trailer heat

[tearhead]

...I'm not touching that one!

I'd like to put in a plug (no pun intended!) for a regular electric mattress pad, for those who have access to electricity. It's also nice in the house, but does a good job of warming up the teardrop bed and keeping it nice and cosy in there. I think it works better than an electric blanket because it heats us, not the air in the camper.

Our main problem is condensation, which requires keeping the window open a crack (a good idea anyway, as has been discussed at length before). We don't have a roof vent, so the window's the only option at the moment.

[Deryk the Pirate]

Id look for 1 of these come spring time on ebay... http://www.dickinsonmarine.com/propane.php

I got a brand new diesel one for my boat off ebay for $250 dollars lol. Dont believe the btu's they state its alot less...I know from experience, but would be so romantic to have alittle fireplace in the trailer.

[Alfred]

Hey gang,

Just to follow-up, we camped last week in West Virginia, down to about 35degrees overnight. I bought a little electric ceramic heater at Walmart for about $18.00, and it did great! Kept the camper really warm and cozy. We had the windows and vent cracked open for circulation, and even with the cold air coming in, I was impressed with what a good job the little ceramic heater did in keeping it comfortable.

AL

[Deryk the Pirate]

but what if there is no ac to plug into?

[Alfred]

but what if there is no ac to plug into?

Like I told SlowCowboy, on the other thread, I'm a city-boy camper! I don't do no pirate camping!

The wife and kids will not go camping with me unless there is water/electric hook-up, bathrooms/shower, preferably wi-fi and a Walmart nearby where I can run out of the campground and pick-up whatever it is I inevitably forgot to pack. This in the past has included running to Walmart for marshmallows to make s'mores, bathing suits, those artificial paper "fireplace" logs that make a campfire so much easier, matches, dish detergent, sun screen, bug spray, paper plates, etc.

This, in our family, defines "roughing it", as compared to the Hampton Inn or Motel 6. I had to build a camper, because if I had tried to compel tent camping any longer it would have been a mutiny.

Might also add the family's favorite campground is Myrtle Beach State Park, where one can leave the campground and in 5 minutes be on the Grand Strand eating a pizza or ice cream. Actually, there's an Olive Garden not too far out of the campground, where we frequently land in Myrtle Beach, when "camping".

It ain't roughing it, anyway.

But, more to the topic, the ceramic heater option probably only works where you have a campsite with an electric hookup! I wonder how many amps it would draw if you tried to run it through a 12volt to 110volt converter?

I like those little mini woodstoves I've seem some folks hooking up to their campers, I could see learning more about them.

Oh, and outside the camper I use a Coleman propane heater, and a campfire!

AL

[john]

In my second build, a standy for five, I parted out a bathroom heater and wired it to an automatic thermostat. It is mounted to the left of the sink.

Last winter I tested it in the lower upper single digits and the little heater held the interior at an even 72 running only a fifth of the time cycling on automatically only briefly.

[Mukilteo]

I found that the skinny 115 pound heaters didn't have the BTUs. I prefer the larger model.

[Weirdnerd]

I would recommend a propane catalytic heater, The Coleman pro cat I have ( it has a fan, low oxygen shutoff, and only consumes o2 and expels water, so having a minimum of 6x6 inches vent is mandatory) saved my bacon for six weeks at -10 Fahrenheit with no electrical outlets in a couple of miles around, , I left the upper vent open and the side window cracked, my carbon monoxide detector with fresh batteries never chimed, so I presume I was not in immediate danger..

There are a couple of models I like, one is 4000 BTU, with a low oxygen shutoff, made by Mr. Heater, and the other by Coleman, it all depends if you like the idea or not, if you have electrical access, I would not doubt in having a ceramic heater.....choices.

[rowerwet]

there is a picture of an idea posted by mike himself on another "how to add heat" thread, basically it is four metal boxes each deep enough to fit a 2-3" dia. candle, the four are mounted in a square pattern against the outside wall of the td, one bottom box has a hole to the outside, there is an equal sized hole to the box next to it about half way up the side, another hole from that box leads to the box above it, and then another hole into the last box which also has a hole to the outside. put a candle or two in each box and close the lids, according to wikipedia a candle produces about 50 btu per hour. if you preheat the TD with a 12v heater and have good insulation, that should be plenty of heat with no power usage.
I added the picture to my www

[Deryk the Pirate]

Well, I settled with this for my winter time heat...

http://www.nuwaystove.com/model3000.php


I found it on craigslist, the guy only used it once or twice, was like new, the burner was clean. Its a total overkill at 16k btu's lol but I run it slightly above the pilotlight lol and with 1 of my windows open about 4" and a co2 detector I can sleep below freezing with a sheet... works for me!

I still need to add some heat shielding and spacers, but the wood barely gets warm because its running so low, the vardo is insulated, and it heats up in like 2 minutes. Gonna be spending next weekend camping down in the pine barrens!

[Shadow Catcher]

Miriam that is the main reason I went with a foam mattress rather than memory foam, the cold and hard thing.

[Tumbleweed_Tex]

As a last resort, a 110 pound black lab will do...preferably not after bean burritos.

[bobhenry]

there is a picture of an idea posted by mike himself on another "how to add heat" thread, basically it is four metal boxes each deep enough to fit a 2-3" dia. candle, the four are mounted in a square pattern against the outside wall of the td, one bottom box has a hole to the outside, there is an equal sized hole to the box next to it about half way up the side, another hole from that box leads to the box above it, and then another hole into the last box which also has a hole to the outside. put a candle or two in each box and close the lids, according to wikipedia a candle produces about 50 btu per hour. if you preheat the TD with a 12v heater and have good insulation, that should be plenty of heat with no power usage.
I added the picture to my www

It' on page 2 .......http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=33168&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

[Aaron Coffee]

I don't camp in extreme cold does sometimes dip into the 50s when camping. I use an electric throw, debating on #2 if I want to go with an electric blanket or a heated mattress pad.

[Big Dan]

When camping in cold weather what keeps you warm is good food and good clothing. The time it takes to get into bed at night and out of bed bed in the morning is what 5, 10 minutes. The time spent in bed one can do just fine with a quality sleeping bag. I have a -o rated bag and have never had a cold nights sleep. That includes sleeping in two feet of snow in a tent with a thermo rest mattress. Inside a teardrop even better. For the money and space I recomend you start with a good bag. The only power you need is a good dinner. I sleep in the same bag in the summer just fine with the zipper down a bit. Regular home bedding will not do the same thing for the weight and space. I got a cheap -O bag for $76.00.