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Old 11-02-2018, 11:12 PM   #1
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Name: Fredrick
Trailer: Escape 21C
Tennessee
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heater

OK we have winterized our egg..so now what kind of safe, simple small electric heater do you fiberglass vets use to keep a low heat inside and keep out dampness...("Nashville area" being the Seatle of the South afa winter rain is concerned)
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Old 11-02-2018, 11:24 PM   #2
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The simplest electric heater would be a 60 watt bulb.
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Old 11-02-2018, 11:59 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by Fred762 View Post
OK we have winterized our egg..so now what kind of safe, simple small electric heater do you fiberglass vets use to keep a low heat inside and keep out dampness...("Nashville area" being the Seatle of the South afa winter rain is concerned)
We don't have winter in Seattle, we only have two seasons and winter is not one of them. One is "Drought" which is July 15 to August 15, the other is "Moist" which occupies the rest of the calendar days of the year.

Even in winter in Seattle when my RV is sitting unused I don't put a heater in it and I don't have moisture problems. Heat is not the cure for preventing damp issues, good air circulation is the cure for damp. When warm moist air hits a cold surface you get condensation which can really soak into surfaces that is the huge problem that happens to people who think a small heater is a great idea. So while it seems to you like a low wattage heater is a good idea, it is actually not all that great. I left the roof vent open a little bit, a half inch or so. Not so much that rain could get in or the wind could get hold of the lid. It is the rare RV that is airtight, air circulation from little gaps around the windows and door are assisting in the air flow going up and out through the vent. If you leave the trailer closed up you will get issues with mold and mildew. If you have a way for air to enter and exit you will not have a big issue.

But where heat does come into play and creates a good benefit is the small heater that is built into an electric dehumidifier. It draws in the moist air and heats it but the unit also provides a place for the warmed moist air to condense so that it can be collected and removed from inside the trailer via a drain. So instead of looking for a safe heater go and look for a safe dehumidifier that has a drain tube. It could be that it drains into a sink which drains into a waste tank that is not capped off at the exterior fitting. Or you could even install a small drain valve through the floor for the tube from the humidifier to hook up to.

Do your research and as part of that research be sure you check for recalls on specific dehumidifier models if you are given or purchase a used one.

If you put a small heater inside of a trailer in a wet winter without providing enough air circulation you will be creating a heated terrarium which is the perfect condition for growing certain forms of plant life....ie mold, mildew, etc. You will have that daily cycle of condensation on the glass just like a terrarium gets. You can warm the moisture but it is going no where if you don't have air movement to take it outside the trailer or else some way of collecting the moisture out of the air so that it can be removed with a drain.

Some of the desiccant products that collect moisture into a cup are what some persons use. I myself don't like to use them, I had some and knocked one over once..what a slimy mess that made. Electric heaters and dehumidifiers also have a risk. But air circulation cost nothing and it is safe. Your trailer, your money, your choice to make but hopefully now you can make a more informed choice.
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Old 11-03-2018, 01:00 AM   #4
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OK we have winterized our egg..so now what kind of safe, simple small electric heater do you fiberglass vets use to keep a low heat inside and keep out dampness...("Nashville area" being the Seatle of the South afa winter rain is concerned)



I use a small electric heater, one of three that I own, which ever one I'm not using someplace else. The first consideration is make sure it has the tip over switch that turns if it should get tipped over. Moisture can be a problem, particularly here in the Pacific North Wet, where we have the dry season and wet season. To combat the wet I use Dri-Z-Air to keep the humidity down inside the trailer. I'm also quite fortunate in that I only have to worry about that for a couple months mainly November and December. End of December the trailer gets to go to the sunny south with us of course.


