Autoterm CombiBOIL HOT WATER Heater | 3 in 1: Hot Air, hydronic and electric | Testing
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- čas přidán 31. 12. 2023
- Testing an all-in-one hot water solution for your leisure systems, Vanlife, campervan, motorhome, marine boat, and more! The new @autotermuk8664 @tigerexped Autoterm CombiBOIL (famous for their diesel heaters) now features a hot water heater. It heats water using the power of a diesel air heater, a hydronic loop ( calorifier ) , which can serve as a preheater for a vehicle's engine or via be heated via the engine or an electric element. Additionally, the hydronic loop can be utilized for underfloor heating.
I unbox the unit, test it, and conduct various tests on its power output.
While this isn't an advertisement or a collaborated video, I'm borrowing the unit from a friend. I am now a brand ambassador for Autoterm and can provide you with a 5% discount code if you're interested in purchasing any Autoterm products, supporting my channel in the process.
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As mentioned in the video, the specific data points of the tests may not necessarily be accurate, but I explain why. I conduct multiple tests, including running the diesel air-to-water exchanger in water heater mode, fixed power mode, examining the hydronic loop, and testing the electrical element. I also explore additional safety features such as overheat protection and frost protection with the new CombiBOIL smart controller.
#AutotermHeater #livingthevanlife
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Great analysis. How refreshing to hear someone who knows what he's talking about!
Thank you very much watching. I glad you found my information useful
Yes absolutely Brilliant especially if you can use the energy from your engine to heat the water that’s a win 👍
It’s a very well-made and versatile piece of equipment.
Three Different and easiest to use options to make hot water.
The hydronic coil, I think is particularly good
Alex, thanks a lot for your detailed review and experiment! That is really interesting, and I like your honest conclusions. I would have bought this piece 3 years ago when I built my van, especially with the support of a 24v heat element (and with a custom setup to have a hot air diverter for heating the van in case of cold nights and avoid overheating).
Wish you a happy new year and good travel in the northern countries again!
Great thorough video Alex, my old dad (who is a retired physics teacher) would love this - I'll need to share it with him!
I do really enjoy that people like my technical videos! I sometimes get worried people might switch off if I start bringing out graphs and data!
Not at all@@MispronouncedAdventures ! I thank you for your splendid efforts and really appreciate the comprehensive analyses that you do. Saves me the risk of pain from a crappy purchase and gives confidence in a good purchase, and I'm sure that's how others see it too 🙂
@@craigmacdonald4987I completely agree. I like the more comprehensive analysis, rather than the rather bland "it's good" analysis done by certain other YT channels
Awesome video mate 👍👍
Very educational and easy to follow.Thanks
Looking forward to your imminent arctic round 3 adventure
Safe journey
Thank you very much to be fair. I was worried about people switching off when they got the data and graphs!
Looking forward to my third arctic winter myself
@@MispronouncedAdventuresnot at all. A good graph explains much more than can be said easily 👍
As always Alex you give a superb surgical analysis of the kit you review - you do however tend to babble - if you could slow your delivery speed down a notch it would help your channel greatly - well done.
If I spoke, slower than the video even longer, can’t remove my babbling and rambling
Great video definitely a win looks a great product to have I. Your campervan ❤
Thank you very much. Particularly fond of the layout of my van which allows me to have all the workspace.
@@MispronouncedAdventures yeah it is helps great to do all the things you do with the products. You take apart :) wish I had the sort of power too that you have in your van
Wonderful video Alex
Thanks for watching
Thanx for this video.
Thank you very much for watching and the donation!
Interesting Channel, and the commenters below, you all sound very dedicated in these projects. I'll try to keep up...
Hopefully you find some of the other part interesting too. Technically breakdown and Arctic overlanding
Another great video and interesting and agree with a diverting setup so you can run the heater and not heat water it would make it very practical. I installed the bobil vans heat exchanger and do wish it had the option for a coolant loop so I could use some of the otherwise wasted heat from the engine. Maybe an upgrade in the future though as this would avoid using the heater in the warmer months when there is not enough surplus solar to power the heating element.
Thank you very much watching. I’m currently filming the new bobils vans kit for another little video in this mini series.
