Loud Heater

jquarles · 03-03-2009, 06:22 PM

I saw that there was already a thread on this, but it was 'closed'. The thread started with someone asking about the loud heater like I am. The answers came back stating to use a ceramic or oil heater if you are using full hookups.

I will be dry camping most of the time. So, to continue this heater talk, is there another aftermarket heater that can be used? Take out the loud one that came in the TM and replace with a better, quieter one?

I just used the TM when it was 30 degrees out and that heater was nice....but very loud. Probably one of the few times using shore power.

thanks.

03-03-2009, 07:09 PM

Another place I hang out is www.rv.net.

Over there, many people use the Mr, Buddy heater.

I will not use any heater while I am asleep unless it is vented to the outdoors. What you do is your choice.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 03-03-2009, 08:13 PM

I second Wayne's comments, although we do cook in the oven on almost all winter trips in an effort to take some load off the battery-intensive heater. It's fine for an hour here or there, but should not be used for long periods for the same reason a Mr. Buddy heater shouldn't be used: it's not vented, and as a result, for make you very sick or kill you because of either oxygen deletion or carbon monoxide build-up.

Some relatives of mine got very close to biting the big one after a gas fridge was emitting carbon monoxide. This was many years ago, when they still used gas fridges in the house. It was late at night, everyone was asleep, but one of the kids starting vomitting so someone got up to take care of them. Eventually, everyone was throwing up, and had headaches, nausea, etc. They thought it was food poisoning, and were ready to go back to bed. Just by chance one of them went outside to let the dog out, and quickly felt better. So they all went outside, and the next day figured out what happened.

It was a close one. I wouldn't be here today if it went the other way.

The TM heater isn't so loud now, is it?

Dave

mcgyver210 · 03-03-2009, 08:20 PM

I also have a Mr Heater Big Buddy which is the bigger two tank, two element one. It can be plumbed to a full size tank & it does heat very well.

Oh & it makes no noise unless you use the built in fan for circulation.

03-03-2009, 09:23 PM

If it makes any difference, the class-A we rented a couple of years ago had an amazingly loud furnace too, and it used a ducted furnace.

I think you would need a much lower fan speed (or at least lower air speed) to make it any quieter, and I suspect that the massive airflow across the heat exchanger is needed to keep the heat exchanger from getting too hot (pinholes in a heat exchanger == carbon monoxide in the RV).

mcgyver210 · 03-03-2009, 10:15 PM

Oh as for me I am not bothered by the furnace or the AC noise I sleep with a TV because I can't sleep without noise LOL.

jquarles · 03-03-2009, 11:51 PM

So let me see if I am getting the consensus on using heaters....no one thinks they should be used at night?!? Now I am completely disappointed and disturbed. What the heck is the point of having a trailer that is insulated but you can't put any heat in it? Also, what is the point in having the carbon monoxide detector if they don't work? Again, more disappointment. I might as as well have stayed in Laguna Beach, CA. I will be camping in the Rockies and even summers could pose some real cold nights. MarkandAnne, I see you live in Longmont. How do you deal with cold in the mountains?

Sorry for what seems like a rant...but it is rather disappointing to pay a lot for a trailer than appears to be a sunshine and rainbows only toy..

Wavery · 03-04-2009, 12:14 AM

We have been using a Mr Buddy heater for several years with no issue. It has a carbon monoxide shut-off. We leave the roof vent open a little and there is enough air coming in under the door that oxygen levels are fine. the rising heat takes air out and new air is introduced under the door.

We use an 8' long extension hose and run it out to a separate tank outside.

I wouldn't use it with small children because of the touchy-burny factor. The slightest bump turns the thing off so fire is not a realistic threat.

mcgyver210 · 03-04-2009, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jquarles

So let me see if I am getting the consensus on using heaters....no one thinks they should be used at night?!? Now I am completely disappointed and disturbed. What the heck is the point of having a trailer that is insulated but you can't put any heat in it? Also, what is the point in having the carbon monoxide detector if they don't work? Again, more disappointment. I might as as well have stayed in Laguna Beach, CA. I will be camping in the Rockies and even summers could pose some real cold nights. MarkandAnne, I see you live in Longmont. How do you deal with cold in the mountains?

Sorry for what seems like a rant...but it is rather disappointing to pay a lot for a trailer than appears to be a sunshine and rainbows only toy..

You don't have to be disappointed our TM was very comfortable & down right to hot at times when we camped Thanksgiving Nov 2008 for 10 days in Gatlinburg TN. It was very Cold at times & even snowed.

We used a combination of the Furnace & a Tower Ceramic Heater just so we didn't go thru as much Propane. Honestly the Furnace didn't use much at all for the time we ran it. I believe the reason was I installed a nice Electronic Thermostat in place of the original mechanical Thermostat. We did use the furnace at night also with no ill effects. Also the TM is equipped with a CO detector & smoke alarm but if you was really worried about safety you could add an extra detector. We also had Heating Blankets just in case. I thought the furnace would go thru allot of Propane so we had plenty of options available to us. I did have to disconnect the water hose at night but so did the Class A motor homes we had no problems with cold not even once.

Again most any furnace is noisy even ones in motor homes etc. We are not bothered by the AC or the Furnace noise. You will need to be the judge on if they are too noisy for you. Some also complain about the Bath Room but we had no issues with it really. Point is judge for yourself everyone will have their on opinion.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 03-04-2009, 12:27 AM

I use the on-board heater in the TM at will, including throughout the night. I am comfortable doing that only because the combustion chamber is vented to the outside.

Think of the heater as a sealed metal box with a fire inside and a fan blowing over the box and into the TM. The air blown over the box is what heats the TM. If you go outside, you can stick your hand "inside the box" into the fire, as the fire is vented only to the outside. That is why when you stick your hand next to the furnace exhaust, you'll notice alot of heat coming out -- that's because the fire is right inside that hole.

You can run this heater all night long until you run out of power or gas, and as long as it has been properly maintained, it is pretty safe. That's why we use it throughout the night.

With something like a Mr. Heater, or even the oven or the stove, the combustion chamber is NOT vented to the inside. In fact, it is entirely INSIDE. I would never heat the TM for any long duration (like more than 1-2 hours at most) with such a heater because they pose 2 potentially life-threatening risks:

1) If combustion is incomplete, carbon monoxide (CO) is produced. CO has a higher affinity for the hemoglobin in your blood compared to oxygen, and thus competitively binds to your blood in much greater numbers than oxygen. That prevents delivery of enough oxygen to your body, which can kill you.

2) Anytime something burns, oxygen is consumed. You cannot have fire without oxygen. As the propane burns in the oven or Mr. Heater inside the TM, the fire consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide. If there is not adequate ventilation in the TM, no fresh oxygen can come inside the TM from outside, and eventually, there is no more oxygen in the TM. That also can kill you.

Problem #1 is detectable with a sensor some folks have in their TM. Problem #2 is not detectable without much more sophisticated and expensive equipment that is not found on travel trailers.

Bottom line: Use the factory heater in the TM till your heart is content. Exercise extreme caution when using any other combustion (non-electric) heater.

Dave