Can This $12 Walmart Heater Heat My Car in Winter?

[@tgoodson2]

I've been living in my van for about 6 years. The one thing he's not doing which is absolutely necessary is sleep higher off the floor at least one foot off the floor along with a mattress that insulates.

[@Favorite-catNip]

True. Feet & head covered. Next days clothes I put under pillow/head. Believe it or not. Being female changing clothes in sleeping bag is possible.

[@rodx5571]

i am a full time 5th wheeler off grid. Small 5th wheel, no slides, 30 ft total. 4990 gross wet weight. I put a small catalytic on the floor and let the heat rise the 4 ft to my sleeping area. works so good. i also pop the bubble over the bed just a bit. But i agree that a super thick mattress is a good insulator, but also quite comfy. Maybe not quite the same thing, but i am off grid for over a year now. It helps that i own the land i am on. 60$ property tax a year. A mobile internet hotspot, a generator, some solar panels. so far its working out. EDIT: just for clarity, I work a full time job as an automotive tech, which is very helpful with the 12v RV systems. I currently truck my water to my land. I am working on a rain catch system and filters. This is a permanent deal for me. I am in my late 40's. I can get grid electricity, for 5000$ and the monthly bill. But right now I am doing this experiment.

[@DNTMEE]

@@Favorite-catNip Being a male, while camping, I don't worry about a change of clothes for at least a week. That includes underwear. Of course I also camp alone so that helps and my dog doesn't seem to mind. Like most dogs, any BO I might have is pretty much considered an "enhancement." Makes me more interesting to an odor driven animal such as dogs.

[@heartstrings7814]

@@DNTMEE Wow. The most honest and revealing info about hygiene living this lifestyle; I've ever seen.

[@DNTMEE]

@@heartstrings7814 When I say "camping" I mean wilderness camping. As Deep into a wilderness, as my vehicle can go and then some. And my vehicle can go very deep. Where the chances of meeting another human for weeks on end are slim to none. That's where I am 90% to 95% of the time. When I'm out and about in civilization, I'll swing by a truck stop and rent a shower (about $10 to $15) and change clothes. Sometimes you can get a coupon for a free shower from the truckers there. They usually have several they don't use. They get them free for filling up there. Then I pick up what I need and wash clothes. After that it's usually right back to nature or hitting the road for wherever. If I have to suddenly go to where other people are, I spray some Axe Gold Fresh on the appropriate areas and I'm good to go (for a while). Dog doesn't like it though. Tends to make him sneeze.

[@chrisferrell6159]

Make a camp fire heat some rocks. Put them in a tool box with sand or ash in the bottom. It will warm you for hours.

[@frostyfrances4700]

I'm guessing you mean a metal tool box. Some people actually need to be told. :p

[@darrellfort1668]

are u for real, i need to try this cause i live the van life and it gets cold at night

[@tanikawalker2892]

Wow ! That’s awesome! I’ll definitely give that a try. Thank you

[@jjones8813]

@Chris Ferrell I read thru most of the comments and yours is the best idea of them all. ♨️

[@toxichammertoe8696]

Great idea

[@PopFizzPaperDani]

I use an electric heating pad, usually down by my feet (they get cold!). Barely uses any of my Jackery power and takes up hardly any space. 🤗 Thanks for the review, Tristan!

[@dontask8979]

Smart. Heat pads are typically timed too. Stuffed in a sleeping bag you get to enjoy the heat, not loose it.

[@jquest43]

@@dontask8979 lose This is a corky channel with corky viewers

[@OspreyFlyer]

👍

[@CGStaggs]

Is it 12v or 110v? What size Jackery do you have. I have the 240 and love, love, love it. I don't do cold weather camping, but I'm interested in what you are using. Thanks

[@vanofpearls7528]

@@jquest43 quirky?

[@colleendaniels6409]

Well the first problem with the heater not heating the car: you've got it too high up. I'm sure you realize that hot air rises so you are basically trying to heat from the top down. Not efficient at all. I see so many people make this mistake. If you could have put it on the floor it would have warmed up the space faster. That's why heating systems in homes come out of the floor and not the ceiling. I've used similar heaters in campgrounds since I don't have a jackery and as long as I put it on the floor my little RAV warms up in about 30 minutes. I don't leave it on all night, just for warming it up in the morning. Just a suggestion for your next attempt at small heaters. Love your videos! I'm a new subscriber and am looking through all your older stuff. Great work!

[@cohen860]

I wonder if some type of baffle - maybe a curved piece of the insulation he uses on his windows, would help. Place it so it curves down a foot, say, in front of the heater and down toward his sleeping bag if it would direct the heat toward him?

[@colleendaniels6409]

@@cohen860 That's a really good idea. I think any way to get the heat towards the floor would help.

[@markdamish6601]

The one thing that I think he missed: Would the temperature dropped inside if he had not used the heater at all? It could be that the small heater, in the inefficient configuration, was able to maintain the temperature, rather than see it fall with no heater.

[@colleendaniels6409]

@@markdamish6601 Good point. There's a lot of variables when it comes to a heaters efficiency.