Personally, I would of liked a diverter As well
Great review and now I have lots of questions
Thank you, post your questions. If I can answer you ill help
Cool 😊
Even hot, so might say
3:32 WTF? That cable turned solid! 😲
Yes! The orange outer on most normal campervan hook up cables turn rock hard in very cold conditions
Really interesting experiment and bit of kit. I do love the little controller on the autoterm heater - doesn’t feel over engineered like some do but looks user friendly and informative. Seems a quite versatile bit of kit. Any views on inline electric water heating without storage or do you think that’s not really practical? Something about storing hot water.. I was thinking of a 48v system in the next van project…
Happy new year, all the best, David 👍
Definitely a very versatile piece of equipment.
The autoterm controllers are great lots of usability. I would like a little bit more deep information for those 1% of users. I miss being able to see Hz output. And a few of the temperature modes. If there was a little bit more programmability, it would be great
As for in-line electric water heaters and 48 V most definitely. I’m planning that myself for the next van, our demo work at Roamer does that already. With out 48V HOME Roamer batteries. Feel free to message me privately if you wish to know more information.
Great video ! Thanks for explaining in detail all the parts.. I think it will be a big job to connect the engine coolant to the boiler. But it will be well worth doing so.. Also it looks like a good idea to make a kind of switch in the warm air supply to divert the hot air away from the boiler when only hot air (during the night is needed).. food for thought... Glad I saw this combi video .. The product is much more flexibel and cheaper compared to the truma diesel combi heater i had in mind ! cheers !
Definitely connecting and integrating the tank into the engine coolant loop is a bit more of an involved job. The connection but also running the coolant hose But definitely worth it.
I think personally, I would also want to use a diverter. I’m actually testing a unit at the minute with a servo controlled diverter.
Overall, I think it’s a great unit and very versatile
@MispronouncedAdventures looking forward to that video !
It might be a easier and a better option to not connect the coolant but instead use a floor heating kinda system, that would also be possible, i think ... it might even cool the boiler water down during the night with the diesel heater on.. to many option ;-)
28:27 as long as the fan is running, the water will heat the cabin until the water is cold.
The simplicity of one duck through the boiler is a plus.
But you only need a Y connector if more heat is needed, diverting some of the air before it comes to the boiler.
We made a hot water system several decades ago, an insulated box with a uninsulated water tank in the middle. The hot air went around the tank, out the other side, under the floor (=heated floor), and out the other side.
If you did not want the water heated, you closed an air vent.
I see a principal if you had a Y-branch before and a duct at the end of the hot water tank, then yes, if you close the duct, the air will go through the ducting of lease resistance. Although that would then require two outlet vents in your van.
I seen many installs of people installing diesel heaters and heat exchanges in the garage area of vans and prefer to have a ducting to multiple areas of the van. So having a diverter before heat exchanger and then a y piece joining them back together after will allow the same ventilation ducting to be used if run multiple areas of the van.
Although to be fair both work, depending on what system you prefer, and your vehicles layout. I use the duct closed principal in my van to heat the shower room opposed to a diverter.
Although it’s definitely recommend if you’re using a duct closed system to make sure it’s impossible to close both ducks at once otherwise you’re overheat your heater
I have thought about making a hollow floor or duct the floor option in the next van for underfloor heating
@@MispronouncedAdventures We had trippel floor in the back.
First boot/trunk under an elevated seating area. A second insulated floor with a gap for the heated air. So in total 3 levels in the seating area.
Cannot remember cold floors in winter in the north of Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Never used shoes or slippers inside, only regular socks..
Something that also works nice inside the van, especially around the door, is hard plastic floor mats for use in shops and warehouses.
You lift the floor up, and the water(from melting snow), and dirt will fall below the floor.
Your socks will not get wet when you walk close to the shoes, because the water is now below the floor.
A good vacuum cleaner will be able to vacuum up the dirt through the mesh.
We used a mash size of less than 1cm, so it was comfortable to walk on with socks...
It will also double as an insulation layer...
nicely put together.
I agree as well
@@MispronouncedAdventures I was referring to the video primarily, as well as the unit.
Well, thank you very much!
I get worried people might switch off when I start bringing out graphs and test data, but if people want a thorough in-depth review, this is probably more useful for them
Hey Alex, great video presentation/editing...
I'm sure you know of Lowered Expectations?
Those Hcalory are pretty good. Just got the bluetoof model.
