westernhunter
New member
So proper is good option and easy to install. Now which camper do you prefer? I'm looking at a teardrop style.
Small offload trailer that has propane furnace???
- Thread starter westernhunter
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dreadlocks
Well-known member
check out https://www.intechrv.com/
westernhunter
New member
I was looking at intech. Now is that something you would get base and install a propex heater yourself? My only concern is how to do that correctly with exhaust, etc. I'm not very handy.
Now for zero power needs and just a little wood supply you could go with a wood stove. This tiny unit heats our Uhaul body fine and is designed for vans etc.
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dreadlocks
Well-known member
I installed it my self in my intech, was not that hard..
westernhunter
New member
Is it safe? Do you need to install any monitors?
Are you talking about the wood stove or Propex?
I installed the wood stove. I do have a battery powered CO detector just more from the propane stove and fridge side though.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
I have a battery powered home smoke alarm and co2 detector.. and a lp hardwired alarm.. both came with the intech and I didn't add em.
All combustion is external (even air intake, so its not consuming your oxygen), only danger is if heat exchanger cracks and let's exhaust inside.. same as any furnace honestly, even your home one.. don't pull power when it's been running at a heavy duty cycle and that is highly unlikely as it has ample electronic protection, ie don't prevent it from proper post-burn cool down and cracking the exchanger is unlikely, so make sure you have enough battery power on hand to get through the night and furnace will last a very long time.. if any of the intake/exhaust tubes get clogged with snow/mud/etc it will fault out and shut down pdq as it has airflow sensors and thermal shutdowns, fix the issue, reset the code and it'll fire right back up.
All combustion is external (even air intake, so its not consuming your oxygen), only danger is if heat exchanger cracks and let's exhaust inside.. same as any furnace honestly, even your home one.. don't pull power when it's been running at a heavy duty cycle and that is highly unlikely as it has ample electronic protection, ie don't prevent it from proper post-burn cool down and cracking the exchanger is unlikely, so make sure you have enough battery power on hand to get through the night and furnace will last a very long time.. if any of the intake/exhaust tubes get clogged with snow/mud/etc it will fault out and shut down pdq as it has airflow sensors and thermal shutdowns, fix the issue, reset the code and it'll fire right back up.
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westernhunter
New member
Thank you. That makes sense.
Alloy
Well-known member
Be careful where/how you run the exhaust if it is run inside. Using some fiberglass sleeve helps to insulate the exhaust.
Make sure the exhaust isn't under a window/door.
Are you married to propane? I personally do not like the idea of explosive gas in a canister, nor do I like a consumable catalyst or the hassle of filing or swapping propane tanks.
I would seriously consider a large battery bank and electric heat or a small diesel tank and a diesel fired furnace and/or stove.
If you know the U-values on your camper or can find them, it is relatively easy to calculate how much heat is lost through the walls, floor and ceiling at a given temperature delta. Example: it is 10F outside and you want 70F inside. There is X amount of cold coming in through the walls, so you need Y amount of heat to combat that and maintain 70F.
Here are some stats to consider:
Espar AirTronic II (2900 BTU setting) uses 0.02 GPH of kerosene.
https://www.toyotomiusa.com – Laser L300 heater uses 0.04 GPH on low (5300 BTU)
Even if you double or triple those consumption rates, you are using TENTHS of a gallon of kerosene to heat your trailer per hour. Thus, a 10 gallon diesel tank would last many days.
I would seriously consider a large battery bank and electric heat or a small diesel tank and a diesel fired furnace and/or stove.
If you know the U-values on your camper or can find them, it is relatively easy to calculate how much heat is lost through the walls, floor and ceiling at a given temperature delta. Example: it is 10F outside and you want 70F inside. There is X amount of cold coming in through the walls, so you need Y amount of heat to combat that and maintain 70F.
Here are some stats to consider:
Espar AirTronic II (2900 BTU setting) uses 0.02 GPH of kerosene.
https://www.toyotomiusa.com – Laser L300 heater uses 0.04 GPH on low (5300 BTU)
Even if you double or triple those consumption rates, you are using TENTHS of a gallon of kerosene to heat your trailer per hour. Thus, a 10 gallon diesel tank would last many days.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
So your car's electric then? No worries, you wont make it towing out to the campsite anyhow..
he'd need a battery bank that rivaled the cost of a trailer to run electric heat, at that point your better off just running a genset all night and pissing EVERYONE off within earshot and burning alot of gasoline.
I just used 8 gallons of LP in a week of camping in late October on a soft sided 20ft trailer, I had no problem getting my tank refilled at a fuel station I stumped across randomly in BFE Utah.. Did not see any Kerosine for sale tho.. I can go 5 days off my 30# LP tank running my Propex every night near or below freezing.. if I had a full hardsided rig properly insulated, or a smaller one.. could easily double that.
Liquid Propane lasts basically forever, which is ideal for a recreational vehicle that spends more time parked than it does out burning fuel, put a diesel/kerosine tank on your trailer, and if you dont use it all by the end of the season your better off just disposing of it than letting it sit all winter sucking moisture out of the air and contaminating the fuel... or else that bad fuel will foul out your heater next season.
Lastly Liquid Propane burns perfectly clean, even when the Air/Fuel Ratio is very rich due to high altitude conditions.. Espar style fuel heaters tend to foul out in these conditions because not burning off all the diesel tends to gunk things up very fast.. Ive heard reports of Diesel Sprinters spending a weekend in Vail in middle of winter, only to have the heater foul out within a day.. so you gotta buy a very expensive electronic fuel injection conversion system so its capable of compensating for altitude and leaning out the fuel delivery.
IMO Espar style heaters are ideal for a diesel vehicle, with a diesel tank already installed, and IMO should be the water heater variety tied into the engine's coolant system so you get the benefit of pre-heating the diesel engine too.. but a travel trailer? naw, my tow vehicle is diesel but its not worth the hassle, and expense of trying to make my trailer diesel too... I dunno where I could even mount the fuel tank onto my trailer that would not be far more vulnerable to impacts than a little LP tank on the tongue..
VORSHEER
Active member
I agree with dreadlocks. An electric heater even in a teardrop sized trailer sounds like a bad idea. Batteries on trailers provides very limited power.
We use the Propex Whale SH2211(B) heaters in all our trailers. They run off a propane tank and do very well being efficient while provide more than enough heat for our little cabins. We've had zero problems with these heaters. Huge thumbs up.
We could do an XOC trailer (see picture below) with Tier 1 options and tongue boxes, roof and hatch racks, propane and propane heater for $24,594.
(Roof top tent and awnings would be extra.)
I would definitely stay with propane for heating. It's very safe. Diesel fueled heaters could also be an option to look at but propane is the standard in the small trailer industry.
-David
We use the Propex Whale SH2211(B) heaters in all our trailers. They run off a propane tank and do very well being efficient while provide more than enough heat for our little cabins. We've had zero problems with these heaters. Huge thumbs up.
We could do an XOC trailer (see picture below) with Tier 1 options and tongue boxes, roof and hatch racks, propane and propane heater for $24,594.
(Roof top tent and awnings would be extra.)
I would definitely stay with propane for heating. It's very safe. Diesel fueled heaters could also be an option to look at but propane is the standard in the small trailer industry.
-David