Propane question

[Alfa38User]

Most people recommend something like this:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-surge-guards-with-lcd-display-50-amp/58465

They come in 30 amp and 50 amp varieties, wired in or portable. They offer much more protection than a simple surge protector.

There are other makers such as Progressive Industries and perhaps cheaper places to buy them than the one shown above!!

 

[Greg H.]

A popular alternative to the propane heater mentioned above is the Olympian Wave Catalytic heater - they come in three sizes:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/olympian-wave-catalytic-safety-heaters/1630

One of many items on my wish list.

Greg

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

My inverter can put out 110V if I need it, but I bet I'll really never use it much. I suppose it would be handy for an outdoor light? What do most people use them for?

Most people have an inverter to power TV and DVD, satellite receiver (if used) and to power their computers and charge their cell phones. All very convenient to have when no shore power is available.

Powering a heater or hair dryer via an inverter requires a huge battery bank. There is no free lunch - the power has to come from somewhere and heating devices demand a lot of power! Cooling devices too!

 

[Castranova]

Gary and Greg,
I bought a ceramic heater from Home Depot yesterday, and if the propane runs out, we'll be good since we'll have shore power. I have a question though--how much is TOO MUCH to expect from the plugs inside of the RV? My inverter has two plugs I can use, but was wondering if I shouldn't use say, a Kitchen-aide mixer, in the RV plug inside???
Thanks!

 

[Greg H.]

It depends on a few factors... what size ceramic heater?  Many go up to 1500 watts and at 120 volts, they'll draw 12.5 amps.

So the next question is how is your RV wired?  Is that a 15 amp circuit you're connecting to, and what else is hanging off that circuit?  Most of the guidelines I have read say that you should not exceed 80% of a circuit's capacity, so with a 1500 watt heater, you're at 83% on that 15 amp circuit.

Of course there are other factors like: what's the rating of the supply connection between the shore and the RV, most have a minimum of 30 amps these days, but I'm sure there are some exceptions, with this you need to consider all your RV loads against your supply. 

That's is you're connected to shore power.  If you're using an inverter instead of shore power, then you have to factor in the output wattage of the inverter.

 

[Larry N.]

You might also want to be aware, in case of freezing weather, that running portable electric heaters doesn't help your storage tanks (water, black, grey) at all. Many rigs (not all) have heated tanks, when the furnace is running.

 

[Jammer]

Karen/Al,

Rule of thumb for medium sized rigs is that the furnace will burn 3 pounds of propane an hour when it's running.  So, you will get around 13 hours of run time on a pair of 20 pound tanks.

On my trailer, with no wind, the furnace flame is on around 40-50% of the time to keep the trailer at 72 degrees when it's 32 degrees outside.  It takes around an hour to get the trailer fully warm from a 32 degree interior temperature.

30# or 40# aluminum propane tanks are an excellent investment for winter camping.  A full 30# aluminum tank is lighter than a full 20# steel tank, while a full 40# aluminum tank is slightly heavier.  The float gauges are worth having too.

http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/Vertical_Aluminum_Propane_Tanks_s/1.htm

Whatever tank size you use it can help matters to have a 3rd tank in the bed of your truck.

Another thing that some people do if staying in one spot for a while is use the 100# tanks typically used for construction heaters.  They will not fit on the trailer tongue but depending on your situation if you have a seasonal site or similar you may be able to have the local propane company deliver them in advance.  Or you can put them in a pickup bed.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I have a question though--how much is TOO MUCH to expect from the plugs inside of the RV? My inverter has two plugs I can use, but was wondering if I shouldn't use say, a Kitchen-aide mixer, in the RV plug inside???

You keep confusing the issue by referencing "inverter" when you are running off shore power.  Unless the inverter is supplyng the power to the wall outlets, it is irrelevant. Each wall outlet is part of a branch circuit but there may be more than one outlet per circuit. Standard wall outlets are 15 amp max, just like at a stick house, but if more than one share a circuit, they are also limited to 15A total (or perhaps 20A total for some circuits). Look at the rating on the circuit breaker - that's the total for all outlets on that circuit, with a max of 15A for any single one. [Yes, there are some 20A outlets made, but lets not confuse the question unnecessarily]

Your inverter outlets have some max as well, depending on the rating of the inverter. The outlets themselves are probably 15A each, but unless the inverter is rated for 3600 watts total, you can't actually get that much.  We haven't delved into how your inverter is wired into the coach circuits, if it is at all, so it's hard to guess whether it has any relationship at all to the other outlets. Since there are outlets on the face of the inverter, it seems likely that the only way to use inverter power is to plug in there.

 

[Castranova]

Thanks Gary and Jammer...

Great and informative posts. I'm an understanding the inverter's purpose now and am thinking about investing into the bigger propane tanks!

Greg,

Those are good inferences concerning wattage and power. I just need to keep things straight so I don't blow a gasket!  ;D