BruceAllen
Park
New Member
Joined: 11/02/2016
View Profile
 Offline
|
hinterland wrote:Why not just skirt your unit, and put a supplementary electric heater underneath when it's really cold. It will heat up that area. Also, if you turn on baggage compartment lights, they throw heat, enough to raise temps 3 degrees or more
Well, I'm just going over my options. I'd like to avoid skirting the vehicle. I live in Utah so I'm planning on it getting really cold for some months and the idea of putting a space heater underneath the travel trailer is a bit nerve-racking. They'd basically have to run all the time from late December to March. It's also rather expensive to skirt the vehicle and keep a space heater going. If I must, I must.
Is it true that the heater blankets don't work? Even if they're insulated?
|
pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 12/18/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Hi Bruce,
The blankets equipped with tube and elbow heaters may work down to about 20 F (-6.6 c). Below that, enclosed tanks are needed.
If you do skirt the safest heater to use will be the oil filled type.
BruceAllen wrote: Is it true that the heater blankets don't work? Even if they're insulated?
* This post was
edited 11/02/16 09:31pm by pianotuna *
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
|
BruceAllen
Park
New Member
Joined: 11/02/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
pianotuna wrote:Hi Bruce,
The blankets equipped with tube and elbow heaters may work down to about 20 F (-6.6 c). Below that, enclosed tanks are needed.
If you do skirt the safest heater to use will be the oil filled type.
BruceAllen wrote: Is it true that the heater blankets don't work? Even if they're insulated?
Thanks, the oil heater is a great tip! When you say enclosed, that would include wrapping the tanks in insulation?
|
pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 12/18/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Hi Bruce,
Only if you enclosed the tanks (valves and tubes) with Styrofoam sheets to box them in. Leave enough space for a 600 watt fan based heater and a mechanical thermostat. I use one that was intended for use as a car warmer. It is tube shaped.
BruceAllen wrote: Thanks, the oil heater is a great tip! When you say enclosed, that would include wrapping the tanks in insulation?
|
hinterland
British Columbia
Full Member
Joined: 12/08/2015
View Profile
Offline
|
Also, another idea, if you do use heaters like they do up in Canada, is to get a ceramic cube one, place it on concrete block or slab, and ensure it has a safety tip over shut off. You might get by with only turning it on at night. Keep a thermometer under there so you know when to turn it on. I'm in the process of uploading a new video on our channel showing some of the different heaters and skirting. Will check back and let you know about it.
It Just Doesn't Matter Who Owns the Grass Outside our Window!
OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL
|
|
|
hinterland
British Columbia
Full Member
Joined: 12/08/2015
View Profile
Offline
|
Here is that video link. I hope you find some helpful tips there.
RV Skirting, Heaters and Waterlines
|
BruceAllen
Park
New Member
Joined: 11/02/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
hinterland wrote:Here is that video link. I hope you find some helpful tips there.
***Link Removed***
Wow, that's interesting. Someone used reflectix to skirt their rig? How did that turn out?
|
hinterland
British Columbia
Full Member
Joined: 12/08/2015
View Profile
Offline
|
BruceAllen wrote:hinterland wrote:Here is that video link. I hope you find some helpful tips there.
***Link Removed***
Wow, that's interesting. Someone used reflectix to skirt their rig? How did that turn out?
It turned out really well in Southern BC. Really they were just closing it in against the wind and not really adding much R value. Before they skirted, their black tank valve froze up, and after we got them skirted in, they didn't have any further issues.
|
BruceAllen
Park
New Member
Joined: 11/02/2016
View Profile
Offline
|
Update:
I skirt the RV in with r6 foam insulation. I put an outdoor thermometer just under the waste dump gates so I can tell when it's freezing. I put a 1200 watt oil heater on top of two cinder blocks, then I wrapped the connection between the extension cord and heater plug with electrical tape so water can't get to it, I snaked the cords off of the ground and onto the underbelly of the RV, and I ran the extension cord through the pull out into the RV so I can turn it on and off with the plug whenever I want.
Not gunna say it's perfect or the best, but it's working out well for me so far. Thanks guys!
|
hinterland
British Columbia
Full Member
Joined: 12/08/2015
View Profile
Offline
|
Hi Bruce,
Sounds like a great plan to insulate for the winter.
|
|
|
