Forum Discussion

jackpam's avatar
jackpam
Explorer
Nov 21, 2014

Elec heaters

I was reading the posts on electric heaters yesterday. When winterizing, I blow out my lines and pour antifreeze into traps an toilet. We live in upstate S Carolina and don't usually need more then this but with the cold of the last week I have been using our Eden Pure Elec. heater at a lower setting at night. I checked this morning to see if the plug was hot before pulling it and it was slightly warm. Is that a problem?

8 Replies

  • It's wise to keep the inside from freezing since every spring we get numerous posts about vinyl floors that have split in the cold.
    In fact my neighbors floor in his boat split a couple of years ago.
  • Another suggestion.

    You could put the heater in your garage (or somewhere else where the temperature is similar to the RV) and let it run for awhile (like overnight), then feel the plug. If it feels about the same as when in the RV, then "likely" all is well. If it is a lot cooler, then I would consider replacing the outlet in the RV.

    I also choose to run a heater (set very low) in my winterized trailer, and the plug is not warm at all. But then I don't try to keep the temp above freezing, just warmer than outside.

    Steve
  • Hi,

    Take a reading with an infrared thermometer.

    Do make sure the tines on the plug are bright and shiny.
  • We have a really god oil filled radiator type heater with three heat settings and a built in timer. Have used it for years on low over winter months in adition to winterizing. Why? Because cleaning up exploded pop or food cans or unloading all this is not fun. Cord does get slightly warm. Always been ok
  • I think the cord getting warm is pretty normal, but the outlet on the wall should not be warm. If you feel proficient enough you could pull the receptacle out of the wall and make sure all of the screws holding the wires down are tight. I hate those push in type receptacles and would advise replacing them with screw type.
  • No one on a forum can guarantee, that your chord being slightly warm is OK. Your idea of slightly warm may be different than mine.

    I would not worry about my chord being, my version, of slightly warm, right at the plug end. It does not take a lot of watts to make the plug end slightly warm.

    Jerry
  • If you blew out the lines and put antifreeze in the traps, what's the heater for?
    No, the cord should not get warm.