i run mine in the winter as a genset load while taking the rig to work once a month. i check the tip-over switch in all directions, and then put the heater in the kitchen sink. stainless wont burn or even scorch.
1999 Winnebago Minnie, 29', Triton V10, mostly stock. So far...
For an electric heater, I picked out the quiet one, with a thermostat and high/low heat output from Wal Mart for about $15.
All electric heaters are about 100% efficient when converting electricity to heat, only the 10 - 12 watt motor does not convert all of it's energy to heat, only about 1/2 of it. So basically buy what you find on sale, as long as the fan is quiet.
Hot oil heaters - I don't like them because of their bulk, and that they stay hot after unplugging them, and you need to find a place to store it, not easy to fit under the couch with the vacuum cleaner already under there. Also hot to the touch when being used, and does not blow the heat around the room effectively.
Ceramic heaters - I guess I would like them more if the heat did not come out of them above 90F. You can not light anything on fire with air going in at 70 and coming out at 90F. At 130F, I wonder about some fabrics - they might smoke or catch fire under certain conditions. Paper - maybe - why risk it?
Catalytic heaters - also some ceramic heaters use propane, so that is what I guessed this topic was about, they use propane, and will heat a area without a fan, I have a 6,000 Btu Olympic catalytic heater, it works great, keeping my 30' Bounder toasty warm down to about 30F outside air temp, when I have to run my furnace a bit to keep it above 70 inside. It is silent, only uses propane, and sure I have to leave a roof vent open about 1/2" above the heater, but it more than makes up for the small heat loss to air infiltration into the space.
Depending on your application and location you may consider smaller low wattage zero clearance baseboard heaters like these. Instead of one 1500 watt heater you could install 2 or 3 300 to 500 watt heaters in strategic locations. We have 4 of various sizes (500 watt or smaller). The heat is extremely even, dead quiet, thermostatically controlled and immune from being kicked over. They last for years (no moving parts) and are not expensive (30 to 40 dollars). They are easy to integrate on any circuit as they pull maximum of 300-500 watts depending on the size you select. Our furnaces get very little use.
Just another idea for you. Hope it helps.
2003 Revolution 40C Class A. 2002 Vanguard 22 foot Class C. Diesel smart car Toad or pulling a 2009 Timeout Tent Trailer.
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but rather by the moments that take our breath away.
I love oil filled heaters for most of the reasons you hate them. I do use 1/2 size units that are left in place year round--two in the bed room--and one flat panel unit by the wall in the dinette. The space they use up is otherwise useless. They provide an even gentle heat.
I use two of these @ 462 watts.
and one of these @ 500 watts.
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I like the oil filled electric heaters as well. They work just fine in my trailer and i dont have to worry about an open flame or a heated up red-hot core that a may catch a curtain on fire or being around animal or kids. Even a mouse at night may run into one when you are away...
To me something closed like the oil-filled heaters are would be the safest type of heater to leave unattended.
they are also every quiet in opertion (Mine goes "CLICK" every now and then) no burned dust smell from the open heated cores, and if you get one with a timer option on it is even more better. Set it to come on during the night when it is left unattended.
This is the low profile model I use...
If I want to move some more heated air around the room I put one of these AC/DC O2-COOL fans behind it
Being safe for animals and kids to be around, no smell, no noise is what I want in my trailer.
* This post was
edited 06/02/12 09:21pm by RoyB *
My Posts are IMHO based on my experiences - PM me Roy and Carolyn
RETIRED DOAF/DON/DOD/CONTR RADIO TECH (42yrs)
K9PHT (Since 1957) 146.52M
2010 F150, 5.4,3:73 Gears,SCab
2008 Starcraft 14RT EU2000i GEN
2005 Flagstaff 8528RESS
POPUP PHOTOs-Pg52-Pg56
RoyB wrote: I like the oil filled electric heaters as well. The work just fine in my trailer and i dont have to worry about an open flame or a heated up red-hot core that a may catch a curtain on fire or being around animal or kids. Even a mouse at night may run into one when you are away......To me something closed like the oil-filled heaters are would be the safest type of heater to leave unattended.......Being safe for animals and kids to be around, no smell, no noise is what I want in my trailer.
I thought the same as you did also, that is until I checked the cord. The cord on the oil filler heaters gets burning hot! Not something I want happening in an RV. I shut it off that night and pulled out the ole ceramic heater. Next day the oil filled heater went into the CG dumpster.
"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned,
so as to have the life that is waiting for us".
Hmmm Interesting post of the cords getting hot. Ive never noticed my cords being hot... Sure is not a problem here... I normally run my oil-filled electric heaters at a 3-4 setting. Never had the need to run one all the way "ON"... That must be the difference...
The 3-4 setting seems to allow cycling of the heater off and on at a good time difference for me.
I dont think I would like a burning HOT electric cord either. I have been using the same oil-filled heaters now for around four years.
I will add the comment about the cords getting hot for some users on future comments about the use of the oil-filled heaters.
When I purchase an appliance such as an electric heater, I always look for one that has a 3rd party certification such as UL or CSA. That will generally ensure that the heater will be safe and the power cord is properly sized, avoiding the hot cord situation.
2005 Sierra 285 BH
2003 Dodge 2500 Diesel, quad cab, short bed
I would never run anything that had a hot appliance cord, to me there is something wrong if this happens. I know that my Lasko ceramic tower heater cord never gets hot.
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I use two of these @ 462 watts.
and one of these @ 500 watts.
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