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Old 10-24-2018, 12:14 PM   #1
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Ceramic heaters

Going camping next week and was thinking of using two 1500 watt ceramic heaters next to each bunkend rather than relying on the furnace. Does anyone else do this and have you encountered any difficulties running both concurrently?
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Old 10-24-2018, 12:32 PM   #2
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each heater will draw 12.5 amps at 1500 watts I doubt your receptacles are wired for more then 15 amps.
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Old 10-24-2018, 12:34 PM   #3
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Do they have a lower output setting? 2 X 1500W =3000W, 3000W/120V = 25A. Do the cords get warm? Not a lot of room if you are running anything else that likes electricity IMO
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Old 10-24-2018, 12:34 PM   #4
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I have experience with this. I found that I needed to run the heaters on the reduced power settings (which mine have) or the main power breaker (30 amp) would trip. Two heaters draw 3,000 watts which is 25 amp. If you have any other power draw such as refrigerator, converter (for lighting and battery charge), or even an occasional use of the water pump, you've hit the rated capacity of the breaker.

In my TT I run one in the bathroom on 750 watt setting and another in the living area on 750 watt setting. Both help maintain heat and the furnace infrequently during the night.

Make sure your heaters are kept well away from anything flammable and they have "tip over switches" that shut them off should they get knocked over for any reason (trip over cord, pet, etc).
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Old 10-24-2018, 12:44 PM   #5
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We run one thru the internal wiring and then use an extension cord to the 20 amp outlet on the post to run the other. That's in our TT but would work the same for you.
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Old 10-24-2018, 02:28 PM   #6
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Thank you all for the tips and guidance! I can run them on a lower setting or maybe run an extension cord as was mentioned. Appreciate the help
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Old 10-24-2018, 04:47 PM   #7
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Don't know where you're located but in Michigan we used a ceramic heater always with pretty good success. We're would set it on the table and point it at the bunk. Granted the coldest we camped in was in the 50's. We also had a heat strip in the A /C. The problem for us was the air mattress was always cold . We could've have gotten a heated mattress I suppose. For 11 years we had our 233T we never used the furnace. We now use the same ceramic heater in our new TT and just camped in temps down to the 30's. We did supplement with the furnace in the morning when we got up just to get the chill out of the entire unit. The wife even complimented the ceramic heater and how well it worked out.
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Old 10-24-2018, 05:31 PM   #8
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We just got back home from Camping here locally in Ohio. Daytime temperature in the mid 50s low 30s at night. We ran 2 1500 watt heaters on the low (750 watt) setting. I set the thermostat on one of them so it would run all the time and set the thermostat on the other one so it didn’t get too hot or cold inside the trailer. The second night the second heater ran more but the trailer stayed nice and warm. I try to run 2 heaters on low setting rather than one on high setting because I’ve had so many of the built in circuit breakers inside of the heaters fail. ( usually at the worst possible time). I also have an extra outlet that I can tap into the 20 amp plug on the pedestal if needed. Jay
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Old 10-24-2018, 05:54 PM   #9
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Whenever we are plugged into power we use a Vortex electric heater. We always run it on the low setting.
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Old 10-26-2018, 06:04 PM   #10
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I added a heat element to my Coleman Air condition. It's 5600 BTU and about 16 amps I believe.

While many will tell you that they don't do much, because you can't really feel the heat due to the large amount of air flow, it will bring the camper temp up very well and compliments the furnace.

You need the fan of the AC running just to circulate the furnace heat other wise it just stays at the end of the box it's at and doesn't get into the bunkends or other side of the camper.

I just bought one for my new camper and it was $58 installed. It's nice because it uses the same circuit the AC is using already and leaves the 15 amp circuit for other things.

I'll add the heated mattresses work great. We had to turn it down to 3 in temps in the 40s outside.
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Old 10-26-2018, 06:14 PM   #11
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Whenever we are plugged into power we use a Vortex electric heater. We always run it on the low setting.
Those look like great heaters.
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Old 10-27-2018, 09:07 PM   #12
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We run one thru the internal wiring and then use an extension cord to the 20 amp outlet on the post to run the other. That's in our TT but would work the same for you.


