use of interior portable heater during storage

[snook7]

Anyone with experience using a portable electric heater during storage to prevent water line/tanks from freezing? Coastal Oregon

If it would prevent freezing would be much simpler than winterizing.
My trailer is stored in an open front metal barn.

thanks Snook
snook7

[CavemanCharlie]

Well, I don't know how new, or what type, of TT the OP has. But, I don't have a water heater by-pass on my 1993 TT. Winterizing takes 8 gallons of antifreeze and about 40 minutes to do by the time I drain everything, refill everything with antifreeze, and then drain everything again.

I know someone will say to add a by-pass and I could but, I would still have to remove the bed cushions and pull up the floor to access the back of the water heater each season. Plus, I'm afraid to add the by-pass myself for fear I will break the water heater or a line. So, I need to take it somewhere to have it done. The closest camper dealer that I would trust to do this job is 50 miles away. And, I would have to take a day off from work.

[dclark1946]

B.O. Plenty wrote:
It takes 15 minutes to winterize once you've done it a time or two. Then it's done. Why waste the energy on running a small heater that won't provide any heat to the underbelly where the water lines and valves are?

B.O.

Actually the underbelly will benefit from a heater inside the trailer since the heat leaks through the uninsulated flooring into the insulated underbelly.

Dick

[fallsrider]

snook7 wrote:
...If it would prevent freezing would be much simpler than winterizing....

I would have to disagree with that statement. Winterizing is very easy. It takes maybe 20 minutes, and is a one and done proposition. You are then guaranteed to have no freeze problems with your plumbing.

Running an electric heater is fraught with worry about the power staying on, the heater not failing, nothing going wrong and burning down your trailer (and the barn), and even then, there might be pipes in areas the heat can't reach that will freeze and suffer damage. This seems much more troublesome to me that winterizing.

Winterizing this year cost me $8 plus tax. I bought 2 gallons of premium Prestone AF instead of the cheaper brand Walmart sells. That is very cheap insurance to know that in the spring, my plumbing will be fine. I will need to buy one more gallon at some point, because I use the trailer during the winter and have to keep adding a little to the toilet. So call it $12 plus tax for the season. I still say that is mighty cheap insurance.

[austinjenna]

I never thought of winterizing to be difficult. Sad yes because it means I am done for the year but really not a huge deal to get it done unless you have never done it before and are worried about it. My friend was like that since he never had to winterize and was in a panic until i showed him how and he realized it was pretty easy to do.

[deltabravo]

It might work, but the amount of electricity used to run a space heater all winter far surpasses the cost of one or two gallons of RV anti-freeze.

A small space heater won't circulate heat in the underbelly where the water tank is located.

[bguy]

I'm not going to leave any portable heater plugged in and operating unattended anywhere for any extended period of time, be it home-cottage-trailer, wherever.
My primary concern is with malfunction and fire. The second concern, at least as far as what you're proposing, is malfunction and lack of heat with the attendant damage from freezing.

[CavemanCharlie]

I agree that the oil filled heaters are probably the safest. They don't have, or need, a tip over switch. Today I took apart one of those ceramic cube type heaters because it wasn't working very well and I was amazed at the amount of dust it had sucked up. It was packed full. No wonder it was working very well. I'm just lucky it never caught fire.

[mtofell1]

I've done it for periods when I was going to be using the TT soon and the cold wasn't going to last for long. As said, it's pretty quick to just blow the lines out. The oil filled radiators are the safest portable. Open cabinet doors and try to set it for about 50. That should keep anything from freezing on the Oregon coast. In extreme cold I agree this probably wouldn't be ideal but that region is just not that cold.

[cblackard]

I pushed out all the water in the lines and water heater with air, drained the water tank and used a simple space heater (typically used under a desk). I set it to keep the temp in the trailer at ~ 50 deg F and kept a check on it every couple of weeks.

My electric bill was about 15 buck more per month but was worth it to me. The following spring I had a camper that was completely free of mold and mildew, required nothing other than filling the water tank, purging the lines and water heater of the air and loading up for the first trip of the year.

The heater I use has a wide base to sit on, a tip/trip sensor to shut it down if it ever tipped over. I keep it on the kitchen counter about 10" off the wall. No issues here...

[B_O__Plenty]

It takes 15 minutes to winterize once you've done it a time or two. Then it's done. Why waste the energy on running a small heater that won't provide any heat to the underbelly where the water lines and valves are?

B.O.

[PaulJ2]

For the occasional cold snap i run it's furnace at 50 degrees with cabinet doors open. Turn on the water heater (electric). Cold weather package has furnace heated tanks.

[ORbiker]

snook7 wrote:
Anyone with experience using a portable electric heater during storage to prevent water line/tanks from freezing? Coastal Oregon

If it would prevent freezing would be much simpler than winterizing.
My trailer is stored in an open front metal barn.

thanks Snook
snook7

Where on the Oregon Coast is it going to be parked?

Most of the coast never gets below freezing.

[AmericalVette]

It may or may not work as some have already stated, but I would not totally depend on it. I have an Edenpure in my camper that is set on 50 deg, even though I blow the lines and add the pink stuff to drains and toilet. The only reason the heater is in there is because there are times while working in the yard that I will go in and take a break, kick the heater up to 65 or so and have a beer or three. My yard is about 5 acres so it takes at least that many.

I strongly suggest to the OP that you go ahead and winterize.

Best Wishes

[old_guy]

I just shutter when some one uses light bulbs or little heater to winterize against the cold. I have seen many rv and barns and well houses burn down because people thought they were safe to use. I was on fire dept for 30 years in eastern Oregon and believe me it is not too good of an out come