Two burner stove, turn on for 30 mins with door open and put two large firebricks on it. They got hot enough heat for at least 6 hours with no moisture or carbon monoxide issues

I have a minivan I converted, and for the longest time I searched for a safe space heater, the propane heater/stovetop never convinced me of safety! The problems of propane like you mentioned is carbon monoxide also the condensation is a bummer with mold & rust, another problem is if it gets knocked over even with the safety shutoff the grill is still hot! The other problem is you can’t leave it running if you leave the van, I would need to do that bc I have a service dog! I chose a diesel heater, I made sure I found a way to make it work & it works fantastic, the big plus’s are the heat is dry = no mold/no rust, comes with a digital thermostat easy to use & you can leave it running when you’re not in the van! Totally safe with no carbon monoxide! I ran it in the winter months sometimes -20 Fahrenheit in New York State and slept perfect! The best & safest heater out there, the kit may seem intimidating but it’s actually very easy to install & no smell of diesel fuel! It initially draws 10amps then it goes down to 1.9 amps! I hope this helps!

The unit heats up fast and is super quiet. It looks fancy kzfaq.infoUgkxl8Od2BvnGbn1ffwqsuFXW0QnmcZgMiVY and can be kept in the living room. It gets hot within a split second of turning on the unit. The build quality is exceptionally good and is safe to be around kids and pets. This one is super quiet and can be kept on while in office meetings, my wife loved it. It shows the temperature right on the unit which is very useful and adding a rotating feature helps to heat up the surrounding, so other people will not fight with you for heat. It is right as described in the description..!! Definitely recommend!!

a hot water bottle or two in a good winter sleepingbag is a simple and great option aswell! I live in norway and it works great all year round. The water bottle works just like a heated blanket, just no need for power. On the coldest nights I put it on my chest/stomack underneath my clothes and my body is instantly warm. As long as your heart is warm it will pump warm blood through your body! they contain the heat for a long time. then in the morning you can make another one for your bed, or put it inside your jacket or something if youre moving about. I also have two dogs that sleeps underneath the covers/in my sleepingbag that heats me up. I bought two good sleepingbags that could connect so its room for all of us, lol.

I just finally broke and bought a diesel heater. So far I love it!

I like that little Butane heater, I've never seen one that small. I've never seen a 12v electric blanket, either. I learned two new things today, now my brain is full. Good night.

I camped out overnight a couple of days ago here in the Great White North where the temp got down to 5, above 0, not below. In my Odyssey I used a Buddy portable, warmed the van nicely & I shut it down when I slept. I've also used a large heating pad plugged into my solar battery. Lasts all night, keeps me snug & warm in a good sleeping bag.

Thanks for taking the time to pull all those units out and doing a very detailed description of how and why you use them. Very nice no nonsense video.

Five different ways, to heat a Nissan S200- that's mighty impressive! Well done! More, please.

I'd suggest also keeping a thermos and hot water bottle. It takes 75 watt hours to heat a liter of water from 15c to 85c. You can reasonably add 150wh to your heating system by supplementing with a couple hot water bottles overnight. You can also get a battery powered vest or hoodie, they work well and are much lighter than the jackery and electric blanket.

I have the same van and i had auto start and alarm installed. I dont have to get out of bed to heat up, i just push button my key faub. But also because of your influence i purchased cupid heater! Love it!

Very interesting 👍. I have spent two winters in Alberta and three in Vancouver living full time in a Dodge Caravan. I've never modified anything and only used warm clothes, sleeping bags, foam pad and the heat from the engine. I just stay in the sleeping bag and use auto start to warm up the engine. I'm usually driving to work so I have to warm up the engine to de ice the windows anyway. In the depths of the Albertan winter I tended to surf the internet in malls and coffee shops for a heated place to hang out. So thanks, I'm always looking for new tips. I find the humidity makes a big difference the prairies are so dry and PNW is so damp. The dampness makes cold winters just as uncomfortable as much colder drier places. In PNW my tip for staying warm is investing in good quality moisture wicking underlayers such as merino. I simply find it is so much easier to insulate myself than heat the van. But I do like your idea for the small butane heater I think it could be used to dry out the van as damp does become a problem. Butane does give off moisture but heat convection should take it out of cracked windows. Thanks for your tips keep it up👍

I can recommend #6 is 1500 BTU Coleman or Martin catalytic propane heater. On 1 pound propane tank it runs at least 9-10 hours, which is enough for full night sleep. I use it for years and very happy with it.

Just want to say this is a really good video on staying warm in a vehicle. I'm just going to start car camping so I need good tips and hints like this. Thanks.

