Elec. heat v. Gas heat

[LaTriker]

I have a heating element in my a/c and gas heat. If I turn on the elec. heat, will the system automatically switch to gas heat if the temperature drops below a certain degree?

[rhagfo]

pnichols wrote:
What on Earth ever happened to discussion of these outstanding RV heating options that really have got it right: Propane and 12 powered ... ultra-low 12V power consumption and noise, vented, and hence with no moisture or combustion products into the interior ... combined with just sipping the propane.

These heaters would be especially great for long term drycamping:
http://www.ventedcatheater.com/heaters

(Their design reminds me of the fanless vented propane heater in our 1969 vintage Class C motorhome from years ago.)

Well I can think of two reasons;
1. The surface is HOT and can be a source of ignition for flammable materials passes near it.

2. Doesn’t heat the basement or tank area in freezing weather.

You do need to use correct caution when using.

[pianotuna]

Phil,

I love the Platinum Cat!

There are other vented heaters, some of which use zero power. Here is an example:

https://www.gasheaterstore.com/Williams-2509821-Monterey-Plus-Top-Vent-Wall-Furnace--25000-btu--Prop...



Here is another:

https://www.gasheaterstore.com/Empire-DV215SGXLP-15000-Btu-Direct-Vent-Propane-Wall-Furnace_p_64.htm...

[pnichols]

What on Earth ever happened to discussion of these outstanding RV heating options that really have got it right: Propane and 12 powered ... ultra-low 12V power consumption and noise, vented, and hence with no moisture or combustion products into the interior ... combined with just sipping the propane.

These heaters would be especially great for long term drycamping:
http://www.ventedcatheater.com/heaters

(Their design reminds me of the fanless vented propane heater in our 1969 vintage Class C motorhome from years ago.)

[Cummins12V98]

Looking at my electrical display of L1 and L2 when the CheapHeat is activated the screen shows a 20A increase on each leg.

[rhagfo]

alaska dennis wrote:

rhagfo wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally never heard of an AC Heat put being efficient down to 35.

Since you were paying attention. I put the money I would have spent with my three 15k AC's NOT having Heat Pumps and went with "Cheap Heat" option for my furnace. Simple flip of the switch I am on Electric or Propane.

My Penguin AC's would have been about $500 more each with the heat pumps.

NOT cheap but worth every $$$.

You need to broaden your knowledge base:B I have been a RV Tech for 40 years. I have been installing and working on RV HP's for the past 20 years since they introduced them for RV's. Unless you are consistently below 35 degrees, HP's are much better at Heating your RV. LESS noise and softer heat, than running a 12 volt furnace or the furnace with the 120 add on kit. MOST knowledgable RV'ers will select a HP option for their RV's. I had a HP at my stick home years ago and it worked just fine. I have yet to have a customer tell me that he wished he NEVER had the HP option. I HAVE had numerous customers add or asked to install a HP. Doug

dougrainer wrote:


WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

WHEN did I say this????????????????????????????? Also a 50 amp RV IS 120 VOLTS, NOT 220 VOLTS. While the listing states 240/120 the legs are SEPERATE and only 120 is in the RV. Now, on MILLION dollar units and some HI END 5th wheels they do have a 220 circuit for a dryer or induction type range. But that is very rare. Now to your last statement about Basement. You do not know what you are talking about. YOU DO NOT NEED HEATED BASEMENT ABOVE 32 DEGREES. Once you go below 35 degrees the HP system kicks out and the FURNACE system kicks in and THAT is what heats the Basement when needed. Also Heat Strips are NOT HEAT. They are there to take the chill off and not heat. Doug

Well you implied it in the first post, then stated in your last post. 50 amp RV services are 220 volts and 50 amps. You can tap at main breaker, or install half width double main with a 50/30 rating. My Cheap Heat" as stated before runs at 5,000 watts on a 30 amp 220 volt circuit. If my park feed is only a 30 amp 120 volt service then the furnace steps down to 1,800 watts.

I went to another forum and found this. I think the point is to find out what your input voltage is by measuring between l1/l2 http://www.myrv.us/Imgs/PDF/50-amp%20Service.pdf Boy I hope this all fits.

