How do you heat your trailer when the temps are low?

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lacofdfireman

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Heading to Overland Expo next week and weather is showing 34 degrees at night. I have a home built trailer I’m bringing and wondering how best to heat it? Been thinking about a Mr. Buddy Heater. Figured I could turn it on before bed to heat it up inside then shut it off until morning then run it again before getting out of bed. Anyone had any issues doing this? Figured I could just leave the roof vent open for a fresh air source to keep CO from building up even though they claim they don’t build up CO. What are your thoughts?

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old_man

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I run a Webasto type diesel heater like used on large diesel trucks.
 

4wheelspulling

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I have a Cat, vented propane heater with a thermostat that I can mount closer to my bed, in my 10’ camper, as I have my heater going by the door coming in. I have seen quite a few that use the Wave Coleman catalytic style heaters also. Vance.
 

Todd & Meg

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I have a Propex H2000 I’m installing in my teardrop also but we have camped a few time with low temps at 28 degrees and was fine with just normal bedding, sheet, blanket, and a comforter. And we would have been good for another 5-10 degrees. The heater will be nice for morning. We alway have the roof fan on at night with the window cracked a little bit, especially when it is cold. You need to remove the moist air before it can condensate on the walls and window.

Todd
 
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Billiebob

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I use 3 sleeping bags. Top one is a 3 season plus 2 winter bags and pick how many layers I need.
Even when it snows, I like an open door.

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Eric8541

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Heading to Overland Expo next week and weather is showing 34 degrees at night. I have a home built trailer I’m bringing and wondering how best to heat it? Been thinking about a Mr. Buddy Heater. Figured I could turn it on before bed to heat it up inside then shut it off until morning then run it again before getting out of bed. Anyone had any issues doing this? Figured I could just leave the roof vent open for a fresh air source to keep CO from building up even though they claim they don’t build up CO. What are your thoughts?

We got the heater option on our trailer but never fired it up at Expo just used extra blankets. It was so much warmer with the pop up closed though. Great reviews on Mr. Buddy Heater. Still worry about the CO.
 

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Cuse Runner

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We used the Buddy Heater at the Expo and showed some of our neighbors how to use theirs also. Ran it for 20-30 min before bed and was nice to go to sleep. Started it in the morning to warm back up when wife woke up!
 

FireMedicPQ1

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We used the Lil Buddy propane heater on a trip to southern NM back in March. It was the first time I every used a heater in my off-road teardrop. It worked great. We used it right before bedtime to get the sleeping compartment nice and toasty and then again in the morning. We didn't leave it going throughout the night though. The one thing I did learn is that condensation is a side effect of using one of these. Our windows were iced over in the morning with a thick sheet of frost. For the price, convenience, and ease of use, I think we'll stick with this set up for now.
 

Todd & Meg

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We used the Lil Buddy propane heater on a trip to southern NM back in March. It was the first time I every used a heater in my off-road teardrop. It worked great. We used it right before bedtime to get the sleeping compartment nice and toasty and then again in the morning. We didn't leave it going throughout the night though. The one thing I did learn is that condensation is a side effect of using one of these. Our windows were iced over in the morning with a thick sheet of frost. For the price, convenience, and ease of use, I think we'll stick with this set up for now.
We learned the hard way about condensation in our teardrop. It was only 29 degrees that night and we woke up soaking wet, the walls and windows were dripping . I opened the roof vent and one window about 1” then put the fan on speed 3. Within a hour everything was mostly dry. The moisture comes form your breath, with two people in a small space the humidity can rise quick. Now the fan is on all night with a window opened at least a little no matter what the temp is.

Todd
 

Billiebob

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We learned the hard way about condensation in our teardrop. It was only 29 degrees that night and we woke up soaking wet, the walls and windows were dripping . I opened the roof vent and one window about 1” then put the fan on speed 3. Within a hour everything was mostly dry. The moisture comes form your breath, with two people in a small space the humidity can rise quick. Now the fan is on all night with a window opened at least a little no matter what the temp is.

Todd
This is why I like my home bilt. It is definitely not air tight. Just tight enough to keep out the rain.
 

Polaris Overland

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Ventilation is the key to reducing condensation in our RTT which has lived on our Landy and on our Trailer in the past in nighttime temps from +35 Degs C to -14 Degs C and lots of rain which also affects breathability.
Never needed heating but found specifically under the mattress has major issues with condensation.

In our new RTT we used Drymat under the mattress and have never had an issue since.

Ship Shape Bedding
 
Heading to Overland Expo next week and weather is showing 34 degrees at night. I have a home built trailer I’m bringing and wondering how best to heat it? Been thinking about a Mr. Buddy Heater. Figured I could turn it on before bed to heat it up inside then shut it off until morning then run it again before getting out of bed. Anyone had any issues doing this? Figured I could just leave the roof vent open for a fresh air source to keep CO from building up even though they claim they don’t build up CO. What are your thoughts?

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I just wrap up in duvets, wear a beanie, thick socks and I find if I run my ancient Toshiba laptop for 2 hours watching a film it actually gets noticeably warmer. (The laptop processor actually hits 160f), and the trailer is well enough insulated by the time I wake up at 6am it’s cold enough that I don’t want to go to bed again.

Alternatively I run a electric heater and power it with my goal zero 1400 but I only do that if it is in the negative temps and I’m with the kids or misus.
 

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I too was at expo and first trip out in the new camper. Realized after I got down there that the sleeping bags I had were from when we lived in FL and were for warm weather lol. The camper has the webasto diesel heater, which knocks the chill off in the bed area but with the annex on, I’m sure my dog was a bit chilly on the ground when we woke up to being 26 degrees out. Since I didn’t want to purchase cold weather sleeping bags to then lay on a mattress that has sheets, someone referred me to look into the Rumpl blanket, which I did purchase after getting home. Most expensive blanket Ive ever purchased but hope it does what all the reviews state.