Quiet heater that doesn’t drain batteries ?

[Jwpup]

Hi,

I’m new to the RV world, just started making family trips in a new travel trailer (forest river wolf pup). But temperatures are dropping and the heater that came with the camper is horrendously loud. It wakes us up every time it kicks on at night.

All of our camping is without hookups and we are trying to find out if there’s a better alternative for heating the unit at night, without a noisy fan, and without draining the batteries. Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

[Old-Biscuit]

pianotuna wrote:
there are heaters that use no power and vent through the wall of the RV.

Brands/Models......details

[down_home]

I Our Mh we always had a window cracked open. No way at sub freezing temps the heat Pumps could keep it warm so the furnaces kick in. Build up of moisture inside from the furnaces get bad. If you are dry camping a big battery bank powering the blowers on the furnaces is about your only option. When people buy a Fifth Wheel of Trailer they at least on their first unit don't seem to think about cold weather packages and heating. You need the furnaces to also keep the tanks and lines from freezing. Some heat is directed their way. An onboard generator was/is an option on some unites, and tha4t would be the only logical way to power electric heaters. We ran a small heater off inverter and batteries once and it sucked the batteries down real quick. But lead acid should be fully cycled sometimes. As to noise. I would shop the two but possibly more units available for RVs. The Atwood and Suburban fit the same space, I believe, but don't quote me. We never looked at a replacement. Small Squirrel cage blowers in the furnace designed for the space RV Mfgs provide are loud but on ours the furnace combustion is the most of the noise, I think.. On ours with the bedroom door closed the noise exposure is reduced.

[2oldman]

SteveAE wrote:
Tried a Buddy Heater, but didn't like them (smell and headache).

Boy I'll say. Just tried that and got a headache within an hour.

[rockylarson]

PamfromVA wrote:
we use a Olympian Wave Heater when boondocking. we plumbed it in at the stove with a "T" and it works great. these are made to use indoors and are perfectly safe if installed and used correctly.

X2

Plumbed mine from refrig supply.

[rockylarson]

Plenty of good advice on use of Wave 6 here:Wave propane heater

[PamfromVA]

we use a Olympian Wave Heater when boondocking. we plumbed it in at the stove with a "T" and it works great. these are made to use indoors and are perfectly safe if installed and used correctly.

[wanderingaimles]

What we have done in the past is use a little buddy on low, when it was cold enough that it couldnt keep up, the thermostat was set for the furnace to kick in at 50.
With the one we just bought, I'm installing the smallest camco, and going to use it the same way. The camco's are very easy on propane, quiet, and with the furnace as a backup, the little 3000 btuh should be great for our 26' motorhome.

[JimK-NY]

Personally I would never trust any unvented heater, catalytic or not.

[SteveAE]

Hi,

I use an Olympian Wave Heater (6000 BTU), plumbed into the onboard propane, in our 22' trailer.
When I first got it, I ran it on high, overnight, with the trailer sealed up as tight as I could get it (I wasn't in the trailer), with two (new) digital readout CO detectors inside. When I checked in the morning, both detectors read zero. None the less, I leave the bath vent open in the rear of the trailer and crack a window open in the front.
Takes awhile to warm up the trailer on it's own so we sometimes use the furnace for quick warm ups.
Dust is the enemy of these things though. I keep it covered (or stored in a box) when not in use.

Tried a Buddy Heater, but didn't like them (smell and headache).

Experimented with heat exchange on water heater, but couldn't get enough heat.

[craig7h]

I do not dry camp so really can not give much help on alternative heat source. I would however stay away from any type of propane radiant heat, such as the Buddy Heater. Your unit is to air tight to use that indoors.
I would hope that after time you will get used to the on board furnace. Just remember also that it uses a lot of propane so have a good supply handy.

Depending where you camp a generator may be an answer but then at night that noise could be worse.

[bikendan]

Jwpup wrote:
Hi,

I’m new to the RV world, just started making family trips in a new travel trailer (forest river wolf pup). But temperatures are dropping and the heater that came with the camper is horrendously loud. It wakes us up every time it kicks on at night.

All of our camping is without hookups and we are trying to find out if there’s a better alternative for heating the unit at night, without a noisy fan, and without draining the batteries. Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

if you have no hookups, then the only option i know of, instead of the furnace, is a Mr Buddy heater.

[pianotuna]

there are heaters that use no power and vent through the wall of the RV.