Hi everyone- Haven't been on the forums much lately because we've been CAMPING! :D I have a question though- a couple weeks ago we were camping and it was really cold, so we had our camper heat running. The carbon monoxide detector went off in the middle of the night. We vented everything out and turned off the heater just to be safe, and the detector didn't go off anymore that night. I don't know if it was a false alarm or what (it's also the propane detector, but we couldn't smell any propane.) None of us had any symptoms whatsoever of actually breathing too much CO.We're going camping again this weekend, and it's supposed to get down in the 20s. I'm a little bit nervous because if the heater is causing a carbon monoxide problem, we obviously won't be able to use it! So, I want a portable backup heater just in case. I think the 20s will be too cold without having some sort of heat.What are your best portable heater recommendations? We have a 3-bed hybrid, so we really need the heat to travel to both ends of the camper if possible. Also, we have two kids, so it needs to be as safe as possible. We will set it on either the dinette or the stove top so it won't be on the floor where they can walk into it, but I'd still rather it not get super hot to the touch.Also if anyone has any experience with their heaters causing their CO/propane detector to go off, I'd love to hear any suggestions surrounding that as well. I'm really hoping it was just a false alarm though. I think I've read that sometimes other gasses or air particles will make the alarm go off? Thanks!!!

If you have electric hook up go get a Lasko ceramic heater. They work well. Wal-Mart has tons of them to choose from.

We've used a portable catalytic heater(coleman sportcat I think) and it worked well on cold nights keeping the 5er at about 55*. We had some windows cracked for some fresh air and I used a CO detector that I placed near the heater and it never went off. When dry camping the RV heater/blower uses too much of the battery.

We had this heater in our TT and it worked well since it oscillated, so the bunk room as well as our bedroom warmed.Ceramic Mini TowerWe got one of these when we purchased our 5'er and it keeps it warm and cozy even down into the teens and 20s. (We have enclosed tanks with heaters, so water is fine.)Amish heater

I never liked to have any open flame or red hot cores in our trailer when we was asleep. Always used the oil filled heaters from LOWES/WALMART.. No smell, no noise, and to us probably the safest heater you can run while you sleep.We have two with us and set them to around a number 3 setting and have one in each end of the trailer. If we need to move some air we would use one of those O2COOL AC/DC/D-CELL 10-inch fans (Walmart-Lowes). They sit perfect behind the oil-filled heater to blow warm air around the trailerworks good for us....

Our detector goes off when my wife cooks pancakes on the stove even with the exhaust fan on. Seems like some detectors are more sensitive than others but, I suppose, that's better than not going off at all. The same reaction may be taking place with the heater not that the CO levels are high but it may just be overly sensitive.You could hook up a portable one from the store as a check on the built in unit. I'd put the portable one in the bedroom.

Portable Heater Recommendations? (CO Detector Issues?)

JiminDenver
Explorer II
Oct 24, 2013
The furnace could have a cracked heat exchanger and needs to be checked out. Not a quick test either, you want it tested when it's running hot too.

Check out the detectors and replace if needed

The one time we had electric we used a small bathroom heater set to low on the stove so it wouldn't be tipped over. Worked great but I'd use a oil filled if I had the room.

The one time I used a portable propane heater I'm really glad it was during the day. They don't play well at high altitude where the O2 is thin. I became ill even with several windows and a vent cracked.

Our only choice was to set up the TT so that we could run the furnace as needed with solar and extra battery.
Chuck_S
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
Is the OP talking about the furnace or a heater. My camper has a furnace which burns outside air and exhausts gasses outside as well. A fuel burning heater burns inside air (depleting the oxygen level) and dumps CO2 and CO inside the camper.

-- Chuck
skipnchar
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
Get the furnace fixed or at least checked out. It is by far the safest way to heat your trailer. If you have electric power then an electric would be the second safest way to heat but still not as safe or as effective as the furnace.
Johno02
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
CO detectors and gas detectors both get more sensitive when they get older. We had one that would go off if you looked at it hard. Replaced Both with a new one that does both. Have not had a problem since.
jauguston
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
We use non-serviced State Park sites for virtually all of our RV use. For the last 8 years with 3 different motorhomes we have used a Mr Heater Buddy Heater for our primary heat source. We go RVing year around so many times it is on 24/7 for a week or two at a time. We follow the safety instructions provided with the heater and with CO detectors we test regularly we have never had a alarm.

Jim
ReneeG
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
WyoTraveler wrote:
Go to Walnart and buy additional CO2 detector plus change out batteries in present detector. My MH was delivered with a bad CO2 & smoke alarm detector. I bought all new higher quality detectors. Be safe. Maybe a false alarm but may not be. Alarms are cheap.

Good advice before going the extra step of having the heater checked.
ReneeG
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
Hey Dick_B don't you mean that your fire alarm goes off when your wife cooks pancakes? Our fire alarm goes off too when cooking anything that may scorch. Our CO detector has never gone off when using our Heater Buddy - we have this for boondocking or dry camping - easily uses a propane bottle a day if it runs a lot, even on low. Yes, we keep a window cracked near it. Would love to invest someday in a portable catalytic heater - that doesn't use any electricity and keeps the inside comfortable. You either mount them permanently or use a stand with them, which would be something to watch for with kids around.
WyoTraveler
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
Go to Walnart and buy additional CO2 detector plus change out batteries in present detector. My MH was delivered with a bad CO2 & smoke alarm detector. I bought all new higher quality detectors. Be safe. Maybe a false alarm but may not be. Alarms are cheap.
Dick_B
Explorer
Oct 23, 2013
Our detector goes off when my wife cooks pancakes on the stove even with the exhaust fan on. Seems like some detectors are more sensitive than others but, I suppose, that's better than not going off at all. The same reaction may be taking place with the heater not that the CO levels are high but it may just be overly sensitive.
You could hook up a portable one from the store as a check on the built in unit. I'd put the portable one in the bedroom.
RoyB
Explorer II
Oct 23, 2013
I never liked to have any open flame or red hot cores in our trailer when we was asleep. Always used the oil filled heaters from LOWES/WALMART.. No smell, no noise, and to us probably the safest heater you can run while you sleep.

We have two with us and set them to around a number 3 setting and have one in each end of the trailer. If we need to move some air we would use one of those O2COOL AC/DC/D-CELL 10-inch fans (Walmart-Lowes). They sit perfect behind the oil-filled heater to blow warm air around the trailer

works good for us....