Heating a pop-up truck camper?
- Thread starter zuren
- Start date
cchoc
Wilderness Photographer
I replaced my stock FWC thermostat (White Rodgers) with a Honeywell digital and it works much better. The thermistor is much more sensitive so it reaches equilibrium quicker and maintains a more constant temperature. It does cycle on and off more than the old one but I think the total on time is about the same.
I just bought one of the clone webasto airtop heaters for my flippac.. its the gas version and came with everything to plumb to my tank. I havent got a chance to install it yet.. but im on the same page.. gotta heat if im gonna take the family out.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Air-...th-WEBASTO-with-CE-certificate/721825155.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Air-...th-WEBASTO-with-CE-certificate/721825155.html
topher800
New member
My camper came with CO2 up high and LP gas down low....though the lower one detects dog breath too.
Mr Buddy for the win.
Get the extension hose and plumb it to your main tank. Dead low will use very little fuel.
A co2 detector is 25 bucks at wally world or lowes and depending on the size of the mr buddy and the hose you might get out for less then two hundred bucks.
Get the extension hose and plumb it to your main tank. Dead low will use very little fuel.
A co2 detector is 25 bucks at wally world or lowes and depending on the size of the mr buddy and the hose you might get out for less then two hundred bucks.
i wouldn't sleep w/out one. we have a co/smoke combo up high and an lp down low.
Sorry I ment CO detector . Thanks for mentioning the LP detector I will get one of them also can never be too safe.
elmo_4_vt
Explorer
I was reading the thread over on WTW and had that thermostat saved in Amazon to be one of the first things I installed after getting my camper, however to my surprise, they changed the stock unit in the camper to that very model. They must have been reading the forums, or maybe just know their stuff too. It worked great for us BTW. Very little delay in the readings, and was able to go all the way down to 40 for sleeping/being away in cold temps.
Don
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1stDeuce
Explorer
We've used my hallmark down to -14F once with small electric heaters to supplement and it was fine. With the furnace only, we've camped many many times in the single digits and teens.
The soft walls and window covers in my unit are thinly insulated, and it does OK as far as I'm concerned. We typically sleep in sleeping bags, and set the thermostat to 50-55F at night. (If you want it to be 70F all night, a motel room is really the only option.)
I would estimate that at 0F, the heater runs about 40% of the time, once things equalize. That's a lot, but it also pulls air through the cupboards, and keeps my water and lines from freezing. Using electric or non-air circulating heaters means not having any water in the camper, as it'll surely freeze.
With a forced air furnace vented to the outside, I don't worry about CO, but if I was to use a Mr Buddy, or similar catalytic, I'd probably add a detector. I don't think my camper has a propane detector either, now that I think about it, but that stuff stinks really bad to me, so it's not likely I wouldn't notice a leak big enough to be a concern...
Have fun winter camping!!
The soft walls and window covers in my unit are thinly insulated, and it does OK as far as I'm concerned. We typically sleep in sleeping bags, and set the thermostat to 50-55F at night. (If you want it to be 70F all night, a motel room is really the only option.)
I would estimate that at 0F, the heater runs about 40% of the time, once things equalize. That's a lot, but it also pulls air through the cupboards, and keeps my water and lines from freezing. Using electric or non-air circulating heaters means not having any water in the camper, as it'll surely freeze.
With a forced air furnace vented to the outside, I don't worry about CO, but if I was to use a Mr Buddy, or similar catalytic, I'd probably add a detector. I don't think my camper has a propane detector either, now that I think about it, but that stuff stinks really bad to me, so it's not likely I wouldn't notice a leak big enough to be a concern...
Have fun winter camping!!
To go with this question, Anyone have issues at altitude with the Mr. Buddy? In the winter we camp at 9000+ near ski areas. My furnace in my 2001 phoenix will drain the battery in a night. I have a rigid generator as a backup but it sucks to climb out in the cold and fire that thing up. Solar would be nice to recharge the battery but we are usually chasing storms so there can be a foot or more of snow on the roof so that doesn't work.
4x4JeepCamper
Observer
Look into a catalytic heater from Camco. I've used the 8k BTU (tent trailer and 34' 5th wheel), and the 3k BTU (popup camper). They work great, don't require any electricity, and are silent. Yes, they're a little pricey, but work very well.
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-57331-Olympian-Wave-3-Catalytic/dp/B000BUV1RK
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-57331-Olympian-Wave-3-Catalytic/dp/B000BUV1RK