Looking for heater recommendations

[gaylec]

We are going camping quite a bit in cooler temps, and in lieu of running the propane heater all night, I would like some suggestions for a good, small electric heater for my Jayco X17Z.

I am also considering getting some heated mattress pads. Does anyone have any experience with these, and/or manufacturers you have been happy with.

Thanks in advance!

[regis101]

Since noise is a subjective topic, I use two of these.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_36_0__?productId=3468413
They have just the slightest hum. I can't hear them at all while in the bunk.
I tried at least four fan driven ceramic and element style heaters. The noise level was uncomfortable, to me.

[krinkle]

We have an Edndpure that has saved us many winters. We use it in our home in SE Mo. Does anyone have any ideas of how to keep the floor warm? Electric blanket works wonders...Happy RVing to all traveling south be careful my friends.

[Jerry9n]

I've used one of the original ceramic disk heaters. Here is the Pelonis, probably one of the first.

These are a little pricier than the other ceramic heaters but differ in function. The fan is variable speed and as it calls for more heat, the fan speeds up and the disks get hotter. As you approach the proper temperature fan modulates back down and stays at the speed needed to keep temperature. No on or off cycling or hot or cold. Downside is the thermostat is not calibrated in degrees, but you set it to room temp you are at plus some.

I have used this for quite a few years -20 maybe, most of which were in my PUP. Keeps my hybird nice and warm in cool weather, but then heat is heat. Just doesn't cycle like most heaters do.

[N___J]

We use the same one as Chuck. The remote is nice to keep by the bed so you can fire up the heater to take the chill off in the AM.
I also run a dedicated extension cord to the camp outlet just for the heater so we don't have to worry about popping breakers.

[atreis]

They're all 99.99% efficient (which actually isn't that good - heat pumps are several times more efficient than resistance heaters) and, given the same wattage, will heat the space equally well (or poorly).

Oil heaters have the advantage of smaller temperature swings due to their high thermal mass, with the disadvantages of taking longer to heat in the first place, size, and weight. They would be my preference, but for us size and weight matter so they're a no-go.

Unfortunately, many other heaters with in-built thermostats have an unpleasantly high hysteresis - they allow for wider temperature swings than is comfortable.

I actually prefer to just use the furnace in the trailer. It ends up being the most comfortable option.

[gheicher]

Chuck_S wrote:
Lasko Digital Ceramic for our camper. They sell them by the pallet at Home Depot. Mine has a remote control. Has a timer that goes to 8 hours. Two heat levels. Etc.
-- Chuck

That looks like a nice unit and has an electronic thermostat which should be much better than the cheap ceramic heaters I have been using. Most all cheaper ceramic units use a cycling switch where you adjust the percent on/off time. Depending on the outside temperature you have to guess at the setting to be comfortable. Having a real thermostat would be a lot better.

How far does the temperature normally drop on the digital display of your Lasko unit before the heater comes back on?

[rockhillmanor]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd like to see a study on efficacy of the various types of heaters at heating and maintaining a constant temperature in a closed area. I would think that an oil filled one would be better in that it would heat up the area and then maintain it by keeping the volume of oil at temperature by periodically coming on, whereas a resistive type would fluctuate allowing the area to cool, then blasting on when the set point is reached and repeating the cycle.
bumpy

Well I can give you an efficacy report of the 'furnace' heater in my MH! :B

Heated tanks.....that's what the sticker said.
Yup, they are heated alright. They take half of the heat vent in the bedroom and rout it to the tanks.:R

Freezing temps my tanks are all snuggly warm while my bedroom and my butt inside the MH is freezing cold.

Who ever sleeps in the bedroom jacks up the thermostat to stay warm and those up front wake up sweating to 100 degree temps.

[Chuck_S]

Lasko Digital Ceramic for our camper. They sell them by the pallet at Home Depot. Mine has a remote control. Has a timer that goes to 8 hours. Two heat levels. Etc.



-- Chuck

[Canuckistani]

gaylec wrote:
What brand is your oscillating heater?

The one we use in our TT is a Lasko brand, nearly identical to this one:

Lasko heater at Macy's

[Chuck_S]

Heat is heat. The oil filled heaters will lose much heat initially just heating themselves up before it starts to radiate. They'll retain heat though and radiate it after power is off but there's no free lunch here. This type would seem to avoid the heat swings of cycling a heater on and off all the time. A conventional electric heater of 1500 watts is unlikely to cycle much in cold weather and will run all the time. A model that partially sweeps will move the little heat it produces to much of the camper.

The "blast from the center" ceiling air conditioners in many campers of this size offer a "heat strip" option that can, in some cases, be retrofitted. Has the same 1500 watts, though, so don't expect it to heat the camper on a frosty morning. We had one and the only advantage was it was built-in and not using floor or storage space.

The furnace we had in our popup did a very nice job of heating the cabinet on the wall opposite it. I added some baffles to direct the heat toward the center of the camper. Our hybrid has only two outlet so heat can be spotty there too.

A digital thermostat on the furnace will help avoid the heat swings common in a camper.

-- Chuck

[Bumpyroad]

I'd like to see a study on efficacy of the various types of heaters at heating and maintaining a constant temperature in a closed area. I would think that an oil filled one would be better in that it would heat up the area and then maintain it by keeping the volume of oil at temperature by periodically coming on, whereas a resistive type would fluctuate allowing the area to cool, then blasting on when the set point is reached and repeating the cycle.
bumpy

[gheicher]

When it come to electric heat, heat is heat. Quartz, infa-red, ceramic, resistance, or oil filled resistance heaters all have equal efficiency - A heat pump system is more efficient only when the outdoor temp is above 30 degrees F. I have used several ceramic heaters in my campers over the years, none costing more than $25 and they have all worked fine.

[rockhillmanor]

Tried them all.
Not enough heat or louder than the furnace in the RV.
Ya they all are rated at 1,500 but how much heat comes out of them DOES differ. I found the oil filled to draw hard when it comes on and off and heats up the plug. I find the ceramic heaters to be the best.

After a couple years on the road I settled in with this one. Quiet, and puts out a lot of heat. I was a bit hesitant on the height of it and the safety of it being that tall regarding tipping over but it has proven me wrong and sits firmly on any surface. I never use the oscillating feature thought as it does does nothing to increase the temps in the RV. I heat a 31 ft MH with it!

Lasko Tower.
Thermostat, 2 speeds, temp control and oscillates.

[Chuck_S]

We have Biddeford (brand) heated mattress pads on the beds at home. Note the dual controls. Our Roo heated mattresses only have one control per bed.

These are AC power.

The queen size probably fits the so-called king-size camper mattresses best but it will require actually checking this rather than my guess. Don't buy now and check in the spring or you may not be able to return the wrong size.

-- Chuck