[@_jswiss]

For a $12 dollar price, I'll use 2 heaters & place them both on the floor

[@olefella7561]

If you have Jackery battery, it work best with hair dryer to warm up your icy cold nightwear before you put them on, and they would be toasty warm in about 5 minutes. I lived in Alaska and that's how we do it.

[@rebeccagreen7241]

Smart! Thanks for the tip!

[@MaLiArtworks186]

Great tip!

[@julesjohnson7127]

Great tip.

[@longhairmullet]

Ha, yep, I have used one to warm up my socks before bed, couple seconds in each and they are toasty cozy. One can also quickly blow out your van to keep it clean. Use with blower on hi and on the cool setting to keep interior clean. Ive watched some use a leaf blower but hair drier works just fine.

[@rebeccagreen7241]

@@longhairmullet Smart tip--I'm gonna try it! 👍

[@markhall3323]

Based on typical portable fan heaters for the home in the UK I would say you need about 2kW to get the temperature up in half an hour then 500-1000W to maintain it. During the initial warming up it’s not just the air that’s being warmed, it’s also all the stuff in the van and the inside of the van itself.

[@oopsieeee]

I use a 12 volt blanket. Works great and uses a LOT less power.

[@CommuterBiker]

Great idea.

[@oopsieeee]

@@CommuterBiker yes and mine has a thermostat.

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, those are way better than this.

[@oopsieeee]

@David Brown My kitty and I sleep on top of the electric blanket with 2 comforters over us. Heat rises.

[@SapioiT]

@@oopsieeee Plus that if cold gets to you, it's more likely to get to you from underneath you, so having the heated blanked below you makes it more efficient. And if you have a twin-sized blanked and are alone, you can always fold half of it on top of yourself.

[@larryclark9150]

The fact that it maintained the temperature at fifty one, in that kind of outside temperature is a big deal if it hadn’t been on you would have been dropping real fast inside the car.

[@topherjoe1]

exactly, I just commented the same then saw your comment.

[@_jswiss]

Right! & for just $12, I'll buy 4, & use 2 @ a time & rotate them out

[@happilysmpl]

Yeah

[@Plasmastorm73_n5evv]

@@_jswiss You only need 1 and a small fan at the roof level pointing down to circulate the air. You'll find the temperature rises even more.

[@clayringler6958]

I have an app to start my car from my cell phone that really works great. You can stay snug and warm in your sleeping bag and hit the start button and you can warm up the car while you catch a little more sleep. If you have a 12 volt heated blanket that's all the better. No reason to be cold in your car anymore.

[@mikedip99]

@Clay Ringler what is the name, further info on the app that remote starts your vehicle.? Sounds to me like a great idea. I feel ok about running the vehicle for 15 minutes, front window cracked for ventilation. Made sure my exhaust system is not leaking. Air intake for heater is in the front of the vehicle.

[@clayringler6958]

@@mikedip99 I recently bought a new Toyota 4Runner in October, it comes with an app for doing many things like starting, locking and checking all the systems on the vehicle. It is incredibly useful but I don't know if there is an aftermarket product for other cars.

[@jquest43]

@@clayringler6958 your car also has remote control,accessible by certain authorities

[@michwenz8413]

Only if the heater in your car works! 😫

[@krisg3984]

@@clayringler6958 there are aftermarket remotes - I got one installed.

[@longbowshooter5291]

As you pointed out - heat rises, and your thermometer was set down lower. If you had a small fan and pointed it upward towards the roof to circulate that heat, you may have gotten better results.

[@martasplace6414]

That's exactly what I thought because most ppl sleep on some type of raised cot.

[@longbowshooter5291]

@@martasplace6414 Even people in houses who buy some kind of electric heater to help keep the room warm, and complain they don't work. All that heat is rising to the ceiling, collecting up there. Most houses have 8' ceilings, so even if you are 6' that 2' of air in the ceiling has to heat up before your head even feels it. Look how much lower you are on your bed, all that space has to heat up to reach your level. I used to run one of those electric oil radiators in my bedroom at night, I would turn it on an hour or so before I was going to bed, let it heat up the ceiling pocket of air. I had a ceiling fan in the room, and most ceiling fans have a switch on them to reverse the way they blow, so you select it to blow UPWARDS, not down. Blowing down puts a draft on you, blowing it upwards, on the slowest setting, makes that hot air in the ceiling blow outwards and travel down the walls, then pulling it back up to reheat in the center again. When I went to bed I'd turn the fan on and circulate that pocket of hot air sitting up there, doing it that way my bedroom would be toasty in no time.

[@bastiwen]

And even with the thermometer low, the heater still managed to keep the temperature the same while the temperature outside was much colder (and still falling). I'd say that for $12 that's not bad of a result.

[@KaiExploresLife]

I was thinking the same thing. Those heaters are meant to be on the floor. I have one (350 watt) for my car camping and that thing gets warm. But I just use it to knock the chill off.

[@RicG.]

"It's been 10 minutes, nothing's on fire.....". Optimistic statement..........LOL. 🤪

[@Zambogirl]

🤣🤣🤣 loved that comment too!

