MySwag.org The Off-road Camper Trailer Forum
General => General Discussion => Topic started by: corynmelnkids on May 20, 2012, 07:38:50 AM
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Hi we will be doing some winter camping this year and with a young bub of 8 months old the boss is worried about how cold inside the camper will be when she is feeding here before she goes to bed and in the morning.
I am wondering is there any of you out there using any sort of 12V heaters that are effective as we wont always be able to stay were there is 240v available.
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A heater that draws on a battery for it's fuel source isn't really feasible ... a 100Ah 12v battery theoretically holds 1200Wh - a small blower heater would eat that in 30 minutes (if you drew the battery down completely).
You need to change your thinking in one of two ways ... change your fuel (gas, kero, diesel, unleaded) or heating method (12v electric blanket).
The electric blanket idea probably isn't ideal for your use case.
When using gas, kero, diesel or unleaded for heating you need to be very wary of carbon monoxide ... some say "crack a window", but that thought scares me. Others talk of using a small fuel reservoir (e.g. disposable gas canister). The best though is to have a heater that exhausts outside the camper while directing the heat where you want it ($$$).
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Corey,
An expensive option is the Webasto diesel heater. Clean air inside with the exhaust outside and runs 5-6 hours on 1 litre of fuel.
Price anywhere from $1200-1600 depending on where you source it from.
They work very well though.
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That might be an option for our new camper when we get it but not going to spend that sort of money on this camper.
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They work very well though.
Hi,
this is mine installed in the storage area of the Innovan slide on.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-65rLvFqhbo8/T7gtS80PfaI/AAAAAAAABHI/olBa4N5wIx0/s903/DSC00903.JPG)
They do draw about 8 Amps on start up using a glow plug, but this drops back to about 1 Amp with just the fan.
Very efficient, warming only the air in the interior of the living space, combustion air and exhaust stay out in the open.
cheers
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We use a Coleman catalytic gas heater to warm up the inside of the camper and it works well. Fumes are low with these catalytic heaters but as with all gas heaters you should have adequate ventilation and never sleep with them on!
Cost was around $120
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I am going back about 15 years so I dont have photos of the set up, but it did work well the couple of times I did set it up.
The heater all fitted in an old suit case, these days one of those 40L plastic buckets would do the job.
I built a small wooden box to enclose a Falcon car heater core fitted with garden hose to a small electric water pump, along with the Falcon (for fan,no GMH stuff in my camp!) blower fan. I used all of the old Falcon's control system for the fan speed - a rotary switch and a few resistors. These days I would use an electronic speed controller on both the pump and the blower motors. On low speed an old car battery ran the fan all night and produced almost no noise. To feed the heater core with hot water I simply had a length of copper tube about 6ft long bent around to cover about 2 sq ft with long ends coming out next to each other and terminated with garden hose fittings. The rest is pretty much as you imagine.
As I used a self priming pump , it was simply drop one end of one hose into a bucket of water and start the pump until water came out of the other hose from the heater core. If you wanted hot water for washing up and cleaning hands, you left it all like that. Over time you ended up with a bucket of warm water and warm air in the tent ( in those days it was a centre pole Traveller) .
The copper coil of course goes into coals of your fire pit or the park BBQ.
If you do this a couple of things you have to do- have a fire you can leave unattended for a few hours , DONT LET THE PUMP STOP RUNNING or run dry, have decent length hoses ( I had 20ft lengths because I got them for nix) and dont use plastic Gardena hose fittings (they dont seal well once the hoses warm up), brass barb and jubilee clip connections worked well.
If you were staying for more than one night, a trench from the fire to the tent of about 2" deep, bury hoses and the heating efficiency went up a lot.
A bit of work, but no fumes to worry about, and kept the lady of the day happy .
Long term - she didn't like long drops , water not out of a tap, not being able to talk to some one for 6 hours about nothing, or waking up at daybreak to watch the sunrise. She used to think she was punishing me by not talking to me- I thought it was heaven! Glad she is my ex now ;D
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Brilliant!
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We use a Coleman catalytic gas heater to warm up the inside of the camper and it works well. Fumes are low with these catalytic heaters but as with all gas heaters you should have adequate ventilation and never sleep with them on!
