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Hmm,......not so sure about the stay on topic part. I don't think that's a curable condition.
But I definitely haven't seen any political or religious comments, let alone discussions.
Which always good. People go full idiot when that stuff comes up.
Wait,.....am I talking about it?
Maybe we should stop talking about it before we start talking about it.
 
The thread is “On The Road With Propane” I am going to make a prediction that in 5 years we will be looking back and acknowledging that propane is a thing of the past in campers. Solar, new tech batteries, and higher voltage chassis with electrical a part of the propulsion, will obviate propane.
 
The thread is “On The Road With Propane” I am going to make a prediction that in 5 years we will be looking back and acknowledging that propane is a thing of the past in campers. Solar, new tech batteries, and higher voltage chassis with electrical a part of the propulsion, will obviate propane.
RD - Electric Vans ? ?

Well I guess stranger things have flown;



A few years ago now (maybe 6) I took a tour thru the Hydro Electric Dam @ Page AZ. Very fascinating. Near the end of the tour I asked our tour guide “Im from Canada, so I was wondering what % of electricity is created by hydro in the States”. “We“ he said “about 10%”. All I said then is “so” & he replied “75% of electricity in the States is created by burning coal & other fossil fuels, & the remainder 15% was nuclear, solar, wind.

So I said “ the electric car?” He just shook his head & said “no - It doesn't pencil”

58974
 
It’s only human nature to stray (I’ve been told).
Yes, I agree with RD, in a few years we will all lock back on using propane as "Those quaint old days". Remember those hitching posts they used to have, cigarette vending machines on the sides of buildings, pay phones, one income households, b & w TV, Fhotomat, Blockbuster, but, ahh, now I’m getting off topic again?
 
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What the heck! I leave for a bit and when I come back, you all switched everything over to electric?
I need a minute to catch up!.
First,...how do you keep the van warm while parked overnight in cold weather, without a propane heater?
I need to know that before you go switch everything to electric.
 
Diesel heater?
All kidding aside, doesn't both the diesel heater and propane heater require electric and either a propane tank or diesel fuel can?
Isn't it 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other?
Or is one much cheaper and more efficient over the long term?
 
... if propane scares you, diesel is a Much safer/better option... for me, it's gasoline (as used in a van heater) that is most scary ( i continue to have visions of the gasoline heaters in VW's in the 1970's)...
 
Oh, I'm not scared of propane.
I'm just curious how people are getting aux heat overnight with the engine off and why they picked one over the other.
I was considering one of those propex heaters, but they're kinda spendy.
 
considering one of those propex heaters, but they're kinda spendy
... spendy, yes, but appear very reliable, capable and quiet. I installed the 6500BTU model, however it has had no real-life daily use (yet).
 
Heating at night will require fuel in some form until the van has a honking big battery built in to propel it for 100+ miles w/o the engine (if it still has one). The development we need is a small a/c heat pump that gives about 10 times as much heat as resistance built for a vehicle this size. It will come, as electric comes to vehicles so range can be extended in hot or cold places. The technology is lagging as vehicle makers push to get the battery and motor costs down but HVAC is likely to be next. I also use diesel to heat, pulled from my van’s fuel tank.
 
Oh, I'm not scared of propane.
I'm just curious how people are getting aux heat overnight with the engine off and why they picked one over the other.
I was considering one of those propex heaters, but they're kinda spendy.
Propane, Diesel, Gas, Electricity & “Road Supply of These energy sources”.

When I started my build, I purchased a Wallas diesel cooktop / heater and after reading the startup process & altitude burning issues, and coking up possible problems this duo unit when back.

We carry propane regardless & cook outside the van with it (single 60,000btu burner). So for us going to the Propex was an easy (albeit spendy) choice. I think if we didn't already carry propane, I would have tried out one of those cheaper diesel heaters & done what KOV has done with a small exterior supply tank outside my van (I do not like the smell of diesel - oddly enough I like the smell of burnt JetA)

IMO the problem with the “Great Energy Supply Debate” is the impractical decision of trying to pick a single source of “Road Energy”. The majority of us build and need more than one source of “road energy”. Who on this forum has a single source of ”Road Energy” (if you carry anything in addition like a small butane tank you are not single source / If you have shore power you are not single source).

Who here only buys Propane, Diesel, Gasoline, or Plugs in to recharge their all electrical van? Single source energy purchase

Currently for us; We buy gasoline, propane, & when hooked up to shore power we buy electricity

Who here is “truly” single source road energy?
 
I am probably as close as one will be. I drive a diesel van, have not pluged in in 2-1/2 years, heat at night with an Espar diesel heater, BUT I do us a small $2 can of butane about every two weeks. I could get to one fuel by buying meals at diners (something my wife would like) if I wasn’t so cheap. We already seldom use the butane for breakfast (hot pot for coffee off my 12 volts), cold lunch and a small induction cooktop COULD replace the butane, or God forbid I put in a microwave. Perhaps I should do a trip on Diesel as the only fuel and report back. It would be easy!
 
Diesel heater?
All kidding aside, doesn't both the diesel heater and propane heater require electric and either a propane tank or diesel fuel can?
Isn't it 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other?
Or is one much cheaper and more efficient over the long term?
Yes both require 12v electrical supply; my Propex uses 2.3amps when running

No d not believe it is 6 or 1/2 dozen.

I believe it is “situational”. For example if you already have a diesel van then the diesel heater might make more sense.

The long term costs depend upon many factors that none of us know at this point. This can only be performed after many years of use with historical cost data.

The propane decision seems to be for most around safety. We carry propane regardless of heat, thus the path logically was presented to us. Otherwise I would have tried out one of those cheaper purchase diesel heaters
 
I don't mind more than one energy source. My point was that as far as convenience and carrying extra stuff for aux heat, there's no difference in that respect between propane or diesel. At least as far as I can tell. They both require electric and both require fuel/fuel storage solutions.
But for me, it would just be for extra heat. So, if I'm going to carry a separate fuel container just for heat, I might as well go with the more cost effective.
If I had a whole propane systems with several components, then I'd probably go with a propane heater. It would be silly to install a separate diesel heater to save a few bucks when there's already a few appliances running on propane. But if you just want a small aux heater and nothing else, sounds like the diesel is the cheaper/more efficient option(?)

What I know about heat pumps is that they are a very efficient system, but very high initial cost and very high maint to keep running efficiently.
In a building, you still need electricity, a cooling tower and a boiler/pulse burner. So, essentially, every system in one and several energy sources. Not to mention the parts and chemicals.
If they could shrink that down to fit in a vehicle and run solely on electric and be easy to maintain, it would be amazing and the guy who designs it should get a Nobel.
 
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