That is correct, and if installed per NEC the voltage between the two will be 240 volts. You can tap at the main or install at half with 30/50 double pole breaker.
Link

[alaska_dennis]

rhagfo wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally never heard of an AC Heat put being efficient down to 35.

Since you were paying attention. I put the money I would have spent with my three 15k AC's NOT having Heat Pumps and went with "Cheap Heat" option for my furnace. Simple flip of the switch I am on Electric or Propane.

My Penguin AC's would have been about $500 more each with the heat pumps.

NOT cheap but worth every $$$.

You need to broaden your knowledge base:B I have been a RV Tech for 40 years. I have been installing and working on RV HP's for the past 20 years since they introduced them for RV's. Unless you are consistently below 35 degrees, HP's are much better at Heating your RV. LESS noise and softer heat, than running a 12 volt furnace or the furnace with the 120 add on kit. MOST knowledgable RV'ers will select a HP option for their RV's. I had a HP at my stick home years ago and it worked just fine. I have yet to have a customer tell me that he wished he NEVER had the HP option. I HAVE had numerous customers add or asked to install a HP. Doug

dougrainer wrote:


WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

WHEN did I say this????????????????????????????? Also a 50 amp RV IS 120 VOLTS, NOT 220 VOLTS. While the listing states 240/120 the legs are SEPERATE and only 120 is in the RV. Now, on MILLION dollar units and some HI END 5th wheels they do have a 220 circuit for a dryer or induction type range. But that is very rare. Now to your last statement about Basement. You do not know what you are talking about. YOU DO NOT NEED HEATED BASEMENT ABOVE 32 DEGREES. Once you go below 35 degrees the HP system kicks out and the FURNACE system kicks in and THAT is what heats the Basement when needed. Also Heat Strips are NOT HEAT. They are there to take the chill off and not heat. Doug

Well you implied it in the first post, then stated in your last post. 50 amp RV services are 220 volts and 50 amps. You can tap at main breaker, or install half width double main with a 50/30 rating. My Cheap Heat" as stated before runs at 5,000 watts on a 30 amp 220 volt circuit. If my park feed is only a 30 amp 120 volt service then the furnace steps down to 1,800 watts.

I went to another forum and found this. I think the point is to find out what your input voltage is by measuring between l1/l2 http://www.myrv.us/Imgs/PDF/50-amp%20Service.pdf Boy I hope this all fits.

[pianotuna]

Cummins12v98,

I understand the CH. It used to be incredibly overpriced.

I agree about the relay. But why did CH include it from the get go? RV's freeze up quickly in the temperatures I RV at.

#3. CH does not allow both propane and electric heat to be used at the same time.

[Cummins12V98]

Many want to criticize CH, they simply don’t understand it. Or they simply won’t spend that much and would rather have little heaters scattered about.

There are simply NO negatives.

[rhagfo]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
^^^^^^^. WOW you do need sum eduminukatin!

I have a 220V washer AND dryer along with 220V Cheap Heat.

To blow your mind even more I have a 220V Cummins 6500 Commercial generator for run those items.

X2!

Cheap Heat

At the last RV show I went to I was told many go with Heat Pumps also, but they really stop working at about 40 degrees. We full time park host in Oregon, we see winter temps below 40 degrees a lot, so a heat pump is not a good option. We had a week or so of temps near Portland in the low 20's high teen's, Cheap Heat kept us at 68 inside.

[rhagfo]

dougrainer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally never heard of an AC Heat put being efficient down to 35.

Since you were paying attention. I put the money I would have spent with my three 15k AC's NOT having Heat Pumps and went with "Cheap Heat" option for my furnace. Simple flip of the switch I am on Electric or Propane.

My Penguin AC's would have been about $500 more each with the heat pumps.

NOT cheap but worth every $$$.