[@VensVibrantNailsandBeauty]

I'm kind of surprised too. I have the same Jackery and was really rooting for this idea! Thanks for field testing it and sharing your results! Crossing off ideas that don't work is quite useful toward finding solutions that work the best for our situations! I appreciate what you do on your channel very much. It's thoughtful, well-made and varied content. From practical tips and hacks, to inspiring rig set-ups and interviews! You have content that connects with your audience regardless of their personal experience or skill level with the topic.

[@rickilee961]

You have it sitting up high it's just going to keep recirculating its own hot heat you got to sit at lower so it sucks in the cold air and blows it out hot

[@humobanda5500]

he haves to place it next to the bed

[@Shrimp_Insurance]

@@humobanda5500 No he just has to swallow it so he's heated from the inside

[@jquest43]

@@Shrimp_Insurance HAHAHAH Haha Haha HAHAHAH hahahahah,chuckle,chuckle, GUFFAW,GUFFAW,Snortle,snukk,hahahahahaha, too damm funny..are you a standup professional comedian?

[@annem7806]

I sat my heater close to the side door well in my van, where it warmed that cool draft. I also had a 5" mini fan elsewhere I aimed at the ceiling to recirculate the air. Shore power.

[@petuniaromania6294]

I recently thought about utilizing an infrared bulb for heating - there are lots of sizes available which is great. I used to have chickens and discovered this heating method to keep them warm in the Winter, however, the bulbs I bought from the hardware store seemed much to strong for their pen, so I needed something different. I discovered the infrared bulbs at pet supply stores that are sold in the reptile section; these different and lower wattage bulbs were perfect for the pen and my chickens loved them. So, if I need to stay warm in a tent or a vehicle, I'm going to purchase reptile heating bulbs again :)

[@designdoctor247]

That is very interesting

[@davidyummus6259]

@@designdoctor247 I bought a 100 watt one & it does throw off some heat when put in one of those metal lamp shade things with a clamp.

[@rhondadeakin8051]

Petunia Romania Good idea.I used to have a feral cat that lived on my back porch and I put a 250 W infrared bulb inside a chrome metal clamp shade which reflected more heat inside her cat house. Since it was a resin house I lined the area around it with silicone mat to prevent any burning, and I also wired it to an additional clamp to make sure it was secure.I had it on the back of her house opposite the door so she could get out if it caught fire.

[@seabliss22]

My brother in law burned his house down with one. The chicken coup on the side of the house is where a chicken kicked the bulb down into the straw and caught it on fire.

[@davidyummus6259]

@@seabliss22 So it was the Chicken, not the bulb ;)

[@caddyzig]

Interesting experiment. I was surprised, too, that it didn’t do much. A 12v electric blanket does seem like a more efficient way to keep warm.

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, you're way better off with an electric blanket. Thanks for watching!

[@LuckyLarry]

I have a Sunbeam heated throw....just looked on tag it is 112 volts. Stays on for three hours, has three settings...got at Costco but have see then at Wal Mart too. I have real cold feet...Acorn fleece socks are my salvation. Wear them all year long. And use the little electric throw too. Here in the south we like to frost the walls in our humid hot summers!

[@brucebear1]

This is exactly how I thought it would turn out. Resistance heaters on a battery is almost always not going to give much -- just as this didn't. I wishe it were different but it just isn't. PS 250 wattis is 1/6th the power of most portable heaters (I have one 750 and 1500, switchable) and the 250 watts pulls about 15% of his batter power in 20 minutes -- that means a tiny heater is pulling a big chunk of storage. The math just says no, as he found.

[@MarcillaSmith]

@@SUVRVing For best climate control, they make hybrid Rav4's

[@kathleendittmer2447]

I have a new Jackery 1000. My 45 watt electric "blanket", really a throw size, is arriving soon, along with the 500 watt Amazon ceramic heater. I draw curtains across at night to separate the back from the cold cab. I've been told the 45 watt blanket is not adequate heat and of course the ceramic heater will drain jackery fast. But just plan to use to take edge off. Have four sleeping bags, one rated 25 below. I get cold easily so seeking solutions for long dark cold winter evenings as well as sleeping conditions. Have you ever tried running a heavy space tarp across your ceiling? Alaskan wilderness teacher told me that would reflect heat down on me in tent. Should do same in minivan. I thought one on each wall might be good too. In summer clamp them on to deflect heat when boondocking. Multipurpose and not bulky. Let me know what you think about the tarp overhead idea. Never seen it discussed anywhere.

[@alibertylover]

I sleep in my van with no heat & only when it drops below 20 do I use a propane heater temporarily to take the edge off. I use a king size down comforter & once I'm warmed up, I sleep like a baby

[@landcruisingdoc4137]

The most efficient way to stay warm at night is to have a big meal couple hours before bedtime and hot water in a leak proof bottle to take inside your sleeping bag. You 98 degree body should keep you comfortably warm in a 15 degree sleeping bag and in the morning you’ll have liquid water to drink before running the heat in your car.

