Extreme Heater

[Spower]

anybody have/use one?? Size?

I'm thinking of getting one for my underbelly, it's enclosed. I will be in some very cold temps and this seems like it would be a good addition for keeping it warm down there.

[dwaynebmsg]

What kind of heater are you referring to?

[Spower]

Originally Posted by dwaynebmsg

What kind of heater are you referring to?

It's called extreme heater!

https://www.xtremeheaters.com/

[Tadsher]

A 1,500 to 2,000 BTU heater is not going to go very far in heating the TT in "extreme cold". My TT has a 18,000 BTU heater. It might get a little bit of the chill out but it will not provide a lot of heat.

[craigav]

Keep in mind that all resistance heaters of the same wattage produce the exact same amount of heat. (all heaters are resistance heaters except for heat pumps).

The only "extreme" I see in these heaters is the price of them although I will add that they appear to be very well built and likely much more rugged than most. ~CA

[Spower]

Originally Posted by craigav

Keep in mind that all resistance heaters of the same wattage produce the exact same amount of heat. (all heaters are resistance heaters except for heat pumps).

The only "extreme" I see in these heaters is the price of them although I will add that they appear to be very well built and likely much more rugged than most. ~CA

So can I just use a small space heater on a thermostat? I did do this before when in a Colorado blizzard, just faced it into the underbelly from the storage compartment.

[craigav]

A common small space heater should have its own thermostat built-in. Regarding the underbelly, I am not familiar with your RV so perhaps someone else can provide further guidance. My concern would be with not knowing if there was enough room for keeping any heater you use away from anything that could catch fire. ~CA

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by Spower

So can I just use a small space heater on a thermostat? I did do this before when in a Colorado blizzard, just faced it into the underbelly from the storage compartment.

I had posted pretty much what craig said - AFAIK, an electric heater is an electric heater is an electric heater. Beyond the resistive element, it's just bells and whistles IMO.

I also wondered - how cold is the cold you're facing? How big is your underbelly? How insulated is it? How warm are you aiming for?

In my Class C, I have a small 300 watt heater that I use to heat our "basement". It's probably 8x4x3'. Not well insulated. That lil' heater will keep the basement toasty, like 60's (*F) or higher, when we've camped in the teens.

One thing I've invested in, is some wireless temperature sensors. I got like a 3-pack off Amazon for $20ish. I've got them scattered around so I can monitor the outside and inside temps. It allows me to see just how well my various winter-camping-warmers are working.

[Spower]

Originally Posted by pconroy

I had posted pretty much what craig said - AFAIK, an electric heater is an electric heater is an electric heater. Beyond the resistive element, it's just bells and whistles IMO.

I also wondered - how cold is the cold you're facing? How big is your underbelly? How insulated is it? How warm are you aiming for?

In my Class C, I have a small 300 watt heater that I use to heat our "basement". It's probably 8x4x3'. Not well insulated. That lil' heater will keep the basement toasty, like 60's (*F) or higher, when we've camped in the teens.

One thing I've invested in, is some wireless temperature sensors. I got like a 3-pack off Amazon for $20ish. I've got them scattered around so I can monitor the outside and inside temps. It allows me to see just how well my various winter-camping-warmers are working.

I will be in PA, gets pretty cold day/night.
Underbelly is maybe 20 feet.
Just looking to keep things from freezing.
I want to enclose the bottom of the trailer with foam board, would that be enough?
Also, what about low point drains, are they ok? Or do I need to do something with them to avoid freezing?
Like the temp sensor idea!!

[Mike J Sr]

I've looked into the extreme heater if you Google it, you'll see a previous Jayco owner installed one in his unit in Tennessee and he rarely winterized because it was plugged in at his house. Our situation here in Cincinnati with a new pinnacle is that I'm monitoring all of my bases with a inexpensive Amazon temperature sensor Right now the underbelly is connected to returns to the rest of the RV so the tanks are going to be safe as long as the RV temperature is there regarding the basement area. I throw a small oil heater down there keep it on when it gets down into the teens. Just kind of keeps that area for a few hours From getting extremely cold plus we do walk on that area. My pinnacle has a heat duct into the basement area, which is the pass-through as well.

