Installing Heat in AC Unit?

[longislandcampe]

I just took the air filter out of my roof mount AC and saw a sticker that said something about installing the optional heater there. What is that?

We never use the furnace for heat, we use an oscillating heater when needed.

[720Deere]

I guess the big difference in experiences here is different size trailers yield different results with the heat strip. The ceiling in my toyhauler is over 9 feet tall. A smaller, lower trailer is going to feel the effects of the heat where it just hovers a few feet over my head in the tall trailer.

[DiskDoctr]

Guess we're the odd ones on this. We LOVE the small heating element in ours, just like the one shown in the CW link posted above.

This past weekend the temp dipped into upper 40's here in Western PA. This little bit of heat, with the vents angled downwards, was pretty good in the main section of our HTT. The bunks were a bit cool, but not worth firing up our Wave heater.

We do carry a twin electric blanket for DD or for a lap blanket for cool eves. It keeps her quite comfy. DW and I are usually fine for quite a bit lower temps than she is.

It's also a dry heat and can help quite a bit with dehumidifying the camper or taking the chill off a rainy day.

I do plan to add a thermostat/relay setup for this, though. Cool eves do not necessarily need heat all night long and right now I have to get up to turn it off when it gets too hot and turn it back on just before everyone gets up to have a warm morning.

We like it very much.

We have found that using a small fan pointed at the ceiling can help circulate the heat, as can bunk fans.

A separate heater can be fine, but the ceiling unit takes no extra space and is always with you 😉

[Bumpyroad]

also, I have been in parks that charged extra for electric heat and it is somewhat hard to hide the fact that your roof AC unit is running and it is 25 degrees outside.
bumpy

[ppdunn]

720Deere wrote:
Don't waste your time and money! My garage unit has the heat strip and it is less effective than a hair dryer. It does put out heat, but that heat is blown out of vents in the ceiling. With the heat being released at your highest point, you never feel it. Your 1500 watts would be better used to power a small ceramic heater or an oil filled heater.

Great advice! Thanks, from a new RVer!

[chevyman2]

I was considering a heat strip in my PUP. Especially since I do not have a furnace. I would think (key word - think - ) that the strip would help heat up the bunks. I could still run a cheap ceramic on the floor area.

My thinking might be wrong here. Anyone who has tried my theory in a PUP, please chime in.

[Dick_A]

I installed them on both AC units in our previous coach. I found they worked quite well on cool evenings in the spring and fall. They saved a considerable amount of propane and we were already paying for the electricity.

[720Deere]

down home wrote:

Fizz wrote:
Hot air rises.
What's the point of putting a heater in the ceiling?

Keeps your feet warm while your kicked back watching the tee vee because the tile floor is too cold to put your feet on. 🙂

Do you always watch TV with your feet on the ceiling? The point is that hot air rises, the air ducts are in the ceiling and that weak little heater will never increase the temperature at the floor level where you really need it to be able to actually feel it.

I can run my heat strip with the blaster vents open and the garage closed up and 3 hours later the temperature at the thermostat (5' off the floor) has not gone up a single degree and if it is cold enough outside, it will actually decrease. The only positive at all for the heat strip in my trailer is the blaster vents blow directly on the top bunk in the garage. It does provide a little bit of heat for whoever sleeps in that bunk but is of little use to the rest of the trailer.

[down_home]

Fizz wrote:
Hot air rises.
What's the point of putting a heater in the ceiling?

Keeps your feet warm while your kicked back watching the tee vee because the tile floor is too cold to put your feet on. 🙂

[mbopp]

Another vote for a separate heater (or 2.)

[Learjet]

Fizz wrote:
Hot air rises.
What's the point of putting a heater in the ceiling?

you would have to run the fan. :S As other said not worth it and noisy since you have to run the fan on the AC.

[Fizz]

Hot air rises.
What's the point of putting a heater in the ceiling?

[720Deere]

Don't waste your time and money! My garage unit has the heat strip and it is less effective than a hair dryer. It does put out heat, but that heat is blown out of vents in the ceiling. With the heat being released at your highest point, you never feel it. Your 1500 watts would be better used to power a small ceramic heater or an oil filled heater.

[Luke_Porter]

Here is one---http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/5600-btu-heat-strip-for-dometic-air-conditioners/7971

It's 5600 BTU. A 1500 watt heater puts out 5120 BTU.

[enblethen]

There is a small heating unit that can be added to some AC units. There do not put out much heat. You are better off with your small portable heater.
We have the add-on. It barely keeps dinette area warm in cool weather and is not noticeable in cold weather.