ELECTRIC HEATERS

[ehall1234]

CAN ANYONE SUGGEST THE BEST ELECTRIC HEATER FOR USE IN A 36' FIFTH WHEEL WITH 4 SLIDES?
PROPANE COST ARE ABOUT $4.00 A GALLON IN MY AREA, THAT'S $25.00 FOR A 30 LB BOTTLE REFIL PLUS THE FUEL AND TIME TO GO GET IT FILLED. I'M ENTERESTED IN SAVING MONEY AND NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF PROPANE ON A COLD NIGHT. MY WIFE AND I ARE FULL TIMERS.

 

[PancakeBill]

The ceramic heaters do a great job for a small area.  Most electrics are 5000 watt.  Look at the oil filled radiator type. no fan, just radiant.  Had them before and always impressed. 

 

[PancakeBill]

Fulltime in one spot?  Have a big tank delivered, then they come by and refill.  This is what we do here in Grand Canyon and in the summer at Yellowstone.

 

[ehall1234]

Thanks Bill. We travel out at least once a month from the home base so a larger tank is not an option.

 

[waroland]

If your heat heats your holding tanks and under floor plumbing the electric heater may not keep them from freezing.

 

[Tony_Alberta]

We travel out at least once a month from the home base so a larger tank is not an option.

I would think all you need is to close the valve on the large tank, disconnect and use your onboard tanks for your trips.

 

[Kim (skyking4ar2) Bertram]

Our $29 Walmart radiant heater (1500 watts ???) will keep the front of the coach at 58 degrees at night (in the teens outside) with very little help from the propane heat. But no coffee pot at the same time!  ;D

I could not find a ceramic heater in Taos when I needed it, or I would have had one. I know a lot of people like the tower kind and they don't get in the way so much. I don't know if I could push a 5000 watt heater, though, on a shared circuit.....

 

[Bob Maxwell]

Walmart had ceramic heaters on sale last week.

I moved my Class C while wintering in Omaha about once a month and had a quick disconect on a tall tank. Just make sure you have a 8'-10' connecting hose --and good rearview mirrors to suplement your spotter!

 

[rsalhus]

Most electrics are 5000 watt.

Not true.  Most electric heaters are 1500 watts.  I've never seen a 5000 watt electric heater.

 

[PancakeBill]

oops, you are correct, I think it was 5000 btu's. and 1500 watts.

 

[Wizard46]

Sitting here with my Titan ceramic running now. Temp outside is about 40.

Last night the main heater came on a few times for just a few minutes and the Titan ran all night.

 

[tvman44]

We only use the propane furnace when the temp gets below freezing so the tanks do no freeze, the rest of the time we use ceramic heaters.  I have been by the oil filled heaters friends of ours have one and they are nice, take awhile to heat up but then they do a great job and no fan noise.

 

[PancakeBill]

I prefer the propane furnace, more even heat.  My fan motor had to be replaced and used the ceramic for a couple weeks waiting on parts in the living area, and now that is is back on I can really tell the difernce.  The little cube ceramic is nice as a supplement.

We have a big tank hooked in and on site delivery at a much better price than the OP, plus we pay for our own electric. 

 

[Ken & Sheila]

Ok Bill, how cold is it?

High today here 48. Low tomorrow night is going down to 25.

Happy New Years

ken

 

[rsalhus]

We run the electric heaters (we have two of them) in the morning and at night before we go to bed.  We hardly ever run them at night but have on occasion.  We turn the electric blanket on before going to bed and then shut it off when going to bed and don't run anything else till morning.  We haven't had the furnace on yet this month but we've got a cold spell coming now so we might use it real soon.

Happy New Year everyone!

 

[SCR]

My two $19.00 1500 watt Walmart specials keep us toasty and it's been down to 10 degrees.

Some evenings and mornings I give the furnace a run just to keep the basement area from freezing.

 

[Whiten]

This is one I have, I dont even use rvs propane heater. I think I paid like $29 for it last year.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lasko-Remote-Control-Ceramic-Tower-Heater-with-Digital-Display/7855541

 

[John From Detroit]

I have seen lots and lots of electric heaters which make all kinds of promises about being more efficient than other units and such.. here are the facts...

Though you can get other sizes.. Usually smaller.. MOST electric space heaters are 1500 watts. works out to about 12 to 12.5 amps and that's about the load limit on a 15 amp breaker for continuous loads.

Electric systems, all losses express as heat, so all electric heaters.. ALL OF THEM are 100% efficient.

Some,  Such as the ceramic cubes. are small, efficient (100%) and do not get as hot as the hot-wire kind making them safer in some folks opinion (I'm not convinced, but that is a neutral statement)

Some, such as the oil filled, are very large and likewise do not get overly hot.

Some, like the Eden Pure are way over priced (in my humble opinion)

Some will wear out faster than others  I have worn out several 10 buck specials.

As for what's best.. I'm not sure there is a best... Just look for one that' swell built.

 

[Peanutman]

Not meaning to hijack but when yall run your electric heaters how much does it increase your electric bill?

 

[Ned]

That would depend on how long you run the heaters and what the local price for electricity is.  You can calculate it by multiplying the wattage times the hours run times the price per KWh/1000.