Cheap Heat - what wattage did you choose

porthole

Retired
The Cheap Heat auxiliary electric heating kit is now available to end users for self or aftermarket installation.

For those that have it, do you know or did you choose which wattage rating was used?

The lowest setting is 1800 watts and will work on a 120, 30 amp circuit.
The next 2 settings use 120/240 and would require using the RV's 50 amp power input to work.

Briefly looking at the installation guides it looks like there are 3 coils in the heater, you are choosing 1, 2 or all 3 coils based on how you wire it.

If you have the 1800 watt option, does it provide sufficient heat?

If you have one of the other two options, can you use it with an onboard Onan generator? The Onan RV genny does not output 240.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Duane,

I installed mine for 5000 watts.

I think the 3750 and 5000 watt installations require L1 and L2 to be opposite phase, which I don't think the on-board generator provides. And once installed for 3750 or 5000 watts, it won't run when connected to 30 amp service. And I'm pretty sure the power document warns against using two 50 amp legs that are phased the same.

If you selected the 1800 watt installation, you might be able to power it at the output of the transfer switch or from the main circuit breaker panel which might let you use either the generator or a 30 amp pedestal. I'd suggest calling Larry to confirm. But I think the 1800 watt installation is intended for small trailers that have 30 amp service. On a larger trailer, it might not be effective at heating the whole coach and underbelly.
 

porthole

Retired
I haven't selected a heat output yet, for that matter, I haven't selected the installed trailer yet.

I missed the seminar at Goshen but seem to recall hearing that the system is now capable of working with the available supply, 120-30amp or 120/240-50 amp.
I'm wondering if you choose the 1800 watt setting if there is even enough output to work on a bigger trailer such as the Landmarks.

It seems as I think back that most of our colder trips ended up being in locations where 30 amp was the only service available.
So if 1800 is barely sufficient, if at all for a bigger rig, we would still be carrying portable heaters :rolleyes:
 
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travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
It seems as I think back that most of our colder trips ended up being in locations where 30 amp was the only service available.
So if 1800 is barely sufficient, if at all for a bigger rig, we would still be carrying portable heaters :rolleyes:

As a comparison, maybe, our BH has a fireplace with a max 1500 w output. In 20-30 degree weather it runs, for practical purposes, continually when the thermostat (such as it is) set at 70 overnight, the furnace set at 66 will still run intermittently. If the forecast is for sure dipping into the 20s overnight, and we're on 50a we'll likely run a second ceramic heater in addition and the Furnace still runs intermittently.
So that said without other supplemental heaters, that 1800w unit with be running 24/7 same as our fireplace. I didn't spend much time looking but I assume the LM has a fireplace? How many heaters can you continually operate on 30A...rhetorical question


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porthole

Retired
This was discussed at Goshen this year and I just confirmed with Larry from Cheap Heat that the auto changeover from 30 to 50 amp service will have an upgrade path out soon for $120.00


"That's correct we are coming out with an 30/50 Add-on Kit for new and existing CheapHeat systems. That will do an auto switch between 30 amp service Low heat and 50 amp Med/Hi heat. Should it out on our website by next week. Retail price will be $119.95.
I have attached a PDF with more information about it."

See attached PDF




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Cheap Heat
 

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  • Cheap Heat 2 Stage 30-50 Kit.pdf
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porthole

Retired
So, this is the upgrade kit to allow either the 1800 watt mode or the 3750/5000 watt mode.
Doesn't look like much. Quick look it appears to be a voltage sensing relay.
On 30 amp shore power the wiring appears to be pass through to the 1800 watt side of the heater coils.
If 240 is available the relay will close the circuit to the high voltage side choice of 3750 or 5000 watts.
The relay is controlling the L-2 wire.
 

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Alan_B

Well-known member
...If you have one of the other two options, can you use it with an onboard Onan generator? The Onan RV genny does not output 240.

I am no engineer, but running the generator to power Cheap Heat seems inefficient. Burning fuel in the generator to create electricity to run Cheap Heat, to avoid burning fuel in the furnace.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I think running Cheap Heat from the Generator would consume the contents of a propane tank about 3 times as fast as running the furnace on propane. Most people can get at least 3 days of propane furnace operation on a 40# tank, even in very cold weather. The generator can go through a 40# tank in less than 1 day.
 

porthole

Retired
And since I don't run a generator on propane it is a moot point.

But, if you have to to run the generator anyway, you are going to burn a minimum of .4 gallons an hour of whatever fuel you use (approximation). So if the genny is running, why not use it to run the electric heat?

CheapHeat is not for everyone, but it is an option. Unlike many of you, our trailer does not have a fireplace, and I was tired of using portable electric heaters which we currently (see where I went there) use probably 99% of the time we need heat.

As far as using the generator to run the CheapHeat - I can run my generator under normal loads approximately 30-40 hours straight, heating the trailer. After I run out of gasoline I still have 1 full and one most likely half full propane bottle to continue heating.

It's all about options.

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The generator can go through a 40# tank in less than 1 day.


That's the problem when you realize that big heavy propane bottle is a only about 9 gallons, if if the temp is below freezing you would be lucky to get all the fuel out of the tank.

So only 9-18 hours possible genset run time - yeah, that does not make sense to run the generator on propane to use electric heat.
 
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