1.I have tried dickenson.com and the site does not seem to go beyond the home page. Is there another website for information on the Dickenson heaters?
2. I saw a plan by Jim Phypers to use the hot water heater with a heater core and fan to heat a 25' trailer. The site is RV Hydronic Heating System. Says it uses 50% less propane and electricity anybody have any experience with this kind of system?
In a simplistic way, this is the same principle that the Twin Temp and Aqua-Hot use for their systems. The Aqua-hot is a diesel fired system that instantaneously heats water for domestic use, but circulates boiler grade anti freeze to several heat exchangers with 12VDC pumps (similar to the heater cores) and uses silent computer fans to circulate the heat from the exchanger.
The Twin Temp works in the same way, but is propane fired. I use the RV-500 water heater from Precision Temp in my 16CCD and it is no problem running it off the pump and water tank while boondocking. It saves a great deal of energy as it's only on when there is a demand for hot water.
Hey 905; I'm thinking of doing a proto type system this summer. I'm thinking of using a 10 gallon water heater and one or two auto heater cores or maybe a small radiator. As I stated earlier we use a system similar to this to heat the cockpit of some of our experimental aircraft, almost common place really. The big difference in the aircraft system the water temp is normally 195F. Heats the cockpit nicely the Atwood water heater about 160F. Not much insullation airborne a fair amount in the Airstream. So I think I'm gonna tinker with it this summer, kind of a 6 month project. I'll post something this fall, but for now I really like the Dickinson!
Sounds interesting. Now all we need to go with it is a steam powered blower that recycles the steam back to water so you never have to add water and you would always have an operational blower without an electrical source.
Has that been invented yet?? lol!
Yes, it's called a condensing boiler with a steam powered turbogenerator, in use since the early 20th century on ships and locomotives. Of course, it's a little bulky in size...
I've been looking at the Dickinson to replace the missing wall heater (there is a big rectangular hole in the plywood by the door). After I replace the plywood panel I'll get something to mount there. Has anyone tried the Sig? It's about $100 cheaper than the Dickinson (but doesn't have the window).
Thanks too for starting this very useful thread. I hadn't seen it before you PM'd me.
My favorite of your test models is the Dickeson. I have my eyes on a 1950's ROYCRAFT trailer just now and it would be marvellous looking (and working) in there.
I designed my hydronic system around a Webasto TSL heater, often used to pre-heat highway rigs with sleepers, an Indel marine water heater and fan coil units from Aqua Hot, whom Lewster mentioned. Two guys at Aqua Hot gave me an enormous amount of free help. I don't know that I even knew what hydronic heating was when I started out but they gave me a 101 on it, all by email.
I just spent the night at my permanent boondocking 31' airstream in 17 degree temps. The foot of snow I got over-night probably gave me a little insulation Anyway I put a oil filled radiator type electric heater towards the back of the rig and ran my built in furnace at the same time. The furnace probably ran at about 80-90% duty cycle to keep the temp at about 60. I only ran the electric heater at 900 Watts. Was afraid to go higher because of some of the posts on here.
Mlang905 - Try dickinsonmarine.com. That is the site that shows everything they make. Heavily oriented to boats. I can tell you that I have the Atlantic stove on my boat and it is a very well made piece of equipment. Also, many time when you call Dickinson you talk with the owner. They are very friendly and helpful.
I don't have room in my 25 to install one of the catalytic heaters for boondocking - I may get one of the portable ones later.
However, I did follow the link from an earlier post and purchased a Vornado for when I have an elec hookup. Great decision. The unit is quiet, dependable, and safe. When it is working there is no hot spot that would concern me when we go to bed.
Here's the update;
I scrounged up a couple of kawasaki bike radiators for the start of my system. Then I started looking at other places.
So I've ordered a Beacon Morris hot water toe kick space heater. 8400 btu unit, I'll be hooking it into the 6 gal water heater and using a recirculating pump to keep the 3 gal per minute flow going.
I was wanting to use 12 v stuff but went all 110 v instead. just gonna use a majic box to dc to ac, small load.
As I'm redoing the dinnette are I plan on installing the core unit under the seat. It'll all be custom of course. around 300 bucks for everything to get it running, no hurries , the weather has been quite warm here in Northern California.
DG
Hi, my vote is for the oil filled heater. I have one in my house that I am useing right now. Works great. Would like to find smaller version for trailer. Plus's: vertually noiseless, very little noise [no fan motor] while warming up, and with no exposed gas or heating elements. I feel much safer running one of these all night while I'm sleeping. Still need to use factory installed furnace to keep tanks from freezeing in real cold weather in which I haven't been in yet.
KENWOOD makes an oil-filled elec. heater but in a much smaller size. I have two of them sitting around the house (bathrooms) and the real beauty of it is they also have a 24 hour timer. Set them to come on whenever you wish to have the heat. Makes the bathrooms very warm when we get up in the a.m. We're thinking of using one of them on our 25' International. We found ours at a local discount store. Don't know where they might be found today - ours are a year or two old. But very efficient. Top to bottom probably measures 18" - 24". Much smaller than the standard oil filled heater.
Bob; I have the propane model that uses twin wall inlet exhaust flue pipe. It allows me to not use up any inside air, if you know what I mean. I suggest you go to dickinsonmarime.com and check out their manuals section.My unit is bolted to the wall with 4 AN3-6 bolts.I fabed up a new thru the window fixture that allows the flue to exit the trailer.Maybe I'll post some pics in the reviews section later today.As my remodel progresses the heater will be relocated elsewhere, theh a hole will be punched in the roof!
Thanks Tim. I was figuring on having to do a roof penetration for the flue with my AS, so your experience and photos will be useful to me and others, when you do it.
__________________
Bob
--------------- "THE BAUXITE BUNGALOW"
2004 22' CCD
1997 F-150 WBCCI#1430 AIR# 4749
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Anyway I put a oil filled radiator type electric heater towards the back of the rig and ran my built in furnace at the same time. The furnace probably ran at about 80-90% duty cycle to keep the temp at about 60. I only ran the electric heater at 900 Watts. Was afraid to go higher because of some of the posts on here.
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