CheapHeat furnace conversion

Pianotuna

Why don't you come south during the winter. This would be warmer on your feet!!!
I hope you have a good holiday season. Good luck.

Hi jcthorne,

21 amps per leg. Actually it is 21.6 amps per leg. If you read the thread carefully if might help.

I was running about 6500 watts @ 120 volts to warm the RV up.

Hi Paw Paw,

I'm fine at -31 C (-24 f). Hope you are all warm as toast.

Since the rv doesn't have duct work in the "basement" the floors are pretty nasty. I've ordered some electrically heated carpet.

Magic Carpet

How is everybody's heaters working. I hope that everybody is staying warm!! Good luck too all.

There is no '42 amp version' of the CH system. The install ratings are in watts but the coil is the same (with 3 sets of taps) for all kits.

The highest wattage install is 5000 watts and uses 21amps at 240vac. It also requires more heat vents and larger duct work than most single propane furnace RVs have. Trying to push that many BTUs into under sized duct work will result in too high discharge air temps and the unit will shut down on thermal limits. The 3700 watt coil is more often used for retrofit installations where its tied to a 30k btu propane furnace.

Hi Paw Paw,

Am glad you love your cheap heat and that it meets your needs.

I work in folks homes--so I might be 40 miles from the RV. Or if I'm on a road trip (which happens often) I might be 60 feet away.

It is more usual for me to have about 45 amps to work with. I'm careful to not push the connections harder than 80% of that (36 amps). When I momentarily need more than the 45 amps, I use my battery bank and inverter for additional loads. That allows me great flexibility. The inverter gives me an additional 20 amps to draw on. I use it LOTS!

If I am at a clients home I offer them a discount on their tuning in exchange for parking and power. This works out well and Churches are a favorite stop--as they often have 3 separate circuits to feed my additions. (You know the ones--having a roof over my head and heat.)

In a campground I can go 30, 20 and 15, for a total of 65 amps, if necessary. Again I use no more than 80% of that on a continuous basis.

Since my OEM is 30 amps cheap heat would not be a good fit for me. It is too large to run on a 15 amp circuit--and too small to meet my particular heating needs.

If folks are truly going to be in cold weather I'd encourage them to get the 42 amp version of the cheap heat. It should keep them warm and toasty down to pretty extreme levels of cold.

Pianotuna

How far from where you camp do you work? I'm also guessing that you are not paying for electricity. So to if I got it right when available you have your 30 amp and two 15 amp cords plugged in at one time. That adds up to 60 amps, not bad. All I can say to each their own!!! I love my cheap heat system!!

Hi Paw Paw,

Where I live it is quite possible for the weekly high temperature to be -27C (-16.6f). Life goes on, despite that.

Not all of us have the luxury of being retired--so I would be at work. In fact, during the -37C (-34f) I was working preparing a piano for a concert. There was no campground involved, and most often that is the case. That's why I have the OEM power cord and two auxiliary shore power cords, so that my home brew system can work with multiple 15 amp circuits, if they are available.

I now full time in my class C.

Paw Paw John wrote:
If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be, there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,

Paw Paw John wrote:
If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,

I agree 100%. For me, if I were in my camper and the temps were in the 20's I wouldn't be venturing out very far! so no problem with switching over to gas. Thing is, I don't full time in my Montana and it will be several years until I'm able to reach that goal. For my use, I believe the cheap heat will be perfect. When I do reach full time status, I will be heading to MUCH warmer temps this time of the year and will only be using my furnace to take off the chill in the coach.

If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,