Recommendations for Ceramic Heaters

[lpdolan]

I am going to buy a new ceramic heater for our Scamp 19 to use when we have electricity. The biggest problem we have had in the past is that the heater thermostat allows a big variation in trailer temperature. I've read postings on here discussing this and there seemed to be an agreement on what ceramic heater works best but I have lost track of it. What suggestions do you have for us?

Thanks!

[mary and bob]

We also have had issues with the variation in temperatures of electric heaters. We have tried different brand heaters, have settled on a couple sizes of Vornado heaters but they didn't solve the on / off variation. Bought a programable thermostat that is supposed to be more accurate. It plugs into a outlet, heater plugs into it, so you would turn up the heater's thermostat and let the programable one control it. The one we have is a LUX / win100 that probably came from Amazon. However we have not tried it yet so don't know if it will solve the problem. Might be worth doing a little research on.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by lpdolan

I am going to buy a new ceramic heater for our Scamp 19 to use when we have electricity. The biggest problem we have had in the past is that the heater thermostat allows a big variation in trailer temperature. I've read postings on here discussing this and there seemed to be an agreement on what ceramic heater works best but I have lost track of it. What suggestions do you have for us?

Thanks!

Go on Amazon and search for “thermostatically controlled plug.” About $30. You plug the heater into the plug, and insert the plug into the outlet. Set the quartz heater to the highest heat setting. There is a settable remote control that acts like a thermostat. You can place it anywhere and it cycles the ceramic heater on or off just like your home heating system.

[Glenn Baglo]

Many people never read the manual that comes with their electric heater.
Mine says to turn it to the highest setting, and when the temp in the space is comfortable, slowly turn the dial toward off, until the heater shuts down.

When the space cools, the heater will come on and then go off when it reaches that comfortable temp.

[mary and bob]

How to set the temperature is not the issue the OP has, it is the difference in temperature between off and on. I have found this common with some small electric heaters. You set the temperature by turning it, dial or digital, until the desired temperature is felt, then turn it down gradually until the heater shuts off. Most people can feel a variance in temperature of as little as 2 degrees. So the OP's heater probably drops more than 2 degrees before it comes back on, so he can easily feel the constant temperature change. It's not that he doesn't know how to set it. I too remember reading how some heaters don't have this wide range between off and back on, and therefore maintain a more even temperature, but don't remember which ones they are. A radiant type heater, rather than one with a fan may be better. A thermostat used in a home heating situation can be adjusted some to keep the temperature range at a minimum. Location of the heater and thermostat may affect the variance.

[gordon2]

If there is not good air flow throughout the camper then the ceramic heater will heat up the space near itself and cycle off, then cool off from all the cool air nearby and start up again.. rinse and repeat. The thermostat on the heater will react to the environment local to it (maybe a few feet away), and not so much to the macro environment. You could add a bigger fan to make sure that all the air in the camper is fully circulated throughout the camper. Or you could accept that this is camping (or a temporary home away from home), and live with a few degrees of temperature variation.

[LyleB]

Originally Posted by CPW

Go on Amazon and search for “thermostatically controlled plug.” About $30. You plug the heater into the plug, and insert the plug into the outlet. Set the quartz heater to the highest heat setting. There is a settable remote control that acts like a thermostat. You can place it anywhere and it cycles the ceramic heater on or off just like your home heating system.

AGREE, 100%. I have had a LUX thermostat for my heaters for about 5 years now. Works GREAT and maintains the heat within about a 2-3 degree swing. It is designed for heaters or air conditioners.

Any old heater will work with it, just turn the heater thermostate to high, set the heater to either high or low (I usually leave it on low), plug it in to the LUX, and set the temperature you want on the LUX. Having the thermostat located away from the heater, instead of as part of it, greatly increases the performance.

This is the one I have - HIGHLY recommended:

https://www.amazon.com/Lux-Automatic...790580&sr=8-11

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

How to set the temperature is not the issue the OP has, it is the difference in temperature between off and on.

Anybody have a thermostat on their camp fire?

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Glenn
You have to build a campfire with a “Star Fire lay”
Build it with all the same sized sticks of wood. Some two by fours cut up will work. When done watching the fire, if it’s not completely burned, pull the left over wood back and douse each of the burned ends and and the spot where it burned. The next fire, start with the other end. Even heat with a human two degree control.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm_SSKzO8hU

Iowa “The Old Scoutmaster” Dave

[Jon Vermilye]

I use a Pelonis Ceramic Disk Furnace. The advantage is both the fan and the heater disks "turn down" when the set temperature is reached. Unless it is really cold out, it will slow down to barely audible. It is not off/on but has a built in dimmer. If it cools off, it will slowly increase the fan speed & heat.

A warning - mine is a 1986 model. I've been told that the newer ones are not a good as the older versions.

[WaltP]

Only a bit off topic: the ceiling fan setting of the Maxxfan provides a way to spread the heat evenly throughout the trailer no matter what heater you choose.


Walt

[Rzrbrn]

I realize the OP is asking about ceramic heaters, but we use a small oiled filled heater that has an even heat response and seems to keep the temp variation to a minimum. We used the in both the Casita and now in the Big Foot.

[Captleemo]

I use one of these Redstone ceramic heaters I got at Tractor Supply for about $20.00. I always use the 900 watt setting and it does a great job of heating my 17 foot Casita and it keeps a consistant temperature.

[Captleemo]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ceramic-heater

[lpdolan]

I think what will work best for our situation is to buy a programable thermostat and use it with a heater that will allow the power to it to be turned off and then function again when the power comes back on. The heater I am currently using would not work with a remote thermostat. I am going to check out the heaters mentioned on this thread before making this purchase.

Thanks again,
Larry

[Roselyn]

We use a DeLongi ceramic technology heater. It's quiet, has remote control, eco mode, thermostat, rotates and can be put on timer. The one we have now is our second one; the first lasted 3-4 yrs. The furnace in our Casita is so noisy we never use it anymore. This is the link to it on the DeLongi site https://www.delonghi.com/en-us/produ...5er-0114492078

We purchased both the old and new ones at Lowes (on sale).

[MJo]

I was thinking of a heater also. I found a little oil heater on Amazon Smile. Oil heaters take a little while to heat up but the advantage is that the steady heat lasts a while, and is quiet without having the noise of a blower fan coming off and on. Like the difference between hot water baseboard heat and air. I have one downstairs in my basement and it heats well, maintaining steady heat. I think overall, it is cheaper to run also. I’ll look it up and get back to you. MJo

[MJo]

I just looked and there are many brands and sizes and prices. MJo

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye

I use a Pelonis Ceramic Disk Furnace. The advantage is both the fan and the heater disks "turn down" when the set temperature is reached. Unless it is really cold out, it will slow down to barely audible. It is not off/on but has a built in dimmer. If it cools off, it will slowly increase the fan speed & heat.

A warning - mine is a 1986 model. I've been told that the newer ones are not a good as the older versions.

The original Pelonis heaters worked really well .
The newer models not so much . It seems that in an attempt to lower the price point they lowered the quality
A friend of ours had the old style Pelonis heater that lasted over 20 years
When he bought a replacement Pelonis it did not work as well as the old one and failed after 2 years .

[Darwin Maring]

ME, I wintered for 5 years Monday to Thursday night at the Navy Patuxent River Camp Ground and like the non fan type space heater with a thermostat. No Noise and they heat up the camper really well.