Help with Park Model RV Heating

[thinkxingu]

Hello!
My wife and I just closed on a 39-foot park model RV in a condo campground and are starting to put things together for our first weekend, May 1st. One of the things we're thinking about is heating as, though it won't get below freezing, there will be nights in the 40's.
Trailer setup is master on one end, triple bunk at other. Any suggestions on quiet electric heaters that might work to keep main area and bedrooms warm? I've done the math and propane heating (built in system) will be louder and more expensive.
One more caveat: it's been suggested to stay below the 1500 watt requirements of many heaters given the RV electrical system.

Thanks!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'd be tempted to try a ceramic heater. Not sure as I have not checked for many years but when the Pelonis came out we were amazed at how much heat it produces and is very, very small. We have used it occasionally when we've had to be away and no fire in the stove. Even last fall we had a man doing some work for us and we were to be gone. I simply plugged in the little heater and he said the house was usually around 55-60. That was in November, which is heating season for sure for us.

 

[Highbeam]

I am an RVer and when we need heat and have hookups I always use the park's energy by plugging in a portable heater. I use the milkhosue style and they have a fan. If I didn't want to hear it I'd use one of those huge fanless oil filled electric heaters that look like radiators. They too are thermostatic and they too have low watt settings. High is 1500 and low is 750, or maybe 1000.

So go look at heaters at walmart and note the low, medium, high consumption rates.

The park model's wiring is protected by circuit breakers. I doubt that you are going to cause problems with a 1500 watt heater but you will use up most of the circuit's capacity so if you want to run something else on that circuit you may pop the breaker.

For freeze protection I plug that milkhouse heater in and set it for 40 degrees. They work fine.

 

[Shari]

I am an RVer and when we need heat and have hookups I always use the park's energy by plugging in a portable heater. I use the milkhosue style and they have a fan. If I didn't want to hear it I'd use one of those huge fanless oil filled electric heaters that look like radiators. They too are thermostatic and they too have low watt settings. High is 1500 and low is 750, or maybe 1000.

So go look at heaters at walmart and note the low, medium, high consumption rates.

The park model's wiring is protected by circuit breakers. I doubt that you are going to cause problems with a 1500 watt heater but you will use up most of the circuit's capacity so if you want to run something else on that circuit you may pop the breaker.

For freeze protection I plug that milkhouse heater in and set it for 40 degrees. They work fine.

+1 all the way

 

[Shari]

Thought I'd add a few comments -

If the underbelly of your trailer is not heated (ours is not) you might want to do as we have done if we are camping and there is a sudden overnight freeze/frost advisory:

1. We have a permanent sewer connection. On a normal basis I keep our sewer (black tank) drain closed and dump/flush that tank as needed. If a freeze/frost advisory pops up I just drain the sewer tank (open valve/flush and leave the valve open) and pour in a cup or so of RV antifreeze. In the morning I just close the valve.

2. I open the cupboard doors under the kitchen and bathroom sink to help heat circulate inside those cupboard. A 1/2 cup of RV antifreeze in those traps and the shower trap doesn't hurt anything.

3. If I get REAL paranoid about freezing up overnight I will disconnect the fresh water line. No antifreeze here though.

The valve on our grey water is always open so I don't do anything with that.

Oh, yeah, "Quickie Flush" is da bomb for your sewer (black tank): http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40123-Quickie-Flush-Preventer/dp/B000EDOSME

RV antifreeze is cheap - less than $4.00/gallon - good insurance when you need it or even if you don't need it.