So, it's going to be cold pretty soon here in UT. We're looking for another floor heater. We have propane and two other floor heaters, but last year when we were in Wyoming we noticed it was unbearably cold. To be honest, it was like no heat was on. Of course we were having -40 degree windchills, so I'm sure that didn't help. Our RV is 38 ft long. We need a heater that is electric. Any suggestions? (Yes, I already know about insulating.)

The only thing that will keep the floor warm is to use insulation around the bottom all your heatloss is through the floor

newman fulltimer wrote:The only thing that will keep the floor warm is to use insulation around the bottom all your heatloss is through the floorYeah I know. The floor was insulated and we had underpinning up last year. So the only other thing we can do is get another heater.

Can't say that I have used my camper in those kind of temps but when it get's down to 20F-25F, I use the propane furnace to get the interior temps up to about 65 and then use an electric cube fan heater (from Home Depot) to maintain the temps. I keep a second electric cube heater to supplement the first when it gets really cold.Each heater is rated at 1500W, so you can do the math and figure out how many heaters you will need.When we are boondocking, I use the small propane "coleman type" heaters to supplement the furnace. They take the chill out first thing in the morning.You can always put on an extra sweater !!! works every time.....gerry

1500 watts aint much, but you might try a couple of the oil filled heaters. They tend to radiate heat even when off once the oil is warm.

You can only run X amount of electric heaters so where are you going to get the supply amperage? In those types of temperatures you have to throw fire at the problem. LOTS of fire! jimoI was in Colorado last year in November when it dipped to 5 degrees. I have a reglur ole FW thats not made for winter and I was using 30 pounds of propane per day and also running a 1200 watt electric heater. On the worse nights I was running another 1500 watt heater on my gen under the holding tank area. I had boxed the tank area in with black celotex(?) board from the Depot. I cant image what you go through in the winter but if I had to do it again I would concentrate on building skirting wall all the way around with foam panels and spray foam every gap. 2" foam board or more. It may only give R7 or so but it would probably help a lot. I also covered the windows and vents with that silver looking roll insulation from HD. It was like living in a cave but it helped a lot. At night we put a quilt over the door area.

Heating 38ft fifth wheel | Good Sam Community

pianotuna
Nomad III
Oct 24, 2015
Hi Melissa,

I use electric heated carpets (x 3). The floor is definitely warm!

I've used my RV at -37 c (-34 f).

Peak use was 7000 watts.

I use 2 1/2 size oil filled heaters, one flat panel oil filled heater, one radiant heater, and one fan based heater in the living quarters.

In addition I have a 600 watt fan based heater in the waste tanks area controlled by a mechanical thermostat.

I replaced the furnace return air grill with a dual window fan which is thermostatically controlled. This keeps the fresh water system from freezing up.

Last year I used no propane for space heating or water heating.

melissajean0 wrote:
So, it's going to be cold pretty soon here in UT. We're looking for another floor heater. We have propane and two other floor heaters, but last year when we were in Wyoming we noticed it was unbearably cold. To be honest, it was like no heat was on. Of course we were having -40 degree windchills, so I'm sure that didn't help. Our RV is 38 ft long. We need a heater that is electric. Any suggestions? (Yes, I already know about insulating.)
TXiceman
Explorer II
Oct 24, 2015
The OP just found out that a SAndpiper is not a 4 season trailer. Best to move it south,

Ken
Ray___June
Explorer
Oct 24, 2015
Look into the Olympian "Wave 8". We have a "Wave 6" in a 35 foot class A, and it does a decent job of keeping us warm, without using any electricity. It also uses less propane than the furnace, and is silent.
renegade99
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
I have a Carriage Cameo that I have used down to 10F below and was able to keep interior at 68F, the floor was a little too chilly for my wife to go barefoot but she only needed a pair of socks, this was without anything but the 40K furnace. I would have skirted it if we had been there longer, but it was only a 4 day stay, so yes there are trailers that can handle the cold.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2015
n7bsn wrote:
Cheap Heat

YUP!

Ain't cheap but sure works well.
CarlT100
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
Yes, I know; but they are great when the temps are in the mid 30's and 40's. :)
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2015
Wind chill only affects living creatures

Has no affect on inanimate objects because they don't 'feel' the wind chill

Minus temperatures do require more heat.
RV furnace PLUS space heaters.

We have been in -19*F temps.
Furnace and Two 1500W space heaters....
justafordguy
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
Heat pumps are great but they don't work when it's below freezing.
CarlT100
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
I have 50 amp service. We use three portable electric heaters - one the garage, one in the living area, and a small one in the bathroom when we are showering. Only in freezing weather do I need to run the furnace. At 26 F, I can keep the trailer at 74 F. I have replaced the portable heater in the garage with an electric oil heater. I used a tank of propane in two days before I added the portable heaters. After adding the heaters, I used one tank per week.

I really wish I had ac/heat pumps.
n7bsn
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
More info on cold weather stays Forum link

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