That’s what we do when ski camping.
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Old 10-27-2018, 09:42 PM   #13
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Being that I'm the klutz in the family, I buy a cool-to-the-touch heater with the temp control, anti-tip feature, hi/low settings. If anyone is going to get up in the middle of the night and touch a hot heater, it'll be me.
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Old 11-01-2018, 08:42 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Mike91 View Post
I added a heat element to my Coleman Air condition. It's 5600 BTU and about 16 amps I believe.

While many will tell you that they don't do much, because you can't really feel the heat due to the large amount of air flow, it will bring the camper temp up very well and compliments the furnace.

You need the fan of the AC running just to circulate the furnace heat other wise it just stays at the end of the box it's at and doesn't get into the bunkends or other side of the camper.

I just bought one for my new camper and it was $58 installed. It's nice because it uses the same circuit the AC is using already and leaves the 15 amp circuit for other things.

I'll add the heated mattresses work great. We had to turn it down to 3 in temps in the 40s outside.
Same here! That heat element in the ac and 1 1500 watt heater makes it comfy at 30F. Throw in the heated mattress and you can get way into the 20’s. That’s without the furnace running at all!
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Old 11-01-2018, 09:45 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by MtBiker View Post
Whenever we are plugged into power we use a Vortex electric heater. We always run it on the low setting.
We also use a Vortex! Had it for four years now! We will turn on the propane heater to knock of the cold when we first arrive, after that we let the vortex do the rest. We use one vortex and it keeps our entire trailer nice (25 feet one slide) and toasty down to the mid-Twenties.
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Old 02-04-2019, 03:35 PM   #16
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I'm new to trailer camping ,just bought a used 176 mac. Why is it you all avoid using the furnace?
Does it us too much propane to make it's use practical? What is the wattage of the Vortex heaters you use?

Ben
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Old 02-04-2019, 04:05 PM   #17
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I'm new to trailer camping ,just bought a used 176 mac. Why is it you all avoid using the furnace?
Does it us too much propane to make it's use practical? What is the wattage of the Vortex heaters you use?

Ben
I don't avoid the furnace, but if im staying where electric is free why burn my propane. depending on temps I either run both furnace and space heaters or space heaters exclusively. Im sure my 10$ heaters have paid for themselves multi times over.
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Old 02-04-2019, 04:13 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benfox49 View Post
I'm new to trailer camping ,just bought a used 176 mac. Why is it you all avoid using the furnace?
Does it us too much propane to make it's use practical? What is the wattage of the Vortex heaters you use?

Ben
We use a Vortex when plugged in to power as the probane heater is noisy and has a huge temp differential.
Using the Vortex heater gives of a nice steady even heat when you adjust the knob correctly.
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Old 02-04-2019, 04:29 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by benfox49 View Post
I'm new to trailer camping ,just bought a used 176 mac. Why is it you all avoid using the furnace?
Does it us too much propane to make it's use practical? What is the wattage of the Vortex heaters you use?

Ben
Furnaces are propane hogs.

If electric is included with the cost of the site, electric space heater(s) make more sense, cost wise. Same with your water heater. (if equipped with both electric and LP)

If you pay for electric as you go, many here have done the calculations and running the furnace is less expensive.

Also, even if the electric is included in the cost of the site, in cold weather I don't abandon the furnace.
My basement/underbelly is heated by the furnace. It gets NO heat from the space heater.(s)

As to wattage... all 120v space heaters can only produce 1500w of heat or less.
A typical 15a circuit in an R/V can handle one heater. Two heaters can use the better part of your 30a service.

Remember 1500w is 1500w regardless of weather the heater costs $20 or $100. Do some heaters do a better job of blowing it around... maybe... maybe not.

Oil filled heaters take a little longer the warm up but also give more even heat and continue to give off some heat once temperature is reached.
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