New Rockwood 2306 secondary electric heat

StateParked · 03-12-2017, 10:22 AM

Just picked up a 2017 Rockwood 2306 yesterday and am figuring out all the systems. Hers a really newbie question...is propane the only heating source? I just presumed all along that there would be an electrical secondary heating system to save on gas when plugged into mains power. If gas is the only heat available has anyone got any suggestions for a secondary plug in heater.

**bikendan** · 03-12-2017, 10:30 AM

Yes, propane is the only heat source unless your a/c has a heat pump.
This should've been explained to you IF your dealer had given you a quality PDI, which you probably didn't get.

Most of us just pick up a ceramic or oil-filled heaters to use when we have electric hookups. They help cut down the usage of the propane furnace.

rockfordroo · 03-12-2017, 10:59 AM

Just remember that a 1500 watt heater pulls 12-13 amps. You may not be able to operate the heater and microwave at the same time without popping a circuit breaker.

punkaccountant · 03-12-2017, 11:34 AM

Congrats on your new 2306! We love ours. It's the perfect combination of size and space for our family. Being able to have a sofa, dinette and bunks in this size trailer is a real plus.

jking46 · 03-12-2017, 02:10 PM

We have an oscillating ceramic heater and on cool days, it's all we need. However, I can't use my Keurig and heater at the same time. Pops a breaker. So I just kill the heater for a few minutes while the coffee is brewing.
If necessary,you could run an extension cord from the 110 receptacle on the electric tower and use it for the heater. It wouldn't interfere with the campers electric and all would be useable.

Triple SS · 03-12-2017, 03:08 PM

We use a Infrared heater from Walmart. Only kicks breaker when fan on gas furnace kicks on with ice maker and toaster oven in operation also. The only reSon we used both this weekend was because it hit freezing with snow in TN. Infrared set at 70 furnace at 66. Using one to back up other

Evereddie · 03-12-2017, 03:21 PM

We bought a Lasco ceramic at Wally World. Liked it a lot so 2 years later we bought another one but it had electronic thermostat and remote. Planned to use the new one in camper and move old one into the house. Turnned out the new one with fancy electronic thermostat was not good for the camper. No way to use the thermostat with only one heating element, 750 watts. Running full heat on the new one prevented us from using heater and making coffee or running microwave. Old basic Lasco is back in our 2306.
BTW, the old one did have a thermostat but it was a mechanical one not fancy electronic one.

dbledan · 03-12-2017, 03:43 PM

Just got back from our first trip out. It was supposed to be full shakedown but hit 20 degrees so we dry camped instead. I have a small ceramic heater that oscilates for main area and a low power one for the bedroom.

We used the furnace to get to temp and setup the heaters. Kept up at 30 but not at 20 so the furnace would kick on sometimes. When doing this before the heater would not get the camper to temp very quickly but could maintain it.

With both the 1500w and the 700w (or just low power on another 1500 watt) tv stereo chargers laptop etc we were at 26 amps at high. You would need to turn something off when microwaving or using hair dryer. It really helped reduce propane usage.

Big Vic · 03-12-2017, 04:43 PM

I added an electric fireplace with heater under my TV in an empty space in the main living area. Looks good, creates some ambiance and has an adjustable heat mode with thermostat.

It draws the usual 1500 watts, so as others have pointed out, I ran an optional dedicated 15 amp extension cord to the fireplace when the campground offers both 30 amp and 20 amp outlets, which allows use of the microwave or coffee maker at the same time.

Also have a small Lasko heater for the bedroom, which has a built in fan, thermostat and adjustable temp setting, and can draw 750 or 1500 watts. Works very well for that relatively small area.

tony5oh · 03-12-2017, 05:13 PM

Congrats on your 2306. We love our 2013 version.
Count us in the small space heater club. It takes very little heat to drive you out of the camper. 😁 And we find the space heater more than adequate even when temps go into low 50s upper 40s, which is as cold as we see in our part of FL.
Enjoy!

TreeLady · 03-12-2017, 05:49 PM

Sometimes we don't even use the furnace. The noise of the furnace coming on and off sometimes wakes me. We use an oil filled heater.
To keep from using amps, we run a heavy electrical cord through the side of the slide out and plug into the extra outlet on the pedestal. I don't have to worry about using the microwave or coffee pot when the heater is on.

