Electric heater for popup?

Owen Stubbs · 06-10-2014, 05:27 PM

I have a Jayco 1207, which came with the LP furnace. Once in awhile, I am lucky enough to have an electric site... so I was thinking, why not heat the camper (when needed) with a small electric heater, rather than running off the propane.

So, before I get "godzilla the heater", I thought I would ask what would be a good unit/output.

I camp in the midwest areas of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois. Trying to make spring and early fall comfortable, not looking for 100,000 BTU's. Any suggestions for a particular make/model of electric space heater?

mcfarmall · 06-10-2014, 05:37 PM

I have a Pelonis 1500W (Menards <$20) space heater that is physically very small and I've camped as late as Halloween and it will keep my 23B toasty warm inside...if you consider 60 degrees toasty. Most anything you can find in stores is around 1500W max output anyway so if you find one you like buy two. Run one off the camper circuit and the other off a dedicated cord directly from the power pole.

I never burn propane unless I absolutely have to...ever.

Bassdogs · 06-10-2014, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcfarmall

I have a Pelonis 1500W (Menards <$20) space heater that is physically very small and I've camped as late as Halloween and it will keep my 23B toasty warm inside...if you consider 60 degrees toasty. Most anything you can find in stores is around 1500W max output anyway so if you find one you like buy two. Run one off the camper circuit and the other off a dedicated cord directly from the power pole.

I never burn propane unless I absolutely have to...ever.

[

I use what I'm already paying for [electric] rather than burn my own propane. Any standard small space heater will do and should keep you toasty in the popup. We used them when we camped in the late fall and in temps as cold as 25. Another trick I used was to run a second [get a good cord] extension into the unit under the canvas on one end and hooked up a 2nd heater. It doesn't go thru your converter so you won't pop a breaker. Make sure you don't pack the cord under a mattress or what not. Use a wire size of 12 not the 16 like the standard 100' orange cord. Never had a problem with this set up.

Owen Stubbs · 06-10-2014, 08:03 PM

Thanks so much for the input Bassdogs and
mcfarmall So, 1500 watts or less, or a second dedicated cord to another heater?

Tunce the traveler · 06-10-2014, 10:36 PM

Yes, I use a 2nd cord also for my heater and I have the pop up Gizmos both outside and inside on the ends and I have to turn the temp. Down cause it gets too warm. Now I'm talking Oct. Nov. weather on the west coast of Oregon and Northern California . The Gizmos are great for protecting the ends from tree sap also.

mcfarmall · 06-11-2014, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

Thanks so much for the input Bassdogs and
mcfarmall So, 1500 watts or less, or a second dedicated cord to another heater?

Yes, 1500 watts AND (not or) a dedicated 12 AWG cord to the second heater.

RoyBraddy · 06-11-2014, 06:25 AM

With the close quarters of the POPUP I elected to use the OIL-FILLED low profile radiator type electric heater. The POPUP has alot of things that could catch on fire with a sudden burst of wind etc.

The OIL FILLED heater have no open flame or red hot cores to deal with. Also no burned dust smell and are very quiet. Has to be one of the safest heaters you can use. If we need to move some warm air around more then we sit one of these O2COOL AC/DC/D-CELL fans behind the heater. Does great...

Since there is only the two of us in our POPUP we have one of these sitting in the entrance door area and a second one sitting on a board back in the unused tent bed area which is our DAY TIME catch all area.

With the POPUP we just run an extension cord out one of the window flaps and connect to the campground 20AMP Pedestal Service.

For us it is much better to use the camp ground electric then to use OUR propane. We set the furnace up to be the back-up source of heat when needed. Our Furnace is way too much heat for us in the POPUP and the furnace blower is also very loud. Wakes me up every time it kicks in...

Roy Ken

Jagiven · 06-11-2014, 09:02 AM

I would recommend a small 1500 watt ceramic cube. The one I am currently using has been in many traiatPU. But as I recall it worked fine.

Owen Stubbs · 06-11-2014, 09:20 AM

Thanks again guys. Are two 1500 watt heaters too much for the camper's 30 amp service?

@ Roy - I have the same fan. Works great!

Owen Stubbs · 06-11-2014, 09:30 AM

Nevermind - just calculated the amperage draw, and see that one 1500 watt is really all that should be used in the camper. I have a 12 awg cord, so will use that and a second heater if we need it. Thanks again!!

howie · 06-11-2014, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

Thanks again guys. Are two 1500 watt heaters too much for the camper's 30 amp service?

@ Roy - I have the same fan. Works great!

One of the heaters can be plugged into the pop-ups rececptacle. As others mentioned, get a good heavy (#12) extension cord and plug the other heater into the receptacle at the pedestal and run the cord into your camper.

Nevermind...I see you were typing at the same time I was. You were faster!

Bassdogs · 06-11-2014, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

Thanks again guys. Are two 1500 watt heaters too much for the camper's 30 amp service?

@ Roy - I have the same fan. Works great!

No, you'll be fine. The 2nd heater coming from a separate extension connected directly to the power post. I wouldn't try to do 2 heaters running thru the camper converter.

Jeff61 · 06-11-2014, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Owen Stubbs

I have a Jayco 1207, which came with the LP furnace. Once in awhile, I am lucky enough to have an electric site... so I was thinking, why not heat the camper (when needed) with a small electric heater, rather than running off the propane.

So, before I get "godzilla the heater", I thought I would ask what would be a good unit/output.

I camp in the midwest areas of Michigan, Indiana, Illinois. Trying to make spring and early fall comfortable, not looking for 100,000 BTU's. Any suggestions for a particular make/model of electric space heater?

Electric heater is a great thing. I only use mine on the 1000W setting and set the t- stat so it cycles. Grab on to your electric cord and see if it's getting warm... if so back it down . Remember, you are going to be snoozing while it's running,a meltdown isn't worth a few pennies of LP! I turn the gas furnace on as well. It don't run real often, only when the electric cant keep up with the demand and I do want it to cycle off. I don't burn 60 lbs of propane for the whole camping season and it runs the barbie too!

Bassdogs · 06-11-2014, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyBraddy

With the close quarters of the POPUP I elected to use the OIL-FILLED low profile radiator type electric heater. The POPUP has alot of things that could catch on fire with a sudden burst of wind etc.

The OIL FILLED heater have no open flame or red hot cores to deal with. Also no burned dust smell and are very quiet. Has to be one of the safest heaters you can use. If we need to move some warm air around more then we sit one of these O2COOL AC/DC/D-CELL fans behind the heater. Does great...

Since there is only the two of us in our POPUP we have one of these sitting in the entrance door area and a second one sitting on a board back in the unused tent bed area which is our DAY TIME catch all area.

With the POPUP we just run an extension cord out one of the window flaps and connect to the campground 20AMP Pedestal Service.

For us it is much better to use the camp ground electric then to use OUR propane. We set the furnace up to be the back-up source of heat when needed. Our Furnace is way too much heat for us in the POPUP and the furnace blower is also very loud. Wakes me up every time it kicks in...

Roy Ken

The oil filled will do fine over a longer time, but by the nature of the beast they don't put out much heat for the first hour or so. I would suggest like others have said, to also carry a small cermamic heater. There is no fire danger from these units because they don't get "burning" hot at the front of the unit and modern heaters don't have glowing ribbon type elements like older heaters. If you can see a glow from a heater you found in your garage or at a garage sale, throw it away immediately. They are dangerous.

We're putting too much into this decision. Just go to a Lowes, Home Depot, or Walmart and pick one. this isn't rocket science. They all put out pretty much the same amount of heat.

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