12 volt heater suggestions

Stephanie

I just purchased a 2018 TAG. I'd like to get a 12 volt heater. I see some on-line for use inside a car, but none with very good recommendations. Can someone recommend a brand that they are happy with? I live in the Victoria area of BC. Thank you

daveandcorlene

If you are concerned about running down your battery using a 12 volt heater, please consider using propane. Mr. Heater Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Propane Radiant Heater, is $74USD on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F232000-Indoor-Safe-Portable/dp/B002G51BZU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=35QTL0L0Y1CDQ&dchild=1&keywords=mr.+heater+buddy+portable+heater&qid=1596906289&sprefix=mr.+heater,aps,220&sr=8-1

ontheroad

Definitely your battery will have a hard time keeping up with the heater..if we have shore power we use the " handy heater"... if no shore power we use a down duvet and some lightweight quilts.. we've got good Canadian thick blood in our veins too! 😀

JamesDow

That is the heater I use. (Once) Outside temps in 30s.
Just got up in AM and turned it on for 20-30 minutes, and all was well.
Crack the windows slightly. Did a great job. Did not go through much propane at all.
A bit harder to use if not solo because of space.
Would recommend for boondocking use.
I refill my propane so cost are $.50 per refill.

HikinMike

I bought a very small 12v heater just to try it out. Plugged it in, turned it on, and you could watch the charge in your battery dropping dramatically. Just like 2020, would not recommend.

I thought of propane options, but there are two of us and a dog, so nowhere to place a Buddy Heater.

Solution: Don't go boondocking during cold weather. Of course, we live in Texas so that is easy to do.

SueBHunny

My solution for T@G camping in cold weather is a mummy sleeping bag. The T@G provides protection from wind and snow. The sleeping bag provides the warmth. It is, after all, still camping.

evpeeling

I looked into 12V heated blankets and calculated runtime of a couple brands. If the blanket is all you were really using, you could run one for about 8hrs (marine battery). So it does use quite a bit of power, but I would only run it for maybe an hour as I fall asleep. And if you have solar to recharge the battery, then its not a bad option especially if you use it in conjunction with a good sleeping bag.

daveandcorlene

Thank you for the calculations evpeeling!

CnCTagin

We have a new 2021 tag XL and took it out and couldn’t get the crane ceramic heater to work. Realized the ac and the heater are plugged into a thermostat and controlled wirelessly. We read the reviews and are going to just delete this thermostat. At least we can get heat now.

(Photos edited for size. Please resize your photos.)

daveandcorlene

How to you remove the item that was plugged in (the item of the left of your picture)? We had the same problem and had to take it to another dealer to show us how to reset the remote control (the item on the right. Thank you.

Michigan_Mike

Heating small trailers as temperatures start to drop is an age old problem. Rule of thumb here is that there are no reliable means of heating a trailer via 12 V DC as it is similar to shutting off your vehicle, flipping the headlights on and knowing that the battery is going to be dead before too long.

Keep in mind too that using small propane heaters in an enclosed area is not only hazardous, it’s dangerous. Carbon monoxide kills many people annually and in a confined space like a trailer you risk being overcome by the odorless, colorless carbon monoxide produced by the heater. And if the trailer were to catch fire it would go up quickly.

Do the right thing, buy a good down filled bag rated for alpine environments, buy a small nylon bag for your hiking shoes, put them at the bottom of your bag so they stay toasty warm and sleep safely. Or else look for a campsite with shore power, use a small electric heater (placed in a safe position on a shelf, etc. and away from flammable items) with the built In “tip over” safety feature and provide heat that way.

I’ve read horror stories when things took a turn for the worse. I know that people have been asphyxiated using propane and even read about some guy in a van who used a small hibachi grill (of all things) to stay warm and he was asphyxiated from the fumes.

Nobody needs to lose their life camping when there are safe alternatives.

Somemedic

I was in NE Tennessee this past week and saw temperatures in the mid 40s at night. I run 2 6V Duracells and have a Renogy 180v panel on top. I was plugged in and was able to run a 300 watt heater which when I closed the top hatch completely, would bring inside Temps into the low 80s. I noticed when I laid down even before I turned the heater on my respiration and body heat brought the campers inside temp up 4 to 5 degrees. Closing the screens also helped. Temps toward the top of the camper were much warmer than those close to where you sleep obviously.

A small quiet computer fan with a variable speed switch would keep the inside very comfortable. I did keep the top vent open when I slept and stayed quite comfortable.

I know you folks would frown on it but a zippo handwarmer would probably heat the inside easily with the top hatch opened.

If youre plugged in tho... 500 watt heater would work

Michigan_Mike

What was the discharge rate of your battery? Bringing a battery down to 50% and below will eventually kill the batterie’s ability to hold a good charge. This is an age old quest for trailer owners as anything that draws current and is a high resistance item like a heater, hair dryer, toaster, etc. will normally kill a battery in short order. Akin to leaving the headlights on on your vehicle.

MitchellDorf

@CnCTagin I’ve not had my t@g even a few hours and that remote and plug are just so buggy. Going to call Nucamp but do You have any pointers on how to get to where you can remove the plug?

Thank you.