Can propane heater run off the battery?

I know some people here like Lance. I've never had any of them so I really don't know. Maybe start a new thread in the Travel Trailer section.

mlts22 wrote:
An Arctic Fox or other similar Northwood model comes to mind. Some even have built in propane generators, and those can be put on a controller that automatically fires up the genset if the batteries get low.

In all seriousness, what other recommendations are there for a good quality 4 season trailer? We really would like to stick to a smaller trailer (18' - 21' footer preferably). I'll start making a list of the different manufacturers/models and make appointments to look at the different trailers.

darsben wrote:

John Wayne wrote:
But a generator will be a lot cheaper then a new RV. And 4 seasons or not you still need the 12 volt power to run the furnace.

They OP has his wife's permission to shop for a new rig. Don't spoil it for him.;)

Exactly, this is not the time to think about practicality.:B When the wife woke up yesterday morning with frost on the inside of the camper wall, she agreed that we might want to upgrade to a better insulated camper. Plus, we can't use the bathroom/sink/shower in our current RV during the winter months due to pipes freezing!.

It's pretty easy to add another battery. Holiday Rambler provided us a second box and wires for nothing back then. Depending on the area available you might fit four batteries.
We ran our Fifth wheel furnace several nights on battery put connected back to truck and ran engine to charge them back up. They didn't even talk solar then. Not sure how large a panel and controller would be needed but that and two batteries might solve the problem.

dieselenthusiast wrote:
Roads Less Traveled, thanks for the link. After consulting with my wife, we have decided to start looking into trading up for a 4 season camper that has a quality thermal package. Since we travel with two Chihuahuas, having the extra insulation and thermal protection would be a better option all the way around. We live in a cooler climate, we do a lot of traveling and camping in cold climates, so it would only make sense that we have some type of winter package. Also, when we do camp in the hot times of year, the extra insulation will keep the trailer cooler, therefore not having to work the A/C so much. It's just hard to find a good thermal package in a small trailer. Our current trailer is a 18' foot box and 22' feet overall length. It doesn't take long to heat this trailer up, but it wont hold heat.

An Arctic Fox or other similar Northwood model comes to mind. Some even have built in propane generators, and those can be put on a controller that automatically fires up the genset if the batteries get low.

John Wayne wrote:
But a generator will be a lot cheaper then a new RV. And 4 seasons or not you still need the 12 volt power to run the furnace.

They OP has his wife's permission to shop for a new rig. Don't spoil it for him.;)

But a generator will be a lot cheaper then a new RV. And 4 seasons or not you still need the 12 volt power to run the furnace.

Roads Less Traveled, thanks for the link. After consulting with my wife, we have decided to start looking into trading up for a 4 season camper that has a quality thermal package. Since we travel with two Chihuahuas, having the extra insulation and thermal protection would be a better option all the way around. We live in a cooler climate, we do a lot of traveling and camping in cold climates, so it would only make sense that we have some type of winter package. Also, when we do camp in the hot times of year, the extra insulation will keep the trailer cooler, therefore not having to work the A/C so much. It's just hard to find a good thermal package in a small trailer. Our current trailer is a 18' foot box and 22' feet overall length. It doesn't take long to heat this trailer up, but it wont hold heat.

Another option is to install a vent-free propane heater. This uses propane only, no 12v needed.

We installed ours off the gas line that goes to the fridge. Step-by-step installation instructions here:

Installing a vent-free propane heater in an RV

I too have a Mr Buddy heater. When using it I crack a window just a bit, get it really warm in the camper, then shut it off before I go to bed. But, I'm know for being extra careful.