You need to broaden your knowledge base:B I have been a RV Tech for 40 years. I have been installing and working on RV HP's for the past 20 years since they introduced them for RV's. Unless you are consistently below 35 degrees, HP's are much better at Heating your RV. LESS noise and softer heat, than running a 12 volt furnace or the furnace with the 120 add on kit. MOST knowledgable RV'ers will select a HP option for their RV's. I had a HP at my stick home years ago and it worked just fine. I have yet to have a customer tell me that he wished he NEVER had the HP option. I HAVE had numerous customers add or asked to install a HP. Doug

dougrainer wrote:


WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

WHEN did I say this????????????????????????????? Also a 50 amp RV IS 120 VOLTS, NOT 220 VOLTS. While the listing states 240/120 the legs are SEPERATE and only 120 is in the RV. Now, on MILLION dollar units and some HI END 5th wheels they do have a 220 circuit for a dryer or induction type range. But that is very rare. Now to your last statement about Basement. You do not know what you are talking about. YOU DO NOT NEED HEATED BASEMENT ABOVE 32 DEGREES. Once you go below 35 degrees the HP system kicks out and the FURNACE system kicks in and THAT is what heats the Basement when needed. Also Heat Strips are NOT HEAT. They are there to take the chill off and not heat. Doug

Well you implied it in the first post, then stated in your last post. 50 amp RV services are 220 volts and 50 amps. You can tap at main breaker, or install half width double main with a 50/30 rating. My Cheap Heat" as stated before runs at 5,000 watts on a 30 amp 220 volt circuit. If my park feed is only a 30 amp 120 volt service then the furnace steps down to 1,800 watts.

[Cummins12V98]

pianotuna wrote:
You would want to use 15 amps if that was all you had available. CH makes that impossible.

2. CH shuts down--and doesn't switch over to propane if the power goes off. That leaves the RV at risk of freezing.

If for some GOD forsaken reason I only have 15A at my disposal I SIMPLY flip DA switch to propane.

[Cummins12V98]

^^^^^^^. WOW you do need sum eduminukatin!

I have a 220V washer AND dryer along with 220V Cheap Heat.

To blow your mind even more I have a 220V Cummins 6500 Commercial generator for run those items.

[dougrainer]

rhagfo wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally never heard of an AC Heat put being efficient down to 35.

Since you were paying attention. I put the money I would have spent with my three 15k AC's NOT having Heat Pumps and went with "Cheap Heat" option for my furnace. Simple flip of the switch I am on Electric or Propane.

My Penguin AC's would have been about $500 more each with the heat pumps.

NOT cheap but worth every $$$.

You need to broaden your knowledge base:B I have been a RV Tech for 40 years. I have been installing and working on RV HP's for the past 20 years since they introduced them for RV's. Unless you are consistently below 35 degrees, HP's are much better at Heating your RV. LESS noise and softer heat, than running a 12 volt furnace or the furnace with the 120 add on kit. MOST knowledgable RV'ers will select a HP option for their RV's. I had a HP at my stick home years ago and it worked just fine. I have yet to have a customer tell me that he wished he NEVER had the HP option. I HAVE had numerous customers add or asked to install a HP. Doug

Cummins12V98 wrote:
You may have more KNOWLEDGE than I but my 220V Cheap Heat addition causes no noise. My furnace is very quiet and is fully ducted.

Have a AC unit with heat pump go bad and it’s $$$. I have never heard of a single Cheap Heat issue.

Nice to have heat come down from the roof? Not the best for sure. Nice to have warm floors and to keep my tanks and plumbing heated.

No stupid space heaters to try to keep warm.

pianotuna wrote:
You would want to use 15 amps if that was all you had available. CH makes that impossible.

2. CH shuts down--and doesn't switch over to propane if the power goes off. That leaves the RV at risk of freezing.

WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

Then there is Pianotuna, who thinks it is a major drawback that Cheap Heat will not automatically switch to propane if the power goes out. If that was an issue to me a simple 120 volt relay setup would handle that. To me getting out of bed at flipping a switch from gas to electric is not a big deal.

Pianotuna, there isn't much in the way of electric heat you can run on a 15 amp connection, small space heater, or a heated rug.

