CheapHeat System?

[NMace]

In the Dec 2013 issue of TRAILER LIFE magazine there is an article on the CheapHeat after-market electric system.

I was shocked to read the authors proclaim even additional savings when in camp grounds where electric charges are not metered, but included in the site fee.

Do they not realize that promoting such abuses will cause us all to pay more for our camp ground use? The camp ground must make a profit, so if some find ways to use more of what they think is "free" electric, others will pay more for their site.

It seems selfish to me. I expect better from a national periodical.

Neil

[rseymour21]

I guess if your worried about people stealing electricity then perhaps dry camping is an option!

We have plenty of free heat here in Texas , starts in June runs to September! That's when I steal all the electric I can for my single 15k AC unit! Wishing I had 50 amp service and two units. Winter camping ain't a drop in the bucket compared to what I need in the summer!

[harold1946]

TowedWhereIGo wrote:
We've already been in campgrounds that charge for electricity. Elcetricity is not free, it is now over and above your cost to park. Will water be next? We've been in parks that say do not wash your vehicle in your camp site. Why do you think the owner had to post that sign?

The reason we post it is to keep people from turning our campsites into mud puddles.
We also have two rental rates. One for no hookups. one for 30 amp or 50 amp.
I have never once thought of calling one of our customers an electricity thief.

[wilber1]

Most parks we have been in don't allow washing rigs at campsites. Some do have wash bays where you can do it for no extra charge.

Every year manufacturers up the game when it comes to power consuming devices contained in RV's so why pick on just one. I think metered power will become more the norm but I am not going to call other people thieves because they have 50 amp systems and may not be paying any more than I am with only 30 amps.

[TowedWhereIGo]

We've already been in campgrounds that charge for electricity. Elcetricity is not free, it is now over and above your cost to park. Will water be next? We've been in parks that say do not wash your vehicle in your camp site. Why do you think the owner had to post that sign?

[wilber1]

NMace wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

NMace wrote:
I am not at all opposed to the GheapHeat system, as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use does not cost me, the average user.

Do you really think electric is free?

[COLOR=]No its not free

Now would you answer a few questions?
At what KWH does it become excessive?
How much is used by the "average" RV?
If I do not use my AC units and you do, arent you then costing me money?
I would be very interested in seeing any reply from Trailer Life.

I have tried to make this simple. When CGs raise their rates, it wil be in part to your attitude.

It does not bother as much that you steal, but that you justify it. A thief is a thief..

If power is included in the rate, it is included in the rate. It is up to the park owner as to what is acceptable. You have a lot of gall calling people thieves and requireing your permission as to how they can use it.

[harold1946]

NMace wrote:

harold1946 wrote:

NMace wrote:
I am not at all opposed to the GheapHeat system, as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use does not cost me, the average user.

Do you really think electric is free?

[COLOR=]No its not free

Now would you answer a few questions?
At what KWH does it become excessive?
How much is used by the "average" RV?
If I do not use my AC units and you do, arent you then costing me money?
I would be very interested in seeing any reply from Trailer Life.

I have tried to make this simple. When CGs raise their rates, it wil be in part to your attitude.

It does not bother as much that you steal, but that you justify it. A thief is a thief..

It seems you do not have the ability to keep it civil and answer simple questions, and must resort to making accusations.
I was fully willing to hear your argument if you could support it. Evidently you can not. Evidently they were too tough.

[BlindGuynAR]

NMace wrote:
I am not at all opposed to the GheapHeat system, as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use does not cost me, the average user.

Do you really think electric is free?

Cost is a function of supply vs. demand.

So according to you I guess all those other drivers on the road using up all the supply of fuel, which in turn drives up the price for you, are thieves.

Just stealing straight from your pocket and food from your table.

And big rig drivers? Heck lock those guys up since they are a menace!

[MTPockets1]

this. Is cheap heat

[harold1946]

NMace wrote:
I am not at all opposed to the GheapHeat system, as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use does not cost me, the average user.

Do you really think electric is free?

[COLOR=]No its not free

Now would you answer a few questions?
At what KWH does it become excessive?
How much is used by the "average" RV?
If I do not use my AC units and you do, arent you then costing me money?
I would be very interested in seeing any reply from Trailer Life.

