Posted 2011-12-13 11:28 AM (#139492) Subject: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Regular
Posts: 56
Getting ready to haul and my heatstrip is not blowing HOTair. Everything else in the trailer is working fine, the furnace is doing it's job-thank goodness.
Posted 2011-12-13 11:57 AM (#139494 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
On a good day, the heat strips and fan make more noise than heat. A $30 ceramic heater is far more efficient, and will easily heat a large LQ area.
If it hasn't been done recently, pull and clean the air filter. With the shroud partially removed, inspect the strips directly to see if they are heating properly.
Don't expect much from them, and you'll not be disappointed.
Posted 2011-12-13 12:07 PM (#139495 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 800 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Gard hit it straight. In more simpler terms, what you are getting is all you are going to get. I've heard 4700 BTU quoted before- that's not very much.
Posted 2011-12-13 2:25 PM (#139498 - in reply to #139497) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 800 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Originally written by retento on 2011-12-13 1:13 PM
Originally written by okie ann on 2011-12-13 12:35 PM
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. IT JUST SEEMED TO BLOW MORE HEAT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
OKIE
The air you are trying to heat was warmer several months ago!!!
You know- the A/C on my tractor starts to work great every year about Dec too! Runs strong until March. But this little matter of not having any doors or windows might have some bearing on it too! :)
Posted 2011-12-13 5:19 PM (#139500 - in reply to #139497) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Regular
Posts: 56
Iam blonde but not dumb, but this is a huge difference in what it is blowing. If i knew the answer, i wouldn't of asked what may seem to you as a silly question. No need to add so many exclamation points. But thanks for your input anyway.
Posted 2011-12-13 5:34 PM (#139502 - in reply to #139498) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Regular
Posts: 56
Originally written by RTSmith on 2011-12-13 2:25 PM
Originally written by retento on 2011-12-13 1:13 PM
Originally written by okie ann on 2011-12-13 12:35 PM
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT. IT JUST SEEMED TO BLOW MORE HEAT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
OKIE
The air you are trying to heat was warmer several months ago!!!
You know- the A/C on my tractor starts to work great every year about Dec too! Runs strong until March. But this little matter of not having any doors or windows might have some bearing on it too! :)
i guess i have no sense of humor in your response. comparing a tractor to a trailer?? but thanks to those that responded with an honest helping hand.
Posted 2011-12-13 6:11 PM (#139504 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by okie ann on 2011-12-13 11:28 AM
Getting ready to haul and my heatstrip is not blowing HOTair. Everything else in the trailer is working fine, the furnace is doing it's job-thank goodness.
any help would be great.
okie ann
Which heat strip are you using?
Also how old is the strip?
Posted 2011-12-13 7:14 PM (#139508 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Veteran
Posts: 178 Location: Richmond, Ky
if heat strip checks and/or looks good... could you slow down your fan speed, this would allow less air and more heat to the air getting blown out. But as Gard said check the obvious first.
Posted 2011-12-14 8:19 AM (#139518 - in reply to #139502) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 800 Location: Tenn/Ala.
i guess i have no sense of humor in your response. comparing a tractor to a trailer?? but thanks to those that responded with an honest helping hand.
My apologies. No offense intended. It is just that my tractor actually has no AC, thus it is only cold in the winter.
Having been around rooftop ACs with heatsrips for 20 years, give ot take, they have a reputation for having no real heat either. In fact at one time Dometic quit using the term heat, and referred to it as a Chill Chaser. Thus my analogy to the AC.
Once again, no offense intended. I'd use one of those cute little emoticons but they never show up on my final post.
For what it is worth, they do occasionally short out. So checking it is definitely worth the effort. As Gard pointed out, it is fairly accessible from the bottom.
Posted 2011-12-14 9:32 AM (#139521 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Richard, you and I must have the same type of farm equipment. Mine has AC in the winter and is heated in the summer. At night I have moon roofs; during the daylight hours, sun roofs. When it rains, I am supplied with a cooling mist, and during a snow storm, a blanket of glorious beauty.
I don't think that describing these features, has any detrimential referrals, concerning the opperation of strip heaters.
Your knowledge and willingness to offer invaluable insight into trailer ownership, has greatly helped us all. We have often heard about the many people, customers and non- customers alike, who have benefited from your generosity. I am among them.
We need humor in today's environment. So many things are going badly now, that without it, our existance would be as bland as my postings. Please, inject any humor you can into threads that concern me. I will not object and you will not have to apologise for enhancing my day. Thank you for all the information you have shared.
