I need ideas and suggestions for an auxiliary electric heater for our motor home..The designer decided that it does not need any furnace ducts anywhere past midway ..2 in bedroom,1 in bathroom and 1 in kitchen.We have a small DURA FLAME heater that is not up to the task.

Ceramic space heaters?OR LED RV fireplace by Therma Heat.Installing a higher btu furnace would require additional duct work which is difficult to run ducts after rig is built.IF you were doing a remodel or rebuild then maybe.

Many RV's have a air duct that runs under a couch towards the drivers compartment, and that is about 4" diameter, and will carry about 100 cubic feet per minute. I guess that you need one more vent going forward?You should be able to buy a 4" wye at a hardware store, and connect into the existing air ducts. Then run something like flexible dryer hose to the location that you need more heat. I guess if there is a slide out in the way, it will not work all that well. The manufacture should have put a floor vent in the basement someplace, where there is little traffic, (to avoid people stepping on it, or dirt getting inside from your shoes). It can be under a chair or couch, the heat will end up in the living room somehow. . . If you spend a lot of time at campgrounds with hookups, try running 2-3 small 1,500 watt electric heaters on low heat output. Just make sure that you are not plugging into a inverter output receptacle, as you might trip a fuse on the inverter.So if you have some receptacles that run on the inverter, don't use them for a heater line. Have fun camping!Fred.

We have one of those oil-circulating electric heaters (DeLonghi) in our motor home. It's nice and quiet, but not that great if it's really cold (New Hampshire in the fall.) We have a small electric heater in the bathroom to take the chill off during showers-kind of a glorified hair dryer. We recently tried a quartz infared heater (similar to Eden Pure brand)-very noisy and only after a week, became buggy, so back for a refund.

I will not suggest a space heater for a un-modified RV because the outlets they use are not all that good.I added a pair of 15/20 amp house type outlets, these mount in boxes (so you need a spot in the wall where you can put a box) they are fed with 12 ga wire and they each have a breaker all to themselves. Once you do that most any electric space heater will do.. Hot wire, Ceramic, Oil filed, your choice,, Some folks will tell you one or another kind does a better job of heating but the fact is all electric heaters put out exactly the same amount of heat per watt... Forced air types circulate it better. I kind of like Ceramic cause they are small and perhaps a bit safer,, Make sure whatever you use has tip over protection. But remember a 1500 watt heater puts out the same amount of heat no matter what kind it is.Camping world, and I think ACE hardware, both have a nice little electric fire place, Not that big (perhaps a foot wide) 1500 watts and nice flame video.My computer has a nice flame video.. Very little heat though :)

Hi,How cold will it be when the RV is in use (worst case)?If you boondock electric heat won't be suitable.If there will be shore power, I favor 1/2 size oil filled heaters that can be tucked away into otherwise wasted space. I've had all but three outlets upgraded to high quality female plugs.There are heated carpets available. I managed to find some that have no wires, so they can be cut to shape. I chose indoor/outdoor carpet so I can pressure wash them if they become soiled.Another way to add heating capacity is to run auxiliary shore power cords. I have added a 20 and 15 amp. This lets me heat 100% electrically if I have access to three shore power 15 amp circuits.For propane heating, I'd suggest the Platinum Cat.There are propane heaters that have through the wall chimney's.

Heater | Good Sam Community

rockhillmanor
Explorer
Dec 07, 2014
At least you have 2 vents in your bedroom!

My MH manufacturer states I have heated bays.
Yup. They took the heat vent for the bedroom and split it!
Half goes to the bay and half goes to the bedroom. :(

I'm all for using the 'safe' ceramic heaters in an RV for the obvious reasons.

Here is my NEW ceramic heater I found this year. Love it.

You can put this one 'up against a wall' and is way more stable than those tower ceramic heaters that have to be on wood or tile smack in the middle of the kitchen and just heat your feet or the cube that has to be on the counter or table blasting you in the face.
T_bone1
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2014
Thanks for all the advice..I believe we will just add another ceramic heater up front..
msturtz
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
Whatever you do don't use a vent free propane heater in an RV. They produce massive amounts of water vapor and deplete the oxygen in the RV. That water vapor ends up as condensation on the windows and even walls.
Cheyenps
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
Many 50A RV panels aren't set up to permit 240V branch circuits. They have a dual breaker for the main, and then two bus bars for the two legs go off in opposite directions.

I didn't know that.

No matter - you still get most of the advantages with a 120 volt, 15A kickspace unit. Maybe you install two of them.
RLHAMILTON
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
We did use an infrared 1500w heater that worked well, but installed "CheapHeat" system, and haven't needed the supplemental heater. The CheapHeat system is probably oe of the best things I have installed on the coach. The heat is great and don't have to use LP. Good luck!
Two_Jayhawks
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
Don't spend a ton of money on a electric heater as they all simply do the same thing....gobble electricity and make heat. Something like this is what most use.
turbojimmy
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
Golden_HVAC wrote:
Many RV's have a air duct that runs under a couch towards the drivers compartment, and that is about 4" diameter, and will carry about 100 cubic feet per minute. I guess that you need one more vent going forward?

You should be able to buy a 4" wye at a hardware store, and connect into the existing air ducts. Then run something like flexible dryer hose to the location that you need more heat.

I have the same problem in mine and plan to do exactly what you described. I can wye it in a cabinet and run some dryer hose under the couch. It should make a big difference...when I get around to it.
DrewE
Explorer II
Dec 06, 2014
Cheyenps wrote:
Assuming your 'home has the 50A (240/120v) cord and plug setup, I'd look at installing one or two "kickspace heaters" that operate on 240 volts and hard wire them to the circuit breaker panel.

Like this:

https://www.acwholesalers.com/Dimplex/CKHA20D31W-1800-Watt-Kick-Space-Heater/39363.ac?gclid=CNbDqMLuscICFYeBfgodHnQAiQ

They are made to install under kitchen/bathroom cabinets so all you see after installation is the grille.

Advantages are no freestanding unit to trip over, hard wiring eliminates worry about the adequacy of existing circuits/recepts, quieter than a lot of portables and a nice clean installation. 240 volt operation allows for higher wattage outputs as well.

Many 50A RV panels aren't set up to permit 240V branch circuits. They have a dual breaker for the main, and then two bus bars for the two legs go off in opposite directions.
MrWizard
Moderator
Dec 06, 2014
The 240v headers area nice..
If you always have 50 amp service.
But might be useless when using a 30 amp service
Depending on how the heating element and switching is wired
Cheyenps
Explorer
Dec 06, 2014
Assuming your 'home has the 50A (240/120v) cord and plug setup, I'd look at installing one or two "kickspace heaters" that operate on 240 volts and hard wire them to the circuit breaker panel.

Like this:

https://www.acwholesalers.com/Dimplex/CKHA20D31W-1800-Watt-Kick-Space-Heater/39363.ac?gclid=CNbDqMLuscICFYeBfgodHnQAiQ

They are made to install under kitchen/bathroom cabinets so all you see after installation is the grille.

Advantages are no freestanding unit to trip over, hard wiring eliminates worry about the adequacy of existing circuits/recepts, quieter than a lot of portables and a nice clean installation. 240 volt operation allows for higher wattage outputs as well.

Forum Discussion

Heater

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

Heater?

Propane heater

Heater exhaust

Water Heater

Wave Heater Install