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70 | January 2015 | www.practicalcaravan.com www.practicalcaravan.com | January 2015 | 71

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>>test bench Portable heaters

clarke oFr9/90Price £36 Web www.clarkeinternational.comIt’s not obvious from the picture just how dinky this oil-filled radiator is. at just 38cm long and 37cm high, it’s roughly the size of a small briefcase. Much like the winning Sealey, its long and narrow shape makes it a doddle to position. unlike most oil-filled models, this doesn’t have a timer or adjustable power levels. Output is always 900W, but there is at least a thermostat.

In larger vans, particularly in severely cold weather, we suspect that the unit will be on constantly, and a second, higher output would have been a bonus. Having said that, 900W is a load most hook-up supplies will take easily in their stride.

Price £25 Web www.dimplex.co.ukOne of the problems with small, ground-hugging, heaters is that they’re too easy to trip over. Most models these days have safety devices that switch the unit off the instant it’s knocked over, but Dimplex goes one better with its Pro Series. Thanks to its broadly spherical shape and a very bottom-heavy weight distribution, it lives up to its self-righting name: even if it is knocked right over, it quickly returns to an upright position.

The maximum output of 2000W is more than ample for most trips, and there’s a lower setting to satisfy lesser mains supplies. The built-in fan is powerful, which is great for summer cooling but also means that the unit is a touch noisy.

sealey cD2013ttPrice £28Web www.sealey.co.ukIn terms of output, the Sealey is a heater that will always keep your van warm. The maximum setting of 2000W is more than adequate for most uK winters, but reduced outputs of 1250W or even 750W prevents problems if hook-up is limited to 4a or simply a little creaky.

Despite its radiator-like appearance, this is actually a panel heater, so positioning it is easy. Thanks to the 60cm x 9cm footprint, it can go practically anywhere provided its top and lower edges are unobstructed. Other features we like are the built-in timer, the silent operation and — to spread warmth quickly — the optional fan mode.

Thanks To The widespread adoption of mains hook-up, and advances in insulation and draught-proofing, using a caravan all year is ever more popular. still, some form of heater is needed for winter touring.

The simplest option is an electric space heater: a unit that takes cold air in, heats it and expels it to increase the temperature in a living area gradually. some rely on natural convection, like domestic radiators, while others use fans to force the air through.

heating the air is not always the best option, though, particularly if your tourer is draughty, has poor insulation or you want to warm the awning. as well as wasting energy, the continual loss of heat may well be more than a space heater can keep up with. In these situations, radiant heaters make more sense.

Radiant heaters simply emit invisible infrared rays that travel through the air without warming it, but discharge their

thermal energy into whatever is in their path – such as you, if you’re close to the unit, rather than attempting the impossible: heating the air around you.

although they are normally silent, radiant units produce heat that you feel instantly. Unfortunately, you’ll only get any benefit from them when you’re close by. Move away or turn the unit off and that warmth will disappear just as quickly as it came.

Power that you controlWhether you opt for the space heater or radiant route, your first buying consideration should be power. enough oomph to cope with really cold weather is essential, but be mindful that not all hook-ups are 13a or more. The ideal unit has an output that can be lowered depending on amperage.

ocillating models spread the heat more evenly than stationary ones, and it’s a bonus

Portableheaters

Going off-gridElectric heating will rapidly run down a leisure battery, so staying warm away from a mains supply requires fuel. But the instructions for many paraffin, butane and propane camping heaters warn against using them in caravans!

The UK importer of the Zibro heaters featured here says that using fuel heaters in vans is safe as long as enough ventilation is provided. Caravans hold lower volumes of air than a room in a house and tend to be far better sealed; air leakage doesn’t occur.

A fuel heater will use up all the oxygen in an unventilated van and make CO poisoning inevitable. So always supervise the unit when in use and invest in a CO detector to ensure adequate ventilation.

James Stanbury explains the pros and cons of radiant and space heaters, before putting 15 to the test.

if the heat output can be aimed precisely. size, ease of positioning and stability are other important considerations.

With space heaters, a thermostat – which simply turns off the heater when the desired temperature is reached, and switches it back on when the temperature falls – spares you the trouble of switching the heater on and off repeatedly. Fan-only modes are a bonus for cooling in summer.

speaking of fans, a decent air flow is crucial to spread heat evenly around your tourer, which can prevent cold and hot spots. Increased output has to be factored against unwelcome noise generated by some forms of more powerful fans.

Timers are a desirable feature as well. after all, nobody likes to get out of a warm bed into a freezing cold room. equally, many of us would not be happy leaving the heating on all night without supervision.

Kobe Kbe-828-0130KPrice £40 Web www.cromwell.co.ukWith a maximum output of 2000W, and hook-up friendly reduced levels of 750W and 1250W, the Kobe’s attributes may sound quite familiar. add in the built-in timer, a thermostat and the choice of absolutely silent running or rapid fan-assisted heating, and this looks like a good alternative to our winner.

Size-wise, this and the Sealey are very similar but the Kobe has a clumsier, bulky shape. another drawback is the significantly higher price — 42% more. While it comes with brackets allowing permanent wall mounting, they hardly justify the price hike over the Sealey.

outwell etnaPrice £63 Web www.outwell.comOutwell’s ceiling mounted Etna may resemble an old-fashioned bathroom heater, but its combination of instant radiant output and lofty position makes it one of the most usable radiant heaters we’ve come across. and, boy, is it well engineered.

