Heat strips in the ac units

[Dcoleram]

Does any one have them? How do you like them? Also they only run off shore power or a gen set correct?

Dave

[sleepy]

The question that comes to mind as I read....

Can you get it for $20

It will still be only 1500 watts maximum if it plugs into a 120 VAC outlet. The wiring wouldn't take it... you blow fuses and breakers with higher wattages.

The $20 ceramic cube is the smallest fan powered device available to get the 1500 watts... the outside is kept realitively cool as the 3 speed fan pushes the heat out into the room.

And 8 months a year in most areas of the country it's easily stored away... and quicly brought out if needed

I have a $300 vented Platcat, others have a $200 Wave... I'll bet most of us would still use our $20 Ceramic Cube 1500 watt heaters when we have 120VAC available.

[Bumpyroad]

Camper_Jeff_&_Kelli wrote:
I installed a heat strip in my AC unit and it really is not the way to go. Mine is 600 watt and will heat a little bit but the fan is constantly running and you'll get no quiet. For electric heat, we use a 4 foot baseboard style, freestanding heater. It's quiet and heat rises from the floor through a 4 foot wide screen distributing the heat nicely and quietly. It is switchable from 800 to 1200 watts. The ceramic heaters are loud and get hot. The baseboard we use is never overly hot to touch.
As for paying extra to use a heater at an rv park, the whole reason to get a site with power is to use it for your 120 volt appliances. In Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana, we have never paid a surcharge for electrical connection.

years back I saw a baseboard fluid filled radiator type of heater that would be ideal in a RV. can't seem to find such a thing now days.
bumpy

[craiger4]

A space heater works a lot better for us.

[Camper_Jeff___K]

I installed a heat strip in my AC unit and it really is not the way to go. Mine is 600 watt and will heat a little bit but the fan is constantly running and you'll get no quiet. For electric heat, we use a 4 foot baseboard style, freestanding heater. It's quiet and heat rises from the floor through a 4 foot wide screen distributing the heat nicely and quietly. It is switchable from 800 to 1200 watts. The ceramic heaters are loud and get hot. The baseboard we use is never overly hot to touch.
As for paying extra to use a heater at an rv park, the whole reason to get a site with power is to use it for your 120 volt appliances. In Washington, Oregon, Idaho, or Montana, we have never paid a surcharge for electrical connection.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

If you wish to use large 1500 watt free standing heaters, please upgrade the outlets you prefer to use them from. If you do not wish to make this important upgrade, then get two 750 watt heaters and plug them into different circuits in the RV.

Folks expect a roof source of heat to be much more effective. I do have one. I do use it when I have convenient shore power.

Small space heaters often have part of their output as radiant in nature. This makes them "feel nicer", as they warm what they are pointed at (me). The roof air heat strip is 100% non radiant since the element is not directly exposed to the end user.

I use a great deal of electric heat and have upgraded the outlets in my 30 amp RV to accommodate heaters. I've arranged for two auxiliary shore power cords, so up to 45 amps (3 15 amp circuits) can be drawn. If I'm in a campground with 50 amp service that jumps up to 60 amps.

Since I used male and female plugs, I can return the RV to OEM wiring in the time it takes to move two plugs.

I use one of these to monitor my entire 120 volt energy use (including the inverter) energy monitor

[trail-explorer]

sleepy wrote:
The 50 Watt a/c heat strips are absolutely useless.

Noisy too!

I can turn on a small space heater and sleep well. That would not be the case with the A/C unit blowing lukewarm air from a heatstrip. (the noise)

[sleepy]

Dcoleram wrote:
Does any one have them? How do you like them? Also they only run off shore power or a gen set correct?

Dave

The 50 Watt a/c heat strips are absolutely useless.

A single 1500W ceramic heates run on the low setting will be enough 90% of the time.

I'd like to remind you: but I know that everyone already knows this.

All 1500 Watt heaters will put out the same amount of heat ( BTU's )

The maximum size heater that can be plugged into your 110 Volt AC power source is 1500 Watts.

I see room heaters advertized as being something very special from the Amish... at $300 or more. Look carefully... they are 1500W

I see them for $60... yep... still 1500 watts

A very nice 1500 watt thermostatically controlled ceramic heater with three speed fan and an off switch can be had for less than $30.... at Walmart... or shop around.

No matter what you pay... 1500 Watts is as big as it gets... you can get less for your money.

[BradW]

harold1946 wrote:
I have two of them and they work well for taking the chill off in mild weather.
The thing we like is not having portables sitting around and having the heat through the ductwork.
Yes they will run off of shore power or genset.

Same here. They are a safe, cheap, reliable, low maintenance add-on that will maintane a resonable temp in our camper down to about 20 degf outside temp. In most places, its free heat and you save your propane. I wouldn't want a separate electric heater taking up space in the camper.

Brad

[trail-explorer]

Charging more for high amp draw appliance usage, over and above charging for a site that has power must be an east coast thing.

[Terryallan]

trail-explorer wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
a total waste of money. you will be wearing out your AC fan, plus everybody in the campground, including manager, will know you are using electric heat and charge accordingly. too much air flow to heat output ratio. will lose heat in ducts if ducted AC.
buy a $17 ceramic cube at walmart.
oh, and see about 100,000 previous threads on this.

bumpy

I've never seen a campground charge for extra for running an electric heater.

Yes, they charge for the power hookup (as part of the fee for the campsite) but I've not seen one charge extra for running a heat strip on an A/C unit.

And there aren't 100,000 threads on the topic

they do, and in the NC mountains, Because AC is not needed, many will charge if you use the AC. It's done on the honor system

[Bumpyroad]

trail-explorer wrote:


I've never seen a campground charge for extra for running an electric heater.

And there aren't 100,000 threads on the topic

I have. the first one that comes to mind was the city park in Watkins Glen NY, but that was years ago. you should get out more. 🙂
and OK, 99,999 threads.
bumpy

[trail-explorer]

Bumpyroad wrote:
a total waste of money. you will be wearing out your AC fan, plus everybody in the campground, including manager, will know you are using electric heat and charge accordingly. too much air flow to heat output ratio. will lose heat in ducts if ducted AC.
buy a $17 ceramic cube at walmart.
oh, and see about 100,000 previous threads on this.

bumpy

I've never seen a campground charge for extra for running an electric heater.

Yes, they charge for the power hookup (as part of the fee for the campsite) but I've not seen one charge extra for running a heat strip on an A/C unit.

And there aren't 100,000 threads on the topic

[Bumpyroad]

a total waste of money. you will be wearing out your AC fan, plus everybody in the campground, including manager, will know you are using electric heat and charge accordingly. too much air flow to heat output ratio. will lose heat in ducts if ducted AC.
buy a $17 ceramic cube at walmart.
oh, and see about 100,000 previous threads on this.

bumpy

[Terryallan]

Had one in our pup. If it was 70F. It would warm it right up to 71 in only a few hours. After the sun came up.

Honestly. It is the same as turning on a hair dryer.