Typically, most RV owners use their vehicles to travel in the spring, summer, and fall. However, taking in the beauty of the wintertime landscape is something truly unique. The thick layer of snowfall makes the entire scenery appear more pristine and lovely.
Additionally, some activities can only be enjoyed during the colder months such as skiing, snowboarding, winter camping, and in some places, even hunting. However, in order to fully enjoy this, you must be prepared, and your RV must have a dependable heating system.
While there are various ways to warm up a camper van, diesel heat is among the most effective and cost-effective solutions. That said, here’s what you should know about the reliable diesel heaters for caravans to help you decide whether it’s worth investing in one or not.
Why Are Diesel RV Heaters So Popular?
You have two fuel options to power a heater because most RVs use diesel to run their engine and LPG to operate their cooking and water heating appliances. Diesel air heaters have recently risen to the top of most caravan owners’ list of choices. Here is an explanation of why.
Better Performance
The butane component of your liquid gas mixture (60 per cent butane, 40 per cent propane) will not vaporise well if the temperature falls below 2 degrees. Once you run out of propane in your gas bottle, your heater will only burn butane, and you won’t be able to heat your RV.
On the other hand, you can freely use a diesel heater if you intend to travel in your RV in freezingly cold conditions. In contrast to LPG systems, which can provide a “wet heat” that leads to unwelcome humidity and condensation, diesel heaters produce a clean, dry heat.
Safer
The dangers associated with combustion and breathing make diesel preferable to LPG. An explosion, lasting harm to the mental and respiratory systems, and even death, can occur as a result of a leaking LPG fuel line.
These hazards are not present in a diesel system. Diesel heaters for vans can safely be used while driving because the fuel is rather difficult to ignite. This has a significant impact on how many people choose the fuel source for their new cabin heater.
What’s more, a gas heater shouldn’t be put in too close proximity to a window, door, the inlet or outlet of another gas appliance, or under an enclosed annexe. Occasionally, these limitations will make it impossible to install a gas heater; so a diesel heater would be the best option.
More Convenient
Portable diesel heaters are highly practical heating choices because they can be used outside, in tents in addition to providing heat for RVs. They don’t need to be installed; all you have to do is fill the heater with diesel fuel and connect it to the power source. Once you’ve done that, the portable heater will start to emit a steady stream of heat that will warm up your camper or hiking tent.
How to Choose the Right Heater
Consider the Outside Conditions
Important factors to take into account are the area’s minimum temperature and its altitude. It will assist you in choosing the best heater type for you.
You might wish to think about a 2KW-2.5KW diesel heater if the minimum temperature where you live or camp does not drop below -5 degrees Celsius. It should have a heat output of 8500 BTU, which is more than adequate to cover your everyday requirements.
As for altitude, when you are less than 3500 meters above sea level, a typical diesel heater should automatically change the air to fuel ratio. If you’re purchasing a budget heater, it is advised that you speak with the manufacturer or seller before making your purchase to confirm that the heater has this capability.
Consider the Caravan’s Size
Using a medium-sized bus as a measurement is a helpful guide when determining which heater your caravan needs, even though it is difficult to generalize. Take a 2KW–2.5KW heater if your motorhome is smaller than a medium-sized bus. However, if your RV is bigger, you’ll need a 5KW heater to warm up the entire thing.
Alternately, you can measure the internal dimensions of the caravan (length X width X height X 15, in cubic feet). The result you get needs to match the BTU value. For instance, a heater that uses 2.5 kW will generate 8500 BTU of heat, whereas one that uses 5 kW will generate 16100 BTU.
More Power Doesn’t Mean Better Heating
How powerful the heater is will affect your comfort and its performance as well. If your RV is smaller and you have a more powerful heater, you are likely to leave the heater on at a low speed all the time because it will emit too much heat. This is equivalent to leaving your automobile running constantly at idle.
Working slowly may cause carbon buildup inside the heater to begin much more quickly, which will require considerably more work to remove later. This buildup is detrimental to the environment, human health, and the longevity of the heater.
The heater’s fuel-to-air ratio is made to match the size of the combustion chamber in order to achieve the best combustion and increase thermal efficiency.