GC6800, heating question

SkiBoy · Feb 14, 2021

Hello California people,

My first posting here, been on FaceBook a while and whilst they have some helpful sites, as soon as you mention you're thinking of ordering a GC, you get a bit of negative feedback, as they feel that everyone should be building their own I guess.

Went for the GC6800 for medical reasons for wife, was just about to buy a stupidly fast sports car (midlife crisis), and then find out that things are not all as they should be, so I had a choice of sending photos back to the wife of where I am in Europe or have her sat next to me. No hesitation, cancelled the car (dealer wasn't too happy ‍

)

Anyway I diversify, if I've got this GC6800, then I'll use it for skiing ⛷ as well, so I ordered a 4x4 with diff lock and diesel heating. Where I got in the season (but not this season obviously ) even in brilliant sunshine it will stay below 0C, with -10C not uncommon.

So I'll need the heating running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I can refill the fuel tank every day should I need to, BUT ...... ski resorts are not like some camp site in Cornwall with beautiful hook up facilities, it is highly likely it will be a piece of blank tarmac I'll be on.

So count it as, "off grid", do I need to run a petrol generator to keep the heater running 24/7?

I'm too tired to, "party", so I won't be running almost any electric, other than the fridge and a computer, I've ordered the solar panel for the top, but when it snows, it'll be pretty useless, I can run the engine for an hour or so on the evening.

I've droned on and on, but my question is, can I run my diesel heater 24/7 without too many problems?

Thanks

satuja · Feb 14, 2021

Hi,

We have tested two nights here in Finland.

12 hours of heating with diesel in -18C drained 70% of the battery (asking temp inside was +19C)
12 hours of heating with diesel in 0C drained 30% of the battery (asking temp inside was +20C)

And we did not have any extra window covers in the front. I think they would help a lot.

WelshGas · Feb 14, 2021

SkiBoy said:
Hello California people,

My first posting here, been on FaceBook a while and whilst they have some helpful sites, as soon as you mention you're thinking of ordering a GC, you get a bit of negative feedback, as they feel that everyone should be building their own I guess.

Went for the GC6800 for medical reasons for wife, was just about to buy a stupidly fast sports car (midlife crisis), and then find out that things are not all as they should be, so I had a choice of sending photos back to the wife of where I am in Europe or have her sat next to me. No hesitation, cancelled the car (dealer wasn't too happy ‍)

Anyway I diversify, if I've got this GC6800, then I'll use it for skiing ⛷ as well, so I ordered a 4x4 with diff lock and diesel heating. Where I got in the season (but not this season obviously ) even in brilliant sunshine it will stay below 0C, with -10C not uncommon.

So I'll need the heating running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, I can refill the fuel tank every day should I need to, BUT ...... ski resorts are not like some camp site in Cornwall with beautiful hook up facilities, it is highly likely it will be a piece of blank tarmac I'll be on.

So count it as, "off grid", do I need to run a petrol generator to keep the heater running 24/7?

I'm too tired to, "party", so I won't be running almost any electric, other than the fridge and a computer, I've ordered the solar panel for the top, but when it snows, it'll be pretty useless, I can run the engine for an hour or so on the evening.

I've droned on and on, but my question is, can I run my diesel heater 24/7 without too many problems?

Thanks

Diesel won’t be the limiting factor. Diesel air heaters are quit frugal in their diesel usage.
Electric power is a different matter.
The Grand California only has 1 Leisure Battery. Yes, you have the Solar panel but as you mentioned, if covered in snow, not much benefit.
Suggestion, 2nd Leisure Battery, has to be same output and type as the original.Ideally same age as well or within 1 yr or so, at least.
You could use the engine to put some charge back in, but this is inefficient and not good for the engine used in such away on a regular basis.
A petrol generator, generating 230 v AC might be the way forward.

The other problem is your gas supply. Propane rather than Butane would be the better choice in cold climates.
Also, I gather the Truma Hot water system, automatically empties the water tank if the temperature drops towards freezing. There are workarounds.

c4s2rs6 · Feb 14, 2021

Hi Skiboy

Self building forums seems to hate the GC, maybe due to cost or lack of construction effort but if you want something finished off with a warranty it’s a good option. The batteries charge quickly if you go for a short drive and hit the charge booster button, almost not with bothering with a noisy external generator. Do you have solar? The solar is useful to trickle charge the batteries when you see parked up for a while but at least in winter on a GC 600 104 watts is not enough to be self sufficient without driving. Sure you with both enjoy the 680!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

c4s2rs6 · Feb 14, 2021

c4s2rs6 said:
Hi Skiboy

Self building forums seems to hate the GC, maybe due to cost or lack of construction effort but if you want something finished off with a warranty it’s a good option. The batteries charge quickly if you go for a short drive and hit the charge booster button, almost not with bothering with a noisy external generator. Do you have solar? The solar is useful to trickle charge the batteries when you see parked up for a while but at least in winter on a GC 600 104 watts is not enough to be self sufficient without driving. Sure you with both enjoy the 680!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh see you have solar. That should help but as you say not when it’s snowing. The roof is so well insulated the snow doesn’t go anywhere

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

SkiBoy · Feb 16, 2021

Thanks people, those are the most useful answers I've had. Everyone on FaceBook talks of going, "off grid", but never explains how or if possible, and always explains how they did it in some scorching heat of the South of France or something, very different to -10C in the Swiss/French/Italian Alps.

I hate being cold, so its a biggie for me, Welshgas mentioned about running the engine not being a good idea. I understand this, when I say, "off grid", its only for a week or 2 weeks maximum and, "off grid", means 10 minutes walk to the local EnVogue designer shops, restaurants and Spa facilities.

SatJua, you say 70% loss of power after 12 hours, thats a little disconcerting, as in theory I was hoping to park the GC for a week, I do tend to start the engine and warm up the engine and make sure the Service battery is nice and charged, but I always park underground, this will be on an open area now.

Thankfully, or not thankfully, I hopefully will get the GC soon and after the ski season that didn't exist, which means I get a chance to try out the GC at home, but home in England means an, "off season", of +5C - +10C, so hardly testing the heating system.

The French don't seem too keen on installing power systems as they want you to use their hotels (obviously) so a tarmac carpark is about as good as it gets. Add winds at 2000m elevation and the thought of placing portable solar goes out the window.

An extra battery sounds good, an extra container of diesel sounds good, a VERY quiet generator sounds good and starting the engine every day to ensure the Service Battery is nice and charged sounds good. ‍

Off Grid is not sounding so easy as I thought, once the temperature drops ......