RV Electric Fireplace vs Spaceheater

Hi Okie,

Radiant heaters warm what they are pointed at. I.E. you. Therefore they can appear to warm you up faster.

Ceramics warm the air...and there is rather a lot of air to be warmed, so it takes a lot more time before a comfort level is reached.

My favorite is oil filled as they have a radiant component to their heat--yet have a low surface temperature so are possibly the safest portable heaters around.

I know that in theory this is true, but in real life it is not. I have both in my house and the quartz heater works much better than ceramic.

B.O. Plenty wrote:
All electric heaters have the same efficiency. 1500 watt fireplace will produce the same amount of heat as a $20.00 milk house heater, $400 "Amish" heater and anything in between. They are all 100% efficient as nothing goes up the chimney. 1500 watts equals about 5,250 BTUs.

B.O.

Hi,

That is why I replaced all except 4 of the outlets with standard screw terminal types. I added 20 amp and 15 amp auxiliary shore power cords, one for the water heater, and one for the converter.

aruba5er wrote:
Please dont start an electical fire by using an electric heater. On high they will take about 12.5 amps. Those cheap outlets that they use in rvs are usually vampire outlets that just poke thru the insulation to make connections. or they just poke a wire into a hole and are held by a spring. Neither are good connections and may overheat causing a no connection situation or worse a fire. Please check once in a while that the outlet and plug are not much more that warm. If more than slightly warm cease using it until you have it looked at.Vampire connections usually do not include any other outlets as the wire is not cut just pokked into. Be safe .

We use a eden pure type electric heater when the power is free and a catalytic when it's not. If it gets really cold, then we run the furnace once in a while to heat the lines under the floor.

The Eden Pure infrared heater, heats like a furnace not like a portable heater. We love it except for the size, maybe. It kept my 30 ft trailer with a large slide above 45 when it was below zero in the driveway. The catalytic heater is a must when no power is available. Batteries don't last long with the furnace running all the time.

We also use a Vornado heater. It distributes the heat better and is quieter than most of the cheaper space heaters. Our has a variable speed fan and digital thermostat. Just set it and forget it. If the out side temp gets below freezing, then you have to think about water lines and tanks.

Please dont start an electical fire by using an electric heater. On high they will take about 12.5 amps. Those cheap outlets that they use in rvs are usually vampire outlets that just poke thru the insulation to make connections. or they just poke a wire into a hole and are held by a spring. Neither are good connections and may overheat causing a no connection situation or worse a fire. Please check once in a while that the outlet and plug are not much more that warm. If more than slightly warm cease using it until you have it looked at.Vampire connections usually do not include any other outlets as the wire is not cut just pokked into. Be safe .

We use a Vornado electric heater set on high (1500W) in the living area and pointed towards the bedroom. The heat rises into the bedroom and keeps it warm enough until the temp dips into the 30s then we use two heaters. The Vornado has good air circulation and the fan changes speed automatically on our model. We always use electic when the price is included in our site. It depends when the electric is metered and charged extra.
Brian

grahampconrad wrote:
Just wondering, which appliance is more energy efficient in a 38 ft. fifth wheel. Fireplace - space heater or propane furnace? Opinions please.

If you choose space heater - can you recommend a good brand and where you purchased it?

Thanks again!

One gallon of propane is equal to 27 kWh of electricity. We can compare the costs of these fuels directly by looking at the price per unit (propane gallons or kilowatt hours) and finding the price difference. This can easily be done by looking at your electric bill and multiplying the price per kWh by 27. The resulting number will be a dollar figure that will be either greater than or less than the price of a gallon of propane. For example, if you are paying 12¢ per kWh, the electrical cost comparison figure to a gallon of propane will be $3.24 (.12 x 27 = 3.24). Electricity is cheaper than propane if propane is selling for $3.24 per gallon and propane is cheaper than electricity if it is selling for less than $3.24 per gallon.

All electric heaters have the same efficiency. 1500 watt fireplace will produce the same amount of heat as a $20.00 milk house heater, $400 "Amish" heater and anything in between. They are all 100% efficient as nothing goes up the chimney. 1500 watts equals about 5,250 BTUs.

B.O.

We have a "Wave 6" on a 6 ft flexible hose. Our motor-home is small, but it keeps the inside temperature above 70 even when it is freezing outside. I don't use it when we're sleeping, but I wouldn't be without it. No battery draw and silent too.