Heat Strips

[hohenwald48]

I'm thinking of installing an add on 5K BTU heat strip to my air conditioner. I already have a thermostat that can support it. Is it worth the $50 or not?

[trail-explorer]

hohenwald48 wrote:
I think I'll go ahead and order the heat strip. It'll help take the chill of on those cool fall mornings. We run the A/C fan all night for the white noise anyway.

In your situation, it's a no brainer to add the heat strip.
Win-Win for sure.

[hohenwald48]

I guess that's why they call them "options". I "opt" to use one. You can "opt" otherwise.

[Bumpyroad]

93Cobra2771 wrote:


Food for thought - running the a/c fan on cool nights will cool the insides down faster. You are passing the inside air through the coils that are outside in the cool air. Air conditioning without the compressor running. 🙂

You probably have already thought of that, but thought I'd throw that out there.

not to mention that if the rv has ducted heat/air that the duct work will absorb some of the heat also. but it is semi obvious that the OP wanted to get a heat strip and was destined to do so regardless of comments to the contrary.
bumpy

[SoundGuy]

hohenwald48 wrote:
I think I'll go ahead and order the heat strip. It'll help take the chill of on those cool fall mornings. We run the A/C fan all night for the white noise anyway.

With the endless heat wave we're currently experiencing here in S Ontario (rare for this part of the world :E ) we'll be running our A/C pretty well constantly this weekend ... and putting up with the hurricane level racket that it makes. :M No way, no how would I ever run it as just a source for white noise ... for that we use a 3 speed fan - quiet and soothing. :B For heat, we'll stick with an electric heater as our primary source of heat during the colder camping months, augmenting it as necessary with the camper furnace which although noisy in itself runs minimally, even in really cold weather. An A/C heat strip would be a total fail for us. 😞

[93Cobra2771]

hohenwald48 wrote:
I think I'll go ahead and order the heat strip. It'll help take the chill of on those cool fall mornings. We run the A/C fan all night for the white noise anyway. If the thermostat sees a need it will just kick on the heat strip. If that's not enough it'll kick on the furnace. Easy and automatic. Keeps me from having a portable heater sitting around taking up space too. Thanks for the input.

Food for thought - running the a/c fan on cool nights will cool the insides down faster. You are passing the inside air through the coils that are outside in the cool air. Air conditioning without the compressor running. 🙂

You probably have already thought of that, but thought I'd throw that out there.

[eHoefler]

We use the fan in the A/C to circulate the heat when using space heaters. SInce the A/C sits outside in the cold, it will coo; the air when running. The heat strips keeps the air warm. It helps keep the heat even in the coach.

[hohenwald48]

I think I'll go ahead and order the heat strip. It'll help take the chill of on those cool fall mornings. We run the A/C fan all night for the white noise anyway. If the thermostat sees a need it will just kick on the heat strip. If that's not enough it'll kick on the furnace. Easy and automatic. Keeps me from having a portable heater sitting around taking up space too. Thanks for the input.

[Dog_Trainer]

Heat Rises so being in the A?C is probably not efficient save the $50 and put it on a good stand alone floor located heater.

[Lynnmor]

You've read the negatives above, the positives are; it takes up no space, thermostat might control it, no need to plug into a cheesy self-contained outlet and heat distributes throughout the trailer. I have had them in the last two trailers and found them useful. When staying more than one night in cold weather, I get out my little electric heater and plug it into an outlet that I installed on its own breaker.

[Bumpyroad]

beemerphile1 wrote:
Same amount of heat as a small $20 (or less) heater. I wouldn't want all the air flow and noise of the A/C unit blower running.

and in campgrounds that charge if you use electrical heat, a roaring air conditioner when it is 34 degrees is sort of a clue.
bumpy

[Bumpyroad]

NO
bumpy

[bobndot]

I agree, portable heater, put it where you need it most.

[beemerphile1]

Same amount of heat as a small $20 (or less) heater. I wouldn't want all the air flow and noise of the A/C unit blower running.

[MFL]

IMO, not worth the bother. I've had two ACs with the strip, and rarely used it. I'd much rather use a small electric heater, that is more quiet, and more efficient.

Jerry