Camper heating options/thoughts with dual batteries as fuel?

[Clutch]

I can't stand generators, myself, even the quiet ones. They ruin the whole experience for me.

I can't even hear the Hondas at the end of a 50' cord.

Propane or diesel are really your only options

2000W Honda generator, and 1300-1500W electric heater works fine...plus you have a generator for all kinds of other stuff, like an electric impact wrench, coffee pot, etc...Where-as fuel heaters only do one thing. I like multipurpose tools.

Don't have to worry about waking up dead as you do with propane.

I use one of these. makes it warm enough for me...heck sometimes too warm

 

[pugslyyy]

After looking into an Espar Hydronic heater I decided to go with a Honda eu2000i generator and space heater.

The generator gives me multiple uses such as:
1. heating the camper
2. plugging in the engine block heater
3. charging batteries
4. lights
5. "but wait... there's more..."

I've uses it at 0F degrees and have been very warm. Plus I don't have to worry about carbon monoxide while I'm sleeping.

Are you saying you are going to run your generator all night long???

 

[eccentric]

I set up a diesel boiler ebersparcher thing on another rig and used it to also heat the cabin. It worked well, but was a bit noisy, and emitted a puff of diesel smoke each time it started up which I didn't like. Of course the tacoma is gas so that's not a concern. I wish there was a petrol version hydronic boiler like that but I can't seem to find one.

The petrol versions are called 'parking heaters' there are a few manufactures.

 

[libarata]

As far as at night, just take quality blankets, and have a nice dinner to keep your bodies furnace going. Toughen up a week, the cold never killed anyone!

 

[SoCal Tom]

There is a thread on Tnttt on heating using a water heater. http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=62327&sid=094a061ee1076c7e55dd04b255bb05a5. It was generally successful using a transmission cooler, low power pump and computer fan.

A lot of the tnttt folks use 12V electric blankets to pre-heat their beds, then turn them off.
Since you are looking at heating a vehicle with an engine, I would consider adding a second heater element with a computer style fan and low power pump in the back. Just "T" into the heater loop on the engine and run hoses to the back. ( I'd use copper for the long sections). If you heat up the engine, and warm the interior before you go to bed, it should still keep adding warmth to the inside for quite a while.
Tom

 

[southpier]

The Honda EU series generators are very quite and pretty easy on the fuel consumption. ...

i have to stand right next to mine to even hear IF it's running.

 

[southpier]

... the cold never killed anyone!

"... and other than that, Mr Donner, how was the train ride?"

 

[Paddy]

I went down the parkingnheater rabbit hole and almost drowned in hassle. The dang things are brilliant, and totally locked behind oem baloney and unuseable. Unless you spend like 2000$. They are nice but also noisy, and cycle on and off a lot also. So, really what we need is a small gasoline water heater, circ pump and junk yard Fan/heater core. The little taco has not enough space!
I will examine the bunk heater bed warmer idea. I think this may be a good solution.

 

[DeskToGlory]

We bit the bullet and picked up this 12V Heated Mattress Pad from Amazon. I'm still skeptical of heating using a (house) battery, but this 36"x60" heating pad suppostedly only requires 8A on the max setting. The main goal is to warm up the RTT mattress and down bags a bit before bed when we're freezing out butts off at elevation in the Andes. We have heard from two other couples (one in an RTT and one in a FWC) that this works great. I guess we'll find out soon enough!

 

[chet6.7]

We bit the bullet and picked up this 12V Heated Mattress Pad from Amazon. I'm still skeptical of heating using a (house) battery, but this 36"x60" heating pad suppostedly only requires 8A on the max setting. The main goal is to warm up the RTT mattress and down bags a bit before bed when we're freezing out butts off at elevation in the Andes. We have heard from two other couples (one in an RTT and one in a FWC) that this works great. I guess we'll find out soon enough!

View attachment 275066

Please post a review.

 

[Paddy]

Yes that looks excellent

 

[pugslyyy]

We bit the bullet and picked up this 12V Heated Mattress Pad from Amazon. I'm still skeptical of heating using a (house) battery, but this 36"x60" heating pad suppostedly only requires 8A on the max setting. The main goal is to warm up the RTT mattress and down bags a bit before bed when we're freezing out butts off at elevation in the Andes. We have heard from two other couples (one in an RTT and one in a FWC) that this works great. I guess we'll find out soon enough!

View attachment 275066

This is something we will probably do as well. We use an electric blanket at home to pre-warm the bed and like it. (We like to have the heat down low, especially at night)

 

[Scoutn79]

Here is an option. It is kinda complicated but might help out.
If you don't want to run a genny all night just put enough fuel in it to run your desired time. Then run the blanket off of a battery the rest of the night.
IE as the genny is running it is keeping the battery topped off as the blanket is used for the first hour(s) of the night then once the genny runs out of fuel the blanket runs off of the battery the rest of the time.
I do something similar for the camper during elk season but use a small engine powering an actual 12V alternator which is much more efficient than a genny that only puts out 10 amps DC.
Like I said it is kinda complicated but might be on option.

Darrell

 

[DeskToGlory]

Please post a review.

I'll make sure to post a review as soon as we get a chance to use it.

 

[MINO]

We've used our heated mattress pad in temps as low as 20°F and it does great in our pop-up. I usually have it on 7 before we go to bed. Then turn it down to 3-4 while we sleep. Wife and cats love it, but I get a little too warm sometimes. it's one of the best items we've bought.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we have a large 215AH battery. Voltage would drop to 12.5 by morning.
On our last outing, my solar was covered in snow so we couldn't get a good recharge (I was too lazy to drop the roof and clear it).
We went a good 2 nights using the heater. On the 2nd morning, voltage was down to 12.0.