Is it cheaper to heat my RV on propane or electric?

[Sea_Six]

I'm paying for both the propane and electricity.

43' fifth wheel with four slides- around 400 sf or so. 2013 Dutchmen. Winters here in NW FL are mild. We get 40-50° temperatures at night typically. Occasionally it will get into the 30's and we will have a few days of subfreezing weather per year.

I have a heat pump in the main ac but the reversing valve has failed so it's just an ac for now.

I have two 1500W electric fireplaces and they seem to do a good job of keeping the place warm enough for me and my Golden Retreiver.

But would I save money if I use the propane furnace instead?

[Sea_Six]

Lots of good answers, folks!

Thank you all for your valuable input.

[doxiemom11]

Ask google - there is a chart online that you use with the current cost of electric and propane and it tells you which is cheaper. Last winter when we were in Yuma and electric was .20 kwh, propane was cheaper. This summer when in N Mex and electric was .14 kwh, the electric was cheaper.

[ScottG]

Keep in mind that if your in a RV resort/CG you will be paying commercial rates, not residential. They can be much higher.

[prairie_camper]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Prove it to yourself.

Even if electricity was dirt cheap at ten cents a kilowatt hour just your two heaters would mean thirty cents per hour -- ten hours three dollars -- ninety dollars per month.

But ten cents per kWh is like the days of the buck and a quarter breakfast special and grocery store Ten For A Dollar chicken pot pies.

The actual cost is more like three times that. I remember my aunt in Seattle hooting "We pay three cents per kWh for power!" That was sixty years ago.

Your propane furnace probably has 500% more heating power available.

What? Electricity at 10 cents a kWh, I pay less than 8 cents a kilowatt all day long. Come on down, oh wait it’s minus 20 centigrade tonight, you might want to reconsider.:B. LOL

[pianotuna]

To heat the basement I replaced the cold air return grill with twin window fans. They pressurize the duct work and allow warm cabin air to heat the basement.

[pianotuna]

Here is an online calculator that will allow you to determine which source of heating is cheaper:

http://www.maxmcarter.com/fuels/fuelscalc.html

[sgfrye]

larry cad wrote:
Cost difference is small, but convenience factor makes a difference. I use both, but because of convenience, I use electric more during times when it is above freezing. However, when the temp goes down below freezing, I use propane more in order to keep the basement warm, to prevent pipes there from freezing. Electric heaters don't heat the basement.

By using a combination of both, it makes my propane last longer.

^^^^
this is what we do

[Old-Biscuit]

RV Furnace 85% efficiency so 1 gallon of propane (91,600 btu) provides about as much heat as 23 kw/h of electricity

If propane is $2.30/gal then electric is same IF it costs $0.10 kw/h
Propane $2.70/gal----electric same at $0.11 kw/h

Propane cost/gal DIVIDED by 23 equals same electric cost

[2oldman]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I remember my aunt in Seattle hooting "We pay three cents per kWh for power!" That was sixty years ago..

E WA is still very cheap.. maybe a little over 4¢. Grand Coulee Dam, I guess.

[2oldman]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
You won't have to heat the living room to 110 degrees to get the bedroom above freezing.

x2. I'd go for comfort.

[theoldwizard1]

Sea Six wrote:
We get 40-50° temperatures at night typically. Occasionally it will get into the 30's and we will have a few days of subfreezing weather per year.

I have a heat pump in the main ac but the reversing valve has failed so it's just an ac for now.

A modern, high efficiency heat pump, one specifically design to operate do to about 0F is the most cost effective form of heat. If you could retro fit one of these residential "mini-split" heat pumps into you 5er your electric cost would go way down for both heating and cooling.

[westernrvparkow]

Distribution of that heat is much more important than the cost per BTU. Your furnace is designed to distribute the heat throughout the RV. You won't have to heat the living room to 110 degrees to get the bedroom above freezing. Your furnace will be more efficient than space heaters if you are heating the entire rig.

[DutchmenSport]

Ha! You may pay 10 cents for a KW hour, but you'll have to added on $95.75 for taxes, fees, charges, surcharges, usage fees, you name it!

Have you REALLY looked at your electric bill lately? Actual electric usage on the bill is ridiculously cheap. But when all the additional fees and taxes are added on, it's insane.

Propane is cheaper.

[time2roll]

The heat pump would be lower cost. I would get it fixed or replace the unit. Generally heat pump will provide 2x the BTU per kWh vs a resistance heater.

Resistance heat vs propane is about a wash from the calculations I have seen. Propane you need to go get, electric is right there so convenience is an issue. OK to use a bit of both to say run one space heater and let the propane do the rest. May need both space heaters if the propane comes on a lot. If all is off while you are out all day the propane will re-warm the RV quicker.