Spare heater questions…what do you recommend?

[Suregrip391]

Hi group!
I keep reading about the issues with the furnaces in our trailers. I wanted to know if you all could recommend a decent heater that we can buy and only use as a backup should the Dometic furnace quit on us in the middle of the night (sail switch issues, etc)….

We like to stay warm! We keep the house at like 72 degrees F in the winter lol…… 30,40,50 60 degrees F won’t cut it but we would be happy to see 60 degrees in a furnace outage while we wait for the sun to come up and try to fix.

What do you use? Are you happy? And how warm can you get your trailer?

[Rockhead]

We use a small oil heater when camping in cold weather keeps the trailer warm to where the trailer heater only comes on 2 or 3 times during the night

[HABBERDABBER]

No operating furnace? A ceramic electric heater is an option, IF you have electric service. I run with a Mr. Buddy catalytic heater as an additional back-up. It needs a fresh air flow, and it's not used when sleeping, I believe Olympic is a larger version. Either produce water vapor. an issue in cold weather in a sealed space. Electric heaters don't share this issue.

[cpaharley2008]

I have installed an auxiliary electric heater in every Escape I have owned, 4 so far and plan on replicating it again in #5. I install a wall mounted, usually under dinette or bed Similar to this
https://www.amazon.com/Broan-Heater-...813156978&th=1

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

I run with a Mr. Buddy catalytic heater as an additional back-up.

I'm fairly sure the Buddy heaters are not catalytic, although they are decent LP heaters.

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by Mike G

I'm fairly sure the Buddy heaters are not catalytic, although they are decent LP heaters.

From my search, they are catalytic propane heaters. If not that, what are they?

[Jake930]

I have installed the same Broan heater as cpaharly2008. I works great , can be a little noisy, but not as bad as the furnace.

[brroberts]

AC heat strip for us as long as you have electric

[KLRchickie]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

We use a small oil heater when camping in cold weather keeps the trailer warm to where the trailer heater only comes on 2 or 3 times during the night

How small is small? The littlest I’ve found is too big to use in our 17B.

[Rockhead]

Here’s the one we have

[brroberts]

Before having the heat strip we carried small cube heaters. The smallest ones are less than 9” on the largest dimension.

[7Gentex]

I had a Wave 3 catalytic heater (only heat source other than a heat strip in the A/C) in my last trailer - a 27' 1965 Avion. Worked like a charm for Texas weather. No excessive water vapor accumulation, though the trailer did have jalousie windows (drafty) which I kept one open a bit along with a roof vent cracked at the other end. Quiet as well....even when sleeping - with 2 CO monitors........and no, I did NOT pic the floor color!





With the Escape, when it gets here , I'll use a 120v ceramic heater when hookups are available (though cpharley2008's approach is interesting) , then the forced air heater (temp dependent) , then a Little Buddy (they are catalytic - less CO) with cracked open window and roof vent as backup.

[NW Cat Owner]

I've tried multiple (as in lots!) electric stand-alone heaters over the years. I wasn't happy with any of them for various reasons - too noisy (just like the stinking furnace), wouldn't adjust to the temperature I wanted and what-not.


FINALLY found one that I really, really like. Even has a remote so I can adjust the heat up or down, as desired. Or turn it off. When I'm reading or crafting at the dinette, I turn the heater towards the bathroom as otherwise I get overheated. At night I turn it away from the bed. (Don't like the heat blasting directly at me.)


I also really like that I can adjust it in ONE degree increments - most of the others that were okay (as in not noisy) did it in 5 degree increments and it was either too hot or too cold for me (one I could never figure out the heating so I gave it away to some fellows in MT that didn't have a heater in their converted trailer - they were thrilled for any heat as it was really cold at night). 65 was too cold and 70 too warm. 67 is perfect!


You may have to fiddle with the temperature setting to get it to where you like it since you'll be above the heater and it's on the floor, but that shouldn't take too long.


It's kind of bulky (but not as long as some of the others I tried), but I put up with it and have learned not to trip over it. When traveling it fits nicely under the one filler board on the u-shaped dinette. It also fits in the gap between the bed and the cupboard/furnace, but since I usually wad my crafting markers bin down there, it goes under the dinette.


And it's quiet!!!!



So, what's the heater? Here's the link to it on Amazon (Dr Infrared Heater DR-978 Space Heater):


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by 7Gentex

(snip).....and no, I did NOT pick the floor color!

Oooo, a *purple* floor! (least it looks like it in the photo.) LOVE it! (I have purple Sunbrella fabric on the dinette, so yeah, I love dark purples.)

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

From my search, they are catalytic propane heaters. If not that, what are they?

They are.

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

Oooo, a *purple* floor! (least it looks like it in the photo.) LOVE it! (I have purple Sunbrella fabric on the dinette, so yeah, I love dark purples.)

Believe it was called "grape"......Marmoleum

[7Gentex]

I have 2 of these in the house (study and bathroom) - was amazed at the heat output for 500 watts - (verified the a "Kill A Watt" meter). I'll get 2 more for the trailer. $21 each.


On or Off - that's it.


https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-.../dp/B074MR2C61

[Ron in BC]

I got tired of tripping over ceramic heaters and their inexact heat settings so I installed a built-in heater at the foot of the bed.

It's as close to dead quiet as it can be and the wall mounted thermostat is easy to adjust and much more accurate than those on a ceramic heater.

Ron

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

I got tired of tripping over ceramic heaters and their inexact heat settings so I installed a built-in heater at the foot of the bed.

It's as close to dead quiet as it can be and the wall mounted thermostat is easy to adjust and much more accurate than those on a ceramic heater.

Ron

Nice! -Does it have a fan?

[ColoradoSwany]

When we have electric hookups and need warmth, I use a small Crane ceramic heater and separate thermostat. Both work great and the Crane heater seems very well built.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Nashone-Wirel...ps%2C93&sr=8-2

Ooops. Looks like the Crane heater is no longer available on Amazon. That’s a shame because I really like it. Aluminum case, very quiet and efficient.