It's summer here atm, but I get to test it at night as it gets quite cool...
Cheers! 👍
The Hcalory hydronic heaters are pretty good. The controllers can be a bit on the confusing side to figure out but overall for their price. They’re pretty good.
_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_
And to you too!
Was going to get an autoterm hydronic heater. But will have to save up. Where i live in Scotland saw -16 degC two years ago and -14 deg C last year ive now changed jobs so not doing 3am starts or 10.30 pm finishes when you get to see those temps but i think my poor landy would appreciate a pre heater.
Definitely, would the autoterm 5D flow looks a great piece of kit.
Primarily I have my engine pre heaters in my van for the Arctic. I do use them in the UK for a comfort point of view.
Even in one or 2° of cold conditions, it definitely helps out an engine
Good video as always!
I don't see a any problem with the placement of the heater element and temperature sensor. The hot heater element raises the water and makes a natural circulation in the round tank, whereby the colder water at the bottom rises up past the heater and the previously heated water comes down from the top.
And secondly, the bottom of the tank doesn't freeze first. Water at +4c degrees is the heaviest and sinks to the bottom of the tank.
Greetings from northern Finland. There is now "huge cold wave" Almost -40c degrees
With the temperature placement and stratification in the tank. Definitely yes if you want to have short uses such as running the kitchen tap or something like that, then it doesn’t really matter if there’s layers of water. Do you want access to the hot water and if it’s at the top near the hot outflow then that all good.
The issue I could see is it being slightly deceptive if you want to use a large quantity of hot water such as a shower you might have it heated at 75°, but you would need to know that it’s probably not 9 L worth it will be a bit less.
As for 4° and it’s affect on stratification you are correct. Although the reason I say the bottom of the tank would freeze first, as it’s often the cold point in the van being on the cold floor opposed to higher up where there will be a warmer temperature. Even if it’s not the case, your surrounding pipework might have frozen.
When I’m on my Nordic winter trips in my flooring might be -10, but the air temperature inside would be +21°c
I can’t wait to head off to the Nordic in about a week
If you don’t want to use the overheat protection because its very could outside, worst case can happen is the over pressure valve opens and drains a little bit of water from the combiboil. If you use the overheat protection and the heater switched off, the temp will drop fast inside of the combiboil because of the big delta between the air and the Water. During cooling, heat from the hot water is released into the air, so it’s not only ventilation, it’s some kind of low power heating.
great video easy to follow alone with thank you ,i saw one of your other videos where it was so cold your coolant turned to slush and i wondered if you thought of trying Evans Waterless Coolant it says on the web site is ok up to -40 c just and idea or maybe you could test it keep up the great videos
Thank you for watching and glad you found it easy to follow. I was worried people might switch off when they saw data and graphs coming out.
The coolant was the wrong mix unfortunately at the time. It was a lot more diluted with water than I thought, so I swapped out and fixed it few days after the incident.
Nice review. If my information is correct, an advantage of Autoterm over the 2 big brands is that maintenance and spares are generally much, much cheaper.
Yes, I would agree, my previous video I did a tear down of the autoterm 4D and found it to be a well made and unique designed, as well, as being almost half the price of the two Western brands, whilst being of the same quality and a great support network
Great video and a very good in-depth review of how it works much appreciated, one question do you have current draw figures for when the system is idle and running, thanks for great information
The tank itself would be zero. As it’s a heater exchanger and has no pumps. Obviously there will be draw if you’re running the electrical element.
if you’re running the diesel air heater, then depends on your model what power settings. Could be 15-40w
Great video Alex. I’m using the unpressurized bobil system so I only refill my hot water tank when needed which is usually after having used the shower. I’ve wondered if the hot supply out of the pressurized tanks such as this autoterm or the bobil offering cools much quicker due to the tank being automatically replenished from the cold feed while in use. Does this dilution with cold water into such a small tank make a noticeable difference at the hot tap or would it stay sufficiently stable for a shower? I’m guessing you’d need to heat the tank much hotter than what you need and let the thermostatic mixer you mentioned take care of stabilizing the output at a lower temperature?
I would say that the bobil vans heater with the circulation pump does generally heat the entirety of the tank and suffers less stratification unlike the CombiBOIL.
But using a mixer valve would even out the output temperature of the time.