[@grannypeacock1218]

Yes I find that protein and sugar warm you up before bed. I wonder if that's why we like a little something sweet after dinner.

[@tristanclem6070]

If there's one thing I want in the morning, it's liquid water.

[@jquest43]

@@tristanclem6070 rubberized

[@MrPHart]

Not sure I agree! "Jack Sprat could eat no fat and his wife could eat no lean." So a wonderful woman laying beside if your warm and on top of you if your cold! And if your toes are cold, for a nice favor...for her...she'll warm them up for you. Never underestimate the value of the fat lady and her singing at bedtime.

[@carolhewett3756]

Those of us with horses always give extra hay to eat at night bc they will throw off more heat from the increase in calories being processed. One youtuber suggested a big bowl of pasta before bedtime.

[@zuzanaberankova1283]

The unit heats up fast and is super quiet. It looks fancy kzbin.infoUgkxl8Od2BvnGbn1ffwqsuFXW0QnmcZgMiVY and can be kept in the living room. It gets hot within a split second of turning on the unit. The build quality is exceptionally good and is safe to be around kids and pets. This one is super quiet and can be kept on while in office meetings, my wife loved it. It shows the temperature right on the unit which is very useful and adding a rotating feature helps to heat up the surrounding, so other people will not fight with you for heat. It is right as described in the description..!! Definitely recommend!!

[@beelarson8710]

I just used one of these in my Ford Edge on a 30degree night in Minnesota! I had shore power, so no worries about batteries. It actually worked great for me, and kept me toasty warm all night. I rigged it up with a bungee cord wrapped around its sides (but not over the heating element, just the cool edge parts!😜), I duct-taped it all to hold, and used one of the bungee end hooks to hang it from a ceiling hand-hold over the door. I hung it so that I wouldn’t have to worry about it falling over or melting anything. It was just a nice little heater, hanging in the air, which was terrific! I taped over the bottom “kill-switch”, too, so it would run continuously. I actually love this little thing. It’s small to pack, it was super cheap ($12!), it kept my car warm, and no fumes or anything to worry about. I think it cut down on condensation, as well, since it’s a very dry heat. It may have helped that I have a nice thick 6” memory foam mattress, so there’s less space to heat, and I’ve got that underneath me for insulation. But I was cold in there before turning it on. Took about 10 minutes to feel toasty in there. Anyway- it might not be great for many, but if you have shore power, it’s certainly worth a try! Not a lot to lose in the attempt. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@EvieVermont]

Shore power, sure! It totally would work w shore power.

[@QChord4Fun]

Did you also tape the tip over button on the bottom? Mine shuts off if tipped, or picked up from the floor.

[@Suburbanhomesteaderflorida444]

@@QChord4Fun you didn't read his comment did you

[@QChord4Fun]

@@Suburbanhomesteaderflorida444 Oh yes, I read the entire thing. He may have something a little different than mine, but looks the same, cost the same, from the same store. However mine could not be suspended. If it is not sitting on a flat surface power goes off. If tipped it over it goes off as a safety feature. Have never needed heat sleeping in our van, but there are two layers of carpet, and we each have two 4 inch foam pads. . They stack as a couch in the daytime.

[@CricketsBay]

QChord4Fun He specifically stated he "taped down the tip over button on the bottom so it runs continuously." I'm guessing he used electrical tape.

[@joewilson1052]

I love your videos! I love how you focus on the places you visit more than on what you are eating or driving. There are literally tons of videos that focus on builds and/or dinner rather than spending time showing views or interesting tidbits about the area being visited. Finding huge trees, ghost forests, sand islands, and even other nomads is so interesting. Thanks for the refreshing and fun look into your adventures! Looking forward to more....safe travels to you :)

[@drobichaud1000]

sounds like a paid comment

[@joewilson1052]

Still waiting on the check....lol@@drobichaud1000

[@niagaraadventure4705]

Thanks for that test, had been wondering for a while. But in reality, you maintained your inside temp 30 degrees above outside ambient temp. That's pretty good!

[@SUVRVing]

The air temp had already been maintained for a couple of hours. The heater had no noticeable effect as far as I could tell. Thanks James!

[@EvieVermont]

Good point. Not sure what Tristan was thinking.

[@yungdolphin9130]

Oh it was 30° different that means it worked great people are stupid if they said it didn't work

[@yungdolphin9130]

That's very good

[@thra5herxb12s]

Remember this is 30degf above outside ambient, which is almost no heat whatsoever.

[@arguescreamholler]

*ALWAYS AIM YOUR HEATER TOWARDS METAL!* I have one.

[@cboyle707]

I have one. If you had it a little closer to you, you would become warm and stay warm. But if you want to spot heat in a short period, I doubt you will get overly warm. If you had it closer, it would supplement other heating devices. It would warm the air. I like mine.

