Ceramic Heater Safety

[Dernhelm]

Not sure where I should post this; please feel free to move it? I did a forum search for the subject, but couldn't find it.

Basically, I'm looking for a supplemental space heater that's "safe" to use in a trailer. By "safe" I mean it has a tipover switch, an overheat switch and if your dog wags his fluffy tail against it, it might not ignite.

Do "ceramic" heaters fit the bill?

[All_I_could_aff]

One of my biggest fear is that one of these overseas companies will go ahead and put UL listed on their packaging, but it won’t really be, Just like when they slip in the inferior trailer tires that lack required safety features

[tomman58]

rhagfo wrote:

tomman58 wrote:


Electrical code says 80% is the max for sizing a circuit, wire size. Also those devices in your trailer that are for 110v are UL listed for there usage which means safe for their circuit load. Don't fear what you don't understand there are rules to follow with electricity.

The problem is I do understand. So unless one knows what else
Is on that circuit it will be overloaded. Seeing how most RVs have minimal number of circuits this becomes easy.
Sorry as the son of a Firefighter I very much dislike space heaters. Yes, I have a couple if I have a furnace failure, but would only run on low.

"So unless one knows what else
Is on that circuit it will be overloaded." Overload of any circuit is controlled by the fuse or circuit breaker that is what keeps your system safe. As I mentioned "ALWAYS" make sure you are using UL listed electrical devises. There are plenty from overseas that do not meet that criteria.

[rhagfo]

tomman58 wrote:


Electrical code says 80% is the max for sizing a circuit, wire size. Also those devices in your trailer that are for 110v are UL listed for there usage which means safe for their circuit load. Don't fear what you don't understand there are rules to follow with electricity.

The problem is I do understand. So unless one knows what else
Is on that circuit it will be overloaded. Seeing how most RVs have minimal number of circuits this becomes easy.
Sorry as the son of a Firefighter I very much dislike space heaters. Yes, I have a couple if I have a furnace failure, but would only run on low.

[pianotuna]

Replace the return air grill for the furnace with twin window fans. That keeps air flowing through the duct work on my class C. This allows me to heat 100% electrically down to -37 c (-34f)

[tomman58]

rhagfo wrote:

tomman58 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Well I have read most if not all the responses and don't recall the effects of running a 1500 watt heater on the standard RV 15 amp circuit and outlet. At 1500 watts that is 12.5 amps of current draw on a 15 amp circuit on 14 gauge wire. Not to my liking. My supplemental electrical heat is through my furnace.

WHY?????
#14 wire is throughout your stick house other than the kitchen and the laundry. #14 wire = 120v X 15 amps = 1800 watts electrical code limits its use to 80%. around 1500watts

Yep, Just enough, don't forget the outlets in trailers have minimum wire contact, it is called insulation displacement. The wire is squeezed into a slot in a contact. I only add 20 amp circuits, with 12 gauge wire with screw-down terminals.
By the way 1500 watts on a 15 amp circuit is 83% of the rating.

Electrical code says 80% is the max for sizing a circuit, wire size. Also those devices in your trailer that are for 110v are UL listed for there usage which means safe for their circuit load. Don't fear what you don't understand there are rules to follow with electricity.

[rhagfo]

tomman58 wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Well I have read most if not all the responses and don't recall the effects of running a 1500 watt heater on the standard RV 15 amp circuit and outlet. At 1500 watts that is 12.5 amps of current draw on a 15 amp circuit on 14 gauge wire. Not to my liking. My supplemental electrical heat is through my furnace.

WHY?????
#14 wire is throughout your stick house other than the kitchen and the laundry. #14 wire = 120v X 15 amps = 1800 watts electrical code limits its use to 80%. around 1500watts

Yep, Just enough, don't forget the outlets in trailers have minimum wire contact, it is called insulation displacement. The wire is squeezed into a slot in a contact. I only add 20 amp circuits, with 12 gauge wire with screw-down terminals.
By the way 1500 watts on a 15 amp circuit is 83% of the rating.

[jkwilson]

richardcoxid wrote:
Lwiddie

Please explained your comment “ Electric heaters are nice except you need to run the RV's propane heater to keep the tanks from freezing if it gets really cold.“

The freezing temp of Propane is a minus 306 degrees F!

Water and waste tanks.

[DrewE]

richardcoxid wrote:
Lwiddie

Please explained your comment “ Electric heaters are nice except you need to run the RV's propane heater to keep the tanks from freezing if it gets really cold.“

The freezing temp of Propane is a minus 306 degrees F!

As was said, the tanks in question are water (fresh and waste) tanks, which in many RVs are heated by having a dedicated little duct from the furnace going into the wet bay tank area. Using electric space heaters doesn't heat that wet bay well if at all.

It's perhaps worth noting that, while the freezing point of propane is very low indeed, in cold weather conditions (but within the range of temperatures you might be expected to encounter) the vapor pressure goes down, which particularly for high-pressure propane appliances like simple camp stoves can dramatically affect performance. It can also affect other appliances if the rate of propane use is sufficiently high to cool the propane in the tank (due to evaporation) enough to lower the vapor pressure below what the regulator needs. In short, in very cold weather, propane can fail to work well, particularly for things that need a relatively high flow of gas.

Even if propane were to freeze, I don't think it would pose a threat to the tanks as it probably doesn't expand when it freezes (most substances do not; water is the big exception).

[Dusty_R]

In our last two mhs I have installed a tow kick electric heater, which is basically a 1500 watt electric furnace. Both mhs were 120v 30 amps. I hooked the heaters to the same breaker as the Air Conditioner, you aren't going to run both at the same time, so no harm. You can use a programmable t-stat these heaters. And the heater is not taking up floor space.

Dusty

[Mbiviano]

richardcoxid wrote:
Lwiddie

Please explained your comment “ Electric heaters are nice except you need to run the RV's propane heater to keep the tanks from freezing if it gets really cold.“

The freezing temp of Propane is a minus 306 degrees F!

The holding tanks/water supply, not the propane tanks.

[richardcoxid]

Lwiddie

Please explained your comment “ Electric heaters are nice except you need to run the RV's propane heater to keep the tanks from freezing if it gets really cold.“

The freezing temp of Propane is a minus 306 degrees F!

[Dernhelm]

OK all, thanks so much. You've given me lots of food for thought. Heading out in a couple of weeks for a mid-winter break.

To answer a couple of you, I just like to use a space heater to supplement the propane heater. I have a "hybrid" or expandable trailer, and using a space heater prevents the condensation in the bunk ends we get when using just the propane heat. Using a space heater also takes part of the load off the propane heater and saves propane.

[GDS-3950BH]

tomman58 wrote:


WHY?????

The internet?

[tomman58]

rhagfo wrote:
Well I have read most if not all the responses and don't recall the effects of running a 1500 watt heater on the standard RV 15 amp circuit and outlet. At 1500 watts that is 12.5 amps of current draw on a 15 amp circuit on 14 gauge wire. Not to my liking. My supplemental electrical heat is through my furnace.

WHY?????
#14 wire is throughout your stick house other than the kitchen and the laundry. #14 wire = 120v X 15 amps = 1800 watts electrical code limits its use to 80%. around 1500watts