On the bobil vans kit as it circulating the incoming cold water it would affect the overall tank temperature quicker.
Whilst on the Combiboil, there is less mixing as the water comes in, so you’re gonna force more hot water out the top
Hey Alex, happy new year first off mate, hope you had a good one 🍻
Nice review as always, looks a very well designed bit of kit.
Makes me think regarding agitating the water, if it’s “on” whilst driving the sloshing will agitate and temps more even? Just a thought as you did a static test… but then I assume most will be only be using once parked up.
I only wish it was an all in one air and water heater with an Autoterm diesel heater enclosed…tbh I thought that’s what it was initially!ha ( I know you can get the truma etc, it was just how small it looked that spiked my interest)
Other question, do you heat your oil pan/sump too? Or just coolant.
I was thinking of using a cartridge style heater in the sump, 12v or mains using a powerbank whilst the coolant is warming up.
Do you think it would be worth doing?
Cheers
Ant
Thanks for watching at always!
I think for the hydronic loop, most of the time it would get mixed around a lot better, but for the driving you are right. But the other two are primarily going to use in stationary.
As for all in one, I like the components separate easier to fix things if things go wrong, might be a bit easier for some people to lay out as well in vans.
I only heat the coolant, but my transit does run some pretty thin oil, and when the engine preheated and started I then wait a few minutes with it on idle for the oil to come up to
I used to have a motorhome with a calorifier heating water. In general, I found it useless. Yes the water was hot after a journey, but it was only warm after a meal in the evening and it was cold the next morning.
I prefer air heating over wet heating but. For my the coolant loop from the engine into a hot water heater is a nice by product. I get for heat loss it depends how insulated the tank is
Nice boiler add on! :)
Maybe crank it up and produce steam?
Steam makes electricity, but how efficient would it be?
Just a thought...
You don’t have to go to the arctic circle to enjoy -30s and lower, just go to North Dakota 😅
As a Brit, it’s far easier to go to the Arctic Circle!
Great review. I've know the founder of Tiger ExPed since long before he started the company. He's extraordinarily talented with impeccably high standards and years of expedition experience to the farthest corners of the world.
Glad to hear the people behind the company are also excellent and experienced! my last 10 years professionally, has been leading Expeditions all over the planet and you learn a lot about what makes kit and what doesn’t!
Right, water is at maximum density at ~4 deg C BUT don't forget, unless you go to the Titanic or deeper it is relatively uncompressible (unless it's ice) so there won't be much mixing due to density stratification. At the end, the cooler air coming from the heater in shut down mode would not make much of a diff BECAUSE the specific heat of water is a large number compared to most other materials and most of the heat leaving it is due to IR emissions. Yes the loop. Very good use of heat your engine is trying to dump. Why not put it to use? So the antifreeze coolant is above the boiling point of water so the implications is it could just run away and the Hydronic heater boiling your water away?
Generally the antifreeze in your engine shouldn’t be above the boiling point of water. A vehicle thermostat should open around 80c ( depends on vehicle ) so boiling shouldn’t be an issue. I have a temperature read out on my dash the averages when working around 90 and towards 96 when working hard before it cools down again.
Although there is a pressure release valve, so if you were to boil a little bit of water would come out
Wot is the best water heater to get please 🙏
Often wonder if we need to be mindful of Legionella with these calorifiers.
I’ve a 30L Isotherm and it doesn’t have a temp sender unfortunately.
But I do treat the water.
Legionella get mentioned quite a lot on hot water tank videos, but I’ve never heard any examples of it being an issue.
legionella shouldn’t be an issue with normal hot water tank management
Nice video, thank you. Next month our new van will be delivered so we can start building. I was looking forward to watch your video and had in mind to buy a similar system from Pundmann in a combination with the Autoterm, but now I'm having doubts to buy the somewhat cheaper Pundmann or this Combiboiler? Maybe nice to compare both 😉
I would happily look at a Pundmann. I’ve only recently heard about.
Although if you’re going for autoterm heater, it might be beneficial going for the Combiboil, so you can make use of the Combiboil comfort controller
@@MispronouncedAdventures Indeed, but I think the Combiboil comfort controller doesn't make any sense in combiboil 12volt/300W system, because in the installation manual is mentioned: " Due to space constraints, there is no thermostat function or safety shutdown integrated into the heating element!" . A bit weird, isn't it?
