Freezin our butts off!!

My furnace needs a new fan.. and I really need it fixed. Space heaters just don't seem to work as well, and are noisy.

I just bought the Mr Heater gas space heater (about $135) on Amazon. Works good, but really eats those 1-lb canisters.

Licreek wrote:
Hello all, spending our first winter in our 36' Damon pusher. Our furnace is busted and I'm trying to heat with space heaters. The heater in the bedroom works great but I can't seem to warm the living and one super slide. I bought what I thought was a large space heater. It got down to 24 degrees last night and it was really COLD in here. Is there such a thing as a high output electric space heater? I know the max output for the heaters is 1500 watts but wondered if there is one that is more efficient? Which one puts out the largest volume of heat? Any suggestions? Thanks, Lee

use two or 3 instead of one would be your best bet

An electric heater works by converting the electrical energy into heat, so you get the same total heat output for the same electrical power input. They're all essentially 100% efficient in a thermal sense. A 1500 W heater produces about 5100 btu/hr.

A radiant heater will in some situations feel warmer because it warms what it is directed at (such as yourself) rather than warming all the air. Still, it's actual heat output is the same.

Heat pumps are a different matter, as they move heat around from somewhere else (i.e. the outside air) rather than only converting electrical energy into heat energy. They can and usually do have significantly better than 100% electrical efficiency, though of course the total thermodynamic efficiency is not above unity--they don't create energy.

You need one more heater. Hope you have 50 amp RV and 50 amp service. Only one heater per branch circuit so you may have to use the microwave outlet. Otherwise as said they are all 5100 BTU and 100% efficient. I like the radiator style.

Good time to call a mobile RV repair guy.

If you have the money, about $300, buy single hose portable heat pump. Ours draws about 9 amps and produces 9000 BTU's of heat. Electric resistance heaters will draw over 12 maps to produce 5100 but's of heat.
Since the entire unit is inside the RV, it will work in low temperatures, as long as the room itself does not get below 40 degrees.
We have used ours for several Winter seasons out West in temps as low as -5 degrees.
Also you may consider a low voltage electric blanket for those chilly nights.

Consider purchasing and installing Cheap Heat (electric) system. It pushes heat through existing vents. Works great! Good luck!

Yep, three electric heaters should do the trick. When I was in similar weather in our 37' MH, it kept the temp just about right. I hardly ever use the "Webasto" diesel fired heater even though it work's great.

consider pulling in that super slide
thats a lot of exposed area with little to no insulation in the floor
and NO 'dead air' space that is the basement , protecting the floor from the outside air temp

replace/repair the furnace is the best option for staying warm

get a "Wave 8" 8000 BTU catalytic heater
install in the kitchen area with the optional legs and hose
so you can turn it where you want the heat pointed

I do have 3 good circuits and 50a service so I'm gonna try the 3rd heater. Any ideas on what electric space heater to get? Do a get a great big thing with a big fan or a small radiant heater like a dish shape?

Get in touch with Colaw's Salvage. Quite a few years ago my furnace went out in the middle of the winter in Ohio. I got a used furnace within 2 days and when I looked it over before installing it had never been used. Call them and give them the make and model number of the one you have, they will get you a replacement on the way.

X2 on the advice to get a third electric heater, if you have 50 amp you can run 3 and that will do the trick. I am speaking from 4+ years of full timing.

You do need the furnace to be working when it gets real cold to put heat into the basement compartments.