Cost was around $120
X2
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Corynmelnkids
The other option mate is to invest in a decent genny (I use the Honda 20ui) that will serve your future camper and needs also. Then just use an electric heater. We use a $20 1800w electric heater in the KK and run it off the genny, we did this also in out Trak Shak (Large area to heat) and it worked well. The genny runs my heater from about 9pm to 6am in the morning on a tank of fuel.
Gennys have really come along way and are no where near as noisy as they used to be. We run a couple of 20m 15amp leads and can hardly hear it. Personally I cant see the value in the diesel heaters as they only serve one function at least this way you have a genny as well for all of your other needs.
And before all the naysayers start of course you need to be considerate if there are others around. It wouldn't bother me if you run the genny with a young bub and many others would be understanding also.
Regards
jas
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Mrs T & I have a diesel heater fitted in our Quantum, similar to austastar's picture above. It's bloody excellent. Keeps us as warm as toast, except for that brief period when I have to get out of bed in the cold to turn it on for her! It can be left on all night and the thermostat will kick it in & out as needed.
:cheers:
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This looks like it would works, Unfortunatly not available from supplier at moment.
I made up a version of their hotwater heater and it worked OK.
http://www.zodi.com/Consumer/zodihotvent.html (http://www.zodi.com/Consumer/zodihotvent.html)
If you know a plumber it wouldnt be hard to make up a heat exchanger to fit on top of a small gas cooker, and the fan could be sourced from a old computer, you would only need a slow transfer of air so maximum amount of heat is asbsorbed.
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Unless you're camping in snow country, I wouldn't worry about it too much mate. We brought both our kids back from hospital to an unlined Titan shed with a crap heater that didn't burn all night. It gets pretty chilly here too (well into the -) ;D. Their faces would be cool to the touch at night (so would ours for that matter) but they were warm as under the blankets.
If you rug them up properly they are fine. Babies are really well insulated and have the ability to make themselves very clear (as you've noticed, no doubt! :laugh:) when they're too hot / cold or whatever.
If it's really cold, stick the bub in with you ;D. I'd be so worried about fumes or possible electrical problems starting a fire that I wouldn't sleep anyway if I rigged up some sort of heater.
Just my 2c mate.
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BabyBunting sell lovely thick padded long sleeve baby sleeping bags (2.5 tog). The brand is SnugTime. My bub sleeps in thermals under her PJ's and then the sleeping bag. I also have a fleece blanket which I pop over her when it's very cold. The sleeping bag is quite price at $50 but cheaper than a heater, and I bought a size 2 even though my girl is a very small 13 months, so at least we can use it for 2 winters. Her thermals are also size 2 as they were the smallest I could find. The great thing about the sleeping bag is that you don't need to take it off to feed bubs.
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I sought of suggested that bub will probably warmer than all of us and there will be nothing to worry about.
But you know how mothers can panic a bit.
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That's our job ;-)
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Also if you're using a travel cot on the floor, don't forget to put some good insulation underneath it, we used kids swags which they migrated into when they didn't need the cot anymore. They'll definitely let you (and everybody else) know if they aren't warm enough.
FM
Edit: Just looked at the original post and saw that the feeder needs to be warm as well as the feedee. Funny how that slips your mind when you're not the one who has to get out of bed in the middle of the night!?
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After cooking the roast for dinner friends of our would put the Cobb (http://www.best-camping-stoves.com/cobb-cooker.htm (http://www.best-camping-stoves.com/cobb-cooker.htm)) in the camper to warm it up, not sure how safe it is with the fumes etc over a period of time but it certainly didn't take long to warm up. Like all heater's you wouldn't sleep with it in there.
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You could try the good old hot water bottle(s). We've used this method for ours before:
Go buy 2 hot water bottles (don't forget woollen cosies) and a good size Thermos. Fill one hot water bottle and thermos before bed. If needed throughout the night, fill the second one to replace the first one. That may strecth you through till the morning. A lot cheaper and safer than other options plus you can re-use the water the next night if you're watching water useage.
