Space heater

[Crows Nest]

Any recommendations for electric space heater without fan that isn’t too hot to touch? We have an oil filled radiant unit but it gets really hot to handle. We don’t want it in the middle of the floor and, since it heats from all sides the kitchen cabinets get baked. There’s a portable baseboard unit available but at 30” it’s probably jut too large.

 

[Ron in BC]

We don’t want it in the middle of the floor and, since it heats from all sides the kitchen cabinets get baked.

Maybe think about adding a built-in heater. For years I tripped over cords from portable heaters until I installed a built-in one.

The 21C provides a perfect location for one. It quietly blows nice warm air down towards the dinette. The wattage is adjustable, mine's set for 800 watts and that's proven to be just the right amount for our needs.

Other owners without the convenient location of the 21C have done something similar with toe kick space installations.

I think that Jim B. might have done one, not sure. If you search you might fine some other installations of built-in heaters, sure beats tripping over a cord or having to plug it in and then store it.

Ron

 

[Crows Nest]

Were you able to tap into an existing 110 circuit?

 

[DanandDaphne]

If you want it to be small and not get too hot then it really needs to have a fan. We also used one of those big oil filled heaters because that's what we already had. We got an inexpensive little ceramic heater with a fan and like it much better. We're pretty sensitive to noisy appliances and we were surprised how quiet it was compared to those old metal space heaters. We like that it heats the space faster than the radiant heater and it's so small so it stores away better.

 

[alanmalk]

We also had an oil filled radiator-style heater but decided it was too big, also. We now use a small, floor model, which has 3 heat levels and a quiet fan. Purchased it used from another RV owner so I don't remember the brand. On the mid-level it doesn't pop the circuit breaker if I accidentally have it running and use the toaster at the same time.

 

[Ron in BC]

Were you able to tap into an existing 110 circuit?

I had room in the panel for another breaker so I installed one. I like to have items like this on their own circuit.

Ron

 

[Selkirk]

We got an inexpensive little ceramic heater with a fan and like it much better. We're pretty sensitive to noisy appliances and we were surprised how quiet it was compared to those old metal space heaters. We like that it heats the space faster than the radiant heater and it's so small so it stores away better.

I also have a small, 1500w ceramic heater which I am very happy with. I use it on the 750w power setting, which is sufficient to keep the trailer comfortably warm with outside temperatures in the freezing to -5degC range. I typically only have access to 15A shore power, so that gives me a lot of headroom to still operate the absorption fridge and converter. I agree that the small size (roughly a 6" metal cube) makes it very easy to store when not in use.

I also have the 1800w heat strip in the Coleman Air Conditioner. I've never tried it out, but am curious how it would perform. Its power consumptions would be on the high side, unless I had a 30A service available.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

Maybe think about adding a built-in heater. For years I tripped over cords from portable heaters until I installed a built-in one.

The 21C provides a perfect location for one. It quietly blows nice warm air down towards the dinette. The wattage is adjustable, mine's set for 800 watts and that's proven to be just the right amount for our needs.

doesn't that location block access to the under-bed space from the (optional) door shown on your 3/4 pic, the one thats on the aft facing side ? I use that door to slide in a storage 'train' of 3 x milk crates that are tiewrapped together, this holds things like cleaning supplies and our liquor cabinet

 

[Ron in BC]

Apparently not.

Ron

 

[GinoandLinda]

Any recommendations for electric space heater without fan that isn’t too hot to touch? We have an oil filled radiant unit but it gets really hot to handle. We don’t want it in the middle of the floor and, since it heats from all sides the kitchen cabinets get baked. There’s a portable baseboard unit available but at 30” it’s probably jut too large.

Curious why you don't want a fan? We use a Vornado that has a thermostat. The fan helps keep air moving which also helps mitigate condensation as long a window or two are open slightly.

 

[bristol5.0]

I installed a 120 V King electric PAW heater in our 5.0 trailer just below the propane furnace. I eliminated the door and framed the opening to accommodate the heater and reinforced the interior heating element's support. It fits the need for gentle quiet heat for our type of camping. It shares a dedicated 15 amp circuit with the water heater through a Parallax ALS20 energy management device. It allows 2 loads to operate from a single circuit by having a priority load - the space heater, and a shed load - the water heater. So while the space heater is operating the water header is off. I also used the opportunity to install an in-line interior switch for the eclectic water heater element. The water heater can always be used in propane mode if needed.

 

[Ron in BC]

Curious why you don't want a fan?

Especially since the King heater has an axial flow fan that's super quiet.

I installed a 120 V King electric PAW heater

Same as mine.

I also used the opportunity to install an in-line interior switch for the eclectic water heater element. T

Definitely makes sense to add an interior switch. That exterior switch is a pain in the butt to use in bad weather.

 

[occer]

I also have the 1800w heat strip in the Coleman Air Conditioner. I've never tried it out, but am curious how it would perform. Its power consumptions would be on the high side, unless I had a 30A service available.

The Colman heat strip is noisy but works great for drying my rain coat

 

[Mike G]

I can't imagine any fanless heater staying "touchable" while working. If they made one like that, I suspect that it wouldn't put out enough heat to do any good. If the fan noise is what bothers you, I have been using a fan heater for the past year that is amazingly quiet. The brand name is Dreo. It has a thermostat with digital readout. It kept my 19' a cozy 75 degrees this week during 25 degree nights, and it's half (or less) the sound volume of any Pelonis I've tried (and I own several of those).

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

i have a cheap chinese radiant 400/800W heater we use in a cold bathroom at home... its sides and back stay cool, but the front of course gets quite hot. It was $25 7-8 years ago, but appears to be unobtanium now. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EOSNGPA/

 

[marsman]

we have one of those small ceramic heaters with 2 levels of heating; 750 and 1500 watts. We generally always keep it on the low setting and seems to keep the trailer nice and warm.

 

[Jim Bennett]

My solution was a toe kick heater. Still leaves lots of storage on top of it. Works great too, that is on the rare occasion we have connection to the grid. I wired it into a thermostat which is right by our Dometic one. I would not want an electric heater without a fan either as it is needed to distribute the heat.

I did have a good small cube for my 19. It too worked fine, but it always seemed to be in the way, and Jasper (our dog at the time) did not like it.

 

[Ron in BC]

Hi Jim, I'd forgotten the details of your installation. So the 5.0TA and the 21C both have the advantage of an installation location that blows the warm air nicely down through the trailer to the dinette.

Always thought that one day I'd really take a header tripping over the cube heater cord.

Ron