Great video and breakdown of the options. For me, a cheapo chinese diesel heater is still worth the cost and effort over any of these options, many of which I tried, for so many reasons. Installing one is mainly a matter of assembly and where to drill the hole. It took about $200, 4 total hours of planning and education and 3 hours of labor to install mine. A youtuber called John McK 47 has an excellent series of videos on the technical aspects. Yes, you will probably need a separate 12V battery, but for that upfront investment, you have a heating system that can heat your entire vehicle for 48 hours (continuously) on a 10L tank, no matter where you park, in the coldest weather, and has a virtually nil risk of CO poisoning or fire compared to propane and butane (when burning properly it produces 6-8ppm CO at the exhaust, which is vented outside of the vehicle anyway, and diesel isn't flammable under normal pressure). Another notable advantage is that they produce dry heat and you won't have any condensation. Last advantage is that in the long run, the efficiency of diesel means that you'll spend less-- again, about 48 hours of continuous heat on a medium setting and a 10L tank. Diesel is about $0.90 per liter, so that's 9 bucks for 48 hours of heat. A Mr. Buddy propane heater lasts about 6 hours on a 1lb propane tank, which costs about 4 bucks. So for the same amount of heating time, you will have changed the tank 8 times, and have spent 32 bucks, or about 3.5 times as much. Butane has a similar cost-efficiency. Short of the diesel heater, I'd say that a 12v electric blanket and a good-quality sleeping bag are the best options. Anything in between, like propane, is really only good for a few moderately cold nights at best, and definitely not an option for sustained cold.

Got the Kovea Cupid. Living in Vancouver in an E350 window van. When it was zero degrees Celsius…..it was 18 degrees Celsius in here. Comfy as hell. Running it right now.

Great video. Liked the fact that you got straight to the info without chasing rabbits and gab.

Great video I noticed your placement of your carbon monoxide detector if you do have another spot the put it that would be safer and it will function better. It’s best not to install your carbon monoxide detector directly above or beside any fuel-burning appliances. A carbon monoxide detector should not be placed within fifteen feet of heating or cooking appliances or in or near very humid areas it can effectively reduce its safety impact and efficiency to work when you most need it too, and that’s when your asleep. There is a lot of confusion as wether to put your detector near the ground or up high, carbon monoxide is actually slightly lighter than air in the technical sense but that also depends on the temperature of the environment at the time inside your house, room or vehicle. I’ve been using them in gas plants and we wear them at chest height, sometimes at waist level on your belt so the height you have yours positioned is okay in that regard but here in Australia we have a very high standard of safety prevention is always better than the cure. But me personally would always have 2 of them in a van, one high and one low. We used to test them in groups of 10 or more at a time together ( I mean one’s worth between $600.00 and $800.00 each) exposing them to carbon monoxide and many other gases and not all of them worked every time, the test button results worked but not the acknowledgment of carbon monoxide in the air. It’s always a safer option to have a back up. On the flip side why I’m mentioning this to you is when we looked at real cases of families dying in houses from heat source’s , furnaces etc, from leaking carbon monoxide ( and we watched lots of them), because the air inside the houses was warmer because of the heat the carbon monoxide emissions fell to the ground in many cases ( hence killing everyone asleep) and the test levels were lower up high. Also the people In some of the houses that slept upstairs survived as the carbon monoxide vented downwards. Good luck on your travels definitely buy 2 detectors for peace of mind. Just thought I’d share have a great day 😊

Very well done. The layout of your van looks very well thought out. I’m just starting my van NV-200 conversion. Floors, roof and lower half walls now insulated. Intent is to head from the northeast to the Midwest backpacking National Parks and other quality areas.

Nice units you got man, although the Jackery is a solar capable power station, so either a 100 watt solar panel or even 2 of them mounted on top of the van would keep it charged full almost everyday! There is also portable solar panels too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas too. Cheers

I have a bigger van (an nv3500) but I am not a full time nomad (yet). I am a single mom and work for the local school district which means summers off but also not paid. We have the time to travel but not the budget for amenities. I need my van to still work as a passenger van during the school year but I want to be able to use it as a camping van during the summer. I am disabled and can’t be taking a modular build in and out so I bought a 3500 so I can remove the rear rows and build out the back leave the front rows for passengers. All that to say that even though I have a bigger van, I only have half of it for a build out so I really love this video. Space saving tips are great for my purpose. Thank you!! Also, great find on the Cupid heater,…I have been watching Vanlife videos for over five years and I have never seen that one.

good video about heat options i went fall camping at Oregon coast with no heat source...froze my arse off lol...did not even cross my mind to start up the van...i have Camco olympian wave 3 now...its perfect

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. The information is very helpful.