@phenix68 yes, I also read for the DC that quite strange, although the electric element is a standard threaded fitting so it could be swapped or replaced.
If it was I, I would put a second temperature sensor down the same temperature sensor tube and run a temperature control relay
Might have been more interested if it had used the diesel heaters exhaust as a source of water heating since it's all waste and as such would be really good to see someone doing this commercially..
I don’t give diesel heater exhaust heat recovery much merit in a van context . It’s not as simple, or as practical as many think. ( I’m not implying you think it’s simple or practical. )
Many of my water heater related videos people have mentioned about using EGR’s ( or just wrapping copper pipe around the ) on the exhaust and running water through it. Which generally in a van context, I don’t think is a great idea. those units aren’t meant to be running water they’re meant to be running coolant. Any subzero temperatures if the heater wasn’t on the water would freeze in the EGR, expand and destroy it. Or the opposite the boiling point of water is 100° diesel heat exhaust is far higher. You would likely have the dangerous issue of boiling water and producing pressure in the system.
To use a EGR for heat recovery or any heat recovery in that format, you need to be running a separate coolant loop, which just becomes complicated, needing reservoir, coolant pump, temperature sensor and drilling additional holes in and out your in and out vehicle. As well as a secondary internal heat exchange to turn that hot coolant into hot water.
But it would definitely be great if someone could design a system, which eliminates those complications and make it commercially available
Seen (not in a van, but in a garage environment) that some lead exhaust thru some small old radiator in slight down angle to prevent moisture inside. And I think this is not any means ok in van as that radiator heats a lot!
@@MispronouncedAdventuresit would only need one extra heat exchanging pipe apart from the ones that are used with hot air, but it could have problems with corrosion and condensation (would need a stainless steel tank)
@@MispronouncedAdventures come on, you're smart enough to understand you use coolant instead of water in the exhaust heat recovery system. It will not boil at 100 degree when under pressure. The coolant will nog reach 100 degree if pumped around and you do that because you want to transfer the heat to the inside of your van, cabin, house or sauna and the pipe back to the heater will be cooled off to be (pre)heated again by the exhaust and heater itself... The idea is to use more heat and improve the efficiency of the whole heating system
Having no circulation in a smaill tank can be a problem. Water below the element/heat-exchanger can be ice cold and the top 50C, so you end up not using the full capacity of the tank. At least that was my experience with my beer keg water heatter. The main thing I'd be interested in is how long does it take to heat the water (from eg. 15C) to be able to maintain a shower of 42C and for how long.
I agree, and I pointed out the stratification in the water tank during the video and how it affects test data.
I would say in a mobile environment, at least driving around would help circulate and move the water when using the hydronic loop.
When stationary, the majority of the mixing would be done via convection.
Although I would say, the temperature difference was not as extreme as 50° at the top and ice cold at bottom.
The hot water element which is around halfway up the tank switches off at 65°. At that point the top of the tank was reading around 73°.
Additionally, you could feel, and I measured temperature of the metal work on the cold inlet, it was definitely hot/warm. But with no circulation pump, you will not get an equal mix early on.
For your 42C shower. You could pause the video on some of the test data and see the seconds it took between each 1c running in different modes and add them up.
additionally, for your 42° shower, you would want to be using a thermostatic mixer valve. So you could heat the 9 L of the tank up to 70°, and using a mixer, you would get substantially more than 9 L of water at 42°
Sooooo as it's the start of January I am eagerly awaiting a video documenting/announcing Arctic Trip 3?!
I should be leaving in less than a week
@@MispronouncedAdventures That’s awesome. I plan to do a similar trip at the end of 2025 with my new van that’ll be built by then crossed fingers
I use a cheaper version of this type of heater (Truma Therme) in my van. It doesn’t have the hydronic heating system but i run the 300W AC electric element with an inverter when driving (engine running relay controlled), somi always have hot water when i reach my destination.
That’s a good way of making a dump load / utilising power from the engine.
I’ve got the Truma therme to test
Pardon me, I’m only halfway through the video, but is it possible to use the combustion exhaust instead of the warm air exhaust?
Yes you can. There are a number of ways of doing heat recovery from heater exhaust. However, in my personal opinion, it’s not very practical in vans and a lot more complicated than people think to actually implement.
