Need a simple cheap heater

[48Rob]

Len,

If the test was "constant use" as in with the blower on constantly, then it would run the battery down pretty fast!

Normal on time with my forced air furnace is at most 15-20 minutes per hour at around 2 Amps.
With my 50 Amp hour capacity, I can make the weekend with 2 days to spare.

Rob

[mikeschn]

r.e. the dog... well, not exactly...

Thats why ya got a new dog.

I figure we'll draw about 6 amps a night... so we could be good for 5 nights... but we only plan on camping 2 or 3 nights max, so we can use the remaining juice for something else...

[len19070]

Rob

We did it using a Suburban NT30SP furnace It drew 5.5 amps and was set at 70 degrees....in a big room.

We left the battery outside over night about 18-19 degrees. And ran the furnace inside and the battery outside.

This was more a Battery test than a furnace test.

I know it was cycling but how often I don't know.

But the bottom line on this test showed that it cut off a long time before the amp draw formula said it would.

Our conclusion was that it was the cold battery.

Happy Trails

Len

[Trackstriper]

Here is an interesting link that has some heaters that I haven't heard discussed before on this forum.

http://urbanvandweller.blogspot.com/2008/02/keeping-warm-part-two.html

[doitright]

Lots of heaters with a little about each brand and many other ways to get warmed up Boy your just never know where you can get good information. Or where on the internet you may end up in a click.

[Geron]

Here is an interesting link that has some heaters that I haven't heard discussed before on this forum.

http://urbanvandweller.blogspot.com/2008/02/keeping-warm-part-two.html

Bruce,

That Force 10 Cabin Heater looks like the winner to me. Size, Thermocouple, Low O2 shutoff, vented, but it ain't cheap at 400 - 500 dollars.

[jje507]

I agree with Len, the best heater is another warm body!

[TPMcGinty]

I agree with Len, the best heater is another warm body!

Yea but in the topic he said he wanted a "simple cheap heater". 99% of the warm bodies I know are NOT simple OR cheap!

[Jester]

I agree with Len, the best heater is another warm body!

Since my nephew is only 18 and just graduating from high school I think I may encourage the use of sleeping bags, hot water bottles etc.. At his age the use of "a warm body" may lead to the creation of another very small warm body! The tear is not equipped for additional "small campers"! Now, I will be happy to help him "add on" to it for the accomodation of such little persons in let's say.........6-8 years!!

[48Rob]

Good thinking!!!!

[kirkman]

What about one of these?
http://www.electrowarmth.com/fleet.php

[alffink]

Good Choice Kirkman,

This will heat underyou, so you will get the warmth, where an electric blanket will direct much of it's heat away from you, and with an area heater you are trying to heat the entire tear, now the area of a tear is quite abit smaller than most other spaces that you would be sleeping in but, the more heat that is directed to where you want to be heated, in this case you, now the area around you will warm up abit, but that will be secondary, your sleeping area is warm and now your part of it.

I like it, Larry Sorenson of the 4x4 teardrop, has used one of these for years, camping in the Mojave Desert all year round, and for those that don't camp in the desert in the winter, it is cooolllddd, our dark-sky site in S. CA desert regurally gets below freezing and not uncomon to be into single digits, now I know that it's that cold and lower in many parts of the country, but how often do you camp in it???

[tddriver]

Has anyone ever considered one of these for warming up a teardrop?

http://www.eheat.com/

Seems that they might have some advantages if you have "shore power". Plug it in maybe a half hour before bedtime and it seems like it should be able to warm up a small area, such as a teardrop. Don't know about efficiency.

[starwars]

I have been wondering if a water heating system might work. You have a campfire, so put a coil of tubing in the fire and pump water to a car heater core inside the teardrop.

[Cupcake]

Has anyone ever considered one of these for warming up a teardrop?

http://www.eheat.com/

Seems that they might have some advantages if you have "shore power". Plug it in maybe a half hour before bedtime and it seems like it should be able to warm up a small area, such as a teardrop. Don't know about efficiency.

It should heat just fine. Efficiency of electric heat is darn near 100%. It usually costs more than natural gas and propane at the home, but if you're paying for a camping spot with shore power then you're all set. (I'm a licensed Heating and Cooling Guy). I didn't look hard enough to see if it came with a thermostat, you'll overheat at times if it doesn't.