Portable heaters

[GeorgiaBoy]

I read some of the threads from the past on this issue, but just wanted to see if anyone else had words of wisdom on safety and functionality of portable electric heaters in a PU.

Heading to the mountains in a few weeks with the wife and son and will probably see temps at night dipping into the 30's.

I want to keep the family warm, but i don't want to burn the camper down.  Your advice is appreciated.

[oldmoose]

We bought a portable heater at either HD or Walmart last year. It oscellates and was about $30. We used it a couple of weeks ago. It reduced the amount of propane we used.

Moose

[flyfisherman]

G.B. -  have a "Pelonis" brand ceramic heater, which I've used with my present camper for at least three years and it's done a good job of heating the little Starcraft where-ever I'm camped with access to elctrical hook-ups. Like so many have said on these boards, if your camping where there is electric and paying for same, might as well use it!

If I remember correctly, bought mine at Home Depot somewhere in the neighborhood of $20.00. It features a safety tip-over switch, a washable dust filter and a thermostat switch where you can set the temp. Another feature is it has a "fan only" switch where you could even use the thing for just blowing some air if need be. Most of these 110/120V heaters have two settings; mine has the 750 (low) or 1500 (high) watt settings and usually I'm always set at the 1500. Another point with this one, as I'm sure with most of any quality, the housing remains cool to the touch even though it's pumping out hot air. The orginal one I use to have, of many years old (and forgot the brand name), the housing got hot after in use awhile. Anyway, it's compact, taking up little storage space, and I've been pleased with it's performance. You can buy these type heaters with all kinds of whistles and bells, it will only cost you more bucks. As for me, I'm concerned about the heat it safely puts out, with a minimum of racket, taking up as little storage space as possible and I want the price to be reasonable. Like I told you before on another thread ... I've got fishing tackle to buy and I can't afford fishing tackle and frivolous non-essentials, too!


Fly

[JimQPublic]

I suggest a non-ceramic convection heater with a plastic fron grille.  The air discharge temperature on this type is lower than one of the units that use a "ceramic" heating element and your boy won't be burned if he touches the front.  All UL approved heaters have an overtemp shutoff in case the vents get obstructed.

another option would be one of the oil-filled electric radiators.  They are much bigger and more expensive, but are completely silent since there's no fan.

All electric resistance heaters - ceramic or not- are virtually 100% efficient at converting electricity to heat.

[dthurk]

We have both a Pelonis ceramic heater and an oil filled radiator.  We've used them both at various times, and also together on one occasion.  The Pelonis has a thermostat that changes the amount of power draw, making it run more slowly as it approaches the desired temp.  I believe it uses less electricity as it slows down.  The oil filled model has independent 900 watt and 600 watt switches, both on gives a full 1500 watts.  

1500 watts results in about 5500 BTUs.  1500 watts will draw about 12 amps of power.  You cannot run 2 heaters on the same circuit.  I have installed an additional outlet in our camper that can be hooked up independent of the camper power supply that gives us 3 circuits in the camper.  If I plug the 30 amp camper power cord into the campground power box, we get 2 circuits from the camper converter.  The 3rd circuit plugs directly into the campground 110 power outlet that you quite often find in the same power box right next to the 30 amp plug.  We have been toasty in the camper down into the upper 30's with only the Pelonis.  We haven't yet experienced sub freezing temps while camping.  Not sure I want to try being that hardy.  Certainly don't want to hear the complaints of DW.    

Whatever you do, make sure you have a small fan available for each bunk end.  The heater will heat the main body of the camper but the heat will not circulate into the bunk ends on its own.

[dee106]

we use two small box heaters cool to the touch, with the tip over shut off etc,  we have them facing the center of the room, by day and night we have them facing the bunkends, i have one on the stove and one on the table  day time we put them on the floor. also if you get a commerical carpet runner (rubber on the back) for your floor that keeps the floor warmer. (home depot on the roll)
 
 also you can use your sleep bags opened as a mattress cover to block out the cold from below and use a electric blanket on top, or get the electric mattress pad for the bottom of the bunk and the sleeping bag on top.
 
 please remember it will rain inside your camper in the night if you do not have good air movement, so make sure you leave a window open a bit, or use the heater with a fan to keep the warmer air moving, otherwise condensation will form on the bunk ends and your face will get wet!  cold air outside warm air inside and you breathe mositure, it will rain inside!
 
 putting tarps over the bunkend also will help keep the heat in.

[lushy]

We have the ceramic type electric heater with all the safety features mentioned (which is important!) and a thermostat dial to regulate the temp. We used it for the first time this year and it kept the PU warm with an outside temp of about 38*F.

It's also nice to have an electric heater in case you run out of propane....It's a little insurance policy for about $15-$30.

Another safety tip not mentioned is the placement of the heater in the PU. With 2 children I place the heater on the top of the steel stove lid and make sure the cord is secure. The steel lid provides a safe "base" for the heater.

Good luck and stay warm!  :frosty: