Whom Of Us Boondocks 14-days Or More At A Stretch?

Hi Jeff,

Because it is moving heat from outdoors to indoors. So 1200 watts to run the compressor moves about 3000 watts of heat. (That is an example--not actual figures).

SCVJeff wrote:
How can you be more efficient than a resistor?
100w in, 100w out of heat

How can a heat pump possibly beat that?

One of my considerations on heating is the fixed tank. I have to move the class C to refill. In the worst of the winter that would mean going to the filling station every 3 days.

However, at the campground there is no charge for electricity, other than a slight "bump up" for 50 amp service. So I heat nearly 100% electrically.

How can you be more efficient than a resistor?
100w in, 100w out of heat

How can a heat pump possibly beat that?

For space heating, on a generator, propane without blower is the most efficient.
Heat pump is more efficient than 120V space heater, but those on (some) A/C are in the wrong place, it should be placed lower.
I would only consider 120V space heating when living on grid power.
There can be of course considerations other than efficiency.

mlts22 wrote:
One thing I may do, once I go for a motorhome: I may go for a tiny inverter generator like a EU1000i which can run ~8 hours on .6 gallons of gas, put it on a long 8/3 extension cord and move it fairly far away from my rig (but not near anyone else.) What this will provide for me is enough wattage to keep the batteries charged, while reducing any noise/vibration. If I went with an eu2000i, I could run a Vornado space heater as well.

That sounds like a plan!

We could use the same approach with a little Honda EX650 generator, but it will only run 5-6 hours on it's tiny 0.51 gallon fuel tank. We don't need to run it for our two CPAP machines when we sleep due to the size of our coach battery bank, but we sometimes run the Honda in the evenings or late afternoon to top up the batteries. We also use the propane furnace when we sleep for warmth and the coach batteries will easily run it plus the two CPAP machines a couple of nights - and probably a third night - before we have to charge with the engine alternator, the big Onan, or the little Honda.

Your EU1000i will probably only go that long on .6 gallons of gas when running at, or close to, it's idle speed (?). However, it will probably maintain batteries and power a modern electric blanket or mattress pad at idle. ;)

I actually sleep fairly well in below freezing weather, with the covers on, and a sleeping bag unzipped over that, although I'm probably not doing my health good by doing those extreme temperatures.

One thing I may do, once I go for a motorhome: I may go for a tiny inverter generator like a EU1000i which can run ~8 hours on .6 gallons of gas, put it on a long 8/3 extension cord and move it fairly far away from my rig (but not near anyone else.) What this will provide for me is enough wattage to keep the batteries charged, while reducing any noise/vibration. If I went with an eu2000i, I could run a Vornado space heater as well.

Naio .... "so I could avoid a tarpaulin heavy electric blanket" was never stated by me. Someone else earlier in this discussion???

Electric blankets have improved vastly ... including feeding the blanket with DC (direct current) power instead of AC power. Some scientific evidence may indicate that DC current is safer to be used close to the human body than AC current .... but after years the jury still seems to be out on any real danger from use of electric blankets in general.

My current electric blanket uses 18V DC power at 3.5 amps of current. I assume that this 3.5 amps of 18V power applies whenever the blanket's control is set to it's maximum heat value of "10". Since I usually have it's control set only between a setting of "1" and "3", probably way less than 3.5 amps of 18V DC power is being consumed. This means that an electric blanket like mine could be a viable warming solution for no-hookup sleeping in an RV if one's battery bank has a capacity of, say, 200 amp hours or greater. Of course the "brick" for the electric blanket that converts incoming 120V AC power into 18V DC probably needs to powered from RV batteries through a pure sine wave inverter. Ideally, probably a direct DC powered electric blanket should be used in RV's for maximum energy efficiency during non-hookup camping.

pnichols wrote:

Naio wrote:
Yeah, Mex, I think those elec blankets feel like a tarp, too.

...

All electric blankets I've used for around 60 years have been way lighter and less constrictive than any other warm covering other than just a basic sheet!

Didn't try electric blankets, it can't be too heavy, but the feel, stiffness, softness etc could make a difference.

Goose down blankets are very forgiving, keeping warmth and humidity around the body just right, in a wide range of ambient temps. I only wish they were not that expensive and cleaning/washing was a little easier. And if most of them were not made in China so poorly, with down seeping through the seams or right through the fabric.

My favorite method - as long as it's above freezing - is preheating the room before bedtime, and then shutting the heater off. Don't want it to get too warm in the night. It's easy to pull the blanket over your head if it's cold, but can't do anything if it gets too warm. I mostly camp above freezing though.

I'm doing the same at home, setting heating to low before going to bed, and keeping an extra blanket nearby in case if I need it. Don't know why this makes expensive RV "a tent". They are actually cheap, i.e. cheaply made, it's just that they are sold several times above reasonable.

Not hearing both furnace and generator? Probably not very common. If you mount on-board generator in such a way that all the sound goes outside, vibration still remains. Furnace can't be silent either.

pnichols wrote:

Naio wrote:
Yeah, Mex, I think those elec blankets feel like a tarp, too.

Naio .... huuuuuuuuh??

All electric blankets I've used for around 60 years have been way lighter and less constrictive than any other warm covering other than just a basic sheet!

My current modern electric blanket is whisper light with no circuit bubble/bulges and has a continuously variable control than can be feathered to hold any temperature from it's setting of "zero" to it's setting of "ten".

Then what did you mean by

..so I could avoid a tarpaulin heavy electric blanket

I had one in the 70s was like that have not had one since. Maybe they have improved :)

Mex - get a set of flannel sheets and the heavy bathrobe from Lands End, with or without the hood.

Bill