[@gchowder]

I'm still learning the capabilities of battery banks and how much certain appliances draw. I feel like this video was very informative and gave me an idea as to what to expect from a battery bank and now I can make an (somewhat) educated decision as to what size bank I'll need to run all my gear inside my van. Thank you very much! Happy travels my friend! 🤙🏻:D

[@baneverything5580]

Get a regular electric blanket. My Bluetti EB70 kept me VERY warm during a dangerous winter storm in a camper with below zero wind chill in Louisiana. We had nearly 50 mph winds at ZERO degrees! I set the blanket to medium high and it only used about 200 wh during the night. Find a blanket that stays ON though if you choose that instead of turning off by itself after a few hours.

[@gchowder]

@@baneverything5580 Thanks for the tips! I'll try out the electric blanket! Happy Trails!🤙🏻:D

[@SUVRVing]

To those saying that at least the heater maintained the current temperature-the inside temperature was already stable. It had been dark for a few hours, and I'd been inside that entire time. The temperature was already not going anywhere anytime soon. Thanks for watching!

[@MaxZomboni]

You should try another model. I don't think that one is working. I have a little no name 350 watt wall plug heater in my bathroom, that I use to heat the bathroom just before I take a shower. That thing pumps out a crazy about of heat. It even has a timer and temperature control. It raises the temperature in my bathroom by about 10 degrees in 10 - 15 minutes. I am sure it would heat your car just as fast, if not faster. Similar models to mine on Amazon are listed for $24.50, but I got mine on eBay for $15 with free shipping from China.

[@insidedianeslife2456]

That was my question. I was wondering if the temp would have gone down faster with out the heater. Thanks

[@johnswanson3741]

electric heat on a 12 volt battery system... NO THX, just not efficient. better off with a little buddy propane heater and have the windows down a bit, end of story, stupid!

[@JFP87]

There no way it was stable at that temp outside if there’s nothing heating the vehicle it would not be stable for long and also that big light you’re using ours off some heat itself. Stable sounds ridiculous so it was gonna stay 51 in there all night at 24 I doubt it it would eventually get down to 24 in there lol

[@joeblow8206]

This is why you put the heater at floor level, thw lower thw better like a floorboard and most of all a small rechargeable USB fan on low to circulate the heat from above. Feet are always frozen in an RV during winter. Keep liquids off floor from freezing at least waist high in a standup RV situation.

[@samuelmandarelli2645]

Absolutely! Best little heaters ever! Low wattage draw and you can spread them out for even heating. I used four of them on my two cabin 53’ schooner while hooked to shore power. They worked better than one 1500 watt heater because I had heat being dispersed in four different locations. Much more efficient than one heater for my application. Never an issue with them.

[@rebeccagangi4228]

We have a 16ft travel trailer with ac but no furnace. We use one of those to heat (hooked up to shore power) to heat if necessary. Warms the camper beautifully.

[@lindaarnold2428]

We have a 5 x8 WeeRoll camper and this heater warmed it nicely.

[@frostyfrances4700]

There are a lot of videos about how to stay warm in winter - and this is a very good one. I'll shut up after sharing my personal favorite though. Raise yourself at least 2 big chow dogs and let them sleep on either side of you. Works anywhere. When I was able to live 'alone' out in the boonies, people would ask me why I wasn't afraid. I'd just point to the chows. Lordy, it was like having badass guardian angels on duty around the clock. No sane person messes with somebody else's chows. And they fear absolutely nothing on earth. Always had a big gun. Never needed it.

[@soal3415]

Yep...exactly! Pit Bulls put off a tremendous amount of heat. Mine would roast me out of my bed. I now have a 125 lb dog and she doesn't put out any heat. Yeah....sleep with your dogs. ..your dogs will be more bonded with you and you'll be warm!

[@danieldixon4568]

Two poodles keep me too warm sometimes

[@paularizzo5217]

Best heaters ever. Lol

[@hkchris1]

That’s where the saying 2 dog night comes from

[@frostyfrances4700]

@@hkchris1 - That's also where the Australian rock group 4 Dog Night got their name. Though truth to tell, 2 chows are really all anyone needs.

[@teresaturner8333]

I tried this same heater in my rav4 when the temp outside was in the 40s. No noticeable difference and it ran down my power bank in less than an hour. Sadly, I have to agree with your conclusion.

[@SUVRVing]

Yeah, just not worth it. Sad! Thanks Teresa.

[@jquest43]

Another dummy

[@SapioiT]

Do consider AC units which work both ways. They are apparently a lot more energy efficient. Also, heated blankets are apparently a lot more efficient because they only heat you, and not the air around you. And the heated blankets are apparently working best when you sleep on them.

[@mariebernier3076]

@@jquest43 who, your mama?

[@jquest43]

@@mariebernier3076 you would bever survive in your vehicle,in the cold areas mountains,because you are stupid.#1 survival tool is warm clothing#2 is fire because you cant drink ice#3 #3 water#4 food#5 clo2

[@DearestDawn]

I bought this heater for $5, it works for early morning waking up right near my body, not on the other side of the car like in this demo

[@txLALA]

I bought this little heater for my office a few months ago, but I liked the idea of potentially being able to use it when camping, since it’s low wattage. It works well within about a 1-2 ft away from my legs under my desk but definitely does not warm up the entire room. I had hoped it’d be better in a car, but I have a Prius C, which is a lot smaller than an suv, so I might have better results since I’d be within 3-4 ft. However, since I have a Prius, I’d just use the car’s heater, since it uses more power than I expected.

