Electric Heater Needed

[Pusher]

Hello all. New member, long-time lurker to van forums in general.
 
We took our 1-year old baby boy for his first overnighter and it was an adventure! One issue we ran into was heating. With him on the floor in his Pack N Play, and us in the fold out bed, the heat difference was pretty significant. In order to keep him warm enough, we had to be about 5 degrees above comfortable (I was on the top of the sleeping bag in my whitie tighties J ). Part of the problem was the electric ceramic heater we use is on high power mode (1500 Watt) when using the thermostat feature, and the fan is powerful, so all the heat was blasting into the back of the van cooking us out, while he was comfortable as could be. The thermostat unfortunately only increased by 5 degree increments too.
 
I am trying to find an electric ceramic heater that is smaller in size, uses 400-900 watts, has a low to moderate fan speed, and includes the safety features anyone would want… overheat and tip-over protection.

We are weekend warriors during fair weather times. 
 
It seems like I might just need to get the plug in thermostat with the remote reader similar to this unit, but that requires another item with batteries. As an occasional weekender, I see fewer batteries as a good thing.
 
I am open to a propane external exhaust heater, if I can find a way to mount it to the roof rack and vent through the driver window, but their size and price are deterring factors. I ran across something about suburban heaters but didn't get much further than a picture of one since it requires a fixed mounting position.
 
I don’t want to use a heater with a fuel source. It either involves poisonous and moist gasses sinking to the floor where the Pack N Play is or involves cutting a whole in the van, and with my frequency of use, the fuels would sit too long and allow the possibility of their break down. Similar to batteries, I don’t want to trouble shoot a plugged jet or something similar.

I saw these two options, but I'm concerned the first one is too low of a wattage, and I don't like the idea of plugging it in against a wall. Plus, I'd need to find a place to mount it, and there again it is stuck fixed in that position.
The other one only has 3.5 stars. I tend to avoid anything with less than 4 stars or that has over say 12% in the 3 or less start bracket (sometimes products have predominantly 5 stars, no 4 stars and then a ton of 1-3 stars. The average comes out to a 4 star rating even though 18% of people can say it sucks. This third one is similar to the second.... the size and features I want, but the ratings are terribly skewed 


I think based on price and maintenance, a portable ceramic heated that I could throw up on the dash with shore power would be best, and one at a lower Wattage so as to avoid throwing breakers as well as cooking ourselves out every time the thermostat cycled it on. I have decided the thermostat also needs to be adjustable within a degree, not 5 like my current one is. 
 
If anyone has any recommendations, they would be appreciated!
Alternatively, does anyone know the idea wattage to heat a van without a pop top, and assuming minimal insulation with windows all around? 1500 from one of the 2 foot oscillating lasko's is way too much.

Thank you.

 

[B and C]

A cheaper and easier solution to me would be get the kid up to the same level as you are. Put some totes under the play thing.

 

[izifaddag]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FFRPB7L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Pusher]

That might work B and C. I'll keep it in mind, but I think the wife would get stressed thinking about him waking up and tipping off the containers. 

I just ordered that heater. Thanks Izifaddag! It doesn't have a digital setting, but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes to dial in anyway. Thanks for posting that! The reviews look great. Hopefully the wattage is enough. Thanks again.

 

[B and C]

You put a large one under each leg, they stack for travel and could carry some things. You don't just put one under it and balance it.

 

[izifaddag]

That might work B and C. I'll keep it in mind, but I think the wife would get stressed thinking about him waking up and tipping off the containers. 

I just ordered that heater. Thanks Izifaddag! It doesn't have a digital setting, but that shouldn't take more than a few minutes to dial in anyway. Thanks for posting that! The reviews look great. Hopefully the wattage is enough. Thanks again.

You are welcome Pusher. I used that for a portion of last winter. It doesn't tip over easily and is not too big. It is 500 watts and the thermostat really does work. There is a red LED on the front to let you know it is on.
Here is my approach I have 3 electric heaters. A 250 watt with no thermostat ($10 in walmart), the 500 watt one and a third one which has 2 settings and a thermostat. That 3rd one is 700 and 1500 watts. I rarely use it on high. Almost never.
I mix and match these 3 heaters. I use the little 250 one for local areas, the 500 that I posted for mild colder weather and the bigger one when it gets real cold. Sometimes I use the 2 small ones together as it enables me to control power use well. This system works for me.
Before next winter hits I will install a diesel heater.  
I am on shore right now but when I hit the road soon I shall be on a Honda eu2000i all the time. I think I should be able to run anyone of the heaters. My gen runs my AC so the heater should be easy.
Glad I could help.