The small 750 watt setting on the heater and dri-z-air have kept the trailer nice and dry in the winter(wet season) when we were both working for 4 years. Even then we camped in the wet season. From the time we bought the trailer we managed to camp every month, usually on week-end now that we're old retired folk we camp for 3 to 4 months starting after Christmas.
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Old 11-03-2018, 02:08 AM   #5
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I use a small electric heater, one of three that I own, which ever one I'm not using someplace else.
Byron, just for Fred and others info, do you also remove the cushions during that time?
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Old 11-03-2018, 03:21 AM   #6
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Name: Brenda
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Hi Fred,
I don't use a heater secondary to no moisture in my camper. For the past 15 yrs., I've owned a Casita, Scamp 5thw, and now an Escape 21. I winterize the camper and forget about it until March. I've never had any moisture problems in the winter months. My 1st fg camper was a Casita; drove to Rice to pick it up. Had never seen one in person. Where are you located in TN?
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Old 11-03-2018, 04:57 AM   #7
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In North Carolina, I remove the cushions, crack the windows and open the roof vent for ventilation. Never felt a need to run a heater.

Trapped air that is moist and warmer than the outside air causes condensation on the surfaces that get colder as the outside temperature falls. Good ventilation prevents most of that from happening.
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Old 11-03-2018, 10:37 PM   #8
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Name: Fredrick
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Loc

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Hi Fred,
I don't use a heater secondary to no moisture in my camper. For the past 15 yrs., I've owned a Casita, Scamp 5thw, and now an Escape 21. I winterize the camper and forget about it until March. I've never had any moisture problems in the winter months. My 1st fg camper was a Casita; drove to Rice to pick it up. Had never seen one in person. Where are you located in TN?
We are in the near-rural west side of Franklin TN..we call it the Quiet Side of the town...out of the terrible traffic of Nash-lanta and near enuf to Franklin, but also near the Natchez Trace. ;-)
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Old 11-04-2018, 05:14 AM   #9
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We are practically "neighbors" Fred.
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Old 11-04-2018, 06:18 AM   #10
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As are we- Fairview
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:08 AM   #11
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Name: Fredrick
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w-w-w-wwinter

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As are we- Fairview
Ok neighbor, we like Fairview and Leipers Fork too. , so as a Casita owner, what do YOU do that works for keeping mold and mildew OUT all winter?
We winterized the water system last week..[to ensure that the weather wd warm up I guess LOL ]..and put on our cover. Still trying to decide IF we need a small heater or not, and IF we should try to open the BR vent & the roof vent an inch or two ..and there4 screw up the automatic vent opening system etc etc I hate leaving the windows cracked bks I fear rain can still run in, bypassing the cover. What to do???.
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Old 11-04-2018, 09:23 AM   #12
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Byron, just for Fred and others info, do you also remove the cushions during that time?
Nope, everything is ready to go including some clothes and food.
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Old 11-04-2018, 02:52 PM   #13
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Name: Shelby
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I haven't done anything but winterize the plumbing and put the cover on it. I've never noticed any mold, dampness or bad smells. If I wanted to do more, I think I would run a dehumidifier a few days each month. If we have snow I try to brush the big piles off the roof so it doesn't stay wet as it melts.
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Old 11-04-2018, 03:46 PM   #14
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Name: Fredrick
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mold??

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I haven't done anything but winterize the plumbing and put the cover on it. I've never noticed any mold, dampness or bad smells. If I wanted to do more, I think I would run a dehumidifier a few days each month. If we have snow I try to brush the big piles off the roof so it doesn't stay wet as it melts.
Yeah..I am leaning towards that plus a bucket of Damp-rid set inside in the doorway, where I can access it easily after opening the door a bit..maybe check it every week or two. I dunno.
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Old 11-10-2018, 02:32 PM   #15
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In our 13' Scamp I installed a short section (~30") of 220 vac electric baseboard heater under the bed. It has an integral thermostat with a freeze protection setting. This seems to keep everything dry. It also provides a nice toasty warm bunk when shore power is available in the spring & fall. An advantage that I don't quite understand is that before the heater was installed, bugs would winter over in the Scamp which made spring cleaning interesting. Since the heater, no bugs!? D.

My bad ... the elec baseboard is 120vac. Sorry.
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Old 11-10-2018, 03:09 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by Dennis McMillan View Post
In our 13' Scamp I installed a short section (~30") of 220 vac electric baseboard heater under the bed. It has an integral thermostat with a freeze protection setting. This seems to keep everything dry. It also provides a nice toasty warm bunk when shore power is available in the spring & fall. An advantage that I don't quite understand is that before the heater was installed, bugs would winter over in the Scamp which made spring cleaning interesting. Since the heater, no bugs!? D.


