Looking for portable electric space heater for rv!

mr_andyj wrote:
WAY PAST TIME TO CLOSE THIS TOPIC.
You close good topics bc you disagree, but leave useless ones like this up?
The guy is asking about a store-bought space heater for goodness sake, CLOSE the topic!

News Flash: I don't sit at the keyboard all day long. :B

I just got home from an amazing week of camping and riding. Best camp ever.

For the record, I've disagreed with the majority from the git go. We were cold and used our LP Buddy Heaters all week and had practically zero deaths. I kept this running because my opinion isn't the only one. I agree though that we've wrung all the useful info out of this rag.

Gdetrailer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I bought a Mr Heater for my Boat three years ago. Never had a chance to use it yet.

:h

Maybe you should be thanking your lucky stars?

An "open flame" especially below deck on a boat is a huge invitation to disaster..

And you knew he wasn’t talking about a house boat how exactly?

mr_andyj wrote:
WAY PAST TIME TO CLOSE THIS TOPIC.
You close good topics bc you disagree, but leave useless ones like this up?
The guy is asking about a store-bought space heater for goodness sake, CLOSE the topic!

Amen to that !!!

DrewE,

Yes the autoformer causes more amps to be drawn--however the difference in power allows my RV to get to the point where the electric heaters cycle sooner. As I use multiple heaters of various wattage, and limit my demand post autoformer to 24 amps, I've not had a pedestal breaker flip for many years.

I should have put that information in my post so thanks for jogging my mind.

Here is a list of all my heating type devices:

4 heated carpets (one in the pass through storage)
1 500 watt heater in the waste tanks area controlled by a mechanical thermostat set at about 4 c (41 f)
1 1500 watt "ceramic" type unit operated on 750 watt setting
1 radiant heater 900 watts operated on a 450 watt setting (used for thawing storage doors on compartments
1 mattress pad 100 watts (only once side used so 50 watts)
1 heating pad 50 watts low, medium and high settings.
1 12 volt heating blanket about 72 watts
2 oil filled 1500 watt heaters operated on the 600 watt setting
1 1200 watt fan based heater with no thermostat operated on the low setting (possibly 600 watts).
1 magnetic block heater that can be used on the propane tank, or on the Yamaha generator.
1 60 watt light bulb in the outside fridge access controlled by a thermocube to prevent gelling of the coolant media
1 water heater 1400 watts
1 240 volt 100 watt light bulb kept beside the water pump powered by 110 volts
1 50 watt heating rod which runs beside the water lines
1 27 watt fan that replaces the return air grill for the furnace which pressurize the heating duct work, keeping the water lines from freezing
(the three items above are controlled by a mechanical thermostat that sits beside an outside wall)

In addition cooking is done with microwave 1541 watts (what were they thinking), an induction Nuwave hob 1330 watts, toaster 850 watts, coffee maker 300 watts, a grill with removable plates so it can be a waffle maker, open grill, or clam shell 1200 watts.

There is a bit of waste heat from the inverter.

My peak load when it is in the -30ties is 7000 watts, and the average demand is 129 KWH per day. I can do that because I have a 50 amp break out box, equipped with one leg 30 amp outlet, and the other leg 2 20 amp outlets. (yes, I know it is not balanced.) I use that to power 1 15 amp auxiliary shore power cord, 1 20 amp auxiliary shore power cord, and the OEM 30 amp shore power cord.

WAY PAST TIME TO CLOSE THIS TOPIC.
You close good topics bc you disagree, but leave useless ones like this up?
The guy is asking about a store-bought space heater for goodness sake, CLOSE the topic!

pianotuna wrote:

Elk_traveler wrote:
Well the solution just appeared from Mr. Heater a portable propane heater that utilizes the small 16 oz Coleman propane bottles. the heater is designed and certified to operate inside. s ideal for use during the evenings.

