Infrared heating
Hi, Being unable to go abroad as usual this year, like many, one thing that we missed was being able to sit out on warm evenings something that, even in our good spells of weather, is not so enticing in the UK.
It would be great to have a bit of heating to enable us to do so in comfort and have narrowed it down to the infrared type seen in many commercial premises to encourage the use of outside space-many of the hits we had made reference to Covid and the advantages of being outside-and after thinking it would likely be a wall mounted heater have come across some freestanding ones at Screwfix.
One advantage would be being able to use in the awning should we wish to and I wondered if anyone else has infrared heaters either at home or for use when camping and what the experience hs been?
Many thanks.
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Not used on in this application but seems like a very good solution. Had a look at the screwfix ones and @ £12 not going to be a disaster if you dont like it. The first two reviews on the screwfix are for siimilar application and they bot highly recommend.
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I believe there are several sites that specifically don't allow heaters in awnings because of the extra electricity that they consume. It takes a lot more power to warm an awning than it does to warm the inside of an insulated caravan / motorhome. This ultimately puts the nightly fees up for all of us. Put an extra jumper on instead
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It takes a lot more power to warm an awning than it does to warm the inside of an insulated caravan / motorhome
The aim is to warm the person, not the air, using radiant heat. I suspect that some of the long bar ones over a narrow are are all right for the sink area in a bathroom but will not cover a large area.
We had a larger free standing one - probably a bit large for touring. Originally bought half price from a local shop closing down and used mainly in the garage when I was working at a bench in there on lowest 650 watt setting. Also used on our patio when we had summer parities. We have a large patio area and an area of 30' x 10' is covered and stops the late evening chill descending on those under it. One of our friends had bad arthritis and it meant that she could sit out in comfort with the rest of us.
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We have one for use in our awning and it has three settings going up in 400W. It is very good and certainly more efficient and quieter than the previous fan heater which was 2KW.
Ours swivels rounds through an arc too which is very useful as these infra red heaters do not warm the air or the space in the awning but warms you so no wasted heat.
It is a fallacy about increasing fees btw, you pay for your EHU and you can do what you want with it (within reason - don't heat an empty awning) so just enjoy your trips to the full like being in a hotel or B&B.
Club sites allow you to use a heater in your awning providing you keep to the 16A limit. Like I said we enjoy sitting out in the awning and being warm. Your local caravan/ MH dealer will have some in stock and they probably will let you try one out.
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We have one for use in our awning and it has three settings going up in 400W. It is very good and certainly more efficient and quieter than the previous fan heater which was 2KW.
I hate to see heaters used in an awning over extended periods when nobody is in the awning. If you are using the awning then infrared certainly reduces consumption.
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As you are fond of saying, if you had read the post...😯😉
"...these infra red heaters do not warm the air or the space in the awning but warms you so no wasted heat."
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We have had this conversation before, heat does not rise, air (and any other gas) when raised to a higher temperature will rise due to a change in its density.
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It is a fallacy about increasing fees btw, you pay for your EHU and you can do what you want with it (within reason - don't heat an empty awning) so just enjoy your trips to the full like being in a hotel or B&B.
I don't disagree with your statement that you pay for your EHU and if there are no restrictions ( such as the one re charging cars ) you are free to use it as you see fit.
However, I doubt sites calculate their costs assuming everyone will use 16 amps for the duration of their stay. I'm sure they will work on past figures for consumption. If consumption increases over time, because of an increase in awning heater use, costs would have to increase to cover it. As they have with the separate levy for charging electric vehicles.
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You posted something that has very little relevance to radiated heat energy. On a cold day step out of a shaded spot into sunlight? notice the immediate difference?
Air, due to its lack of density, is a poor absorber and therefore transmitter of heat compared to solid surfaces.
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Indeed. I think all the continental travel has thinned the blood😁 (That’s a joke, please don’t pounce on me😉)
We love sitting outside as much as possible, we eat outside almost every meal (proper outside, not under an awning). Can drop a tad chilly, particularly if there’s a bit of a breeze. We keep a couple of quality thin but dense weave throws to cover legs, or wrap shoulders when outside, added bonus for me of keeping biting insect off as well.
Might not have been away overnight yet this year, but we still enjoy sitting out for a meal, watching birds and stars. I usually retire down to our garden swing with a book and a lantern post 8pm. We are in sunny Yorkshire though! (Glorious today☀️)😁
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The only time that I can recall using heating in an awning has been, when we still used an awning, on Christmas Day and Boxing Day for 3 parts of an hour. Not so much to heat the awning but aimed directly at me whilst having a cigar and large Brandy (traditional
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Yes I'm sure they don't and I think JK once said it was based an 'average' . But awning heaters are not new and certainly been going for as long as I have been using club sites. I think the 'average' will have been quite steady and known about for some time? Certainly it will go up as people want and use more electrical items?
So unless there is a new higher demand for electricity due to all the 'over there' campers now staying over here and using awning heaters I can't see a huge rise in that average?
And of course that avaerage will take into account a higher and longer 'indoor' usage during the colder months and perhaps only using awning heaters for a few hours in the summer evening. I am certainly not saying use an awning heater during winter.
As I said while there are always yearly price rises I don't think one can put all the blame onto awning heaters? Electricity and other costs do go up of their own accord and people probably want and use more electric items in their outfits.
A simple test is this, if heaters were banned but you think the price rises would go?
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I think the use of the 3bar? radiant heaters full on in empty? awnings just heating the sky ,has brought it to more notice ,and adverse (correctly in my view) comments about the waste of electric. ,when we are all being asked to save power to help keep costs down and mitigate price rises on sites
In the past the waste was not so noticed when it was possibly a convector heater of fan heater in use
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Where is Peedee when he's needed, I think I am warming to the idea of metered electricity
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Warm air rises or is it cool air falls 🤔
Seriously, any good heating engineer will tell you it’s all about heat loss. You will better off, insulating than trying to pump kilowatts of heat into a structure that Just can’t retain any heat.
Another problem will be discovered in the morning when the awning is dripping from condensation as a result trying to heat it the night before.
I would recommend dressing appropriately by putting on warmer clothing and save the lightweight ones for warmer climates.
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That’s because of the temperature difference between the inside of the awning and the outside.
Theres going to be some heat escaping from the side of the caravan and the area inside of the awning will trap some of this heat compared to other areas of the caravan that are totally exposed to the outside atmosphere.
There doesn’t have to be a great temperature difference for condensation to form. Increased ventilation of the area within the awning will help reduce the internal temperature and help reduce the amount of condensate forming. Enough ventilation could equal the temperature difference and eliminate the process.1
