Electric heating
As winter comes on it looks like I am not going to get way south. Going to spend the winter in the Dallas area as my son gets well in the hospital. So with that said I wanted to ask if and what type o...
Forum Discussion
Here is a list of what I use--and have tested to -37 c (-34 f).
Enclosed tanks with a 600 watt fan based heater controlled by a mechanical thermostat. This can be run from the inverter while trundling down the road.
Replaced cold air return with twin window fans, with a heat source by the water pump, controlled by a mechanical thermostat. This "pressurizes" the furnace duct work and keeps the fresh water system from freezing. Again run by the inverter as needed.
Electric heated carpets for the "hall way" and dinette floor. These are a carbon fiber so they can be cut to shape (for example the holes for the dinnette support pipes), and there are no wires to break. I got "indoor outdoor" so I can take them to a spray car wash for cleaning, if need be.
1/2 size 442 watt oil filled heaters on either side of the bed. Each has its own thermostat--but I'd really rather have the thermostats away from the heaters.
1 1500 watt (well, so it claims) fan based cube heater
1 600 watt radiant heater (used for thawing frozen compartment doors, and for warming me up if I get a chill)
A 1500 watt heat strip in the roof air conditioner. This is useful only to about -6 c (21 f) because the fan motor starts to make complaints.
The fridge has a 60 watt incandescent bulb on a thermocube TC-3 that cycles on at 1.6 c (35 f) and off at 7c (45 f). Air flow is restricted using the handy man's secret weapon (duct tape). Before day time temperatures are below freezing the drain tube must have the "trap" taken out, or it will freeze.
The pass through storage has a 120 volt outlet so I can run a heater. The same is true for the compartment where the fresh water hoses are stored. Both of these outlets have switches on the interior of the RV so that I can warm them up as needed.
My "back up" heat source is the propane furnace. Since it is a class C the tank is fixed--so refilling requires moving the RV.
Foam inserts for all skylights, and vents.
Insulbright covers for all windows, skylights, vents and the side entrance--and to block off the cab area, removing the cab from the area needed to be heated.
The metal wheel wells have been covered with thin foam inside the RV to try to reduce heat loss. As they have water pipes and 120 volt wiring on top of them--there is little room for the foam, but every little bit helps.
During truly cold weather my peak load is 7000 watts (including water heater). To achieve that I added two auxiliary shore power cords, so my connections are 30 amp OEM, 20 amp, and 15 amp. I have tested to -27 c (-16 f) with 3 15 amp shore power connections with no problems. When I go to an RV park I have a 50 amp break out box which yields one 30 amp and two 20 amp circuits (yes, I know it is not balanced).
All but one of the OEM 120 volt plugs have been replaced by top of the line 20 amp outlets.
I don't get a lot of condensation inside the RV, but when I do, opening a roof vent and cracking a window with a heater beside the window lowers it in short order. I have actually used a humidifier on occasion.
I don't attempt to use the shore water supply except for filling the RV tank. Black and grey water are disposed of but I don't attempt to use the black tank rinse in cold weather.
I'd love to improve on cold weather tolerance by having the bottom of my class C covered with closed cell insulating foam.
I can manage -5 c (23 f) with a single 15 amp shore power supply. Much below that, and I'll move to 2 15 amp circuits.
I have been in situations where I'll use the autoformer to keep the voltage up for the heaters, so they don't have lower wattage.
Enclosed tanks with a 600 watt fan based heater controlled by a mechanical thermostat. This can be run from the inverter while trundling down the road.
Replaced cold air return with twin window fans, with a heat source by the water pump, controlled by a mechanical thermostat. This "pressurizes" the furnace duct work and keeps the fresh water system from freezing. Again run by the inverter as needed.
Electric heated carpets for the "hall way" and dinette floor. These are a carbon fiber so they can be cut to shape (for example the holes for the dinnette support pipes), and there are no wires to break. I got "indoor outdoor" so I can take them to a spray car wash for cleaning, if need be.
1/2 size 442 watt oil filled heaters on either side of the bed. Each has its own thermostat--but I'd really rather have the thermostats away from the heaters.
1 1500 watt (well, so it claims) fan based cube heater
1 600 watt radiant heater (used for thawing frozen compartment doors, and for warming me up if I get a chill)
A 1500 watt heat strip in the roof air conditioner. This is useful only to about -6 c (21 f) because the fan motor starts to make complaints.
The fridge has a 60 watt incandescent bulb on a thermocube TC-3 that cycles on at 1.6 c (35 f) and off at 7c (45 f). Air flow is restricted using the handy man's secret weapon (duct tape). Before day time temperatures are below freezing the drain tube must have the "trap" taken out, or it will freeze.
The pass through storage has a 120 volt outlet so I can run a heater. The same is true for the compartment where the fresh water hoses are stored. Both of these outlets have switches on the interior of the RV so that I can warm them up as needed.
My "back up" heat source is the propane furnace. Since it is a class C the tank is fixed--so refilling requires moving the RV.
Foam inserts for all skylights, and vents.
Insulbright covers for all windows, skylights, vents and the side entrance--and to block off the cab area, removing the cab from the area needed to be heated.
The metal wheel wells have been covered with thin foam inside the RV to try to reduce heat loss. As they have water pipes and 120 volt wiring on top of them--there is little room for the foam, but every little bit helps.
During truly cold weather my peak load is 7000 watts (including water heater). To achieve that I added two auxiliary shore power cords, so my connections are 30 amp OEM, 20 amp, and 15 amp. I have tested to -27 c (-16 f) with 3 15 amp shore power connections with no problems. When I go to an RV park I have a 50 amp break out box which yields one 30 amp and two 20 amp circuits (yes, I know it is not balanced).
All but one of the OEM 120 volt plugs have been replaced by top of the line 20 amp outlets.
I don't get a lot of condensation inside the RV, but when I do, opening a roof vent and cracking a window with a heater beside the window lowers it in short order. I have actually used a humidifier on occasion.
I don't attempt to use the shore water supply except for filling the RV tank. Black and grey water are disposed of but I don't attempt to use the black tank rinse in cold weather.
I'd love to improve on cold weather tolerance by having the bottom of my class C covered with closed cell insulating foam.
I can manage -5 c (23 f) with a single 15 amp shore power supply. Much below that, and I'll move to 2 15 amp circuits.
I have been in situations where I'll use the autoformer to keep the voltage up for the heaters, so they don't have lower wattage.