I would not leave it running while sleeping but otherwise it is a perfect choice. Simply replace the little propane bottle and keep going. I think the Mr. Heater just recently hit the market.

designed and certified and DANGEROUS.

They have been around for at least a dozen years.

There are through the wall vented propane heaters that use no power.

I apologize to the OP for going "off topic".

Elk Traveler, if it is the breaker in the RV that is flipping using an autoformer can improve things.

I don't load past 24 amps when there is a 30 amp circuit. I use a hybrid inverter/charger to do load support and take care of surges in power demand.

I could be wrong but I think the portable Mr. Heater (has not been around very long) The shop version or high btu has been around for years but they are not suitable for in home use. They emit too much carbon monoxide. In our home we use which uses electric heat we use a 30000 btu propane heater also designed for in house use with no emission of carbon monoxide. When using electric heaters 1500 watt (2) on a 30Amp input to your RV will always put the breakers to their limit because you most likely will have on TV, Refrig or some other applicance pushing the circuitry to the limit. The heaters if thermostatically controlled surges on and off up to perhaps 1700 watts. In this case running only one 1500 watt electric and the protable Mr. heater is ideal for an evening of relaxing, reading, TV, etc. Should not operate the Mr. heater while sleeping. During work years I was an electronic tech. As you know propane can always be very dangerous even the furnace mounted on an RV. Propane by itself can be deadly as a potential fire hazard but the carbon monoxide emitted from the burning is even more deadly as it is very silent that is why the heater should not be operated while asleep.

pianotuna wrote:

Elk Traveler, if it is the breaker in the RV that is flipping using an autoformer can improve things.

Sagging voltage will cause a space heater (and indeed any resistance heater) to consume less current--and, of course, use less power and produce less heat. An autoformer would make the breaker more likely to trip, not less likely. It would only help reduce tripping in the extraordinary case where the line voltage is too high and it reduces it to a correct nominal value.

Gdetrailer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I bought a Mr Heater for my Boat three years ago. Never had a chance to use it yet.

:h

Maybe you should be thanking your lucky stars?

An "open flame" especially below deck on a boat is a huge invitation to disaster..

There is a reason as to why even non cabin cruiser type boats have a "bilge purge" blower that you run BEFORE even starting an engine.. Build up of fuel flamible fumes below deck is real and lighting off a "Buddy heater or any other open flame device" below deck may be not such a good "friend" move.

Not to mention, I can't imagine sucking in burning propane fumes for any length of time would be all that good on your oxygen levels in your blood..

THANKS for the info.

If I use it I will have it in a well ventilated area. It's a 23' one level boat.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
I bought a Mr Heater for my Boat three years ago. Never had a chance to use it yet.

:h

Maybe you should be thanking your lucky stars?

An "open flame" especially below deck on a boat is a huge invitation to disaster..

There is a reason as to why even non cabin cruiser type boats have a "bilge purge" blower that you run BEFORE even starting an engine.. Build up of fuel flamible fumes below deck is real and lighting off a "Buddy heater or any other open flame device" below deck may be not such a good "friend" move.

Not to mention, I can't imagine sucking in burning propane fumes for any length of time would be all that good on your oxygen levels in your blood..

Elk_traveler wrote:
Well the solution just appeared from Mr. Heater a portable propane heater that utilizes the small 16 oz Coleman propane bottles. the heater is designed and certified to operate inside. s ideal for use during the evenings.

I would not leave it running while sleeping but otherwise it is a perfect choice. Simply replace the little propane bottle and keep going. I think the Mr. Heater just recently hit the market.

designed and certified and DANGEROUS.

They have been around for at least a dozen years.

There are through the wall vented propane heaters that use no power.

I apologize to the OP for going "off topic".

Elk Traveler, if it is the breaker in the RV that is flipping using an autoformer can improve things.

I don't load past 24 amps when there is a 30 amp circuit. I use a hybrid inverter/charger to do load support and take care of surges in power demand.