[@joeyanderson3396]

I bought a similar 250watt heater. I tested it in my Promaster City conversion. I tested with 40F outside and 45F inside. After 40 minutes it had warmed to 55F. I will pack it when I'm doing cold weather camping but only when in a campground with shore power. Definitely a battery killer and I only use a 500watt Bluetti.

[@tonymai1844]

yeah, with shore power is the king camper. hot you turn on ac, cold you turn on heater. You need a bigger batter bank to use these heater. Only better option is diesel heater.

[@MP-lv5vk]

The best thing about a heated blanket, they frequently come with timers.

[@SUVRVing]

Agreed!

[@brianbailey462]

mine stays on for 4 hours.. It has 4 heat settings... I just wish it was a little bigger but other than that its been the best thing ever. I turn it on maybe half hour before i go to bed and its so amazing slipping into a warm bed on a cold night

[@TraceyMush]

Oh ya, heated blankets are the best in a cold room! All the cats can find a warm spot too, lol.

[@brianbailey462]

@@TraceyMush My cat sadly adopted my neighbor when i moved into my van, but she has no idea how much she would LOVE this electric blanket.....................

[@jilly5195]

You just saved me the trouble of getting this heater or one like it! I had it in my cart even. Thank you.

[@danib6541]

I just have to say that I learned so much and got so many ideas from reading these comments. Thanks to everyone taking time to share information!

[@brandonroach2097]

I think the heated blanket is the way to go. If you were able to combine the heater and a fan to turn the air over, I bet it would be more productive, but more power usage adding another device.

[@54andBored]

Heated blanket won't keep face warm

[@vannebago]

I have a Bluetti EB 240 which has 2400 Watt hours of Capacity. I did the same thing and bought a small space heater (Lasko "My Heat" Personal Heater - 200 W). I drove from Dallas to Washington, DC in Dec 2020 and overnighted in my Mini-van camper van. I turned on the space heater right before I went to sleep around 9 pm and turned on the space heater. At around 4 am, it shut down and had totally drained all 2400 Watts from my Bluetti solar generator. That's when I realized that my power was far more valuable for things other than heating. I have a 320 W solar panel on my Honda Odyssey so I was able to start to recharge my Bluetti on the second day of the trip. On the trip back, I used my 0 degree Marmot sleeping bag which kept me nice and toasty. I just ordered two 12 v blankets. One of which I will wrap around my 5 gal water jug to keep it from freezing. The blankets pull about 30 Watts so I could run each of them for 8 hours easily and only use about 500 W total.

[@robertphillips93]

Thanks for presenting such a thorough test -- it doesn't probably surprise too much! Convective heating is expensive and fast, but heat loss through window glass is even faster! There are low power (70w) marine heaters designed to prevent condensation and mildew with more of a radiant heat. They're 2-3 times bigger and pricier than your test heater, but they can warm your hands and the interior surfaces too! If weather conditions and solar capacity permit, this could be safely operated for maybe as much as 10 hours with the Jackery.

[@rebeccagreen7241]

Do you know any brand names for the marine heaters? I've been looking on line and can't find what your talking about but they sound great!

[@robertphillips93]

@@rebeccagreen7241 One is the Davis Air-Dryer 500 or 1000. The larger 1000 is circular, at almost 12 inches diameter and about 5 inches high. Smaller 500 is oblong, the same height and about 5 by 12 inches. Both have a metallic base covered by a plastic domed shell that is heated but safe to touch during operation. The base is kept almost an inch above whatever (hard) surface the unit is placed on and the heated air is diffused into the space being warmed through an array of large holes in the top of the dome. Product lit claims the air is rendered "warm" and "dry", but there is no sign of any dehumidification. I believe the basic function of these units is to bring interior surfaces up to just above the dew point, to eliminate condensation. Any excess humidity still needs to be reduced by adequate ventilation.

[@rebeccagreen7241]

@@robertphillips93 Great! Thank you for sharing that with me! 👍👍👍

[@shawnsisler3743]

Need to take into consideration that not only does heat rise, but with no way to force the air down it just sits at the roof level cooling until it falls back down, then there's is the fact that the outside temp was dropping quickly, and the little insulation you have isn't nearly enough to hold in the heat the heater was producing. The heat was transferring through your roof instead of heating your area, the cold was leaching in from the sides and bottom.

[@joline2730]

exactament !!

[@terrytrump4751]

Thanks for the review. I'm just starting to camp again and now know that a small heater will probably be a waste of money. Like the suggestion of a heated blanket.

[@RVingwithLuck]

I’ve had this heater from Walmart about 8 months. I found it works great if you put it about 3 feet in front of you face/upper body. It does great to warm me up after getting into my tent and sleeping bag, running it for about 20 minutes. It won’t heat up your entire car or tent. Also, starting it up about 15 minutes before I get up, hears me up drastically. Your attempt to heat up your entire car is not what this is made for. Running at 250 watts is perfect for my 300 watt portable battery station. Most other heaters run at a super high wattage, needing a 1000 watt power station like your Jackery 1000. So if you use it as it is intended for (heating up a person from a few feet away), this inexpensive heater is great. If you want to spend $25-$90, you can get other types of heating items. But for $10, this thing works perfect for me!

