The Camping Forum

[jjthefridge]

Hi i've just brought a tent ( i've not been camping since i was a kid) but i have 3 small kids and i was thinking i wanted to take a heated incase it is cold. The gas ones i think would be dangerous for the kids but are you saying i couldn't plug a electric one in?
thanks

Hi,

don't use a gas heater esecially if kids are around, take yourself to tesco buy the smallest fan heater and a time clock, put it on a table so not to set fire of anything and you'll be surprised how warm it keeps things(on low heat) then time clock turns it off.

easy and cheap, i've figured out it don't have to cost a fortune.

j.j.

[in-a-tent]

if you sit in your tent in the evening and zip it all up it soon warms up just from the body heat, even better if you invite a few others in to help erm ... i mean chat - we had 16 in our tent one evening - cor it was toastie

[Wayne]

Little up-date here:

I picked one of these up, 700w oil filled radiator. That's gonna use about 3A of your 16A EHU during the night and if you crank the thermostat dial to low, it'll only be on periodically.


Mine is made by Micromark, it isn't like a roaring fire but it helps take away the chill in the colder months


Its about the size of a briefcase and don't take up much room in the car


Sits nicely under the table

[coachandy]

Having brought an EHU we planned to take an electric fan heater with us when we camp with the kids in a fortnight. We have two a 2kw one wuth a thermostat and a 3kw which can be switched between 1, 2 and 3kw heat. Which would you suggest we take?

[Rob-merlin1973]

I love my £15 halogen heater.
It is safe, gives off a lot of heat and has the added bonus of light.



With 3 adjustable heat settings of 400W, 800W or 1200W you can ensure a perfect temperature with the Added feature of a safety cut out switch if accidentally knocked over.

Available all over the net but i beleive you can get them from Hooties at the moment for £8

[dadsbeaniemad]

Take the one that can be switched between 1, 2 and 3 KW then you get to up the heat if 1kw is too cold.

Out od curiosity - what is the heater? We were looking to replace our 3Kw Bionnair heater but couldn't find the same one again and ended up with a 2.4Kw Bionnaire instead(all thromstatically climate controlled)

[Admin]

I love my £15 halogen heater.
It is safe, gives off a lot of heat and has the added bonus of light.



With 3 adjustable heat settings of 400W, 800W or 1200W you can ensure a perfect temperature with the Added feature of a safety cut out switch if accidentally knocked over.

Available all over the net but i beleive you can get them from Hooties at the moment for £8

Hooties??? Is that not a chain of bars in the US??

[coachandy]

Out od curiosity - what is the heater? We were looking to replace our 3Kw Bionnair heater but couldn't find the same one again and ended up with a 2.4Kw Bionnaire instead(all thromstatically climate controlled)

Its an old one, made by a company called Rima, could not find anything on the net about it. Had from the days when if something went wrong you checked the fuse and wiring first, not popped down to Argos or Dixons to replace it....

[Wayne]

Having brought an EHU we planned to take an electric fan heater with us when we camp with the kids in a fortnight. We have two a 2kw one wuth a thermostat and a 3kw which can be switched between 1, 2 and 3kw heat. Which would you suggest we take?

I agree take the one that's adjustable between 1 and 3kW

3kW is probably pushing your EHU as its about 13A, and a lot of sites are getting wise to this now and fitting 10A trips (fuses).
At 2kW your taking about 8A so your pretty if its during the night and nothing else is on apart from a low energy light and a small fridge maybe.

At 1kW your only taking just over 4A so its your safe option most of the time.

[coachandy]

Thanks Wayne

No such luxuries as fridges and low energy lighting in our set up yet.

We will have a kettle, plug in clip on light and whatever of the "boys toys" need charging - laptop (if we take it), Nintendo DS or phones. We will add a rule that charging needs to be done during the day - not overnight......

[in-a-tent]

If it's a quick boil kettle it might be 3KW as well which will trip the EHU if it's got a 10A trip fuse.

[Admin]

If it's a quick boil kettle it might be 3KW as well which will trip the EHU if it's got a 10A trip fuse.

I thought about this in the past.. we just boil on the gaz.. but seen others with kettles.. and thought then.. what is the best option.. i.e. electric cost v's gas cost.. i should think very little in to be honest.. but add a fridge to that also 3 way fridge that is.. whats the best option?

[coachandy]

The house kettle is a 3kw fast boil, so much to the wifes disgust we wont be taking that. But we do have a 850w travel kettle that will boil a couple of cups at a time. May have to take that for a quick cuppa and the kettle for the camping stove for boiling water for Hot water bottles if they are needed....

[Wayne]

Thanks Wayne

No such luxuries as fridges and low energy lighting in our set up yet.

We will have a kettle, plug in clip on light and whatever of the "boys toys" need charging - laptop (if we take it), Nintendo DS or phones. We will add a rule that charging needs to be done during the day - not overnight......

You don't need anything fancy for your low energy lights

1. Go to tesco buy 3 11w lamps for £1 that fit in normal house lights.
2. Go to one of them pound type shops and buy a couple of cheap inspection lamps with the wire baskets for about £3 or £4 each.

Sorted.

Also go to a Tesco's extra or Argos and look at there small white appliance value range.
Argos 2.2kw kettle £4.78 (that would be fine, its not constant use you see, just on for a short time.)
Argos 2 slice toaster £4.47 (can't remember but its less than a 1000w (1kW) so fine)
Argos value microwave £24.96 I'll have to pop down shed and check the wattage, can't remember, but its low. Don't assume that an 800w microwave takes 800w, like it would ever be that simple ) Anyway these budget microwaves are low energy consumption.

Never use the kettle toaster and microwave together though or even 2 at the same time

[Wayne]

Oh and charging is usually milli Amps, so don't even give charging any consideration as its generally so low usage, other than don't allow clothes to be chucked on charging equipment and allow it to overheat and go to fire