I am with Ron, I have installed the Cheap Heat system with the auto voltage switch over kit. This will automatically switch from heating with 220 volts/50 amps with 5,000 watts of heat, down to 120 volts, 30 amps with 1,800 watts of heat.
The 1.,800 watts of heat will hold 68 degrees in our three season 32' 5er as low as 32 degrees outside. If I need to raise the temp I simply switch to gas to raise the temp and switch back to electric. On 220V/50 amps have not found the low end yet. We have been down to about 22 degrees and still easily keeping up.
I also agree with Ron on the fact that Cheap Heat is NOT cheap to purchase. I am capable of doing my own electrical work, so did my own install.
When first installed the auto switch over wasn't available, it would take me about 15 to 20 minutes to move the necessary connections to switch over.

Cheap Heat

WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

WHEN did I say this????????????????????????????? Also a 50 amp RV IS 120 VOLTS, NOT 220 VOLTS. While the listing states 240/120 the legs are SEPERATE and only 120 is in the RV. Now, on MILLION dollar units and some HI END 5th wheels they do have a 220 circuit for a dryer or induction type range. But that is very rare. Now to your last statement about Basement. You do not know what you are talking about. YOU DO NOT NEED HEATED BASEMENT ABOVE 32 DEGREES. Once you go below 35 degrees the HP system kicks out and the FURNACE system kicks in and THAT is what heats the Basement when needed. Also Heat Strips are NOT HEAT. They are there to take the chill off and not heat. Doug

[rhagfo]

dougrainer wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Personally never heard of an AC Heat put being efficient down to 35.

Since you were paying attention. I put the money I would have spent with my three 15k AC's NOT having Heat Pumps and went with "Cheap Heat" option for my furnace. Simple flip of the switch I am on Electric or Propane.

My Penguin AC's would have been about $500 more each with the heat pumps.

NOT cheap but worth every $$$.

You need to broaden your knowledge base:B I have been a RV Tech for 40 years. I have been installing and working on RV HP's for the past 20 years since they introduced them for RV's. Unless you are consistently below 35 degrees, HP's are much better at Heating your RV. LESS noise and softer heat, than running a 12 volt furnace or the furnace with the 120 add on kit. MOST knowledgable RV'ers will select a HP option for their RV's. I had a HP at my stick home years ago and it worked just fine. I have yet to have a customer tell me that he wished he NEVER had the HP option. I HAVE had numerous customers add or asked to install a HP. Doug

Cummins12V98 wrote:
You may have more KNOWLEDGE than I but my 220V Cheap Heat addition causes no noise. My furnace is very quiet and is fully ducted.

Have a AC unit with heat pump go bad and it’s $$$. I have never heard of a single Cheap Heat issue.

Nice to have heat come down from the roof? Not the best for sure. Nice to have warm floors and to keep my tanks and plumbing heated.

No stupid space heaters to try to keep warm.

pianotuna wrote:
You would want to use 15 amps if that was all you had available. CH makes that impossible.

2. CH shuts down--and doesn't switch over to propane if the power goes off. That leaves the RV at risk of freezing.

WOW! What an exchange, a knowledgeable RV tech that thinks you can only tap 120 volts on a 220 volt 50 amp service!
I have never understood heating from the roof, heat strips or Heat Pump, they don't heat the basement.

Then there is Pianotuna, who thinks it is a major drawback that Cheap Heat will not automatically switch to propane if the power goes out. If that was an issue to me a simple 120 volt relay setup would handle that. To me getting out of bed at flipping a switch from gas to electric is not a big deal.

Pianotuna, there isn't much in the way of electric heat you can run on a 15 amp connection, small space heater, or a heated rug.

I am with Ron, I have installed the Cheap Heat system with the auto voltage switch over kit. This will automatically switch from heating with 220 volts/50 amps with 5,000 watts of heat, down to 120 volts, 30 amps with 1,800 watts of heat.
The 1.,800 watts of heat will hold 68 degrees in our three season 32' 5er as low as 32 degrees outside. If I need to raise the temp I simply switch to gas to raise the temp and switch back to electric. On 220V/50 amps have not found the low end yet. We have been down to about 22 degrees and still easily keeping up.
I also agree with Ron on the fact that Cheap Heat is NOT cheap to purchase. I am capable of doing my own electrical work, so did my own install.
When first installed the auto switch over wasn't available, it would take me about 15 to 20 minutes to move the necessary connections to switch over.

Cheap Heat