Still learning after 6 years

We are enjoying an early winter freeze (mid teens) this week in the mid-west with several feet of snow falling all around.  I lost access to the heated garage that I used last year, so the van received my old faithful method of placing 2 oil-filled heaters (1 next to the machine and 1 in the cargo area) on thermostats set at 70 degrees each.

I have been protecting my van this way for the last 6 years and always felt comfortable knowing that it was toasty inside.  Sure, you don't need a sauna in there, but I liked the idea of knowing that if I was to lose power, I would have a larger window of time before the temps dipped into the danger zone.

Well, as the snow started falling, I decided to go out and make a final check on the van before turning in for the night.  This time, I took my laser thermometer and an area measure to see how things were doing....I was surprised and disappointed.

The temps inside the van were 62 degrees front to back with the surface temp on the pump and water softener at 54 degrees.  That seemed okay, but then I remembered about the cracked elbow that I had coming out of last winter and decided to measure the surface temp on it.  That elbow feeds the dash manifold from the heat exchanger and was showing a mere 37 degrees.  Still above freezing, but not by much and water is already expanding at that point.

Now I got really curious and started to check everything in the van.  This van has the 1 inch foam insulation on the walls and ceiling with the standard indoor/outdoor carpet on the floor.  Heaters were showing 70 degrees on the gauge, the remote sensors midway up the van was at 68 degrees, pump and hardware was between 55 and 58 degrees, and the floor was only 36 degrees with the lower softener tank showing 42 degrees on the surface of the tank.

This will not do when the temps get below zero and I can't believe I didn't recognize this flaw over the last 6 years.

I guess I need to insulate the floors and get more heat to the lower areas.  Might go with IR heaters overhead instead.  One thing is for certain, you never stop learning in this business.  Today, I learned a valuable one that should help me survive the winter without damage.

Wow, sounds like it could be scary, and possibly damaging.........you're right, we never stop learning, as long as we're willing to learn!

I don't mean to sound like a dick, but I'm sure glad we don't have to deal with freezing temps often here in CA.

You're correct Davey.....must be willing to learn. It was and eye-opener for me to actually see the results on all surfaces.

It is a miserable time of year to be a cleaner, always worried about finding damage.

To heck with it this year, I'm just going to winterize the machine each night and leave a single heater inside after that.

It is going to suck having to remove everything each night, but this time of year I'm normally cleaning 3 days per week anyway so I guess it isn't that bad.

Some day I am moving back to a warmer state.

Milspec, get one of those inferred heaters at wallmart for 100 bucks. that thing will keep it plenty warm and draws way less energy (I think 50% less) Should prevent you from having to winterize each night.

Good suggestion Andy, I have one over my shop bench that about sets my head on fire, but I never feel much heat greater than 3 feet away.

I guess I could suspend it close enough to be within that close range....I will certainly try it out tonight.

The law of thermodynamics says, heat moves to cold. Steel and aluminum are excellent conductors of heat (or the movement of heat to cold IOW). IMO, the best way to heat the space in a van or box truck outside, would be to insulate the steel and have radiant heat (like the cables in new heated floors) . Some heat will be lost to the insulation and outer metal, but would be the best way to heat the space. The metal has to have SOME heat, otherwise it conducts the heat away quickly. Combine this with the fact heat rises, and you too would have to heat a steel or aluminum floor.

Probably could get away with not heating a wooden floor, because wood conducts heat less readily than metal.