Which Heating System to Use?

Which Heating System to Use in a Caravan?

In this article, we are looking for answers together to the questions of how we heat our caravan in winter, how to heat it in the caravan, what options we have in caravan construction and which systems we can choose. So, which main questions should we seek answers to when deciding on our heating system? Since all systems meet the same need, the topics to be considered economically should be;

• Price of the heater
• Ease of installation and maintenance
• Type of use of the heater (whether it is a space heater or a water heater)
• Fuel prices
• Thermal values ​​of fuels also play a role

Heating systems in the caravan can be classified into 3 types:

1. Gas Heating Systems
2. Electric Heating Systems
3. Diesel Heater Systems

When we examine in terms of fuel prices; Since we buy diesel and gasoline in liters with different specific weights, and LPG in kilograms in cylinders, and we buy all three of them at different prices, without going into too much detail, it can be thought that diesel is ahead of all of them by a small margin. As we read, the nightly fuel consumption in caravans is around 1.5-2 liters.

When examined in terms of the heating value of the fuels;

LPG –> 11000 kCal

Electricity –> 860 kCal

Diesel –> 10200 kCal

We see that; The heat obtained from LPG and diesel is almost the same. In order to be able to decide, we continue to learn the working principles, risks and, of course, the costs of the 3 types of systems mentioned.

GAS HEATING SYSTEMS

The use of gas stoves in caravan construction is a very common form of heating, especially in Europe. Gas stove is a practical, easy to use and economical heater. However, since the interior volume of the caravan is small, it is a device with a high risk if the usage rules are not fully followed.

It should be noted that these systems work with LPG. While natural gas, which we are accustomed to from our homes, moves upwards, LPG spreads towards the bottom as it is heavier than air. When the stove does not ignite for any reason, the unburned LPG will wait continuously because there is no discharge hole at the bottom of the stove. Every time you try to ignite, the density of LPG here will increase, and it will cause an explosion as a result of encountering fire. To reduce this risk, we can put our tube in a box with six holes, measuring 10*10 cm. The fugitive gas that may occur in the tube goes to the bottom of the caravan through this hole. Also, this box needs to be airtight (inside the trailer).

In fact, it is beneficial to have it in all caravans, but we definitely recommend you to use a smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector, especially if your caravan heating preference is a gas system. Smoke detectors are not expensive: Smoke Detector – Gone Gone

If you want to heat with gas in your caravan, you can read the following pages to take the necessary precautions:

1. LPG and Natural Gas General Information, Features, Precautions Against Fire
2. Fire Safety
3. Kitchen Fires and Extinguishing Information

Our aim is not to intimidate, but to provide comprehensive information. When you install the gas heating system in your caravan, you can solve both the stove, the space heater and the water heater at the same time. In addition, LPG systems require minimal electricity. It is a heating system that you can enjoy for many years if the gas system is installed, distributed in the caravan and used correctly in the future. 🙂

You can find what you are wondering about the assembly in the following topic in the forum: LPG step by step.

You can install an LPG system on the whole caravan, or we can use these systems separately.

If we are going to prefer a gas system only for space heating; The S3004 model, the Truma gas heater pictured below, has a heating power of 3500W. If you want higher power heating, S5004 model provides 5000W power.

Truma Gas Heater s3004

If we are going to prefer a gas system only for water heating, we have to use the boiler water heating system called “boiler”. Truma brand has 5-10 and 14 lt options. There are models that work only with gas, as well as models that work with both electricity and gas. It works with a line that heats the water it receives from the clean water tank in approximately 25 minutes and transmits it to the bathroom.

truma boiler b10

The prices and technical information of the models are given comparatively in the table at the bottom of the article.

ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEMS

While gas and diesel heating systems are used for space heating, electrical systems can be used in addition to these systems for water heating. If we are looking for a model that works only with electricity, the Truma Elektroboiler 14 model (220V – 3.7A) and the models mentioned in gas systems, both gas and electric models can be examined.

DIESEL HEATER SYSTEMS

It is the most preferred heater system in caravan construction. It has a working principle that works with diesel fuel, draws the fresh air in the environment, heats it and sends it to the living area. Although it is divided into two as dry and wet type in terms of working principle, the dry type diesel heater is mostly preferred in caravan heating systems.

So how does a dry diesel heater work? First of all, it works completely independently from the vehicle engine. The heater mixes the combustion air with fuel from the fuel tank or a separate fuel tank. This mixture is ignited in the combustion chamber with a ceramic spark plug. The heat generated as a result of the combustion heats the boiler. When the fresh air taken from outside or inside the cabin comes into contact with the outside of this boiler, it warms up and is blown hot into the cabin or the required compartment by means of the blowing motor.