electric heater recommendation?

Boatycall wrote:

Nautique200 wrote:
That's pretty cool how Artic Fox does that. What are your plans for the Eagle Cap?

Funny you should ask. My "old" AF 1150 had those two perfect spots to install the baseboard heaters. But in my EC, not so much. Because of the dual slides, there really isn't a place to install baseboard heaters.
So....
Right now I just have a small 1500 watt forced air heater I keep in there, but the plan is to add a 110v Cadet in-wall heater and thermostat.
Cadet heater clicky

I could add a heat strip to the roof air, but the fan in it is like a friggin hurricane even on low. Too noisy and breezy in the bunk area. I use it when I have to for AC, don't want to use it for heat.


That brings me to my next question -

How come no one else is considering adding a heat strip to their roof air? Most all roof airs are prewired for one, they're 1500 watts, and put out a lot of heat. I had one in a 32' TT I had a few years ago, did a good job even in a 32' TT.
Heat Strip clicky

My Airconditioner does have the heat strip.

It heats the ceiling real well

Won't heat the floor or anywhere below my shoulders when I'm standing


and it's as NOISY as the airconditioner.

Our cube heater hums on low setting... and heats the lower area where the heat is needed.

sleepy

Nautique200 wrote:
That's pretty cool how Artic Fox does that. What are your plans for the Eagle Cap?

Funny you should ask. My "old" AF 1150 had those two perfect spots to install the baseboard heaters. But in my EC, not so much. Because of the dual slides, there really isn't a place to install baseboard heaters.
So....
Right now I just have a small 1500 watt forced air heater I keep in there, but the plan is to add a 110v Cadet in-wall heater and thermostat.
Cadet heater clicky

I could add a heat strip to the roof air, but the fan in it is like a friggin hurricane even on low. Too noisy and breezy in the bunk area. I use it when I have to for AC, don't want to use it for heat.


That brings me to my next question -

How come no one else is considering adding a heat strip to their roof air? Most all roof airs are prewired for one, they're 1500 watts, and put out a lot of heat. I had one in a 32' TT I had a few years ago, did a good job even in a 32' TT.
Heat Strip clicky

Where do you store those big 1500 watt heaters?

As I have mentioned before...

1500 watts is all trheir is on a 120VAC circuit before you trip your breakers.

The 3 way 8" cube ceramic heaters store in a very little space.

My Lance 1161 has a extra 10" x 10" X 10" inside storage area under the LPG tank area... the cube heater fits... along with my external thermostat.

If you don't have it handy... it's worthless.

Sleepy

Last week I bought a 1500 watt ceramic heater (Electraheat) from Menard's for under $20 and together with the furnace set at 60 degrees keeps the TC nice and comfy.

That's pretty cool how Artic Fox does that. What are your plans for the Eagle Cap?

Nautique200 wrote:
Boatycall,
How would you keep your basement warm if you didn't run the furnace?

Since this question would apply to any form of heat not produced by the propane furnace, you have to understand how an AF "heats" the basement.

On an Arctic Fox, the basement isn't heated by a direct furnace vent. Air is circulated by a generic box fan in the vent by the slide out switch under the bathroom, and a return vent in the step by the water tank. Furnace kicks on, 12v gets sent to the box fan. The fan runs as long as the furnace is on.

You can add a simple SPDT (single pole double throw) switch to the box fan. Wire the "auto" mode from the furnace on one side, 12v constant on the other. Leaving the fan on would be fine, since the whole premise of this thread is how to heat the TC when you're plugged in. It only draws 1/8 of an amp, or 125mA.

X2 on the oil filled radiator style. I have several that I use at the house for the chilly areas and keep one in the toy hauler where it does an excellent job. They're relatively inexpensive too.

Boatycall,
How would you keep your basement warm if you didn't run the furnace?

I went a different route on my 1150, and installed 2 baseboard heaters, both wired to a thermostat, that in turn connected to the Roof Air's circuit breaker.

Both from Home Depot mail order--
On the sink side, a 48" 1000 watt baseboard heater, and on the Fridge side, a 36" 500 watt.
(I only have the one pic handy here on my laptop, I'll look for the other side.)




Provided EXCELLENT silent heat, never got the cabinets warm. Thermostat had a minimum of 40 degree setting, so also made a good freeze stopper in the winter. I tapped into the existing roof air circuit breaker because, let's face it, when would i ever run the roof air and the heater at the same time? but I did, from time to time, run the roof air fan-only on low to help circulate the heat.

This was VERY easy to mount and wire, I'm an electrical engineer, but don't be afraid to tap into the breaker panel.

I had double pane windows in my AF, so if I were someplace with power, this was all the heat I needed--even camping in the snow/sub freezing temps.

Nothing Fancy

Growing up, I called this one a 'milk house heater' because that's whree it was located. They hold up well for me and provide plenty of heat.

John