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Pusher! A sleeping bag made for babies might solve your heating problem. They have arms but are just like a sleeping bag with a zipper down the front. Many of us do not use heaters at night because of safety concerns.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[Pusher]

You put a large one under each leg, they stack for travel and could carry some things.  You don't just put one under it and balance it.

Yeah, he thrashes his head in his sleep (no idea why) so we don't always wake up when he does and he's almost to the stage where he'll be trying to climb out. The pack N play is almost 3 feet tall, so we wouldn't be able to stack it much higher. Using a crib with shorter walls would get us the height, but then he'd have the ability to climb out. Sorry, that was the long-winded version. I think in a couple months I can throw him in the bed with us without worrying about squishing him in my sleep.

 

[Pusher]

You are welcome Pusher. I used that for a portion of last winter. It doesn't tip over easily and is not too big. It is 500 watts and the thermostat really does work. There is a red LED on the front to let you know it is on.
Here is my approach I have 3 electric heaters. A 250 watt with no thermostat ($10 in walmart), the 500 watt one and a third one which has 2 settings and a thermostat. That 3rd one is 700 and 1500 watts. I rarely use it on high. Almost never.
I mix and match these 3 heaters. I use the little 250 one for local areas, the 500 that I posted for mild colder weather and the bigger one when it gets real cold. Sometimes I use the 2 small ones together as it enables me to control power use well. This system works for me.
Before next winter hits I will install a diesel heater.  
I am on shore right now but when I hit the road soon I shall be on a Honda eu2000i all the time. I think I should be able to run anyone of the heaters. My gen runs my AC so the heater should be easy.
Glad I could help.

That's a pretty good system actually. And the two heaters combined still won't be tripping a 20amp campsite breaker. I'll give this one a shot and see if a 250 watt one has a place in the mix too.
Thanks for the additional detail!

 

[Pusher]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Pusher! A sleeping bag made for babies might solve your heating problem. They have arms but are just like a sleeping bag with a zipper down the front. Many of us do not use heaters at night because of safety concerns.

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started. 

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

Thanks for the link RvWandering. I'll follow up on the etiquette and policy piece. Those sleeping bags are pretty slick. Now I need to consider if he should be in our bag or have his own that he can't kick the covers off of.

 

[maki2]

What you need is a multi faceted strategic approach to resolving the issue.

First on is the floor. Get a bunch of those foam, interlocking puzzle mats to put on the floor, they are very effective insulation. The floors in camping vehicles do not have enoughadequate insulation to slow down heat loss.

Next is bed coverings and clothing. Dressing the baby in a fleece sleeper with feet, mittens and also using a cap on head, plus putting a piece of Reflectic underneath the baby bed mattress pad and also up the sides of the bed will be the first step to take. That does not involve any electrical appliances.

For heaters it helps to stick to reputable brands. One of the more recent brands that has developed a good reputation for heaters and for fans is Vornado.

This heater should do the job for you.
Vornado VH202 Personal Heater

But my personal preference is for a quartz infrared heater with thermostatic control and a choice of wattages. They cost considerably more than the ceramic heaters but I prefer the heat they put out. Then warm objects such as people versus just warming the air. This one is small enough in its cabinet size to use inside an RV.
Vornado IR400 Whole Room Infrared Heater

 

[maki2]

I forgot to add something to putting the suggestion of adding Reflextic to the crib. If you are using the room heater and can get heat under the baby bed and through the side facing the heater do not put Reflextic on those sides as you need the heat to be able to get inside the bed. Also be sure the Reflextic is securely fastened if you use it up the sides of a child's bed, you don't want them to be able to pull it down over their face.

You can also buy or make a fleece sleeping bag for the baby that lets their legs free to kick around but has sleeves on it. Very common article for babies but I have not looked to see if they are made for toddlers.

 

[Stargazer]

Camping with children that young sure changes things, lol.

I am with maki2 on this. Some kind of insulation under the sleeping pad in the pack n play, maybe a piece of firm two inch thick upholstery foam (Joann Crafts sells it online, the green kind). A thinsulate sheet on the foam, or one of those space blankets, tucked in well or wrapped around the foam.

Does the little one walk yet or even stand in his "crib"? Have you seen the fleece sleep sacks with feet? Google it. My daughter had several for my little grandson and they were fantastic! Once he started walking, that thing made mornings so much easier for everybody. Change diaper on awakening, zip closed, and away he went still nice and warm and OMG it was too cute for words. I still laugh thinking about it and he loved it.

Have fun!

