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Old 10-05-2016, 03:46 PM   #21
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Do you only have one 110volt circuit in your trailer? Some of the compact "portable furnaces" infared heaters do an excellent job, they use about as much power as a coffee maker. We use two in our house for the shoulder seasons or to keep the den cosy when the rest of the house in cooler. In Canada, Home Hardware sells one that is less than half the size of most of the home models and fits in a closet when done. I'm sure someone sells something similar in the states. Infared heat works differently than standard resistance heaters, is safer and easier to regulate.
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Old 10-05-2016, 06:24 PM   #22
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Quote:
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Most campground 30A pedestals are set up in a tree structure such that three 30A pedestals are protected upstream by a 100A breaker usually in a secured location. If the occupants of the three sites use more than their 30A allocation, it is possible to trip the 100A breaker. This will most likely not make your neighbors happy.

Maybe I'm selfish and uncaring, but I say cross that bridge when (and IF) it comes. You could then easily finish that particular stay running the water heater and fridge on propane.

And on that note...A 30a service RV should easily be able to run a space heater and the fridge on electric, I wonder if the OP should consider running the water heater on propane when using the space heater. It is also possible that they have a defective breaker.
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Old 10-05-2016, 06:26 PM   #23
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The breakers are NOT top of the line breakers
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Old 10-05-2016, 07:07 PM   #24
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Heat

We plug an oil filled heater in the coach and a heavy extension cord to the pedestal for a small ceramic heater. I also run the fan on the AC to move the heat around. Down to the teens and comfortable. Of course momma's quilts help a lot.
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Old 10-05-2016, 07:27 PM   #25
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We use an Edenpure heater, been good so far. Buy a plug in meter. Helps to show your draw.
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Old 10-05-2016, 07:30 PM   #26
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Quote:
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Most campground 30A pedestals are set up in a tree structure such that three 30A pedestals are protected upstream by a 100A breaker usually in a secured location. If the occupants of the three sites use more than their 30A allocation, it is possible to trip the 100A breaker. This will most likely not make your neighbors happy.
Quote:
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Maybe I'm selfish and uncaring, but I say cross that bridge when (and IF) it comes. You could then easily finish that particular stay running the water heater and fridge on propane.

And on that note...A 30a service RV should easily be able to run a space heater and the fridge on electric, I wonder if the OP should consider running the water heater on propane when using the space heater. It is also possible that they have a defective breaker.
And I submit that running a fridge and a heater is no different than running the fridge and an A/C unit, and nobody ever seems to worry about doing that.
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Old 10-05-2016, 07:37 PM   #27
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I use this one when it is at the house. 800 watts on high
Soleus Air 800-Watt Halogen Flat Panel Reflective Portable Electric Heater-HR3-08-21 - The Home Depot

My husband's oxygen concentrator puts out enough heat to keep us warm when we are camping, so we rarely need a heater.
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Old 10-05-2016, 07:43 PM   #28
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We just use an electric blanket. makes for better cuddling.
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Old 10-05-2016, 08:35 PM   #29
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We have used a oil filled heater for years. Has a trio switch, leave it on all the time we out when it is cold. Great for times we have to leave the fur baby in the rv. Nothing for her to get into. Keeps the living area around 60-65 on mid setting. Use propane furnace when we take showers. Otherwise the oilfillef heater does the trick.
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Old 10-05-2016, 09:36 PM   #30
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I see a lot of different style heaters all rated as 1500 watts. But I never see what BTUs they produce. I would think that the heater design would effect the BTU output, or am I wrong? Is there some way to calculate BTU output?
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Old 10-05-2016, 09:40 PM   #31
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I see a lot of different style heaters all rated as 1500 watts. But I never see what BTUs they produce. I would think that the heater design would effect the BTU output, or am I wrong? Is there some way to calculate BTU output?
1 kW = 3412.142 BTU/hr

So 1500 watts = 1.5kw = 5,118.213 BTU/hr
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Old 10-05-2016, 10:27 PM   #32
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yup, thats the joys of electric heat, pretty easy to calculate heat output!

Electric heat, regardless of their design can be calculated at nearly 100% efficiency, because inefficiency in electrical devices is what creates heat. If the unit is designed to produce heat, and the byproduct of its inefficiency is heat, you have heat

though, something like an oil filled radiant heater can help with overloading circuits that are just borderline tripping the breaker, as the heating element doesnt have to run as steady once the unit is warmed up.

Oh and dont forget your voltage drops too. If youve got a pretty wicked voltage drop, you increase the power draw on that circuit (resistive loads such as a heater will increase amperage/wattage as voltage decreases) so that 1500w might draw 10a @ 115v its going to draw more like 15a @ 100v.
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Old 10-06-2016, 05:46 PM   #33
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Oil filled radiator type
This is what we take. Good radiant heat. Once the oil gets hot you can run on low.
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:01 PM   #34
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Thank you. That clears the water somewhate. What I am hearing is that a 1500 watt heater, whether it's radiant, ceramic, or infra red will produce the same heat. A person needs to compare safety features, controls, and possible footprint to pick the best for them. Am I correct with that statement?
How long does it usually take to heat up an oil heater? It looks like they would take up a lot of room.
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Old 10-06-2016, 07:13 PM   #35
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My oil heater takes about 5/7 minutes......but I've actually ever timed it......they have wheels, and I don't feel they take up much room.....table for lap-top takes up more. Just measured it...25" high, i4" wide, 9" deep
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Old 10-06-2016, 08:49 PM   #36
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Thank you. That clears the water somewhate. What I am hearing is that a 1500 watt heater, whether it's radiant, ceramic, or infra red will produce the same heat. A person needs to compare safety features, controls, and possible footprint to pick the best for them. Am I correct with that statement?
How long does it usually take to heat up an oil heater? It looks like they would take up a lot of room.
Yes, you're correct. The oil heaters have a thermal mass that requires some time to heat up, and that then gives off heat for some time after the heating element shuts off. So the theory is that it provides a more even level of heating.
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Old 10-06-2016, 09:09 PM   #37
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[QUOTE=vasnipe;1334711]We plug an oil filled heater in the coach and a heavy extension cord to the pedestal for a small ceramic heater. QUOTE]

Beat me to it.

If we want to run 2 electric heaters, or 1 heater and a hair dryer we will run a heavy 12 gauge extension out through the slide seal directly to the pedestal.

That way the RVs breakers are not involved at all. Started doing this after a breakfast in February when we were asking "why is it cold in here and why isn't the coffee ready yet?"

Because of a tripped breaker.
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Old 10-06-2016, 09:11 PM   #38
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For that reason, I've added 2 dedicated circuits.....
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Old 10-06-2016, 11:00 PM   #39
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I like my very quiet and compact Heat Storm infrared heater for my small class C , especially for it's thermastat. I put it up on my stove top so the dogs won't knock it. I use the oil heaters at home in my hard to heat three story log cabin. I like that they are safe, quiet and efficient. They do take awhile to heat up. I think they are better suited for larger rv 's with more floor space for them or I would use one on the road too.
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Old 10-07-2016, 07:08 AM   #40
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The main reason I chuckle at the Eden Pure advertisements. What a rip off. 1500 watts consumed by an Eden Pure or a box store heater at 1/5th the price of an Eden Pure, produces EXACTLY the same BTU output.

And... under UL guidelines, the maximum (legal to be sold in the United States) current draw is 1500 watts for a 110/1 resistance heater.

Eden Pure is creative and deceptive advertising at it's best (and worst)....
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