Small Heater Question

[Classic Finn]

Dear Heikki,

Suvi will produce more useable warmth that that little heater...

I tried that route last fall.
I hooked up a 12 Volt outlet to a 12 amp hour battery, from a scooter, to save space and weight.
It kicks out a little heat for about 20 minutes, then the battery dies.
I took 5 of these batteries with me, and still didn't have enough juice to stay warm for more than a day.
Honestly, I think a candle would put out more heat...

The heater could not keep up in 38 degree temperatures.

Finally gave up and installed a small RV furnace.
I'm happy now!

Rob

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/1948rob/small%20pictures/heater1.jpg?t=1189080469">

Hi Rob

Well that idea is totally out then..

What does that furnace look like and is it possible to install somthing like that in our small tear?

Smaller than your great looking tear ...

Best regards
Heikki

[Kens]

We get electric campsites when it is very cold. We have an electric blanket. It's very easy to wire for house current.

[jeepr]

What does that furnace look like and is it possible to install somthing like that in our small tear?
Best regards
Heikki

The problem I ran across is that I couldn't find a small furnace. I was looking for a gravity feed propane heater in a small BTU range. The only thing I found was furnaces with forced air. Atwood has a nice one. http://www.atwoodmobile.com/Products/furnace/7900.cfm The smallest is 12,000 BTU.

I don't think a teardrop would need more than a couple thousand BTU heater. Just a stansing pilot used to keep my Sunline warm with outside temps just above freezing.

If you come across something, let us know. I like those small catalytic heaters, but without drawing fresh air, there will be a moisture problem.

[brian_bp]

...If it will help warm the inside of a vehicle it should surely warm the inside of a teardrop. It doesn't take much, the wife and I had a little electric job and had to turn it off it got to hot. ..

That's the problem... the 12V heaters don't help much in a car. Some people do use similar 120V AC heaters, but I assume they have much more output.

We found a small electric heater quite effective in a 17-foot travel trailer, and obviously a teardrop could use a smaller one... but the 12V heater shown has only one tenth of the heat output of our 120V heater, which isn't much for the rate it flattens the battery.

[brian_bp]

The problem I ran across is that I couldn't find a small furnace. I was looking for a gravity feed propane heater in a small BTU range.

Some of the early moulded fiberglass travel trailers (e.g. Boler) had "gravity" furnaces, and some of their owners have become great fans of them. Unfortunately, it appears that they are no longer made. You might find a used one which works.

Those "gravity" furnaces are bulky, which might be a consideration in a teardrop, even in a low-output size.

[48Rob]

Heikki,

In the standard teardrop configuration, there isn't a practical place to install a furnace.

So... thinking outside the box (pun intended ) Since you are in the land of no air conditioner needed, a small furnace could be easily mounted in the tongue box.
Instead of cutting a huge hole and dealing with return air issues, simply vent part of the warm air into the night (under the trailer would make the most sense) and capture the rest in a 3" duct that could run under the trailer, and come through the bulkhead in a nice adjustable vent.
The vent could blow out above your feet/legs, and would be dissipated by the time it got to your head.

You could run the system with a standard thermostat, so the temperature would be more or less constant.
The furnace won't care, or consider where it is located, when the thermostat says it is warm enough, it will turn it off.
There would be a fair amount of wasted heat, since some would have to be directed to the outdoors, but 12000BTU is the smallest (new)available unit I'm aware of.

The loss wouldn't amount to much though, I don't believe, as the interior would warm quickly, and with the insulation you're installing, should stay warm for a time.

The unit I installed was about 10"x10"x22", others may be slightly smaller.

Now, all this said, if you camp where there is mains power, a basic electric heater will do the job.


Rob

[goldcoop]

Heikki-

Here is a propane heater that is placed outside, but the hose pump hot air into the TD.

It would require a inlet...

http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consume ... tvent.html

The only real drawback is that the output is controlled by the propane burner which is OUTSIDE.

Cheers,

Coop

[Classic Finn]

Heikki,

In the standard teardrop configuration, there isn't a practical place to install a furnace.

