Propex heater in cold weather

[Cosmo]

Finally had a chance to get the trailer out into the Polar Vortex. I know there are similar kerosene burning heaters at a lower price but thought actual field use might be of use.
https://youtu.be/9VEBR8fh-Bo

=Cosmo

[featherliteCT1]

Nice review ... thanks!

[tony.latham]

Another fine video. How is the cold air return set up? Does the air just cycle through all those nice little holes in the cabinets?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Cosmo]

Hi Tony. Your sharp'.. I was thinking about that today. With the electric heaters the headboard cabinets were cold. You are right. The return is in the cabinet. It draws air from the cabin, heats it and recirculates it back into the cabin. That is why the cabinets were warm. They drew heat from the cabin into the cabinets where the heater is mounted in the bottom.

The heater is inside a plywood box Vistabule made. It does not get hot to the touch due to air flow. It has lots-O-overheat checking built in. My point is you can stuff it in a small space with minimal room around the unit. 

[tony.latham]

It does not get hot to the touch due to air flow.

I saw a video of someone holding a heat sensor on a Propex and it was 70º F on the surface while it was running.



Tony

[Cosmo]

Useful BTU calculator. There are BTU to Watt conversions available for electric users.
https://www.simplex.ca/en-ca/btu-calculator

[Cosmo]

Tony when I had my heat installed I noticed the battery in the the trailer drained in storage., I read the specs and Propex claimed when the unit is switched off it drew micro volts meaning nothing to worry about. I took measurements and found that is incorrect. It draws enough to drain a trailer in storage for a month. The solution in my case was to add a switch. I turn it off when not in use. The unit has an LED in it that goes out when turned off for verification. Other than that no issues with the heater. I like it more now that I have been in some serious cold. I only used one switch I have 4 extras - if you need one let me know. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076R ... UTF8&psc=1

=Cosmo

[tony.latham]

I took measurements and found that is incorrect. It draws enough to drain a trailer in storage for a month.

Amps are good! I'll make sure I include a switch in my install.

Thanks,

Tony

[KennethW]

Nice video Very informative.

The propex heater is a very nice heater for those that can afford it.

Next would be the Chinese kerosene(diesel) parking heaters. Not as nice but lower cost.

Both are FULLY vented and both require battery power(solar?)

AC electric works if plugged in Or generator?
12v is only good for a very brief warm up time. But will kill a battery if used very long. Good only for cool weather, Not cold.
Many warm blankets or good sleeping bag(but it is hard to poke your head out in the morning and change cloths
.
Last is the radiant heaters(Buddy) that are NOT VENTED. Puts tons of water in the air. So you will be warm&wet or cold&wet. Have to be well vented by opening windows and roof vent(get it wrong you die) I am live in Minnesota every year someone dies using a radiant heater in a fish house.

I personally would never use a buddy heater $70 as a 5kw Chinese parking heaters can be had for $120 if you look around (a 2KW is preferred but more money?) $50 more to wake UP in the morning. https://www.ebay.com/itm/5000W-12V-Air- ... 1mMl-O07Yc

[KennethW]

Slow, What I was trying to say is If you boondock for more then a day or two and run the heater for many hours a day. It would be a good ideal to have a way to charge your battery.
Just like if you ran a fantastic fan 24/7(on full) will drain a battery.
The 2KW Chinese heater is plenty powerful. But the 5KW heater is lower in cost, But will cook you out.(bigger is cheaper?)

My use of a 80's Atwood was indeed battery hogs(16hr?). They use very old technology with their one speed fan motors(like a heater fan from a old car)
in my opinion Atwoods are designed for the campers that are almost always plugged into AC, not really for boon-docking(12v is a selling point).
New a Atwood($370) is 3 times the money of a diesel heater(120), loud and large for a teardrop(almost cooler size)
Maybe the Atwood's have changed? If you have a old Atwood, I would bench run it 48 hours to judge its battery use before installing it.

Just my thoughts.

[Cosmo]

For the record I am not recommending the Propex – Just reporting on my experience.
For comparison the Propex HS 2000 electrical draws 1.4A continuous when its burning fuel.
That would be at 100% duty cycle (running continuously which would be worst case scenario in my opinion but we have to start somewhere). In my experience it runs about 30 min an hour at zero temps – that’s just a guess. It really depends on how fast the trailer cools 4 degrees and turns on the burner again.

When its resting between burns it draws about .07 amps an hour if I remember correctly (my measurement with a meter).

In my case I already have propane and for me the costs were acceptable for the Propex (its not cheap). My car is a gasser and I did not want to add a new fuel to my trailer. I have read that there are gasoline models of Propex knock offs from Asia but I don’t want any gasoline tanks in my trailer.

The diesel heaters are really popular with truckers so their must be some very good units out there.

[KTM_Guy]

Tony when I had my heat installed I noticed the battery in the the trailer drained in storage., I read the specs and Propex claimed when the unit is switched off it drew micro volts meaning nothing to worry about. I took measurements and found that is incorrect. It draws enough to drain a trailer in storage for a month. The solution in my case was to add a switch. I turn it off when not in use. The unit has an LED in it that goes out when turned off for verification. Other than that no issues with the heater. I like it more now that I have been in some serious cold. I only used one switch I have 4 extras - if you need one let me know. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076R ... UTF8&psc=1

=Cosmo

Good to know. I'll be installing mine in a week or two. I have a main kill switch so I can cut all power while the tear in in storage. But will add a switch too.

Todd