Oil filled portable electric heater in RV/camper?

[aigel]

Is anyone here winter camping and using an electric heater when parked with electric hookup for taking the edge off the cold overnight? I am mainly worried about safety - I am sure it will do the job in terms of heat output. An oil filled heater looks to be the safest option - no open element, and surface temperatures under 200F, less than all common materials' combustion temperatures.

I wonder if either of these is a good pick - compact and could be put up on the kitchen counter of my popup camper, away from bedding / upholstery? It is low power and should not stress the electrical system (I think it is a 20 or 30 A circuit, I need to check).


Amazon.com - Optimus H-6003 Portable Oil Filled Radiator Heater, Mini -

Amazon.com - DeLonghi TRN0812T Portable Oil-Filled Radiator with Programmable Timer - Space Heaters


Thanks!

George

[porsche4life]

If you have the juice for it I think it would work great. I'm shocked how much heat those little things crank out! A ceramic heater would work fine too for that matter if you need something to move the air around a bit.

I mean hell, I've spent a bunch of nights in a tent with one of those Coleman Blackcat heaters and been fine. As long as you aren't an idiot and put it where it won't be knocked over or get up against fabric you are fine.

[aigel]

I have a smoke detector in the rig, of course, forgot to mention that. A combustion heater would scare me, but electric is zero emission into the space.

G

[porsche4life]

Ya, no way would I run a propane heater in there with electric available. My point was just that as long as you aren't an idiot, most of the commercially available electrics would do the job. The ceramic is probably cheaper for the same heat output, and I like being able to point the warm air at me when its cold, but thats just me.

[fastfredracing]

I see no problem with it. I put new floors in my last 5 th wheel over the winter, and I used my heater for weeks on end while I was working in there. Kept it toasty warm even when it was cold outside.
Although... We did have one of those radiator heaters let the smoke out last winter in our house. We were just laying down to bed, and I thought something smelled funny. It let out a few sparks, a quick bzzzzt, and a little bit of smoke from the control area, and it was dead.
Never caught fire though. They are probably pretty safe as far as portable heaters go .

[ckelly78z]

We use an electric oil filled heater all Winter long in one of our isolated bathrooms in our house. It does a good job of providing warm, odor free heat as safe as you can possibly get as long as you don't lay anything on top of it, or let it be too close some combustible material.

I too, don't like the thought of running our camper furnace, or a combustion heater of any kind in enclosed spaces....it gives me a headache from fumes after awhile.

[Hugh R]

Which ever, go with UL or ETL (CETUS) listed for safety.

[jyl]

I've used oil filled radiator heaters in my VW Westy Camper, works great. Try to find one with a fan, they heat a space up faster than a pure radiator.

[tevake]

I just went and got one to add the inventorying my Moho.
After staying a week at my sisters place using them there.
So quiet, passive, but warm. Slowly warming an area.

Well in the coach the slowly part killed its effectiveness.
The cold came in faster than the heat could counter,
Or the heat leaked out faster than it could make it.
Whatever, just didn't cut it.

My ceramic tower with a fan is way more effective in getting it warm and keeping it warm. But does make noise.

Granted mine is an older airstream with lots of single pane window.
May work if you unit is tighter and better insulated.

The oil radiator is quite a bit larger too, so storage issue.

Was into the mid teen last few nights I was there in Az and two space heaters could barely keep up. Woke to low 40s inside.

The built in old furnaces do blast the heat but fumes are too much. Coming up on the replace list.

Cheers Richard

[flatbutt]

I've used an oil filled rad in my crawlspace for years. No problems.

[Cajundaddy]

We used a ceramic heater in the MH for cold nights and it worked great. Quiet fan, efficient heat. The rig did have a vented LP heater but it made a pretty big racket cycling on and off all night. We used it while we were up and around, switching to electric for sleeping.

Mine was similar to this. Hi/low with Tstat and reasonably quiet fan.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/heaters/portable-electric/cz-heater-ceramic-oscillating-cz448-black-750-1500w?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CLuLvpfI8MkCFROTfgodeHsPSQ