[@rampar77]

That similar heater worked great in my office. It blew hot air 3 feet away on my desk top or under. It was unrealistic to expect that tiny heater to warm up the whole car without insulation.

[@Halfpace52]

I use Korean electric mat single. I warm it up first than turn it down to the lowest setting or off. Sometimes, I turned it to the lowest setting around 4am. It only uses 45w to 75 w and keep me warm.

[@sharpridgehomestead]

so others know, there is a formula you can use to determine how many watts you need based on square footage you are trying to heat. Anything less than 400 watts is considered a "personal space heater" that basically sits on a desk or goes under a desk to blow hot air directly on you. My conversion van requires 500-600 watts to keep it toasty down to about 20 degrees outside but I have a much larger solar system and well insulated van. You can also get a "thermostatically controlled" electrical outlet plug that will shut a heater off at whatever temperature you set it at, between say 40 and 115 degrees. I often let my heater run off such a plug to keep the inside temps above freezing cause lithium batteries can be ruined below 32 degrees.

[@frostyfrances4700]

That's good to know; however, I've read elsewhere that a lithium battery can be used down to zero degrees, just not charged below freezing. ???

[@sharpridgehomestead]

@@frostyfrances4700 that is my understanding also, that charging a lithium battery below 32 degrees will cause permanent damage. My van has a renogy dc to dc mppt controller so I would either need to keep the van heated above freezing or disconnect the solar array, house, and start batteries if it is below 32 degrees because each of those items can backfeed anywhere else depending on the ignition switch position.

[@frostyfrances4700]

@@sharpridgehomestead Help me out a little more if you don't mind. By 'the ignition switch position', can I assume you mean on-off? or what? I've got a big semi-portable solar generator that arrived damaged; waiting on a replacement, so I've never hooked up the solar array at all. Hence the super-ignorant questions. Don'tcha just love newbies? :p BTW, I'm not a camper, just a former civil defense employee who tries to keep up. Or at least not get too far behind newer tech.

[@sharpridgehomestead]

@@frostyfrances4700 I don't mind helping others at all. I don't claim to be an expert but I also have an engineering degree so although not an expert, I try to be complete and think all possible things and scenarios through lol. The way the renogy dc to dc mppt controller works is similar to others who use a standard solar controller and a separate circuit that can use the vehicles alternator to charge the house battery or solar battery, lithium in this csee. So the vehicles alternator can charge both the house and start battery (the battery that starts the vehicle). The renogy dc to dc mppt controller simply has that circuit built in to do both and reduces the number of things that can go wrong or fail and also reduces some of the wiring too. Likewise, the solar array can also charge the house battery and the start battery using the renogy dc to dc mppt controller which is great for most people who will be boondocking or staying in 1 place for very long without an external power source. So what happens in this type of system though, is that even if I disconnect the solar array, the solar battery can still be charged by the alternator if the vehicle is running and theoretically by the start battery if the house battery voltage drops below that of the start battery and the ignition switch is turned on (because the vehicle ignition switch being on is what controls that side of the dc to dc mppt controller). Since its not recommended to ever hook up a charge controller without the solar battery connected to it, there really isn't any way to isolate the house battery from the system without disconnecting all of it (via switch or mechanical means ... you literally would have to disconnect the start battery from the charge controller, disconnect the solar array from the controller, and also disconnect the house battery from the controller). Thats not really an option in a vehicle that is going to be driven, so my only option is to keep the temperature above freezing with small heater or using something like a reptile heating mat wrapped around the lithium battery with a way to regulate the temperature, i.e. a thermostat. So for me, my quest has been to find a heater that provides just the right amount of heat to keep the expensive lithium batteries above freezing temperatures for the duration I wont be traveling without depleting the solar batteries.

[@frostyfrances4700]

@@sharpridgehomestead - Well, you ARE an expert in that field compared to most of us. I always tell people if they want a horse or dog trained - or maybe a mil - see me. Otherwise someone else. But lacking though I may be in most other fields, I do retain a lively interest in many, especially the ones with practical and immediate necessity. If it's crayon simple, I can even absorb and sometimes retain a little too. And every bit helps. The Renogy sounds like a winner. Thank you. In gratitude I'll spare you my life story. :p

[@SunflowerandtheBussLady]

I use one in my canned ham camper. It works very well, is quiet and the robin egg blue color fits in perfectly with all my Frigidaire and Galanz retro style appliances, as well as my micro sized AC unit that looks somewhat like the heater, only uses water/ice to cool me down. It’s amazing how these tiny ceramic units can do almost the same job the much bigger units do, and cost a fraction of the price! Glad it’s working out for you!!! Edit: BTW I use it with shore power connected, which is what I’ve been using for several weeks now.

