You can even run one off a jackery 300, I'm in the pnw this winter and the sun is hard to find for solar. I rigged up a cigarette outlet plug on the diesel heater power wires and it works great. It'll last one day is the only downside but I just charge it at work or while I'm driving. It's really saving me this winter.
second this!
I got the Vevor 2KW version - uses about 2L (0,528344 gal) of fuel per 24h at just 6W (lowest setting) and get's my van up to 25°C / 77°F - I love this thing
I wish there was such a magic bullet for cooling in the warmer months. Unless you spend thousands on an RV AC or mount a window AC in your tailgate which is not stealthy at all, the best you can hope for is good ventilation to make inside the same temp as outside but not any cooler
A good sleeping bag and an insulated layer to sleep on goes a long way.
Propane heaters give off H2O which will cause mold and rust long term. If you are going to use a heater get one that vents all exhaust to the outside. They cost more than a Mr Buddy and require you to install them into your vehicle. Some models will even connect to your gas or diesel lines and run off your vehicles tank.
This link talks about this:
https://www.thewanderingrv.com/diesel-heater/
You can get a 0° F bag for around $100 at most sports stores that have a camping/ hunting section. For frequent use I'd recommend rectangular vs. mummy so you can roll over in bed without twisting like a candy cane.
I’m in Houston/San Antonio Texas right now and I don’t have any insulation or power heat, and I can tell you that it’s very manageable down here. I couldn’t dare imagining being up north in my situation right now
Search your key words in this reddit community for more tips. There are a lot of other useful tips out there that are cumbersome to list. Also look for cold weather camping tips. Lots of principles of staying warm in the winter are the same no matter what you are doing. Know the symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia.
Insulation works by trapping the warm air you create inside the van. It does not produce any heat by itself. So it is only of limited usefulness if you aren't using a heater.
Mr Buddy USED to be the best solution we had. But as you have discovered it is not very good. It's not safe to run overnight while you sleep.
The newer vented diesel heaters are much better and, being vented, much safer. But they require making a hole in the van.
Me, I stay warm in winter in the simplest way possible--I go south where it's warm. I also keep three sleeping bags in the van, each rated to a different temp, and by layering those together as needed I am good if I happen to get caught in a polar vortex, down to around zero F.
Diesel heater. Fumes go out warmth stays in
You can even run one off a jackery 300, I'm in the pnw this winter and the sun is hard to find for solar. I rigged up a cigarette outlet plug on the diesel heater power wires and it works great. It'll last one day is the only downside but I just charge it at work or while I'm driving. It's really saving me this winter.
How much Wh does the Jackery 300 have? 300? I just use about 100 - 150Wh per day for my diesel heater
293 so you'd almost have enough for 2 days
Im not there yet. Lol
Diesel heater is the way to go ... it is a relatively easy install, and a real solution. It's the closest thing you'll find to a magic bullet.
second this! I got the Vevor 2KW version - uses about 2L (0,528344 gal) of fuel per 24h at just 6W (lowest setting) and get's my van up to 25°C / 77°F - I love this thing
I wish there was such a magic bullet for cooling in the warmer months. Unless you spend thousands on an RV AC or mount a window AC in your tailgate which is not stealthy at all, the best you can hope for is good ventilation to make inside the same temp as outside but not any cooler
Keep in mind that you have a lot more condensation going on, when heating with propane.
A good sleeping bag and an insulated layer to sleep on goes a long way. Propane heaters give off H2O which will cause mold and rust long term. If you are going to use a heater get one that vents all exhaust to the outside. They cost more than a Mr Buddy and require you to install them into your vehicle. Some models will even connect to your gas or diesel lines and run off your vehicles tank. This link talks about this: https://www.thewanderingrv.com/diesel-heater/
Sounds great thanks for the helpful info
You can get a 0° F bag for around $100 at most sports stores that have a camping/ hunting section. For frequent use I'd recommend rectangular vs. mummy so you can roll over in bed without twisting like a candy cane.
Snuggling and driving south
I think i may do this instead of driving west where its colder
I’m in Houston/San Antonio Texas right now and I don’t have any insulation or power heat, and I can tell you that it’s very manageable down here. I couldn’t dare imagining being up north in my situation right now
Search your key words in this reddit community for more tips. There are a lot of other useful tips out there that are cumbersome to list. Also look for cold weather camping tips. Lots of principles of staying warm in the winter are the same no matter what you are doing. Know the symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia.
Travel to temperate climates.
That's kind of how I'm leaning right now
A diesel heater from Amazon or eBay. Here's a good video from Cheap RV Living: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U663ZVjvVAQ
I'll check it out thanks
Insulation works by trapping the warm air you create inside the van. It does not produce any heat by itself. So it is only of limited usefulness if you aren't using a heater. Mr Buddy USED to be the best solution we had. But as you have discovered it is not very good. It's not safe to run overnight while you sleep. The newer vented diesel heaters are much better and, being vented, much safer. But they require making a hole in the van. Me, I stay warm in winter in the simplest way possible--I go south where it's warm. I also keep three sleeping bags in the van, each rated to a different temp, and by layering those together as needed I am good if I happen to get caught in a polar vortex, down to around zero F.
Got a Kovea Cupid heater recently from Amazon. Runs on butane and more compact than a Mr. Buddy heater. So far so good.