LJ
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We use a Coleman catalytic gas heater to warm up the inside of the camper and it works well. Fumes are low with these catalytic heaters but as with all gas heaters you should have adequate ventilation and never sleep with them on!
Cost was around $120
We also use one of these.
They are not brilliant but on an extremely frosty Tassie night they do definitely take the chill out of the air in the CT bedroom.
My only issue with them is that I am too paranoid to leave it going once in bed so I put it in the bedroom and hour or two before bed to take the chill out of the air then turn it off so when it is a very frosty night it only takes a few minutes for the chill to come back again once it is turned off!! I guess smart people dont camp in a frost ;)
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I wouldnt discount the options of a Webasto Diesel Heater or a good gennie/240v elec heater because of $$$.
Both of them can be transferred to a new CT down the track and are a long term purchase.
:cheers:
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Thank you all for your helpfull suggestions i might just pack a few extra blankets until we get our new camper and sought out something more permanent for it.
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What about one of those blankety, couch potatoey, hooded, sacky things they used to advertise ages ago ... for mum to sleep in? It might help control whinging about the cold at least, as I'm sure telling her to ManUp would only increase your problems. >:D If it's warm milk she's worried about, buy one of those older style soup thermos's to put the milk in before bed and put it somewhere handy inside the CT. ;D
Kit_e
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i am sure it wouldn't go down well she is still breast feeding i suggested sitting out by the campfire to feed bub i said i will make it nice and big all i got was the look.
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i am sure it wouldn't go down well she is still breast feeding i suggested sitting out by the campfire to feed bub i said i will make it nice and big all i got was the look.
Right, so warm milk isn't the issue then. ;D
Kit_e
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No the milks got its own heating system just trying to keep the wife happy and warm as we all know the old saying.
Happy wife Happy Life.
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i am sure it wouldn't go down well she is still breast feeding i suggested sitting out by the campfire to feed bub i said i will make it nice and big all i got was the look.
What about one of those baby wrap sling things that baby can snuggle in whilst BF? Baby stays snug and warm and can still BF.
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Mate bought one of those Coleman catalytic ones last year, and has almost convinced me to get one. Reckons it is pretty safe, works well for a smaller camper, but wouldn't be enough for heating a big annex.
Would be enough to keep mum from freezing while nursing during the night. Add a warm dressing gown or blankety snuggly thing, and she should be right. Hot air rises, so if it is feasible to sit up on the bed rather than down on the camper floor it should also be warmer.
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The latest ed of Camper Trailer Touring has an article on them I think.
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We use a Coleman catalytic gas heater to warm up the inside of the camper and it works well. Fumes are low with these catalytic heaters but as with all gas heaters you should have adequate ventilation and never sleep with them on!
Cost was around $120
Just wondering where you get these from and if I was to run it inside the swan for like an hour or so before bed then turn it off would there be a risk of poisoning? I'm just wanting to take the chill out of the air for the kids, not neccesarily to keep us warm if that makes sense?
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We use a Coleman catalytic gas heater to warm up the inside of the camper and it works well. Fumes are low with these catalytic heaters but as with all gas heaters you should have adequate ventilation and never sleep with them on!
Cost was around $120
Same. We used ours quite a lot as we traveled through Aus during winter. We refill the small canisters from our 4KG bottles using a coupler you can get from the US. We would leave it on while awake then turn it off when we slept.
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I've been doing a bit of 'research' re portable diesel heaters and came across two brands. Have a look via google at dieselheatingaustralia website and also www.eco-camper.com (http://www.eco-camper.com). Both a fairly pricey but being portable are kept outside the camper and the warm air is piped inside via a hose.
Good luck and stay warm!!
Desert Lover
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Just wondering where you get these from and if I was to run it inside the swan for like an hour or so before bed then turn it off would there be a risk of poisoning? I'm just wanting to take the chill out of the air for the kids, not neccesarily to keep us warm if that makes sense?
Hi,
I have purchased a Carbon Monoxide Sensor LCD Monitor from ebay, this has a led readout.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221039946764?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221039946764?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649)
I have used my Coleman Procat Catalytic Heater in the annex and main tent, just made sure I had a few air gaps to ensure fresh air flow.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VENTS OR OPENINGS TO ALLOW FRESH AIR IN AND Carbon Monoxide OUT.