Having extensively played with all manner of diesel heaters, it’s definitely not something I would bother with
Been looking for hours for a good water boiler in the Arctic and I found this boiler its so versatile, I wonder if you can use one control panel for the water boiler and the auto term air heater? thanks for doing this nice guide
Yes, it is only one control panel for the water, boiler and autoterm heater. The Combiboil, comfort controller is primarily the diesel heaters controller just with some extra water temperature features and setting
@@MispronouncedAdventures sorry to bother you a little bit more, live near Lofoten in the Arctic and trying to find the best solution.
How is the heater deciding which heating source it should use for heat the water weather electric connection or the Autoterm Air ? Or is it using all available sources at the same time without having the possible to choose by yourself ?
@ArcticNorthAdventures it can use all available sources at the same time. The only one you would consciously pick / turn on would be the electrical element. If the engine is running for driving, it’s always gonna be heating off the coil loop, if the diesel air heater is running to heat the van, it’s always going to be heating off that as well. I guess you could see it as heating the water is just a byproduct of the primary use of those two
@@MispronouncedAdventures Okay thanks so if you are turning it on it would not trigger the heater every time as an example in the summer time when its warm you dont want to have the Air heater running in your car just for hot water. I thought about buying this and connect it to my engine coolant source as additional heating source, thanks for the feedback so the element is on all the time and you can supply with other sources for keeping the power consumption lower
@ArcticNorthAdventures the element is only on if you turn it on, it will also manually turn itself off, and it reaches pre-set temperature.
There isn’t really anything on the Combiboil itself to turn on apart from the electrical element. As for the summer, I probably wouldn’t use the diesel heater to heat the water as it’s quite a low exchange rate, you would be better off using the electric element via solar power or driving and the engine doing.
What would make sense to me would be a water heater that heats the van and maybe preheats the engine. Ideally not using any electricity, convection only. Anything like that out there?
Well this would do that via a diesel heater, with the hydronic coil hooked up to the engine. It would heat the water and the van, and then a small circulation pump would take energy from the hot water, converting it into hot coolant for the engine.
Alex what chinese heater have variable fan speed to maintain desire temperature without hard on and off? The same way webasto /eberspracher works. Thank you
I use a “afterburner controller” which is a third party project made by an Australian is works with a good number of Chinese units
@MispronouncedAdventures Alex, have a look at the hcalory 5-8kw Chinese heater with a new display. Looks like most afterburner features are already built in. My question is, can afterburner keep the heater working continuously without start stop by automatically adjusting fan speed / heat volume to keep desired temperature? Thank you
Would a hydronic heater and water tank with a heating matrix not be an easier more efficient solution? Having a massive opening through the middle of an insulated tank seems like abit of waste of energy? especially when using an electric or hydronic heating source. Also using a diesel air heater to heat water seems like a pain for half the year when you don't need to heat the van but still want hot water.
Depends if you want to go down the route of wet heating system.
I’d much prefer to go down the route for a diesel air heater for heating the habitation opposed to an air matrix from a hydronic.
There isn’t also that much waste energy at all from the heat exchanger in the middle of the tank. I tested it energy losses, especially if the heater is off and no air.
Really depends on which solution you want to do you can go hydronic and you need a heat exchanger to get hot air or you can go and air heater and you need a heat exchanger to get hot water. Either way you’re doing one sort of energy exchange
As for the hot air in summer aspect, I don’t disagree with you there. the boil van system I tested has a far higher exchange of its heat exchanges said there’s almost no hot air left. This doesn’t on the other hand so you probably want to vent outside for some temperature.
Are you gonna be at the van show would like to meet you in person
Don’t know which ones I’ll particularly be at next year just yet, but I am often at Overland, vanlove fest and big picnic
I see your van is a 2.0 wet belt engine, I am in two minds to buy one like yours, can you tell me if you have had any trouble or problems with your engine ?
No issues with the engine itself. I had the wet belt done at 111k miles as the Ford recommended lifespan is 144k miles.
Had a near fly wheel at 100k ish and a clutch whilst in there.
-42,9 C Nikkaluokta Sweden today 🙂
I don’t leave for another week!!
The stratification of water reverses at 4 degrees dude...... that's why the ice forms on top..... yeah 🤔
To be fair, I didn’t think about the reverse of stratification like in lakes, with 4°, being the magic number of that.