[US2campin]

Hello, not familiar with those, but I am familiar with Webasto diesel parking heaters (Airtop 2000 STC) being from a trucking background, I have read that there are many camper vans that use them and I installed one in my 25.5REOK fifth wheel in the basement storage area and plumbed the outlet hose into the underbelly. I plan to be camping in cold weather and did not want to worry about things freezing plus with it running under the floor we walk on it actually heats the interior a lot more that you would think. It is diesel like I said but I just added a small 3 gallon tank since the usage is only around .5 liter per hour. They cost a little more than an electric heater but you can run it as long as you have battery power and diesel, no hook up needed.

[Mike J Sr]

That is a serious unit for how you're using it, makes sense, I'm stationary and just trying not to burn up propane up. So far just running fireplace heater, with 2 ceramic space heaters. Happy to have 3 40s tanks built in. Double pane windows seem to be worth the extra. Heat pump not much help below 40.

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by craigav

A common small space heater should have its own thermostat built-in. Regarding the underbelly, I am not familiar with your RV so perhaps someone else can provide further guidance. My concern would be with not knowing if there was enough room for keeping any heater you use away from anything that could catch fire. ~CA

I believe he wants to place the heater on the ground under his camper in the area that he's enclosed with foam board to provide an extra heat source during extreme cold so his pipes/tanks don't freeze. I doubt just the foam board insulation itself would offer enough protection.

[craigav]

Originally Posted by TCNashville

I believe he wants to place the heater on the ground under his camper in the area that he's enclosed with foam board to provide an extra heat source during extreme cold so his pipes/tanks don't freeze. I doubt just the foam board insulation itself would offer enough protection.

Good point, in my well house in extreme cold conditions (single digits or colder) I use a couple of infrared heat lights which does more for warming what it is pointed at instead of the air. I use electric pipe heat strips but I have had the pressure switch freeze on me until I started using heat lamps pointed at the most vulnerable areas. ~CA

[ACPC]

Hello, Yes I purchased the 600W 2024/0107. remember it is just to keep the temp in a closed area above freezing. It comes on at 40 degrees and goes off at 55 degrees. I put it in the basement pointing rearward to the underbelly. Works for me. I had the water line going to the ice maker freeze the year before. All good since then. I did hear someone say they wanted to put the larger on under the trailer after closing in the space with skirting. Don't know if he did it. I think it might help with the dead air space, maybe sheltering the underside of the water tanks. That is a much larger air space.

[Blueberry Mary]

Originally Posted by craigav

Good point, in my well house in extreme cold conditions (single digits or colder) I use a couple of infrared heat lights which does more for warming what it is pointed at instead of the air. I use electric pipe heat strips but I have had the pressure switch freeze on me until I started using heat lamps pointed at the most vulnerable areas. ~CA

Sounds like some interesting ways. We keep ours plugged in all winter, antifreeze in the drains, electric heat blankets cover the water tanks and we keep the propane heater going at about 42, and the cupboards open and an electric heater shining toward the opened water tank area. Done it now for 6.5 years in the PNW, Portland area. Use it for a our guest house over the holidays+. We just got a new lovely roof put on from RVRoof.com in Tricities and the heat really doesn't seem to come on as much so far this winter, Seems to be a better insulator. The frost isn't melted on the ground outside by the propane exhaust. We think that roof is making a difference. But I am afraid that the heat may not be hot or coming on often enough to radiate warm air under the RV. We think we should put a skirt around it. Any suggestions. I heard Foam Board, but what other options are out there? We never have put a heater in the basement nor run any heat under it either.

[ACPC]

I like the RV air skirts. https://www.airskirts.com/rv-skirting-kits/

I don't have them, but several RVers I know say they are great. Expensive, but portable and you can easily deflate and store them. The trick is to stop the cold air from circulating around the underbelly of your RV. Once you seal up that area creating a dead air space, the temp under the trailer becomes more constant. Then you may want to add a little warm air from some heat source. I like the "Extreme Heaters" in my basement. These too are expensive, but I want a quality device in my basement that i can rely on and don't have to worry about overheating and fire. Remember you are putting it in a place that becomes out of site and out of mind. I don't know about under the trailer. I would give them a call, they seem to be more than helpful.