It will be interesting to run some tests when the alarm arrives, prices of these alarms vary on ebay up to $40 for what appears to be the same alarm. do a search for Carbon Monoxide on ebay.
Ray
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I would feel uneasy relying on a $12 unverified carbon monoxide alarm from Hong Kong to protect my family from potential death. Then again I wouldn't use an unflued heater in a sleeping area either.
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I would feel uneasy relying on a $12 unverified carbon monoxide alarm from Hong Kong to protect my family from potential death. Then again I wouldn't use an unflued heater in a sleeping area either.
Hi,
I NEVER sleep with the heater on, and I make sure there are vents open.
I am looking at running some tests with it a shower tent to see what / if it reads, as a first step.
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I am looking at running some tests with it a shower tent to see what / if it reads, as a first step.
Hi,
keep an eye on the quality of the flame as you watch the CO level start to rise. (from outside goes without saying)
I would be interested to know if you can detect any change from a nice clean blue burning flame down to a yellow smokey flame before or after the meter indicates a change.
cheers
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I can't speak from experience with heaters but I can speak from experience feeding a little person in the middle of the night freezing my <insert exposed body part here>, get your mind out of the gutter, I was thinking stomach!
It was actually easier feeding my older one in our old tent, where I would just roll over and scoop her out of the cot and bring her into bed. But with the camper trailer and my little man, I had to completely get out of bed, down a ladder, and almost burst into tears because I didn't have a chair to sit in, so sat on the freezing ladder with my back and stomach exposed. On the first night I think he wasn't dressed warmly enough and so woke quite a few times! Tired grumpy Mummy the next morning.
My advice would be have bubs in with you, keeps everyone warm and takes little effort to feed little one. I haven't always been comfortable sleeping with a small one, so I can understand that and you still have to deal the time they go to sleep and you going to sleep, you don't want him/her to roll off!
The other option is to make sure there is a chair set up inside, with a blanket,doona, dressing gown set up to wrap around her.
They are my 2 cents worth, I hope they help!
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Anybody used one of these? I've heard some good things and they seem pretty cheap http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=330747643876 (http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=330747643876)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/fordy44/DIESEL%20HEATERS/FJ-1501.jpg)
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Anybody used one of these? I've heard some good things and they seem pretty cheap
Hi, reading the specs, it looks very close to the Webasto in function, but bolted together as a free standing unit. I can't make out the combustion air intake and exhaust, but they should be underneath, and the image has been trimmed.
The Webasto is less 'industrial' looking, but that is not necessarily of any practical use.
At 4.6 kW the heater described has twice the heat output of our unit.
Before deciding on diesel, consider the gas fueled versions, they have some advantages re less Amps to get started, clean burning with out the 'kero' smell of diesel, and don't have a 'ticking' impulse pump to feed the fuel to the unit.
There is some forum discussion here (http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9969) if you are interested.
We went for the diesel simply for the calorific value of the fuel and the convenience of having it in a 25L tank that will double as a reserve if we get caught short between service stations.
cheers
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There was a write up in a recent ed of CTT on the merits of gas and diesel heaters. Both seemed good, with stregnths and weaknesses.
If you can carry two gas bottles, I felt gas would be easier. Also, gas systems were reportedly quieter, though more expensive to run.
If you prefer a diesel system, it is important to ensure intake and exhaust are well separated.
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Anyone got or used one of these?
http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Choose-Your-Own-Adventure/Family-Camping-Trip/Mr-Heater-Portable-Buddy-Heater (http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Choose-Your-Own-Adventure/Family-Camping-Trip/Mr-Heater-Portable-Buddy-Heater)
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Anyone got or used one of these?
http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Choose-Your-Own-Adventure/Family-Camping-Trip/Mr-Heater-Portable-Buddy-Heater (http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Choose-Your-Own-Adventure/Family-Camping-Trip/Mr-Heater-Portable-Buddy-Heater)
Bump, anyone?? They are on the primus site so I am assuming their quality is OK and there is a connection hose that allows it to be connected direct to a big bottle (3/8 ??) fitting available which makes it even more attractive.