**bikendan** · 03-12-2017, 07:05 PM

Thing is that many of us dry camp or boondock and there's no shore power.
So the propane furnace is the only heat source. So battery power is important to run it.

rockfordroo · 03-12-2017, 08:09 PM

Another option:

Seabreeze makes outlet hanging heaters if you have enough space around an outlet. Keeps them off the floor, if that's a problem. You can get them at Home Depot.

Seabreeze 1500-Watt Outlet Mountable "Off the Wall" Bed/Bathroom Heater Equipped with SMART ThermaFlo Technology-SF14TA - The Home Depot

I have two ancient (30+ yrs) Arvin Wall Huggers that are similar (but no longer made). One is 1100 watt and one is 1250 watts.

My dad used one of them in his motor home back in the 1980's. I have one in my bathroom at home and one in my basement. Unfortunately, my TT outlets are not in very good locations to use either one of them. But I would if I could.

I saw something similar in Home Depot last week. It was in one of those displays they put out in the center of the aisle, but it was only 350 watts (but the box claims it's "Powerful!!"). I was unable to find it on their website.

Jay2504 · 03-12-2017, 08:57 PM

On our 2504s I installed an extra outlet just below the lower bunk beside the cabinet doors. Then I ran a pass through 110 volt plug on the outside wall and the wiring to the outlet box. When we need to run a heater I hook up an extra cord from the pedestal to the pass through and then can run the heater off the extra outlet and not use up the 30 amp service. I did this so I wouldn't have to run a cord through the slide seal. Because the 2306 has no slide this might be a good solution for some people. Jay

StateParked · 03-12-2017, 10:05 PM

Thanks to you all for your incite. I have to say so far I am pretty impressed with how this trailer is put together, a few stripped screws here and there but all in all seams to be built by people who care.

chuckyb9876 · 03-12-2017, 10:43 PM

When my wife and I camp in cold weather we have 1500w ceramic. in order to run the microwave we went to Ebay and bought a 120 volt boat plug. Oftimes your site has the 30 amp or 50 amp power supply and also provides a 120 volt outlet for an extension cord.

NOCO GCP1 13A 125V AC PORT W/ INTEGRATED EXTENSION CABLE

This way we can run our heater on the extension cord without taxing our regular on board 120 volt system. Plus it has a breaker at the power post.

Chuck and Chris
Forest River T12ddst
2002 Lincoln Navigator

KeepTravelin · 03-13-2017, 08:00 AM

I have a 2015 2306 and use a Lasco 5812 heater. I do keep it on about half way or 750 watts but seems to do fine. Pretty quiet too. Fan runs all the time and heating elements cut on and off. Best price;try Walmart, beats Amazon too.

markb422 · 03-13-2017, 12:41 PM

If it does not have one, you can install a heat strip in the AC unit. The AC unit is on its own 20 amp breaker so it will not require you to alternate using other appliances and no heaters to trip over or put away for travel. Just turn the thermostat to heat strip and you have ducted heat throughout your rv. It might require upgrading the thermostat also.

Big Vic · 03-13-2017, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markb422

If it does not have one, you can install a heat strip in the AC unit. The AC unit is on its own 20 amp breaker so it will not require you to alternate using other appliances and no heaters to trip over or put away for travel. Just turn the thermostat to heat strip and you have ducted heat throughout your rv. It might require upgrading the thermostat also.

I think this method still runs through your main breaker, which is either 30 amp or 50 amp. If the former, you still are limited on how many appliances can run simultaneously.

markb422 · 03-13-2017, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Vic

I think this method still runs through your main breaker, which is either 30 amp or 50 amp. If the former, you still are limited on how many appliances can run simultaneously.

People are not tripping their main breakers at least I hope not. The breakers trip because almost all of the 110 volt recpticles are run off the load side of the 15 amp gfci in the bathroom. At least the ones in the bath, kitchen and outside usually are. There might be one other circuit in the rv. I have two 15 amp circuits and if I want to use portable heaters I use them on two different circuits on the medium setting which is usually 750 watts and I have no issues with tripping breakers or alternating appliances.

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