Not sure if the ice forming on top of a lake
Would be due to the stratification completely. Ice would form in the area of most heat loss, in the case of a lake, the open to air and sub zero temperatures would be the coldest point, which is why ice form on the top. Natural ground, he would keep unexposed areas slightly warmer.But above zero
In the case of the van context, the area of greatest heat loss would likely be the cold floor opposed to the high up warmer heated areas.
Often in my van, the vans floor inside will be -10 on cold nights in the arctic whilst the air temperature inside will be +21°
Next week nuclear fusion? 😂
In this series will you be - or would you consider - making a much more DIY option, such as using gaming PC cooling components as a heat exchanger?
The next video I’m looking at the Bobilvans kit which it originally used parts from pc water cooling
No offense to you, but when you told me the price I was done watching the video because that’s just stupid. Good luck to you in your travels. 👍🏼
High-quality kit costs good money, other high-end water heaters and tanks can be £500-£2000. Specially if German designed and manufactured.
But that’s why I mentioned the price early, so people can get an idea and don’t have to watch the entire thing if it’s not for them
I've been looking at showers for my van for a little and this definetly is interesting but also confuses me a little.
From my quick maths (probably not accurate), if you are mixing water at 70C and 15C to make 8 litres, you would need about 3 litres of the hot water to make water at 36C.
Considering many household showers use about 8 litres a min, that means that one tank of hot water would last about 3 mins of showering.
Am I missing something or is it potentially better to fit a recirculating shower with filters as the water will hold temperature for longer?
Generally in a van context, if you want a long hot shower you are better off fitting recirculating.
But generally yes. For vans with non-recirculating showers, people often use lower pressure pumps and water saving showerhead to make the shower last longer.
@@MispronouncedAdventures Great thank you, I think a recirculating shower probably suits my needs better then.
I do like the technical and analytical aspect of your videos but they do beg the question (as someone who's lived in Scandinavia a long time) - have you understood the wisdom and simplicity of having a log burner yet? To get an engine fired up in winter, all you need is a way to put a hot log or fire under the oil sump to liquify the lubricant oil - easy enough to do.
If you're going to get really cold (Siberia/Mongolia) get a petrol engined vehicle for easier starting (why so many Russian military vehicles are petrol) and make sure to change your oil for far less viscose oil before the winter comes.
The other way to achieve easy starting is to have a block heater (a tiny heating element which is retrofitted and sits in a coolant hose or in the engine block) and use a small portable petrol generator to power it - or if you're near a building just plug it in to the mains 240VAC - we all have them.
The only other differences between British spec and Nordic spec for vehicles are Mud&Snow (M&S) tyres with metal studs in (illegal in UK) - and larger batteries, together with a higher rated alternator which are fitted as standard. Saying that, some vans such as various Ford Transit models have a limited slip rear diff as standard instead of a standard one.
Thing is, log burners never fail and for survival in the 'middle of nowhere' they're a very good solution for any van/bus and they use no battery power.
Nice vids, thanks.
I’m personally not a fan of log burners in the vehicle context, although I do know many with them and I’m not knocking them. I spent 10 years leading Expeditions all over the globe. I’ve lit log burns and campfires on six continents in remote locations.
I also feel unfortunately the days of lighting a fire under engines is over for many modern vehicles way too many modern engines Much like my transit has far too much plastic and wires underneath.
When I did my first Nordic Arctic winter, I was looking at the heating options. I did look into the idea of a block heater element, electric wise, but decided to go for the other popular method as a diesel powered engine preheater.
Which is usually a far more powerful ( in heat watt output than electric one )
Also, to state the obvious, a log burner needs a supply of and storage for dry logs.
@@MispronouncedAdventures I don't so much suggest lighting a fire under engines as pushing a glowing log up onto the sump or a hot rock or a heated lump of iron, etc. Many of my adventures have been in v cold places - Mongolia, Siberia, the far north and whilst I appreciate everyone has different ideas, I love a wood burner over anything else and part of the pleasure is having a burner with a glass front (I build Tiny House wagons now and they all have that, it's super cosy) for reasons of morale - they are so cheery and flexible as one can dry clothes and all the rest indoors: I've had quite a few in vehicles which needs must have been parked up for weeks at a time which renders most diesel heaters useless because they take all the electricity and wreck batteries. I may have mentioned in another comment long ago that another favourite is Danish Refleks (aka Glembring) diesel heaters which use no electricity whatsoever, have no moving parts and are thus almost 100% reliable: Most models have a water heating coil-pipe which can be used to heat washing water or preheat an engine etc. too.