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just trying to keep the wife happy and warm as we all know the old saying.
Happy wife Happy Life.
Well, all i can say is GOOD LUCK with that..... In about 10 years, make sure you post how that is working out for you.
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Hi
One should take note of the warning with most portable gas heaters about use in
enclosed areas
Carbon monoxide poisoning deaths are NOT uncommon
A camper trailer MAY have adequate ventilation but use with great care
Peter
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Hi
One should take note of the warning with most portable gas heaters about use in
enclosed areas
Carbon monoxide poisoning deaths are NOT uncommon
A camper trailer MAY have adequate ventilation but use with great care
Peter
The one I linked to has an oxgen sensor cutout in it. Still keen to hear if anyone has used one, for $125 it could be worth a go.
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:cup: head to FNQ we only have a handful of cold nights a year ;D
troy
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:cup: head to FNQ we only have a handful of cold nights a year ;D
troy
My wife wants to move to Darwin.
Shesno idea if she'll like it or not, but its always hot.
Her excuse is that we'll save money on not buying jackets.
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The one I linked to has an oxgen sensor cutout in it. Still keen to hear if anyone has used one, for $125 it could be worth a go.
I don't like any sort of exposed gas / bar heater due to the fire hazard but that aside, looking at the product specs, a single propane cylinder for this heater only lasts 6 hours on the lowest setting so you will need to carry quite a few cylinders if going for a decent trip. There are transport issues with this alone and the costs for each cylinder is around $15 to $25 depending on where you get them (probably higher in remote areas) so a 2 week trip using the heater every night means carrying 14 x 0.5kg cylinders which will cost $280 at an average of $20 a cylinder.
Personally I would get the Webasto diesel one on eBay for $899 which is a higher initial cost but cheaper to run in the long term -> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/110907746575 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/110907746575)
Regards
David
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Anybody used one of these? I've heard some good things and they seem pretty cheap http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=330747643876 (http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=330747643876)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v495/fordy44/DIESEL%20HEATERS/FJ-1501.jpg)
The specs read that this sucker draws a continuous 4.1 Amps and burns 0.6L of diesel on the low setting alone. Too big and hungry for my liking.
Regards
David
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I rang to company selling the above ebay diesel heater and it's a copy out of china, not a webasto. 12 month warranty and they are in the process of getting spare parts for this product, the other thing is that the warranty is not void if fitted by the purchaser.
I think I'll wait until they have been out a but longer.
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Ithink I will just get a pair of thermals
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Anyone end up buying the eBAY "Webasto" one?
The same or similar Webasto knock offs can be purchased direct via aliexpress and work out a couple of hundred cheaper that the eBAY price.
http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=webasto&catId=0&manual=y (http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?SearchText=webasto&catId=0&manual=y)
Someone mentioned parts are or will be available so tempting to try one out for the price.
PS. Didn't realise that Yahoo bought a 40% stake in Alibaba.com 7 years ago for $1 Billion and now they are selling half that stake back for $7 Billion!!
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I tried these patches on a recent bucks wknd. just pull out of the packet pull of the sticky bit and stick to your shirt under a jumper and you have 12 hours of warmth. they take about 10 mins to get going but then its very pleasent extra warmth under your jumper etc.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Buy-30-x-Stick-On-Adhesive-Instant-Heat-Packs-Patches-/260790774631?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3cb8576b67 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Buy-30-x-Stick-On-Adhesive-Instant-Heat-Packs-Patches-/260790774631?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3cb8576b67)
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:cup: head to FNQ we only have a handful of cold nights a year ;D
troy
How I wish
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Wish I had the coin for one of these - surely though there'd be a fair mark-up on it though.
(http://www.eco-camper.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/resized/Portable_Air_Hea_4dfae75db7f76_320x180.jpg)
http://www.eco-camper.com/component/virtuemart/details/90/9/heaters/2kw-portable-air-heater.html (http://www.eco-camper.com/component/virtuemart/details/90/9/heaters/2kw-portable-air-heater.html)
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What about something like this
http://www.dieselheatingaustralia.com/Products-and-pricing.html (http://www.dieselheatingaustralia.com/Products-and-pricing.html)