Out of curiosity,where are you getting 220 v power?
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Old 11-10-2018, 04:34 PM   #17
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After moving to Spring Hill TN from LA four years ago, a neighbor asked to look inside our Baby Bigfoot. Her first comment was, "it doesn't smell musty". Although mildly surprised I took that as a warning to watch the humidity here; not just in the trailer but all interior spaces.

However, I didn't do anything differently than when in LA other than keep our regular small Lasko ceramic heater on low throughout the cold season and open the doors and drawers. All vents and windows are shut, and we always keep a charged Eva-Dry dehumidifier inside. We've never had a problem with condensation, mold or odors, even after the HUMID spring through fall camping season.

We now live off Carters Creek just south of the Williamson/Maury county line - in the country-burbs, y'all.
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Old 11-10-2018, 06:46 PM   #18
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Name: Phil
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Arizona
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Smile Solution to heater and humidity challenges

I’ve found that the best solution is a “natural feel” type of heat generated by the Olympian Wave 3 portable Gas Catalytic Heater by Camco. (3,000 BTU). You can find them for sale on Amazon for $188. This heater generates a very comfortable heat, is propane fired, (so vent a couple of windows by one inch) and durable. I recommend purchasing the stand (which is separate but also available on Amazon.). Secondly, on Amazon, you can purchase a twin set of Zarpax LV2-500 Reusable Dehumidifier bags—18 oz. each; they work by absorbing moisture in an RV. You get rid of the moisture by microwaving them for a couple of minutes—directions included. They’re usually around $36 and last forever and have natural ingredients. These two items together are fantastic in our GMC Starcraft Van—very comfortable air!
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Old 11-10-2018, 07:16 PM   #19
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I’ve found that the best solution is a “natural feel” type of heat generated by the Olympian Wave 3 portable Gas Catalytic Heater by Camco. (3,000 BTU). You can find them for sale on Amazon for $188. This heater generates a very comfortable heat, is propane fired, (so vent a couple of windows by one inch) and durable. ..
First welcome to the forum! Or should I say welcome to posting on the forum.. first post after joining a year ago I see.

I have a Wave 3 and it does have some real advantages, including how little propane it uses for a good amount of heat (very efficient) and it needs not a single milliampere of electric power.

But I do think that most people do not prefer the "“natural feel” type of heat generated by the Olympian Wave 3 portable Gas Catalytic Heat, and instead prefer heated forced air. The Wave takes a long time to make you feel warm because it warms things by radiant heat, making those things warmer over time. Yes, it feels like the warmth from the sun.. that is also to say if you are shaded from it (not in front of it), then you dont feel the warmth until other things warm up and give off heat.

And it does have some serious shortcomings or limitations that one needs to consider. A big one is that it uses up oxygen and so needs good ventilation, yet it does not have a sensor to shut it off if the oxygen level drops to dangerous levels. And the catalytic pad needs to be protected from contamination. If it does goes bad, then incomplete combustion creates new problems. They dont last forever!

So while I have one and will use it when appropriate, one does need to be aware of a few things, follow the instructions to the letter, and maintain the heater so it works properly. All in all, I dont think its the best heater for day to day use, but does come in handy at times.
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Old 11-10-2018, 11:33 PM   #20
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the OP was asking for a simple small electric heater to set on low to keep the inside of the trailer dry when its being stored over the winter, NOT for camping use.

I tend to agree with the early poster who suggested a 60W light bulb for this, except traditional incandescent light bulbs are rapidly going the way of the buggywhip.

there are a variety of small electric fan-heaters, typically a square box about 9" on a side and 4-5" thick, they usually have a high/low/fanonly/off switch, and a thermostat. I would set this on low, and then use the thermostat so they only come on when the temp drops below 40 or 50F inside. on low, these typically use 400-750 watts on low, but the thermostat will keep them cycling on/off so the duty cycle will detrermine the actual power usage.

example: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/vornado...?skuId=4275002
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