Electric Heaters to Heat My Belly?

[Mr_Toad]

Hi, Forum Folks,

I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere, but I didn't find it in the "Tank Heater" thread, for example.


QUESTION: Instead of running the propane furnace all winter ($$$$), if I purchase a pair of electric De Longhi Portable Oil Filled Radiators (54 dollars each), and place both of them in the underbelly near the tanks, will that probably keep the tanks and hoses from freezing? (Assuming I have them set to run 24x7, and I attach them securely so they won't tip over and won't touch anything.)


REASON: Irecently moved toan RV park where electricityis included inmymonthly rent. So, I am looking for ways to minimize use of propane heat while maximizing electrical heat in the coming winter. (Last winter here had a couple of weeks below 17 degrees F. So, I am preparing.)

NOTE: I have three doggies, so I will have at least some heat in the living area 24x7.


Thank you in advance for your help!


Robt.

Edited by: Mr_Toad

[sinder]

Mr Toad - I'm not sure how you would place the heaters you are describing in the belly of your Redwood without issues such as temp, water and space. My recommendation would be to look at RV tank heaters such as these: http://www.ultraheat.com/select_tank_heater.html. http://www.adventurerv.net/camper-ho...vdc-p-400.html. They are a little more than the $108 you are looking to spend on the Radiators, but they are designed specifically handle the problem you are wanting to address whether you are stationary or going down the road.

[Mr_Toad]

Thank you very much, Mr. Sinder!

I appreciate your good advice and the links. It is quite possible that I may have to go the Tank Heater approach, except they are over 100 dollars each, of course.

(Money is a challenge just now, so that's why I'm thinking of $54 space heaters. Plus, the portable radiators are fiilled with exothermic oil and sealed...so if they would work, it would be an inexpensive and simple solution.)

I need to climb in and check the space constraints, again.

Thank you!

Robt.

[Buddy]

Originally Posted by Mr_Toad

Hi, Forum Folks,
Â*
I'm sure this has been discussed elsewhere, but I didn't find it in the "Tank Heater" thread, for example.

Â*
QUESTION: Instead of running the propane furnace all winter ($$$$), if I purchase a pair of electric De Longhi Portable Oil Filled Radiators (54 dollars each), and place both of them in the underbelly near the tanks, will that probably keep the tanks and hoses from freezing? Â* (Assuming I have them set to run 24x7, and I attach them securely so they won't tip over and won't touch anything.)

Â*
REASON: IÂ*recently moved toÂ*an RV park where electricityÂ*is included inÂ*myÂ*monthly rent. So, I am looking for ways to minimize use of propane heat while maximizing electrical heat in the coming winter.Â*Â* (Last winter here had a couple of weeks below 17 degrees F. Â* So, I am preparing.)
Â*
NOTE:Â* I have three doggies, so I will have at least some heat in the living area 24x7.

Â*
Thank you in advance for your help!

Â*
Robt.

Or you can snow bird for a few months with us in the South.

[mhs4771]

Here's my thoughts: Don't remember which model you have, but on our RL part of the tanks are visible if you remove the rear bulkhead in the basement. So if I were in your situation, I'd remove that bulkhead panel, place a heater as close as possible and maybe even put in a small fan to push some of the heat back into the belly.
In our case to avoid such problems, we just hookup and head for warmer weather.

[rcflame]

I think you are going to have problems using any type of portable heater to keep your tanks from freezing in a long cold spell. On the 36RL, the tank that you can see part of behind the bulkhead is the fresh water tank. It is kind of a whitish color. To see the other tanks (which are black) you will have to drop the underbelly. If you want to get a look at them, it takes a little time to unscrew the underbelly, but it isn't hard. The grey and the black tank are mounted behind the fresh water tank with the drain lines toward the rear left of the tank. If I remember right, one is kind of on top of the other. The galley tank is mounted to the rear of these, under the island. You can kind of see the tank with the front underbelly dropped, but to get at it you would have to drop the rear underbelly. Sometimes trying to save a dollar, can end up costing you two or three. I don't think you can force enough hot air from a portable heater throughout the tank area to do any good.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by rcflame

I think you are going to have problems using any type of portable heater to keep your tanks from freezing in a long cold spell. On the 36RL, the tank that you can see part of behind the bulkhead is the fresh water tank. It is kind of a whitish color. To see the other tanks (which are black) you will have to drop the underbelly. If you want to get a look at them, it takes a little time to unscrew the underbelly, but it isn't hard. The grey and the black tank are mounted behind the fresh water tank with the drain lines toward the rear left of the tank. If I remember right, one is kind of on top of the other. The galley tank is mounted to the rear of these, under the island. You can kind of see the tank with the front underbelly dropped, but to get at it you would have to drop the rear underbelly. Sometimes trying to save a dollar, can end up costing you two or three. I don't think you can force enough hot air from a portable heater throughout the tank area to do any good.

That's not exactly correct. The fresh water tank is below the floor in the basement of the RL. The other 3 tanks are behind the wall.

[Dave&Ginny]

Here is a bigger picture to show the tanks of all the Redwoods with front bedrooms. I believe this is an "FB". The 2 grey tanks are in the rear on top with the furthest one back being the galley tank. I hope this helps.

Edited by: Dave&Ginny

[rcflame]

I don't know if the tank placement on the FB is different than the RL, but from what I remember when I had my belly pan off, the grey tank was forward further. I would assume this is because of the layout of Full Bath and the need for the difference of the plumbing. Part of the fresh water tank is below the basement floor, and part of it is under the floor behind the wall where all the fresh water lines are. Either way I don't think the heater plan would work. One other option would be to enclose the area underneath the RV similar to what they do with a regular trailer and put your heater under there. That is where most of the cold is going to come from. Edited by: rcflame

[homeguy]

In the past, we have skirted the outside. You can use the thick Styrofoam but it gets expensive. The best option, if you are allowed, is straw bales. Cover them in plastic to avoid all the weather exposure. Then you can put a little radiator style heater in there if you think you need. Never had a problem with cold use the straw bales.