electrical heaters

[dbailey]

I've been messing around with a Garrison oil-filled electrical heater in the Escape the last couple of days. Here are a few observations...

My trailer is a 2012 Escape 19 with double-pane windows, extra insulation, and underside spray insulation. So, insulation as good as it gets from the factory as of 2012.

The heater is a 600/900/1500W heater. Though, when set at 1500W my EMS says it's only drawing 10A. So, neat trick if you believe all the numbers.

The heater is placed in the middle of the aisle, just inside the door, so it has good airflow around it. All the trailer windows are closed up, so no cold air is infiltrating. The overhead vent is closed, but the fan is on low to help move air around a little.

At the 900W setting, the heater is not enough to keep the trailer at 14C when outside temperatures drop to near freezing. The temperature held fairly steady during the day, but over the night the trailer temperature dropped to 10C.

At the 1500W setting, the heater did maintain the trailer at 14C when the outside temperature dropped to near freezing.

We're going to be doing some high-country camping this summer (Jasper, Banff, Glacier, Yellowstone) so we figured we'd try out an electrical heater for those nights we're at altitude and have a current bush. Quieter than the propane furnace... We'll see how it goes, and whether it's worth the space the heater will take up.

[gbaglo]

I have a small 800 W oil-filled heater that I've used in the 17 at home in the winter. It can't really keep up with the cold. Takes a long time to warm the trailer much and even the small one is bulky.
I replaced with a very small 1,500 W Honeywell cube that has a fan. It's not too noisy, but it's also the second or third model I've brought home. Keep your receipt and try it out at home, in case you need to return it.

[lefttee]

We found the Vornado AVH2 to be a reasonable supplement to the furnace. Quiet, fast, and adequate when the inside temp is 55-60F (14 C = 57 F). Anything much colder than that...is why we have the furnace...and a wonderful comforter from IKEA.

[cpaharley2008]

I find the use of the electric heater, in addition to your furnace, keeps the unit warmer and your propane use is reduced. Use both, IMHO.

[BillM]

For the few times we are able to heat electrically we find a small ceramic furnace (which fits perfectly in a six pack cooler) is the best option. While certainly noisier than an oil filled convection heater it is much smaller and much less noisy than the propane furnace.

BTW we have discovered that the propane heater is quieter when no shore power @ 13.2 volts through the converter is available. Running off batteries @ 12.6 volts is much better.

[Jim Bennett]

One of the two 120V appliances we carry is a small cube heater and a small electric kettle, for those rare occasions that we have shore power. Quieter and saves on propane. Weighs very little too.

[cpaharley2008]

To eliminate the need of "remembering to bring" or those occasions in the summer when it dips cooler at night, I installed a small 120v heater in my Escape 19' and 21'. It eliminates the need to step over wires and or trip over the heater. Always there and always available. See post #66
http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8...ck-3134-7.html

[dbailey]

While I am in favour of installing anything you'll use regularly (or even occasionally as long as installing it doesn't take away storage space) "no fan" was an absolute requirement for me. I didn't see any in-wall style heaters that where fan free. Makes sense -- you need the surface area to transmit the heat in a convection-only unit.

[cpaharley2008]

The fan is as quiet as the MaxxFan and if you install it under the dinette, you will not hear it in the rear bed area.

[Jim Bennett]

Even the cheap cube heater we have has a relatively quiet fan, compared to the furnace it is relatively noiseless. We like that it circulates the air around too.

If you know you will be connected to the grid most of the time, I like the idea of building one in too.

[RickM]

Last week we tried out the 21's propane heater. Boy is it ever quiet! Especially when compared to our Casita. What a difference!

[Sandra L]

I use a cube electrical heater, but must keep the fan on low or it pops my 15 amp breaker. I would use the propane heater, but my heavily furred dog sleeps nearby, and he would roast! (Or get burned, as he no longer sees well.)
It takes longer to warm things up, but it works.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Sandra L

I would use the propane heater, but my heavily furred dog sleeps nearby, and he would roast! (Or get burned, as he no longer sees well.)

And hot fur really stinks!

[Sandra L]

You got that right! Even worse than wet fur.