Community Forums

Goldiebell · 12-12-2020, 12:55 PM

Does anyone have a good experience with having a electric heater in a 30 ft rv? Need to find the best one to buy. Thank you.

Jyrocharlie · 12-12-2020, 01:18 PM

One is just old and a box with a stand and a thermostat and small fan, the other was gift. It's a fireplace looking thing with some lights, a remote control and a good thermostat. We don't leave them on at night when we sleep. We turn one on when we wake to knock the chill off.

153stars · 12-12-2020, 01:40 PM

Pretty much any 1500 watt electric heater will put out same heat 5100 btu if
I remember right but that's 100% efficient equate to like 7k btu compared to an RV LP furnace . Most all will have tip over protection. Some like the oil-filled radiators "safest" slower to heat up, silent but kinda large and heavy. If you pay a little more you may get prettier and better grade of fan motor that will be quieter and last longer. Vornado makes a nice fan and heater.

Cat320 · 12-12-2020, 06:00 PM

Lasko tower....1500 or 750 watts, under $30 at Sams Club. We have two of them.

atreis · 12-12-2020, 06:57 PM

I prefer the oil filled radiator style because they're completely silent, but for my current trailer they're just too big. I use this, which isn't too bad:

Holmes UltraQuiet
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FA4IFM

PDXFrog · 12-12-2020, 08:45 PM

No screw electric heat best thing I've ever did for my motor home. Which I live full time in. Diesel Heater diesel Heater diesel Heater. Save up if you have too. But it was by far the best upgrade I have done right up there next to my solar. There super efficient and great dry heat. Propane sucks so much water vapor and just sucks. Diesel heat way to go.

TXiceman · 12-13-2020, 08:59 AM

Pretty much any ceramic heater will do. Look for one with a quiet fan and at least two heat settings.

Ken

Sweetbriar · 12-13-2020, 09:05 AM

I use two of these - https://www.amazon.com/Helen-Troy-Co...s%2C187&sr=8-8. One in the front living area and one in the back bedroom. Never fully come off propane as it dumps a bit of heat in the the potable water tank/pump area to keep both from freezing.

Gary RVRoamer · 12-13-2020, 09:33 AM

It works well if you have adequate electric power. 30A service is rather limiting because electric heat draws a lot of amps, and even 50A RVs don't always have a generous amount of outlet power - they may daisy chaintoo many things on one 15A breaker. Electric heat you can plug to a 15A/120v wall outlet is going to be a max of 1500 watts or about 5100 btus, cause that's all the electrical code permits.

Lot's of choices but not much difference among similar types. You can choose a fan (broader circulation) or no-fan (oil-fill convection). The safest among the fan types is a ceramic element model. Avoid those that have a thermostat calibrated in 5 degree increments - chances are one setting it too low and the next too high. Listen to the fan - some are noisier than others. The fan-less oil-filled heaters are silent but slower to heat up and don't readily reach the far ends of an area. If you are impatient and want instant warmth, get the fan-type. I like oil-filled for low heat in a bedroom overnight.

The models made to look like a fireplace can be nice-looking but inside its still just an electric space heater with decorative lights.

FatChance · 12-13-2020, 11:25 AM

Keep in mind that ceramic electric heaters wear out. Each year they output less and less heat. I never knew this until a couple years ago, our older tower heater from Home Depot was not putting out much heat. I took it apart and cleaned it (they get very dirty inside). No change. Then I bought a new, exact same model replacement at Home Depot and, side by side with the old one, it put out at least twice the heat of the old one. That one wore out this year so I got a new one.

Outbound · 12-13-2020, 11:32 AM

Ditto on oil filled radiator type, very safe.

swampdog2 · 12-13-2020, 11:58 AM

once you plug in whatever you use give it about 15 mins and grab that cord if its hot it ain't safe !!!!

oatmeal · 12-13-2020, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatChance

Keep in mind that ceramic electric heaters wear out. Each year they output less and less heat.

I wouldn't say it goes down each year, but they do lose oomph over time. I have four ceramic heaters and I test them frequently using a Kill-a-Watt to measure how much electricity they're using.

It can be handy to know that one of them has devolved to drawing a paltry 3 amps on LOW, because that's a good one to put in a basement storage compartment where just a little heat is needed, or under the table near my always cold feet.

And on the other end of the spectrum, I bought a Duraflame ceramic heater a couple of years ago, and it was drawing too much electricity for my Kill-a-Watt to measure. Definitely something wrong with it, and I had already left the area where I bought it so I couldn't take it back. I opened it up and unplugged some of the heating elements, and it's still drawing over 10 amps, and if I start it up on HIGH, the initial surge is too much for my Kill-a-Watt to measure.

AnotherMike · 12-13-2020, 03:00 PM

I keep my RV behind the shop at work... When I overnight in my MH then I use a 750 / 1500 watt electric heater that has a thermostat. I use the 1500 setting in the morning to knock the chill off, and 750 setting at night.

And swampdog2 is right!!! If you plan on using an extension cord then don't use an undersized one. The higher the Gauge number on an extension cord the less power it can carry... an 18 Gauge cord is only good for about 3 amps or 350 watts, a 10 gauge cord can carry almost 30 amps.

Note that 1500 watts is 12.5 amps. You are not going to be able to run much else on the same 15 amp circuit. If you have the MH plugged into an outside outlet like I do then you have to observe proper power management. My 30 amp cord is plugged into a dogbone and a 15 amp outlet.

Mike