In floor heating and space heaters??

[lwharma]

Looking for an easy way to heat our bus. We’ll mostly be in 70 or up weather but will spend our first winter in Maryland. We were thinking of installing floor heating. Anyone done this? Also, would an electric space heater be safe? Any info would be awesome? Thanks!

[dan-fox]

How's it going with that? Have you gotten it started yet?

[roach711]

If you'll be plugged in to shore power an electric space heater will be easy and safe. Just make sure the heater has a tip over switch that shuts it off if knocked over.

By "in floor heat" I assume you mean hot water pipes embedded in the floor. That's certainly an option but is way more complicated than a propane RV furnace type heater. The propane furnaces are vented so no worries about condensation and carbon monoxide like there is with catalytic propane heaters.

[lwharma]

Originally Posted by dan-fox

How's it going with that? Have you gotten it started yet?

Not yet. Just trying to plan!

[SilentReprieve]

Originally Posted by lwharma

Not yet. Just trying to plan!

first off let me be clear, I do not know this ... but what if we used an original type setup with coolant lines in the floor?insulation kind of like radiant heat but had it heated through an external water pump of some style or type... does anyone know if this is available??... kind of like the diesel heaters using air, we use coolant


is this just a dumb question?

Jim

[Rivetboy]

Originally Posted by SilentReprieve

first off let me be clear, I do not know this ... but what if we used an original type setup with coolant lines in the floor?insulation kind of like radiant heat but had it heated through an external water pump of some style or type... does anyone know if this is available??... kind of like the diesel heaters using air, we use coolant


is this just a dumb question?

Jim

It is called hydronic heating search for that term webasto is a maker of the diesel fired water heaters it is complex and exspensive but works very well

[SilentReprieve]

Originally Posted by Rivetboy

It is called hydronic heating search for that term webasto is a maker of the diesel fired water heaters it is complex and exspensive but works very well

phew... lol i thought i was barking up the wrong tree.. lol.. i mean simple enough idea but the design would have to include piping or lines... connectivity to the diesel tank or other tank depending if you want seperate/reserve tank circulatory pump to make it flow and a simple heating element/area but to make it happen is the key oh yeah a thermostat control...lol

Jim

[roach711]

A few conversions here have done hydronic in floor heat. You need a water heater, some Pex pipe embedded in the floor, a circulater pump and a thermostat/valve to control the temperature.

You get nice warm floors but heat rise is slow in a cold bus. It's more complicated than some other heat methods but very do-able. Probably more suited to full-timers than weekend warriors.

[SilentReprieve]

Originally Posted by roach711

A few conversions here have done hydronic in floor heat. You need a water heater, some Pex pipe embedded in the floor, a circulater pump and a thermostat/valve to control the temperature.

You get nice warm floors but heat rise is slow in a cold bus. It's more complicated than some other heat methods but very do-able. Probably more suited to full-timers than weekend warriors.

hmmm... fruit for thought so to speak... Im a making mine a tiny home... and live in it full time...

Jim

[SilentReprieve]

>A few conversions here have done hydronic in floor heat. You need a water heater, some Pex pipe embedded in the floor, a circulater pump and a thermostat/valve to control the temperature.<

So this way is simpler than connecting it to a diesel water heater... I actually like it... my idea so to say was off top of head and random but it literally is same thing as using a bus heater the way they do with engine coolant warming to temps... and a fan... its just radiant or gradual

[joeblack5]

Doing all this right now in Dory.

good luck,
later J

[SilentReprieve]

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Doing all this right now in Dory.

good luck,
later J

well if my bus was only here... i'd still be hiding in the warmth of the house... seats, ceilings walls and floor should take what?? 1 day?? lol if only...i'm so excited to start mine but dreading those days where no matter what you try doesn't seem to work or fit together...

good luck with your adventures of fitting a bus

Jim

[2martins]

Originally Posted by roach711

A few conversions here have done hydronic in floor heat. You need a water heater, some Pex pipe embedded in the floor, a circulater pump and a thermostat/valve to control the temperature.

You get nice warm floors but heat rise is slow in a cold bus. It's more complicated than some other heat methods but very do-able. Probably more suited to full-timers than weekend warriors.

It takes hours in a house to get a room up to temperature but it's very energy efficient and very expensive to set up. If you live in it full time it might make sense if you will have it for a long time, but for the weekend it is not a good choice. You can't take it out like a heater if the bus dies. Also, there IS a possibility of leaking. It doesn't happen often, but if it does, it will really really suck. Trust me on that.

[roach711]

Since you'll eventually be moving to a warmer climate a hydronic system may be a big expense with limited use long term.

Assuming you'll mostly be parked in one place, what utilities will you have available? Electric and propane are both viable choices to power your bus heat and water heater. Electric is the most expensive to run but usually the easiest to install and I'm guessing you'll also need air conditioning which will require electrical shore power. Propane is cheaper to run but a bit more expensive to install. Hydronic is by far the most expensive to install. For someone in a warm region where heat isn't needed most of the year an RV furnace and a couple of 20lb propane bottles would be plenty of backup.