Dollar General sells those religious candles, too. I used to buy them to keep on hand in case of a power outage.

I have two Coleman lanterns. The original style. One uses a bottle and the other uses Coleman fuel.

I'd like to find short candles that would fit inside a cast iron "pot" with lid. I'm thinking the cast iron would retain some warmth. I have a very tiny space to keep warm: a truck cap.
 
About 23 yrs ago I was visiting up in Springerville Az in the winter, with the wind howling & it being well below freezing, & was staying in my very well insulated camperette. All I had to keep my dog Roxy & myself warm was a Dietz kerosene lantern burning low odour paint thinner. It provided light & kept us toasty warm. At night I'd turn the flame down low & snuggle with my pup. ..Willy.
 
Back in the 50s and 60s most small travel trailers had a Humphrey Lamp for light and heat. They are plumbed in propane mantle lights. They do work well in a small space and are great for killing bugs that are drawn to the light.
 
Thanks.
Dollar General sells those religious candles, too. I used to buy them to keep on hand in case of a power outage.
I have two Coleman lanterns. The original style. One uses a bottle and the other uses Coleman fuel.
I'd like to find short candles that would fit inside a cast iron "pot" with lid. I'm thinking the cast iron would retain some warmth. I have a very tiny space to keep warm: a truck cap.
I looked up numbers for paraffin and did some calculations, and even though those prayer candles are cheap, they are still ~2x the price of bulk propane for the energy. I think a small propane lantern would be the best along with a bulk tank. Should burn a lot cleaner than cheap wax.

I did some experiments in the camper I'm building, and it takes ~15 W/F to heat it, including ventilation. So 300W would keep it ~20F warmer than the outdoors, which is plenty for me in the evenings. One of the little lanterns can supply that, and the cost of the bulk propane at $1/lb would be only 5 cents/hr.

I compared a bunch of different fuels, and gasoline is actually the cheapest... less than half the cost of propane... but you need a furnace to use that. If you can get pump ethanol that might be an option; not sure if they add something to make it stink though.
 
“pull in sub-freezing air from outside to keep its flame burning strong, so the propane has to head this air first”

Can’t you have the intake pull warm air from the inside like a house heater does?
 

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