I have the Kovea Cupid and love it. I've used it in a full size Chevy van and now using it in my 6x10 cargo trailer/camper conversion. It's the perfect size and have been using it for 2 winters now.

THANK YOU for five different heating choices! The Kovea heater would be my choice for a small van or vehicle or even a small room or bathroom for a house if the power goes out.

Great ideas. I did notice that roll of flammable paper towel near your heat can. I bought an item almost identical to the heat can in Walmart's kitchen section intended as a stainless steel can for utensils. It was less than $10.

Love your great attitude. Great video! Love the little covea cupid heater and small electric heater for when you have power at your site. I have a 1000 watt Jackery with Solar panels. My problem is, no van 🤣 I was going to do van life but not anymore. Got a cheap but nice apartment as I think I’d need some relief from van life. Got a butane/propane one burner stove. Plan on getting the electric blanket too. Now if I can just get the van.

Some good ideas here. We're thinking about camping out of our old Town and Country and were just gonna bring along our blue Dyson air tower thing, but duh, we have electric blankets and never use them at home anymore so I missed that idea until you reminded me it's there. Thanks!

Coleman Black Cat heater on low using propane bottles are good for a night and a half for my van at 40° outside. I don't go to super cold places here in SoCal. When I had my Sportsmobile pop top van I did use the Black Cat in the mountains overnight with snow . Still only used it on low.

Thanks, out of all, I love the Kovea Cupid. Keep camping.

I heard a tip from a tent camper that before bed he eats a big bowl of pasta which causes his body to generate heat during the night. It's not the craziest idea. Those of us who have horses give them extra hay at night to eat bc that generates heat. Also just before getting into his sleeping bag he does some calisthenics for a minute and the bag itself will have a heated water bottle or a wrapped heated brick placed in the foot area. I like low tech options.

So, so many times van builds get overly complicated through over-thinking. The van-heater realization you had is a classic example. I use a heating pad (like for a tummy ache) that I plug in and keep under the blankets all night. Works great. Nice video!

Thank you! Very informative vid with all these heating options all in one vid. 👍

Great video I almost have my truck build finished and have been thinking about how to heat it. I do have a buddy heater but it is pretty big and the stove i have is pretty big as well. I may switch over to the butane mainly because if its size. Again great video have a great rest of your weekend led

Although I am converting a short-bus, and yes putting in a diesel heater, your first tip is still one I could use. I could pipe the heat from the cab vent into the living area of the bus in a pinch. I do have a Mr. Buddy I have used a couple times when working in the bus (with proper ventilation) in winter but I hate the ambient smell associated with such heaters.

Good to know about the 12v electric blanket. I have a 110v heated throw I use with my generator and that usually does the trick.

I love your nice little cabin too. Thanks for sharing 👍

thank you so much Scott for the info.this is Hecksal from Vegas.

I have lived off grid for 24 years so when I set up my bus I already knew what would work and what wouldn't. Running an electric heater especially with cold batteries and Cloudy weather is beyond stupid. Don't do it. The battery will fail and you will be out a lot of money. I survived several cold winters with just a 12 volt electric blanket and plenty of wool blankets. On really cold nights you can heat up a few quarts of water and take a hot water bottle to bed with you. My bus has a wood stove and of course I still have an electric blanket because it a very economical way to stay warm Don't risk your life with carbon monoxide poisoning either. You would be better reading about thermal bridging.. trying to heat a metal box is a losing battle. He has 5 sources of heat and no way to keep warm.... ? Insulate and ventilate...... You are welcome..

Very good Scott! I’ve been researching diesel heaters and your vid popped up. I’m trying to figure something out for my toy hauler. Missed you at the last rally.

I’m about to go through it here in about 3 weeks 😅 thank you for the experienced support

Living in a van for six years using the little buddy heater .. good advice good point of view great video🖖🏻🧔🏻‍♀️ PS you might wanna move the towel rack

Thanks for showing us this CUPID heater. I’m going to need to find a CUPID heater myself

Good info, thanks for sharing with us. I never looked at this stuff before but it's good to have if you need to get warm.

The little propan heater is perfect

omg, I have been looking in vain for a right-sized heater for my van. I'm ditching this useless big bulky propane-using buddy heater that blows me out of the van in 5 minutes. I use butane and buy in bulk so this is SPOT ON! THANKS!

An old school solution is using an unglazed clay flowerpot upside down on your stove sized so the pot opening is same size as your stove burner. Hole in bottom of pot allows for homemade handle to move around or use oven pads.

Those little Broan heaters are amazing. I use one in my 28’ travel trailer to save on propane.

