Date:         Wed, 27 Oct 1999 08:28:49 -0500
Reply-To:     Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.COM>
Subject:      Re: '81 Vanagon heater advice
Comments: To: Lucas Alves <loukaz@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <19991026212811.45991.qmail@hotmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 02:28 PM 10/26/99 PDT, you wrote:
>Folks,
>
>I've given up on getting the heater on my '81 Vanagon to work, and have
>decided to go for an alternative thermal source.  I was wondering if any one
>has had decent experience with DC heaters (I have an extra battery)?  Names
>of manufacturers, retailers, and any improv installation work is
>appreciated.
>
>Regards,

A gas heater for a Vanagon is rated well over 60,000 BTU (it may even be
80,000 but I don't have the reference materials here).  The typical output
of a 12v electric heater is 5000 BTU.  Looks like 12 would be needed to
provide the same heat as a gas heater.  I know my '82 could never supply
the power needed to run 12 heaters, let alone 2.  I have a 12v electric
blanket that I used in the '61 Single Cab when the winters got colder that
the stock heater could handle.  It was too much draw on the system at night
in the snow when I had to have the wipers on, but in the van it will run
off the camp battery (25 Amp/Hour Gel-Cell) all night.

A heater system in a vanagon my be a little complicated, but there is no
way that I could think of running withou it.

Chris Smith
Outer Chicagoland
'82 Westy
'74 Thing
Stuff