Heated mat?

[Almot]

Something like this: 110V, 730W, 5x2ft. Did anybody use it? When you have a grid power and morning temps inside are in mid 50s (12C). Near floor it's a few degrees cooler. Thick duvet keeps me toasty but need all my willpower to get out of the bed in the morning. It gets warmer when the sun goes up, but need to stand/walk for an hour while making breakfast. Small trailer, main habitat is the 6x2 ft "corridor" btw the table and kitchen counter, with a coach on one end and toilet on another. Looks like the place for a 5ft mat.

Or maybe put a space heater with fan, they usually have a power regulator: 750-1500W space heater. "Thermostat" is a BS, I suspect. At best it would measure the casing temperature and work on-off in either 750 or 1500W mode. Would love to have a real wall thermostat like in shore home.

[StirCrazy]

Almot wrote:

StirCrazy wrote:
I like the idea of the mat, but it would be better if you could put a rheostat on it to control the power going to it. that way you could adjust it to say 85 degrees which would be perfect for a floor temp.

Looks like heated mat is a no-go. 5 ft long snow-melting mats are too powerful and those with less power are 3 ft long or shorter. Many complaints on horrible smell of indoor heated mats. Snow-melting 5ft mat looks like made from the same rubber-ish material, should smell too.

Under-carpet heated mats in hardware stores are not made to be walked on, they are to be laid under carpet or tiles. Too bad, I like the idea of heat coming up from the floor, lived once in apartment with heated floor, loved it.

ya thats what I was concerned with for the snow melter heated mats. I have been looking into what it would take to retrofit a Alde type system into an older camper. right now I have to put the camper on a 3" platform so it has enough roof clearance so I was thinking of making that a false bottom and attaching it to the camper then running radiant lines all under the floor and then 2" or more for foam insulation under that. would be nice to not have a loud furnace fan blowing all night

[Grit_dog]

How’s aboot electric socks?

[Almot]

StirCrazy wrote:
I like the idea of the mat, but it would be better if you could put a rheostat on it to control the power going to it. that way you could adjust it to say 85 degrees which would be perfect for a floor temp.

Looks like heated mat is a no-go. 5 ft long snow-melting mats are too powerful and those with less power are 3 ft long or shorter. Many complaints on horrible smell of indoor heated mats. Snow-melting 5ft mat looks like made from the same rubber-ish material, should smell too.

Under-carpet heated mats in hardware stores are not made to be walked on, they are to be laid under carpet or tiles. Too bad, I like the idea of heat coming up from the floor, lived once in apartment with heated floor, loved it.

[John_Burke]

Was in Home Depot
yesterday and saw heated mats. They were by the floor coverings, made to go under the flooring. Different sizes with thermostats.

[StirCrazy]

I like the idea of the mat, but it would be better if you could put a rheostat on it to control the power going to it. that way you could adjust it to say 85 degrees which would be perfect for a floor temp.

[Almot]

Good suggestions. My thoughts have been running along these lines already.

Remote thermostat for space heater should work, if heater fan switching on won't wake me up. But this will work fine for dark hours before and after bedtime. You're right, there is no good place for oil-filled heater.

Snow-melting mat 730W translates into 145W per linear foot, not only it may damage the linoleum but could be too hot to stand on. There are mats 45W per linear ft but I can't find a 5-6 ft piece. Discoloration of linoleum doesn't bother me as long as it won't melt.

No-power mats will keep the floor warmer but when it drops to 52 outside I don't know if this will help much. Poor walls insulation. One window (and often the door too) are open most of the time, nice fresh air, but in pre-dawn hours it can get too fresh :). One thing I can try is filling the floor ducts with something like styrofoam peanuts since I don't use furnace. I suspect a lot of cold is coming in through the ducts - big open holes/registers and no insulation "wool" under the ducts.

[LMHS]

How about no power? I use these. When they get too damaged, I replace them. I do not wear shoes inside, even during the winter. Our winters get well below freezing and these help a lot with cold floors. LOTS of places sell them not just HF. So if you have a problem with HF, you can still find them. You may find them called "yoga", "nap" or "play" mats. But they are all the same. https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-anti-fatigue-foam-mat-set-94635.html

[John_Burke]

Looking at it seems to me that 122 degrees would be too
hot to lay on the floor. Could discolor the vinyl flooring or even worse cause a fire. I have found heating mats made for indoor flooring. Can be put under carpet tile or other flooring. Not as hot. Just search under carpet heating mat.

[wa8yxm]

Have used electric heat a lot. works well but you need to be cautious about setting heaters in areas where they might cause fires... Ceramic types put out the heat just fine but do not get as hot over all (more surface area at a lower temp = same amount of heat) than the older glowing wire units. Oil Filled are larger and thus a problem on their own.

I also have one with a remote thermostat.. That one works very nice.

You can but a remote (plug in) thermostat at amazon and on the heater itself just crank it up to max. Google: plug in thermostat for space heater

[Almot]

JimK-NY wrote:
Your post brings all sorts of issues to mind. First if you have an electric hook up, why are you suffering with a cold RV? Why are you not using a space heater? Second, when you get up in the morning, why not use your furnace? Mine does a good job in a few minutes.

This is a separate issue, but I cannot imagine spending an hour making breakfast. Coffee and oatmeal just require some boiling water. Eggs are even quicker.

Didn't have grid power for many years, lived off solar. Don't use the furnace, hate it, loud, propane hog (and 12V power too), last time I checked it didn't heat at all, just blowing dust. Have a silent catalytic heater for such occasions, works like a charm, a bit slow, and need to keep windows slightly open - but I like fresh air anyway.
My diet includes several items, takes time to prepare and consume. Coffee and oatmeal is a snack, in my books 🙂

[JimK-NY]

Your post brings all sorts of issues to mind. First if you have an electric hook up, why are you suffering with a cold RV? Why are you not using a space heater? Second, when you get up in the morning, why not use your furnace? Mine does a good job in a few minutes.

This is a separate issue, but I cannot imagine spending an hour making breakfast. Coffee and oatmeal just require some boiling water. Eggs are even quicker.