Freezing in my trailer

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CatfishRV

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Joined
Sep 25, 2006
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7
I am living in my new Springdale 27ft travel trailer and need advice for heating this thing.  I live in an rv park and electricity is paid.  When the temp gets down in the 30's, it is freezing in here!  I am running 2 electric heaters (1 oil radiator type and 1 ceramic) which work IF you are standing right beside them.  The rest of the trailer and the exterior walls are ice cold.  Insulation must be nonexistent in this thing.  I really don't want to burn my propane since electricity is paid and all.  Just wondering if there is anything I can do to help heat this thing.  Also wonder if they rate travel trailers on how energy efficient they are.  I guess I could search for some big propane tank to tie into? :-\
 
To heat the rig sufficiently you will need to use the propane. Some campgrounds offer rentals on 100lb tanks that can be hooked to your rig in place of the smaller tanks. That would be the easiest since you won't have to fill as often. If the campground doesn't have the tanks a local propane dealer might be able to bring one to you.

If you try heating with just electric by adding more heaters you may end up drawing too much current and popping a breaker.
 
Jim Dick said:
To heat the rig sufficiently you will need to use the propane. Some campgrounds offer rentals on 100lb tanks that can be hooked to your rig in place of the smaller tanks. That would be the easiest since you won't have to fill as often. If the campground doesn't have the tanks a local propane dealer might be able to bring one to you.

If you try heating with just electric by adding more heaters you may end up drawing too much current and popping a breaker.

They don't offer tanks here but a local propane dealer just might.  I'll call them in the morning and check on it.  Great Idea!
Also I have tried plugging in a 3rd electric heater and sure enough the main breaker trips.

Thank you sir!
 
You could put the campfire in your livingroom. ;)  Just kidding.  My parents used to heat our house with one of those kerosene heaters.  I don't know if that's any less expensive than running the LP heater or any less safe.

Most campers have a R value of 7, and single pane glass is about R1.  If you looked at your camper through one of those heat cameras it would be glowing red.  If your going to continue living in your camper I would do some heat saving improvements like heavier drapes and those insulation blocks that go in the roof vent.

A dehumidifier will also be much help.  You create alot of moisture cooking, bathing, and even just breathing inside of a camper.  The dehumidifier will also make the temperature easier to control by getting the moisture out of the air.
 
The large, 100 gal. tanks, would only be available from a propane dealer.  Be sure to check with the park to see that they allow them first.

If your electric heaters are radiant heaters, then you need to use some with fans in them to circulate the warm air.

The suggestion to insulate the windows and roof vents is good too.  You can get the metalized reflective material and cut it to fit in the windows and vents, but you lose the light.  However, dark is better than freezing :)
 
Depending on your layout, you can close off sections of the trailer you don't use with curtains or plastic, it will reduce the space you have to heat and might help too.
 
I think you have discovered that the Springdale is a "vacation class" trailer and not intended for all season use. Insulate wherever you can - put foam "pillows" in the ceiling  vents and the insulating shields that Ned mentioned over as many windows as you can.  Doing something around the outside to block the air flowing under the rig would also help - bales of hay make a good insulating "skirt" but most anything that encloses the underside will help a lot.
 
Lot's of good suggestions and ideas here guys.  Thanks alot!
I appreciate the info.

Great site here and I appreciate it!

Mike
 
RV Roamer said:
I think you have discovered that the Springdale is a "vacation class" trailer and not intended for all season use.
I have a 1972 32ft Airstream Sovereign I haven't used it in the winter "yet" but am thinking about it. Can you tell me if mine is "vacation class" or are Airstreams insulated  ???? Or point me in the right direction to answer my own question...Thanks ;D ;D
 
I really don't know, trucker101. The original Airstreams were quite well built, but some of the models since then have been somewhat less so.  I suspect your 72 will be relatively OK, but that doesn't mean you will be warm as toast. The standards for insulation back in the 60-s and 70's were much lower than now, so even if the Airstream was built better than other 70's RVs, it might still be less than today's low end.  AS I recall, the older Airstreams had only small windows and not a lot of them, so that should help.  If you try it out, let us know how it works out.

Go to Airstream Vintage Trailer Site for links to all sorts of resources for Airstream owners.
 
Hi trucker,

For a comparison of three Airstreams, go to:

http://www.tompatterson.com/VAC/Archives/2000_12/msg00306.html

tylerbear
 
Avoid using the cook stove to heat the inside. Good way to get gassed! Run the propane furnace, and enjoy the heat. One thing that really helped move the heat, from cooking etc, was to put a small 12 volt fan up near the ceiling, out of the way, blowing downward. Only took a few seconds.
Stuffing a foam block up in the vent pans is a great idea. Also, Putting fiberfill batting sewn into a sleeve, then placeing them behind  the window curtains to block heat loss helps to some extent.
We spend September in our rig, up in the high country, and have to think of every trick to make it warm. this winter we have been only in cold places (Wyoming, NEbraska, Iowa), so it is really putting us to the test. When plugged in to shore power, we use a heating blanket to prewarm the bed, then I am the brave one who arises to turn on the furnace, and start the teapot. Brrr.
We are in Alabama today, and it is possibly up to 54 degrees. It's been in the 20's and 30's here for over a week.
next year I am either staying home, or going to Mexico.
 
Good advice. The cook stove also generates a lot of water vapor, contributing to the winter condensation problems.

And if Mike has a microwave that is vented to the outside (or a similar stove hood), chances are a lot of cold air is moving thrugh that duct. Sometimes they have no baffles or "flapper", but even when they do they often allow a lot of cold air to flow inside.
 

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