So... thinking outside the box (pun intended ) Since you are in the land of no air conditioner needed, a small furnace could be easily mounted in the tongue box.
Instead of cutting a huge hole and dealing with return air issues, simply vent part of the warm air into the night (under the trailer would make the most sense) and capture the rest in a 3" duct that could run under the trailer, and come through the bulkhead in a nice adjustable vent.
The vent could blow out above your feet/legs, and would be dissipated by the time it got to your head.

You could run the system with a standard thermostat, so the temperature would be more or less constant.
The furnace won't care, or consider where it is located, when the thermostat says it is warm enough, it will turn it off.
There would be a fair amount of wasted heat, since some would have to be directed to the outdoors, but 12000BTU is the smallest (new)available unit I'm aware of.

The loss wouldn't amount to much though, I don't believe, as the interior would warm quickly, and with the insulation you're installing, should stay warm for a time.

The unit I installed was about 10"x10"x22", others may be slightly smaller.

Now, all this said, if you camp where there is mains power, a basic electric heater will do the job.


Rob

Rob that is interesting ..

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

Heikki-

Here is a propane heater that is placed outside, but the hose pump hot air into the TD.

It would require a inlet...

http://www.zodi.com/web-content/Consume ... tvent.html

The only real drawback is that the output is controlled by the propane burner which is OUTSIDE.

Cheers,

Coop

Hi Coop ... I think Ive seen somthing similar here to that...

Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

Here is one that a local Caravan Dealer sells.. by Trumatic. They said yesterday (our time) that its very compact and would be easy to install .

Trumatic S 3002, 12 V. / 230v. 3 - 12 W, which comes with a control panel








and here is a small size front panel for it..



Classic Finn

[Classic Finn]

Is the above name or model available in the Good Ol USA?


Classic Finn

[jeepr]

I have been researching heaters. There are some super nice ones out there. They are marketed toward marine and truck bunks. The biggest problem I have found is price! It would cost as much for a tiny 7000 BTU bunk heater as it did to build my tear!

Here is one http://www.espar.com/html/products/technology_air.html


Anyone ever try something like this?
http://www.heatstick.com/

[brian_bp]

I have been researching heaters. There are some super nice ones out there. They are marketed toward marine and truck bunks. The biggest problem I have found is price! It would cost as much for a tiny 7000 BTU bunk heater as it did to build my tear!

Here is one http://www.espar.com/html/products/technology_air.html

Nice looking units. If you want to heat with diesel or gasoline (which might make sense for some situations, depending on the vehicle fuel, and fuel used for cooking), this seems like it would be a good solution. It's interesting how much less efficient the "petrol" version is (only available in the Airtronic 5; the smallest size of that range has almost twice the fuel flow - in mass rate terms - for the same heat).

For a cheap alternative, you could try to find an old VW Beetle (real, not "New Beetle") gasoline-fueled interior heater. I have no idea of the heat output rate, or if they were any good, but they certainly were made.

Anyone ever try something like this? http://www.heatstick.com/

Not me... and you won't find me trying to heat with a candle - or leaving one burning while I sleep - any time soon. I'm even less likely to pay someone US$30 for a device based on a stack of small clay flower pots, a nut and bolt, and some washers.

It is an interesting idea, and a more developed version of a bad idea I have heard of before: heating a trailer with a cookstove burner.

[jeepr]

Anyone ever try something like this? http://www.heatstick.com/

Not me... and you won't find me trying to heat with a candle - or leaving one burning while I sleep - any time soon. I'm even less likely to pay someone US$30 for a device based on a stack of small clay flower pots, a nut and bolt, and some washers.

It is an interesting idea, and a more developed version of a bad idea I have heard of before: heating a trailer with a cookstove burner.

I was thinking more along the lines of building one...

TD are small enough, you may be able to use something like that as a pre-heater and shut it off when you climb in. It should keep warm with the body heat..

[mikeschn]

Q managed to find some space to install one.




And don't forget, you can always use a ceramic heater if you are camping with electric!

Mike...

Heikki,

In the standard teardrop configuration, there isn't a practical place to install a furnace.

Rob