@@tramptruck4859 true, that is a bit obvious - all fuelstuffs need to be supplied and stored, but in Scandinavia, until one gets to the tundra, there is no shortage of wood and it can easily be stores safely and in a flexible demountable container on the roof/hung on the back, etc. Another point is that one can use coke in stone-lined / good quality stoves so a lot of heat can be stored easily and it weighs almost nothing and it will burn all night long (and is smoke free so can be used in cities), unlike with wood which needs to be fed in every couple of hours and gets annoying at night. We modified a flat Swedish oven to burn coke in my old 14m bus and that burned all night long, had a huge radiating surface area and was a cooking stove and it even had a bread oven - for a larger vehicle it's the biz.
@@gurglejug627 I have 2 multi fuel stoves in my house and one in the workshop, but I don't want one in a vehicle - personal preference based on type of vehicle and type of travel.
That doesn't mean that no one should have one, each to their own.
This goes to show there is no right or wrong here, just different 🙂
Happy travels.
Generally, immersion heaters are positioned near the bottom of the tank, so they cause convection currents and spread out the heat. This design seems not to do that.
I think i would said the immersion heater is a low as as it can be without blocking the cold inlet. Convection currents are mixing what’s above it in the layout
Jesus, I'm just going to get another dog for warmth.
Not sure I’d recommend dogs for heating water but you do you.
You forgot to mention something ... . what is it... I am trying to remember what that was ... .... good job have fun and drive safe. p
Didn’t I say in the opening of the video? It’s a three in one water heater?
27:43 NOT True... Your statement breaches the laws of physics..
4°C water is the most dense. 0 to 3°C water will rise..
Just look at the frozen lakes, the ice is on the top.
I haven’t not breached the laws of physics as ice forming on top is not a law of physics. The change in the effect of stratification is.
Whilst you are correct, stratification does change at 4°.
In the context of a lake is a great example of why ice forms on top. the majority heat loss in a lake is from above because that has access to the sub zero cold air whilst the lower depth of the lake are naturally kept warm by ground heat, even though that will only be a degree or two. Ground heat is never below zero (unless you’re in an area which has permafrost ) ice forms on top because, in almost every example, the area of greatest heat loss of water is through the surface with the water. Even in the case, if you placed a open container outside in the cold or in a fridge would generally form on the top because again the open access between water and cold air is the greatest area of heat loss.
In the context of a van, however, where there are more artificial factors in play the air temperature internally in my van would be +21° whilst in the Arctic the floor would be -10c, the greatest area of heat loss in this scenario would be bottom regardless of stratification.
A great example, with any time on my Arctic trips, if I leave a bottle of water or drink on the floor, it freezes from the bottom up.
With regards to the tank if the van was left at ambient temperatures then, yes the likelihood is the water would form at the top. If you’re in the van and the heating is on the far the greatest form of loss would likely be through the base cold floor opposed through the surrounding warm air temperature.
@@MispronouncedAdventures -10°C floors in the artic?
We never used shoes inside the vans, even at -40°C outside temperature.. Heated with a 1800W Wallas air heater.
I think you have to work more on your insulation..
@MichaelEricMenk I use a 5 kW diesel heater, temperature is plenty warm inside as air temperature as 21c, with the heater running out just below half 2.1hz to 2.4hz.
Floor surface temperature on the coldest days is still cold. Insulation is 25mm PIR board and 18mm plus. Maybe not all time. But particularly the coldest nights the air temp is fine but any snowmelt I brought in from shoes, would’ve probably melted and frozen, or bottle frozen, to be fair, the frozen bottles were left at the sliding door step which is not insulated
Got to the 3 minute point and was fed up with all the waffle and nothing technical. Never got any further.
Well that’s a shame, technical parts started at 3 minutes 10 seconds
Perhaps you can provide time stamps for other people like you? 😂
It's definitely overpriced
I disagree looking at the engineering, testing and build quality behind it
@ClausRübel