In Floor Heating

Did you calculate energy requirement, heating water, space or stove requires large size battery capacity or shore power. That is why most folks use LPG, some use gas or diesel and rarely electrical energy without shore power access.
 
GeorgeRad said:
Did you calculate energy requirement, heating water, space or stove requires large size battery capacity or shore power. That is why most folks use LPG, some use gas or diesel and rarely electrical energy without shore power access.
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they use 6 amp/hr so should not be an issue.
 
6 amps at 12v is only 72 watts.

Could you heat your van with with a 75 watt light bulb?

You would use 144ah of 12v battery per day. How much battery bank you going to have?
 
booster said:
6 amps at 12v is only 72 watts.

Could you heat your van with with a 75 watt light bulb?

You would use 144ah of 12v battery per day. How much battery bank you going to have?
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Which is 245 BTUs/hour.
By comparison, a 1500 watt space heater produces more than 5000 BTU/hr.
You are not even close.

There is no free lunch.
 
avanti said:
Which is 245 BTUs/hour.
By comparison, a 1500 watt space heater produces more than 5000 BTU/hr.
You are not even close.

There is no free lunch.
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My first thought was regarding how much heat it might actually supply and what were the OP's expectations. I wouldn't expect it to heat the entire coach and replace any other heat sources, but it might do a nice job of taking the edge off the cold floor and provide a nice sensation on the feet to avoid having to wear shoes or slippers to walk around; especially for someone a little older, or suffering from any sort of condition that causes the feet to be cold sensitive. I visited the website the OP linked and read the reviews and one stated almost exactly that to be here experience.

"Thank you Katie for guiding me through this purchase. I was hoping to use this mat instead of a heater to keep my van toasty. It's way underpowered and not designed to do so as you told me. Thank you! BUT I love this mat as I now have a heated floor. It's so nice to come into the van after a ski run and walk around in socks. I highly recommend this product as it brings the comfort level up by a great margin. Btw, the planar diesel heater also works very well. Thanks again.
Christian P London Ontario"

No free lunches for sure, but it appears it might provide a nice snack on those colder mornings... ;)
 
I'm not looking to heat the van when it is below freezing, just to keep it more comfortable. Yes, they do not put out as much heat/hour as a heater or furnace, but they are on all the time as opposed to a heater that is only on for a short time per hour.
I am looking for feedback from someone who actually has the in-floor heating to chime in.
 
I have no experience with in floor heating. I did, however' heat a 51ft sailboat through the Chesepeake Bay winters. Our "version" of in-floor" heating was from a hydronic system - diesel fired. It circulated hot coolant through the cabin to fan heaters (thermostatically controlled) and the engine block.

I suggest you might consider a hydronic heating system. Some are now purpose built for Class B vans and can be fired with propane. They advertise 12v 3 amps. I suspect that is for the pump and perhaps a fan or two. They also suggest that 42,000 BTUs pumping up to 6 gallons.

Some construction involved, but hydronic infloor heating is a "known" practice, and the othe heat could replace the existing propane heater in the cabin.
booster - "... there is no free lunch..."
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LINK: RV Hydronic Heating System: 11 Things You Need to Know

Pretty Pic:
hydronic-heatiing-jpg.870548


I'd consider that path rather than the original proposal.

Cheers - Jim
 

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Being a long time HVAC/R person who usually worked on commercial, industrial and sometime experimental systems and now just owning a Class B I found this interesting. I read the entire linked article and found no mention of in floor heating? Those of us involved in that subject at times, know to be successful the entire floor and in fact the structure must be well insulated. I have owned several RVs motor driven and trailer type and I can say they were not.

I don't see how unless the RV was designed and built for, in floor hydronic heating how practical any type of add on system could be energy efficient or ever practical. If you look under your B, you will find it pretty crowded. Seems to be a lot of work and expense just to avoid wearing warm socks.

BTW I have relatives in BC and support Canada 100%
 
wmgeorge -

Correct. There was no mention of in-floor heating in the linked article. I beleive it does provide useful information to consider before committing on a "one-solution," maybe out-of-the van thinking. ;)

I also agree the warm socks is a much preferable solution. If faced with wanting to land-cruise in colder climes, I'd look for something like the hydronic system as being a bit more efficient than the installed unit.

BTW - we sold our boat to a Canadian family. They too are looking for warmer climes.

Cheers - Jim
 
I agree there are vast areas for improvement in RV heating and cooling systems but most would need to be done as it was being built. I don't think the general public RV buyer would pay the added cost. We hope to pick up our new to us 2008 Chevy Roadtrek 210 next week. We hope to spent part of the winters in either the Panama City Beach area, panhandle of FL or Arizonia
 
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