Thanks so much for this, Scott! I am outfitting a minivan for weekend camping, and these look like great options. (Also from PDX).

Great solutions! I would also recommend looking into UCO Candlelier Lantern. Using three candles in the lantern, it throws off several hundred BTUs of heat per hour. It’s enough to take the chill off and slightly warm up such a small van for sure. I use one in my 2017 RAM ProMaster City camper van. It typically raises the internal temps 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit vs outside ambient temperatures. Perfect for use on those near freezing temperature days, you know?

VERY HELPFUL !! I've been sleeping my cargovan, Ford,windstar, since 6 years with my dog and my cat in Bacliff (SE of Houston TX ) in front of my driveway after I lost my house in a fire. If I only knew all this stuff at the very beginning of this adventure. Then again... all in their good time. Now, a former neighbor who is n 23:37 ow homeless she has an SUV , , and I try to help her with the help of what I learn from your presentation. In addition to it, I will insolate her car interior 1" thik: walls, windows,floors plus I 23:37 will build for her a bed ,kitchenette, mini shower, powerstation "mini garage "shelfs, and cabinets, like yours,etc... Greate ideas. Thank you !

After seeing your heat can - I got to thinking about those candle flower pot videos - and I tried this out: - I have a large terra cotta flower pot which fits upside down on my Colman butane stove - it works like your heat can and gives off heat for ages after you turn the flame off! Thanks for the inspiration!

Thank you for your openness, honesty, and detailed explanations of the 5 sources of heat.

Put in a small wood burner 😂 great video brother! Come to Montana this year!

Great video ! Carbon monoxide is heavier than air so it builds up near the floor and will kill you in bed before the detector goes off. I'd mount it lower than your bed.

Love Electric Blankets and Heating Pads.

I heat my minimate camper with 110v electric if Im at a campsite with shore power. I also have a 12v electric blanket which I connect to a power station. The trick for not draining the power station is to use a usb with a 12v cigarette lighter plug. And its efficient. Another method of heating my camper is with my solo stove which I put at the bottom of stove a candle or sterno fuel. I can probably cover the solo stove with a small flower pot too to add radiance.

Fabulous information thanks and safe camping,cheers.

To add another suggestion: a cast iron Japense tea kettle on a cast iron platform that can hold a candle or can of sterno or alcohol heat source. The idea is to have a heat sink consisting of both water and cast iron using a low tech source of heat. Obviously not for really cold temperatures. But at least you'll have hot water for tea or bouillon or hot chocolate.

That stove top heater looks good, will order one. We are off to the Alps soon and will look for campsites, in which case have a tiny 500w heater. Years ago had a 1-2kW fan heater and even on low it was way too hot. Yours is the best review I have seen on this subject, thanks.

Thankyou scott I think your heated blanket is a great idea.

That's the first time I have seen one of those little Butane heater's. Ty

Nicely done! I just bought a diesel JDM camper with a built in diesel heater but I like your multi alternatives. Inspired me to think about backups to open up camping year round. 😊

Kovea Cupid Heaters are my favorite, by far. Tried them ALL. Kept me alive in negative temps many time

Thanks for this awesome video! Havent heard of the stove heater setup :)

Great information. Thanks very much.

Ooh…I’m def leaning towards Cupid! THANK you!!! ❤

I have owned one of these Cupid heaters for over a year - and it is great. Things to be aware of: No integrated oxygen sensor, No tipping sensor, butane cans are not refillable, it uses an "open flame", and being an open flame type heater it can produce a fair amount of water vapor after hours of use (dripping water on windows and trailer walls). I too use a a CO sensor - and a propane sensor. I also ensure that I keep a window cracked open. The open window helps reduce the moisture accumulation as well as lower the risk of CO poisoning. When properly deployed, the cupid is VERY stable, so tip over is not a real concern verses a Mr. Buddy box type heater. My experience is that 90% of the heat (or more) goes out from the front grate - not out the back, top, or bottom of the unit. For safety I would not run the heater all night when you are sleeping - but I will admit that I have done this on at least one very cold night in my small trailer. In my 6x8 square drop trailer, on the low setting I have gotten 5+ hours of heat from a single butane can. I bought my Cupid heater on eBay, shipped directly from South Korea. It arrived in about a week, well packed with bubble wrap, with no damage of any kind (and also came with Korean language-only instructions). When used safely the cupid is a great solution for SUV, tent, and small trailer camping.