 

[Pusher]

I hadn't seen the baby sleeping bags until yesterday. Those are pretty freaking adorable, and definitely a must have. I'll be ordering today. He is a year old, but he was a premie and that's delayed walking, crawling, eating and growth..... definitely not his mental development though. He wants to be independent but hasn't learned any traits to let him feel that way. It leaves us still giving him a lot of attention which is the way he seems to like it. Anyway, I think the sack will actually help at home too since he does 360°s at night in his sleep.

I'm curious, would the reflectics serve to keep the cool air from exchanging and then the hot air at the top of the crib would serve as a cap to keep the cold air from getting in, so his body can warm up the air that's already settled in the crib? I'm almost thinking a large storage tote would be better than the mesh netted pack n play based on your suggestions.

 

[Pusher]

For heaters it helps to stick to reputable brands. One of the more recent brands that has developed a good reputation for heaters and for fans is Vornado.

This heater should do the job for you.
Vornado VH202 Personal Heater

My only issue with the vornados is that none of them have better than 4 stars on amazon, which tells me that most people like them, but 20% couldn't be convinced. In my mind, at $60-100, people better like it more than the $27 one I just bought with 4.5 stars.

 

[izifaddag]

That's a pretty good system actually. And the two heaters combined still won't be tripping a 20amp campsite breaker. I'll give this one a shot and see if a 250 watt one has a place in the mix too.
Thanks for the additional detail!

You should be fine. What I didn't say was that I also am on a trip. Although on shore I have to be careful or it trips. The larger heater is also unique. Most 2 setting electric fires have 1k and 1.5k positions. Usually with no thermostat. Mine has 700 watt and 1.5kw and a thermostat. 
Once it gets cold enough to warrant it I switch to that one and it is enough by itself for the most part on the 700 setting. Currently they are for sale at Home Depot for $13 and change. See the link.

I have lived mobile for 12 years straight and I do not like any propane heater. Mr Buddy is touchy and not robust. It can be hard to light and they go wrong constantly. The plastic parts of the case break eventually. The condensation is awful then there is the constant danger of a leak. Mine is an ornament right now.      
Electric is good but running a generator on full blast is expensive. You really want it to be on eco mode and purring not growling as it sucks fuel down at an alarming rate. My Honda will take a gallon every 3 to 4 hours if it is working hard. A gallon every 8 hours is much better. That can get expensive you can go through a couple of hundred dollars on gen fuel every month. With a 3k unit it would be even worse. 
The answer is a diesel heater. They have their own little fuel tank and they sip fuel for a LOT of heat. A single gallon of diesel can last easily a week or more. My espar in my truck was wicked hot.     
 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Comfort...eater-with-Thermostat-in-White-CZ35/204755900

 

[maki2]

My only issue with the vornados is that none of them have better than 4 stars on amazon, which tells me that most people like them, but 20% couldn't be convinced. In my mind, at $60-100, people better like it more than the $27 one I just bought with 4.5 stars.

The Amazon basic 500 watt heater has good ratings, buy one of those.

 

[Pusher]

You should be fine. What I didn't say was that I also am on a trip. Although on shore I have to be careful or it trips. The larger heater is also unique. Most 2 setting electric fires have 1k and 1.5k positions. Usually with no thermostat. Mine has 700 watt and 1.5kw and a thermostat. 
Once it gets cold enough to warrant it I switch to that one and it is enough by itself for the most part on the 700 setting. Currently they are for sale at Home Depot for $13 and change. See the link.

I have lived mobile for 12 years straight and I do not like any propane heater. Mr Buddy is touchy and not robust. It can be hard to light and they go wrong constantly. The plastic parts of the case break eventually. The condensation is awful then there is the constant danger of a leak. Mine is an ornament right now.      
Electric is good but running a generator on full blast is expensive. You really want it to be on eco mode and purring not growling as it sucks fuel down at an alarming rate. My Honda will take a gallon every 3 to 4 hours if it is working hard. A gallon every 8 hours is much better. That can get expensive you can go through a couple of hundred dollars on gen fuel every month. With a 3k unit it would be even worse. 
The answer is a diesel heater. They have their own little fuel tank and they sip fuel for a LOT of heat. A single gallon of diesel can last easily a week or more. My espar in my truck was wicked hot.     
 https://www.homedepot.com/p/Comfort...eater-with-Thermostat-in-White-CZ35/204755900

Thanks for the follow up. If I can convince my wife to camp in those kind of temps I'll spring for such an affordable and compact high power unit. 
I'm actually looking into the diesel heat option. My goal is to camp with a single deep cycle battery over a weekend and meet all our needs without needing a generator or solar panel setup. 

Life was much simpler as a 16 year old boy scout with everything he needed confidently tucked away on his back.