Portable and stationary supplemental heat

 

Early morning coffee in an all-electric Class B

We've found that adding supplemental, portable heat to our RVs adds greatly to our cool and cold weather comfort. Our first trekking experience was in an all-electric Class B RV.  It had all the whiz-bang stuff including solar panels and lots of batteries. That fall camping experience taught us the limitations of 30A of electricity and the limitations of relying solely upon electrical appliances.

We do camp during 3-1/2 seasons of the year.   Our lowest overnight temperature experience was about 5F, with other nights as low as 20-35F.  

An overnight stay off the grid at 20F - just about to leave for the day

We've found methods to supplement the built-in heat sources in our RVs and create a more pleasant experience.  I should add that having a backup heat source is helpful in cold weather. In the Roadtrek we could run the engine in an emergency, but I won't do that to heat the coach in cold weather.

Rise and shine at 9F

One thing to bear in mind is that these RVs have little insulation and a lot of glass area. Glass has an insulating, or R-value of just about zero. Single pane glass keeps the elements out, but that's about all.  There are exceptions, but we don't have double pane windows and the Roadtrek 210P has very little insulation. Because of this our RVs can get quite cold when the outside temperature is below freezing. We selectively use Reflectix on the windows and floor carpets as aids, especially in the Roadtrek. We also use an electric blanket.

I also added a floor heater pad.

One thing we learned in the all-electric coach we rented was that 30A goes only so far.  Add up the requirements of the charger-inverter (at night), an electric cook top, a hot water heater and a 1500W space heater and something has to give.  In cold weather (20F) it provided an above ground camping experience and to cook we had to turn off the hot water heater and space heater. (see 6am photo above).

Because of that experience, today all of our RVs are dual fuel.  Propane and electricity (12VDC/120VAC) and the Roadtrek has a generator, too. In fact, if I had my preference all of the water heaters would be dual fuel propane/electric, but that isn't the case with the Roadtrek, which is only propane. Why this preference? Primarily to conserve propane so it is available for the hot water heater and for the furnace. 

In the Roadtrek we are more cautious about energy expenditure and we do our best to conserve propane, which is a necessity for the hot water heater, furnace and range top.  If we want hot water we must have propane or heat a bowl in the microwave. 

Other electric heat sources include the heat pump down to about 40F. For cooking with electricity we also carry a portable electric stovetop burner and inductive burner,  Works well with cast iron.   Another reason for the electric burner is to minimize water vapor inside the Roadtrek.  Burning propane releases H2O into the interior. This moisture is added to that we exhale with each breath and readily collects on cold surfaces, such as windows.  We do use Reflectix to minimize this. 

Condensation has not been a problem for us.

One thing about a Class B is that side door.  Open it for egress and one allows much of the interior heat to escape, and winter in.

We carry a small 750-1500W electric heater in the Roadtrek.  This puts heat in the front of the van and reduces the reliance on the propane furnace.  We use it primarily at night and in the morning, and direct heat to the rear.

Portable heater for the Roadtrek

Other heaters for the lily pads

Our MI lily pad is a 30 ft. travel trailer with 30A electric service.    It is equipped with a propane furnace, dual-fuel hot water heater and dual-fuel refrigerator. I've added a portable 1500W adjustable heater with digital thermostat and an electric blanket.  The heater is at the rear of the RV and is usually set at 65F.  If it is chilly in the morning, I'll increase the setting to 70F or so. We may be at the campground from May to October, and both May and October can be cool and damp.

30 ft. travel trailer in MI

At the 5th wheel in AZ we have a built-in heat pump and propane furnace.  We use the heat pump for temperatures down to 40F and then switch to propane.  Winter nighttime temperatures can be as low as 25F at the extreme.  A  few nights in January the low is 35F.  However, early cold snaps can occur as did in December 2022 with nighttime lows of about 35. With full sun daytime temperatures peak at about 65F-75F.

Our Arizona "lily pad"

The 5th wheel is about 42 ft long and I've added several portable heaters.  The main living space has a radiator style heater. The ceiling fan helps to distribute the heat.  This type of heater is available in various sizes/wattages.

I've also added two 250W resistance heat panels.  These include off-on switches.  To control each panel I added a LUX thermostat.  One heater is hung in the bedroom and the other is in the bunk room.  These are for supplemental heat.  I've found that using them reduces the use of the propane furnace while making the RV a more even temperature throughout. I've measured the surface temperature of the panels and it is 161F when these panels are "on" and up to temperature.   

I've hung these panels, as I did not want to drill holes in the walls.  

Electric heat panel

Thermostat to control the heat panel

We added a 20 inch x 60 inch heating pad to the Roadtrek. This covers the floor area in the center space.  I initially set it up in the 5th wheel, and when we are there, we use it in the living space. It is 120V, 300W and because the surface temperature can reach 125F.  I added a control to reduce the surface temperature. G really like it. 

20 x 60 inch heating pad - photo in 5th wheel
currently in the Roadtrek main area

How much to we spend on electricity? Monthly electric bills vary depending upon the weather and how much grilling we do, and we do a lot. We do have two refrigerators. There is an air conditioner in the shed. We use waterless cookware and cast iron on an electric cook-top and we have a weber electric grill.  In February 2022 our electric bill for the previous month (January) was about $126. Over the span of a season, I'll use about 1-1/2 30 lb. propane cylinders.  These were about $25 to fill. This year filling each is about $32. Electricity is more costly, too.

I have a kill-a-watt meter which I use to check the actual wattage consumed by appliances.  I also have a non-contact thermometer which is useful for determining surface temperature of RV walls, floors and the surface temperature of heaters.

This year I purchased water testers for pH and TDS.  The set including batteries was $14.10 delivered. These allow me to check the water softener and the quality of the fresh water when travelling.  These testers are useless for microorganisms and poisons, so I only use them on water that has been declared to be potable.  It is a means for quality assurance.

Kill-a-watt meter

Non-contact thermometer - seasoning cast iron

pH and TDS testers

(c) 2022 N. Retzke