[wilber1]

rhagfo wrote:

thomasmnile wrote:
Might be cheap from the standpoint of hookup to an un-metered (and therefore "free") electrical connection in a CG, but no way is electrical resistance heating more efficient than LP or natural gas. Either provides more heat when burned per unit volume consumed than a kilowatt of electrical energy.

Cheap heat could easily be had or improved at RV factories by better insulating and sealing rigs within the confines of their construction (wall/roof/"basement" 'thickness') and I don't mean using the mylar bubble wrap crap.

I think I would disagree with the gas or propane being more efficient. There is no exhaust for the electric heater, all produced heat goes into the heat duct, electric heat is near 100% efficient. I think it would also be cheaper than burning propane @ near 3.00 a gallon.

Definitely not more efficient. RV furnaces are less efficient than the average medium efficiency natural gas home furnace, so maybe 70% efficient on a good day. A lot would depend on local electric rates and propane prices. Depending on the source, fewer CO2 and other emissions from electric if that is an issue for anyone.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

NMace wrote:
as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use

I do.

Arkansas State Parks charge me extra for 50Amp, COE parks charge me extra for 50Amp, many commercial parks charge me extra for 50Amp.

Those that don't charge more for 50Amp have it already figured into the price.

But I don't run electric appliances to save money - I do it to stay warm in winter and cool in summer.

[thomasmnile]

rhagfo wrote:

thomasmnile wrote:
Might be cheap from the standpoint of hookup to an un-metered (and therefore "free") electrical connection in a CG, but no way is electrical resistance heating more efficient than LP or natural gas. Either provides more heat when burned per unit volume consumed than a kilowatt of electrical energy.

Cheap heat could easily be had or improved at RV factories by better insulating and sealing rigs within the confines of their construction (wall/roof/"basement" 'thickness') and I don't mean using the mylar bubble wrap crap.

I think I would disagree with the gas or propane being more efficient. There is no exhaust for the electric heater, all produced heat goes into the heat duct, electric heat is near 100% efficient. I think it would also be cheaper than burning propane @ near 3.00 a gallon.

Think of it this way: Outside of nuclear power generation, utilities are not using heating elements in steam boilers producing steam to spin a turbine and produce electricity. Even in Florida where serious heating is seldom needed and natural gas is available, new homes are built with gas furnaces installed in place of electric heat pumps. I pray for relatively mild winters because when the "supplemental" resistance heat strip kicks on in the stick n' brick heat pump the electric meter spins itself off the wall...........

[NMace]

I am not at all opposed to the GheapHeat system, as long as you pay for your excessive electricity use does not cost me, the average user.

Do you really think electric is free?

[harold1946]

DutchmenSport wrote:
The idea of having a forced air electric heater in a camper is really not a bad idea, provided there is also a gas forced air heater as well. Just like water heaters that are both gas and electric, a dual furnace would, actually, be wonderful! My concern about REPLACING the gas for electric is what happens in the event of power failure, which happens sometimes in even the very BEST campgrounds and RV parks. So, the option to flip from electric back to gas would always be there.

Regardless of one's idea of the cost of electricity, it's a good idea. And by the time I get ready to buy a new camper, maybe this type of system will be just as common as the gas-electric water heater!

Thats exactly what the Cheap Heat system does. It is an add on to the exhisting furnace that allows one the option of LPG or electric heat, manualy controlled.
With the addition of a solanoid it will automatically switch to LPG in the event of a power failure.

[harold1946]

DutchmenSport wrote:
The idea of having a forced air electric heater in a camper is really not a bad idea, provided there is also a gas forced air heater as well. Just like water heaters that are both gas and electric, a dual furnace would, actually, be wonderful! My concern about REPLACING the gas for electric is what happens in the event of power failure, which happens sometimes in even the very BEST campgrounds and RV parks. So, the option to flip from electric back to gas would always be there.

Regardless of one's idea of the cost of electricity, it's a good idea. And by the time I get ready to buy a new camper, maybe this type of system will be just as common as the gas-electric water heater!

Thats exactly what the Cheap Heat system does. It is an add on to the exhisting furnace that allows one the option of LPG or electric heat, manualy controlled.
With the addition of a solanoid it will automatically switch to LPG in the event of a power failure.