Posted 2011-12-14 1:19 PM (#139531 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 800 Location: Tenn/Ala.
At night I have moon roofs; during the daylight hours, sun roofs. When it rains, I am supplied with a cooling mist, and during a snow storm, a blanket of glorious beauty.
Gard- I like the way you put that into perspective. I'm usually pretty good at grinning at the ugly- but if I'm not careful it sure can seem like- too dark to see, sunburn city on my bald head, chapped cheeks & lips, and soaked through my clothes to the bone....
Yes- times are tough, and a laugh is all too uncommon. I enjoy the info shared here, and the occasional tidbit I get to contribute.
But Ann- we really do want to help. Have you had the chance to check the foam filter yet? Also, if you can give us a brand, we can be of more useful info (I hope anyway :) )
Posted 2011-12-16 5:07 PM (#139561 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Regular
Posts: 80 Location: Central WI
First time we tried the heatstrip in our new trailer I knew it was more 'noise' than 'heat'. I recently bought one of the small ceramic heaters with a digital thermostat and temp control feature. I find it heats our 11' LQ trailer just as well as the furnace does for sleeping at night and makes less noise doing it. Plus when you are already paying for electric service why use LP? Before we get up in the morning I kick on the furnace to be sure the chill is off the floor and the bathroom is up to my wife's preferred temp. You always need to keep the cook happy!
Posted 2011-12-18 10:03 PM (#139582 - in reply to #139530) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 2615
Originally written by okie ann on 2011-12-14 12:49 PM
i do appreciate all of the help i receive on here, maybe yesterday i was just taking things a little to personal. thanks for all of the help.
okie ann
They are to more/less knock the chill off,and,by chill that's not in the winter.I'm talking late spring/early fall.
We finally got tired of hearing ours run all PM long without doing anything but blowing cool air,like yours probably is,and,roasting when we'd turn on the gas furnace.So we did like most everyone else on here has said,and got a good ceramic heater with a thermostat and safety features.Works like a charm.
Posted 2011-12-18 10:06 PM (#139583 - in reply to #139521) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 2615
"We need humor in today's environment. So many things are going badly now, that without it, our existance would be as bland as my postings. Please, inject any humor you can into threads that concern me. I will not object and you will not have to apologise for enhancing my day. Thank you for all the information you have shared."
Gard,I really like RT Smiths' posts myself. and,your posts aren't bland,to me,they're usually pretty darn smart.
PS: gotta love those "Gard" dissertations,saying in 300 words or less,"learn to lighten up."
Posted 2011-12-19 5:50 AM (#139588 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Veteran
Posts: 165 Location: Western Ar
I tried my heatstrip this weekend out of curosity. I got the tempature up to 73 degrees and switched it over to the heat strip. It was approx 25 degrees outside. The unit ran all night and the tempature the next morning was 61 degrees in the trailer.
Posted 2011-12-19 8:29 AM (#139591 - in reply to #139492) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I tried my heatstrip this weekend out of curosity. I got the tempature up to 73 degrees and switched it over to the heat strip. It was approx 25 degrees outside. The unit ran all night and the tempature the next morning was 61 degrees in the trailer.
Finally. A scientific study on the effectiveness of strip heaters. This should dispel any myths about their capabilties. As Retento related, they will heat an interior when it's warm outside.
Posted 2012-01-02 1:43 PM (#139795 - in reply to #139793) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Elite Veteran
Posts: 800 Location: Tenn/Ala.
Originally written by Diesel on 2012-01-02 11:07 AM
Anyone know a trick or way to get your heat strip and furnace to both run at the same time?
We need to know more about the configuration. Brand of AC, and style of thermostat.
If it is the RVP unit that we see a lot of (Coleman brand), then turn it on electric heat. If the electric can't generate enough heat rise in the coach it will call for gas heat at the same time. It will default to electric, and use gas for any make up heat needed.
RTSmith
Posted 2012-03-14 9:30 AM (#142071 - in reply to #142052) Subject: RE: Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Expert
Posts: 2615
Plug ins are a good way to supply some heat without overheating like a furnace will often do.They do pull a lot of power at the outlet and can sometimes heat up there,however.
One danger that I never thought about,but,learned about,through a coworker who lost a son in an RV camper this way is: be SURE that the heater is not in an area where your bedclothing could be thrown off or draped over it accidently during sleep and catch fire.We sit ours on the counter,barring that option,you can place it on a small stepstool in a safe area.
Heatstrip blowing lukewarm.
Thanks ahead for all your future help.. I'm pretty sure I'll be needing it! ;){kind=icon}
