CAUTION: We are going to be talking about PROPANE HEATERS. I know this is like wearing a MAGA hat into a STARBUCKS to some folks. Use your own best judgement. If you use a propane heater and die, don’t be blaming me! You were warned!
OK, with that out of the way, lawyers can stand down……
So you would like to go camping with your Truck Camper in winter. Or even late fall or early spring camping in New Mexico or Arizona in the high desert where temperatures can be 70 during the day, but go down to the teens or lower at night.
Here is how I spent this last January through April on a 12,000 mile cross country trip where I many times experienced temperatures from 4F to 90F!
There are two types of heat needed in this type of camping…Sleeping Heat and Awake Heat.
I use two systems for both types.
At night, while sleeping, I use a 12 TRUCKER HEATED MATTRESS PAD from a company called ELECTROWARMTH
Unlike an Electric Blanket (that I tried with poor results) that goes over you, and 50% of the heat escapes into the air (hot air rises), this pad goes under you and under your blankets. Only thing between you and the heat is a sheet. It uses VERY little electricity and with 200aH of lithium batteries and 400w of solar, I never had an issue with not enough juice. And I used it just about every night on my 4 month trip.
It has a dial control to set heat. Turn it on about 30 minutes before you climb into bed and then turn it down because regardless of the temperature, it gets warm in there. Like being hugged by your MaMa!
This works great at night in any type of temperature. And even during a cold day if just laying there reading. And fantastic for those back aches!
But for FULL CAMPER heat, I rely on a WAVE 3 PROPANE HEATER.
Unlike Buddy Heaters and other propane heaters, the wave products create very little moisture and CO.
Catalytic heaters heat like the sun. They don’t heat air. They heat things, that then give off heat. Perfect for a small area where opening the door might lose 50% of the heated air. Much more efficient than heating air too. They do not use any electricity and sip propane….and are totally quiet!
This type of heater might like to be pointed in a particular direction. In my case, since it is at the foot of my bed, just hanging it on the wall, and pointing at the bed, was way too much heat as I was laying there reading or watching TV. (But wonderful aimed at my cold feet after coming in from skiing or hiking!)
I mounted it on a TV swing out arm where I can aim it away from me.
So what about CO and Moisture?
I also have a 20′ Toy Hauler travel trailer that I’ve used this heater in for years. The Toy Hauler has two vents, one low and one high, to create cross ventilation of gas fumes from a motorcycle or ATV carried in the trailer.
This design works great to move gas fumes and it worked great with the catalytic heater too.
I incorporated this design into my truck camper rebuild.
I cut two 4″ vents into the sides of the camper. One high and one low, directly to the sides of the heater.
These vents cause perfect cross flow ventilation and zero drafts where you might be in the interior of the camper.
My CO detector has never gone off even when placed inches from the heater and I’ve never had a drop of moisture in either camper….
As I said, I refer to this as daytime/awake heat, but truth be told, I’ve fallen asleep many many times with it on and I’m still here!
his WAVE 3 is powered by a 20# propane tank mounted below it
And lastly, for winter camping…WINDOWS. Most of these truck campers are not designed to be used in the winter. Relatively thin insulation and usually single pane windows.
You absolutely need to insulate the windows!
Around each of my windows I installed self adhesive Velcro
And using insulating bubble material called “REFLECTIX” that I bought on AMAZON I cut to size and used self adhesive Velcro on the edges
This stuff works amazingly well in the winter AND in the summer under extreme sun/heat conditions if you are running an air conditioner
So there you have it. Don’t put your camper away for the winter because it might be a little cold. Get out there and enjoy the clean crisp air!
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https://www.youtube.com/@roybertalotto6355
THANK YOU!