Heat on Shore Power

[Bikersmurf]

Here's What I've installed. I know most focus on off grid, but for the other six months of the year to keep it defrosted or at camp grounds. It's a kick space heater 120/240 v 450-1800 w.


Any other solutions?

Here's one I saw online...

 

[Bikersmurf]

This is what got me thinking...

220 v only

 

[IdaSHO]

Why not consider a 12V heater? Then you can use it on the road.


I've integrated a 12V heater into our custom camper the following reasons:


*maintain above freezing temps while on the road (driving).

Our winter trips prior to installing the heater resulted in some VERY cold temps in the cabin.
Keeping it warm not only keeps things from freezing when on the road,
but it also dramatically lessens the amount of propane required to bring the cabin up to temp
when we finally stop for the night.


*maintain above freezing temps during winter when off the truck.

The camper gets used often as a spare room for company,
and we also use it a ton for winter travels.
Keeping it warm removes the need to "winterize" the camper.

We rarely see camp grounds, but if we did Id certainly have the option to plug in and use electric heat. :sombrero:

 

[Bikersmurf]

12v is also an option... What do you use?

I've got a big enough inverter to easily power the 120v heater. The truck is plugged into shore power every night at home so it's nice to come out to frost free windows in the morning.

The original rear heater was removed... The cabin heat has been enough so far if the back isn't starting out cold.

 

[kudzu]

Is there a problem with just using a 120v space heater instead of a permanently mounted option? Those work extremely well in smaller spaces. It's what we usually use in my Aliner when we have shore power, even though it has a functional furnace. We've brought one along a couple times for the van, but so far it's never been cold enough in the van to need one. So far the van is fine in temps down in the mid-40's F. Actually, I think either of my two little space heaters would be too much for the van unless overnight temps were in the teens. Of course, my Express has the standard roof, not hightop.

(I recognize you're temps are much lower than mine & that some form of heating is a necessity.)

 

[Joe917]

The best option off grid is Webasto or Espar. As far as I am concerned 12v heat is a non-starter. If you have shore power any portable electric heater will do.

 

[Bikersmurf]

Is there a problem with just using a 120v space heater instead of a permanently mounted option? Those work extremely well in smaller spaces. It's what we usually use in my Aliner when we have shore power, even though it has a functional furnace. We've brought one along a couple times for the van, but so far it's never been cold enough in the van to need one. So far the van is fine in temps down in the mid-40's F. Actually, I think either of my two little space heaters would be too much for the van unless overnight temps were in the teens. Of course, my Express has the standard roof, not hightop.

(I recognize you're temps are much lower than mine & that some form of heating is a necessity.)

I used a space heater for a year or so, but found it would tip over if not well stowed, and took up a fair bit of space to avoid it being a fire hazard. When I found the kick heater at the Habitat ReStore for a decent price, it seemed like a good solution that would fit in otherwise wasted space.

As for temperature, I'm south of the 49th and rarely see freezing temperatures. Snow only comes for a few days every year or two also. For perspective, it's about 45 f today, and rainy.

 

[zelatore]

First, I assume your inverter does pass-through as there's really no reasonable way to run a heater off of an inverter. Just do the math- typical heater is 1500w. That's 12.5A @ 120VAC, so 125A @ 12VDC. Let's assume your inverter is about 80% efficient and now we're talking almost 160 amps of load. A typical group 31 battery has around 100 a/h of capacity. Let's say you have 2 of them installed for 200 a/h. You can realistically use half of that so you'd get about 45 minutes of run time out of that set-up on just the batteries.

Sorry if that's a little off-topic, but I regularly have people ask about running a heater off an inverter and they just don't get why it's not a good idea.

(then there was the client who insisted he could run his battery charger off the inverter to keep the batteries topped up…I told him if he got that to work he'd be a billionaire since it would be a perpetual motion machine!)

Regardless…assuming you have the power available a space heater is by far the cheapest/easiest way to go and for a small space like a van they work very well. As for the trouble with them falling over, once more the boating world has a solution:
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--portable-cabin-heater--7867500?recordNum=3

I have one of these on my boat and use it often instead of firing up the big reverse cycle heater as this is much quieter and keeps my little 32 footer warm enough until it gets down below 40, which isn't that often in my area (SF Bay).

 

[pugslyyy]

Here's What I've installed. I know most focus on off grid, but for the other six months of the year to keep it defrosted or at camp grounds. It's a kick space heater 120/240 v 450-1800 w.
View attachment 373330

Any other solutions?

Here's one I saw online...

View attachment 373331

I have a resistive heating element in my AC that I can use when on shore power, but usually I burn propane for heat. I bought an inexpensive space heater from the thrift store that I use for heat for winter storage when not winterized between trips.

 

[Bikersmurf]

First, I assume your inverter does pass-through as there's really no reasonable way to run a heater off of an inverter. Just do the math- typical heater is 1500w. That's 12.5A @ 120VAC, so 125A @ 12VDC. Let's assume your inverter is about 80% efficient and now we're talking almost 160 amps of load. A typical group 31 battery has around 100 a/h of capacity. Let's say you have 2 of them installed for 200 a/h. You can realistically use half of that so you'd get about 45 minutes of run time out of that set-up on just the batteries.

Sorry if that's a little off-topic, but I regularly have people ask about running a heater off an inverter and they just don't get why it's not a good idea.

(then there was the client who insisted he could run his battery charger off the inverter to keep the batteries topped up…I told him if he got that to work he'd be a billionaire since it would be a perpetual motion machine!)

Regardless…assuming you have the power available a space heater is by far the cheapest/easiest way to go and for a small space like a van they work very well. As for the trouble with them falling over, once more the boating world has a solution:
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--portable-cabin-heater--7867500?recordNum=3

I have one of these on my boat and use it often instead of firing up the big reverse cycle heater as this is much quieter and keeps my little 32 footer warm enough until it gets down below 40, which isn't that often in my area (SF Bay).

I've got mine currently configured to to 450W. I don't plan to run off batteries but can theoretically for brief periods of time. Even factoring in inverter inefficiency, the 215 amp continuous duty alternator can easily power it without a problem. Given the inverter is rated for 2000w continuous, it should also be fine.

Given the heater cost me $30 and takes up no space, I'd choose it over a space heater that needs 4' clear in front of it.

 

[IdaSHO]

12v is also an option... What do you use?

This is the type we have.

Not this exact one I dont think, but very similar, and similar wattage.

http://www.autobarn.net/road-worthy-12v-portable-backseat-heater.html