Nice! I use the Kovea cupid heater and I also have the Kovea stove much like the one you show here...both work great for heating my van. My van is a little bigger than yours in that it is a GM standard cargo van (GMC Savana). I'm out near Bend Oregon...so the winters can be brutally cold...and these two options work great for me. I do travel to Portland for a week each month for work. I live out of the van for that week and it works great for that! I did put a good battery and solar setup so I'm fully self contained but still use the butane options.

❤ awesome information!! Thank You for sharing!!

I have the same van as you. And because of you I bought the Cupit heater and love it! But the other thing I really love is I paid to have an automatic start put on my car. I keep my keys next to my bed and all they have to do is push the button and it starts the van in the morning and it heats up in 10 minutes. I never even have to get out from under the blankets! The van quickly heats in 10 minutes up to 70° and then I get out and start my day. Sometimes on the freezing night I will use that instead of get out and turn on my Cupit heater. Anyway I really love both solutions for my van. I also use a 12 V electric blanket that I plug into my Jacorey to warm my bed before I even get into it. It only runs for 10 minutes. But I can easily restart that anytime during the night to warm me up. The coldest temperatures I have slept in my van was 29°F. Also I have a 250 Watt heater not good for freezing temps but good for 45-50

Thanks for much 4 teaching us 🇺🇸

Never have I seen such a rather sexy little Butane Heater. Love the smallest of appliances.

Thanks for sharing. Good review.

Your detector should be at floor level. Co2 is heavier than air. Just a safety tip. :)

Thank you! Superb advice.

Great informative video. Thank you.

Propane = flame = oxygen use = RED FLAG in a HOUSE let alone a space like a small van. Electric unit (set on SUPER LOW heat) powered from a long cord or secondary battery prolly better all around. (Shop around; they're out there) Sleeping bag liners are a cheap and easily stored alternative. The 12V blanket sounds like another, but I don't know about the battery drain... Milwaukee Brand tools offers a (self contained) battery powered jacket. Many motorcycle accessory suppliers offer the same (Gerbings is one of the best there. Sorta pricy; Worth it!) Spent lots of time in a tent freezing various things off. Now in a Chevy Uplander SUV converted to a sleeper. Keeping warm has never been a problem. Keeping cool is literally another story. My $.02

Hey thanks. I’ve tried most of these, but still watched through to the end. Good video. I have a domestic electric underblanket that draws less watts than my 12v blanket. Even a small diesel heater will likely cook you alive in that smaller van. I have the Fiat Ducato (Promaster over there) and the 2KW is just enough.

Thanks. We have a oil filled heater we use in our home. I wish someone made a smaller version that you could hook it up to a peer source. I love our Jackery 500. The next one will be a Jackery 1500-2000.

Super practical ideas!

I've seen some van lifers with mini wood and pellet stoves, different sizes, based on van size, and they keep even a decent sized van, warm enough to handle the cold. Also, you can cook meals and heat coffee and tea on them. Just find a nice corner spot, with the fireproof metal under and around, which protects the van, AND helps to reflect the warmth outward. Some van lifers even use the tiny tent stoves in their vans. Good heat and cooking on them, too Still need ventilation and smoke or Carbon monoxide detectors, of course.

That little Cupid heater is pretty cool

I'm back East, and I wish I had more of that cool weather.

Great info. Thanks for sharing. Be safe.

Nice set up in the van sir

Great Video, thx for sharing and greetings from italy :)

Great options Scott, thanks.

Thank you so much for sharing the ideas. I recently started camping and I was looking for ways to heat up my little vehicle. I would go for that cupid butane heater because the place where I live and camp around in Australia, it does not get too cold. So the butane heater would work for me.

Thank you this is really helpful. Im a girl & always cold lol. Also have 2 dogs with me & they come first. Take care God bless you.

Thanks for the video, long, but outlines the options well.

Very helpful video Thank You!

Great info. Thank you

Another con on the diesel heater is the extra expense of diesel. Most people living in their vans have to be very money conscious and can't afford to buy so many types of fuels. I really appreciate this video.

It would be really helpful to put links to the products you talk about. You could make some cash too but I am uncertain if you have to get to a certain point in subscribers to be able to monetize. Good video!

Good video. Love the little butane heater!!

I enjoyed this video. I like having a little gas heater on board myself. I use my diesel night heater mainly on cold nights but use gas during the day. The diesel heater is great for getting the van up to temps quickly along with the gas then I turn the diesel heater off to save Ah when I'm hanging around one area for a while 👍 The gas heater, diesel heater and making a coffee all at the same time and I'm toastie warm in winter in 10 minutes 🙂 Subbed 👍

I was not familiar with the Kovea heater. That looks like an interesting option.

Tarp and Velcro across your back doors just saying love you brother.

Very much helpful information, Thanks