Taking into account the fragile nature of awning hooks, or whatever you find on your van’s ceiling to support the unit, the all-alloy construction is tough but incredibly lightweight. The small hanging chain, complete with two karabiner hooks, is as effective as it is foolproof. The 800W output is best suited to autumn or spring spot-heating. In winter, additional warming will probably be required.

Draper 02714Price £33 Web www.drapertools.comat 20cm wide x 30cm high, this heater is a little too big to sit unobtrusively on the floor. Fortunately, if you do catch it accidentally, a switch cuts power the instant the unit is tipped in any direction. Potential accidents aside, there’s a lot to like with this product. The lower setting of 750W is very hook-up friendly, and the top output of 1500W is more than adequate for most vans and weather conditions.

In use, the fan is pleasingly quiet and the optional oscillation mode spreads the output very evenly. Still, the blast of air produced — though fine in heating mode — is too wheezy for effective cooling fan use come the summer.

Kampa 1500WPrice £25 Web www.kampa.co.ukHere’s a bit of a surprise. While it’s hardly unusual for different uK suppliers to source similar products from the same Far East manufacturers, we wouldn’t have expected a camping equipment supplier to beat one of the uK’s biggest mainstream tools outfits on price. But that’s what Kampa has done. as you can see from the photos, this heater and Draper’s 02714 are closely related.

Spec-wise, they’re just as similar: outputs of 750 or 1500W, an optional oscillation mode, a built-in thermostat, and a fan-only mode. So, if this is your heater of choice, Kampa’s version is the one to have.

Dimplex Pro series self-righting

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72 | January 2015 | www.practicalcaravan.com

sealey ch2013Price £21 Web www.sealey.co.ukSealey’s second offering is a good alternative to Draper’s 02714 and Kampa’s 1500W oscillating ceramic heater. On paper, all three have broadly the same spec: max output is 1500W, a lower output of 750W is available, there’s a built-in thermostat, and the heating element can be switched off so that the unit can also be used as a cooling fan. Why is this Sealey so cheap? It doesn’t oscillate, as the other two do. Still, we prefer this unit’s compact 18cm3 size, mainly because it’s incredibly stable.

Zibro rs24Price £110 Web www.zibro.co.ukThis Zibro isn’t as advanced as the LC30, but its technology is years ahead of old British units. Its advanced burners work like a vehicle’s catalytic converter. It wrings every ounce of energy out of the fuel to reduce smell and moisture, and glows red. Mirrors project the resulting infrared rays outward. Silent, mains-free operation is the rS24’s biggest advantage, but it is big, lacks a thermostat and has just one output level: a very hot 2400W.

Kampa DiddyPrice £20 Web www.kampa.co.ukat just 17cm wide x 22cm high, this heater deserves its name. It looks more like a small speaker than a heater, but while its outputs of 750W and 1500W are respectable, the fan is compromised by its size. It’s quiet, but in large vans the lack of forceful gusts will almost certainly lead to warm spots around the heater and cooler areas elsewhere. It costs only pennies less than Sealey’s CH2013, so the lack of a thermostat or a no-heat fan mode is disappointing.

screwfix 44164Price £15 Web www.screwfix.comIt’s hard to criticise a heater that kicks out 2000W despite the low price. nevertheless, there are several reasons why other models are better suited to caravan use. First, the 28cm x 26cm footprint is large, and the unit’s ground-hugging profile makes it a tripping hazard. The fan is not very high-quality; it’s not noisy, but it makes the whole unit vibrate, which creates drumming or other irritating noises against the floor. Those points aside, the rest of the spec is impressive: two power levels, a no-heat fan mode, plus a built-in thermostat.

Zibro lc30Price £177 Web www.zibro.co.ukDismiss memories of stinky paraffin heaters belching out soot and damp: these Japanese models couldn’t be more different. a mains supply is required, but the 13W demand is modest enough for a leisure battery and inverter, making this unit and its 3000W output ideal for off-grid camping. The heat is intense and dry, and the unit’s operation convenient, thanks to the timer. There’s also a sophisticated thermostat that, rather than switching the unit on and off, throttles output back to maintain the desired temperature.

Dyson aM05Price £298 Web www.dyson.co.ukIs Dyson’s bladeless, air-multiplying technology as effective as claimed? Maybe. Certainly no other heater here pushes out air so forcefully. Factor in the unusual shape and the ease of aiming the gale force blast, and the heater’s benefits become apparent. In large rooms, the air movement evens out heat-spread regardless of where the unit is. you can also use the aM05 as a radiant-style spot heater. If you’re close to it, you’ll feel warm even if the rest of the room is cold. The price and the single 2000W power level are big drawbacks.

Kobe Kbe-828-0140KPrice £23 Web www.cromwell.co.ukTall halogen-tube radiant heaters are common, but this is better-made and finished than most. The tubes’ protective mesh is sturdy, the switches seem to be of good quality, and we like the large carry handle. This Kobe can be set to 400W, 800W or 1200W, and it works silently and instantly. The heat is intense — but only if you’re directly in line with the infrared rays, which is where this design falls down. Stand it on the floor and it will do a great job of heating your feet and legs. It tends to topple as well.

argos 415/1364Price £43 Web www.argos.co.ukHeaters don’t come any plainer or simpler than this. The 61cm x 44cm panel has no fan, oil filling, or anything else. It simply gets very hot and works much like a conventional domestic radiator. We like the no- nonsense, silent operation, but at this price we’re surprised that there’s no thermostat. also, the 450W output is enough for a van in the middle of winter. Being just 20mm wide, this is a pretty easy heater to position. Should you wish to mount it permanently in your van, you’ll be pleased to know that it comes with all necessary clips and fixings.

>>test bench Portable heaters

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