[@UtahTenkara]

Really appreciate you doing this video. It answers a lot of questions I had as I have the Jackery 1000 and a 250W heater. One thing I wasn't expecting was that fan staying on the whole time you run something AC. Also, I was thinking I would run that heater all night but that obviously is not the best way to do it and would run your Jackery down to 0 within 4 hours. Running it at 10 to 20 minute intervals is perfect and especially in the morning when it is extra cold.

[@bonniebhawkinscreativetv3965]

thanks for sharing the Ceramic heater demonstration with us, I personally thought the that heater would heat up your Suv also ,but it didn’t, hopefully there something out there somewhere on the market that does a better job of keeping you warm without burning too much battery bank power, thumbs up and thanks for sharing your experience with the cheap portable ceramic heater.

[@keepcalmprepon]

We like the Honeywell Heatbud - it also runs off 250W and does nicely in a small room or when we're traveling in a campervan (basically small spaces); on the Jackery 1000 you've got about 4 hours of use, but if you on/off as you need it, it'll last all night.

[@jawharris]

Would the heat bed cycle on and off, giving more than 4 hours?

[@denisef379]

Thank you for the video. You are completely correct that running a small heater on your power station is not worth it. I will say though that having it on the floor might have made a difference in heating the space. I have used a 200w and a 500w heater in the back of my Nissan NV200 and it does make a difference. In fact, the 500w is too much heat and I have to turn it off after a while. As it relates to power usage, I stay at RV sites that I have free access to through a regional membership that I bought so that I have electric to plug to. I don’t run them overnight and just use a 12v blanket, but the heaters are helpful when I’m awake and in the van when it’s cold outside.

[@Nilsosmar]

1) Interesting video. I own a similar heater that I bought years ago hoping it would heat up my home office... it had almost zero impact. So am not surprised that it didn't provide much heat. 2) I learned years ago that Hot Hands foot warmers were great on cold camping trips. They don't physically warm your whole body (so don't count on them keeping you alive if it's below zero outside). But by warming the bottoms of your feet they do keep you feeling toasty when it's cold out. Put 'em in between an outer and inner pair of socks.

[@arnoldpreece7804]

I've had that very heater for several years now. Use it in my van when on shore power and it'll support ~30° temp diff with the outside temp. It's an insulated cargo van and that's with the curtains closed isolating the garage and the cockpit. Once it's into the teens or no shore power I'll fire up the diesel parking heater, and that thing will cook me if I don't open curtains and windows! LOL I like the little heater when shore power is on. FWIW

[@robertphillips3893]

I tried something similar in a minivan. I was on a cot and the heater on the floor. It was more powerful and plugged into the grid. I was either too hot when it was on or too cold when it shut off. The temperature outside was in the high 30s F . It might have been better if it was colder and stayed on heat all the time. But as you said there are better solutions.

[@GF-pc5bt]

Yes putting the heater lower would help because hot air rises. Your heater is always better positioned in the coldest place. That’s why in a home vents are places near windows and doors, that’s your biggest heat loss.

[@dontask8979]

@@GF-pc5bt This 100% You want to warm the coolest air in the room.

[@marianelaferris9477]

I have that heater. I paid 5 in the Walmart clearance section. I use it in my classroom daily. I have it on my desk. It keeps me warm. It is awesome. Highly recommended.

[@tquist61]

It would seem the car is losing heat as fast (or faster) than the little heater replace. A good experiment is to take a car nice and warm from driving, turn it off, and see how quickly it loses heat. Cars are just not built with insulation in mind.

[@busyhandskast]

I lived in a small studio a few years ago where the ac/heating was terrible. I bought one of these heater from Walmart. ( the red one) and it work fabulous! I still have it and uses it when it get really cold

[@DawnDizzyLeonard]

Hi I’m living in my Skoda Octavia at the moment, I do what you do extra bedding seems to work, with hot water bottles and hot drinks. However I use my poweroak 500w and plug in my household electric blanket not 12v 240v in low setting, works really well. Nice video.

[@wextremeart4399]

I always have my windows down when I use mine. Always. I'd never sleep in a Jeep or a car. With windows up, you need the ventilation. This fan and this heat together works. Well, you just gotta know what you're doing.Man, love you channel.By the way it's wonderful

[@bill71053]

Typically, these little heaters are used in small office spaces under the work area like a cubicle. It keeps people cozy all day plugged into the wall outlet.

[@Rexodus014]

Thanks for this review, Tristan! Just starting out in this great adventure of "car camping"... having traded my 2008 Miata road-tripper for a 2007 Subaru Forester adventuring car camper. Knowing that my Subaru Forester has considerably smaller space than most SUV's and vans... I am now happily encouraged that there is at least one benefit in having a smaller space inside my Forester. Really enjoy your presentations, Tristan!

[@robincrook5630]

Great little review, thanks. Even though I am not "into" winter camping, there are times when it gets easily 10 to 15 degrees colder than predicted (at least it seems that way, ha). Whether it is our truck bed, or CRV, I have insulated the vehicle pretty well, and I'm with you, I prefer adding additional blankets and/or sleeping bag (plus knit and mittens if necessary). I have found that a great winter level sleeping bag (or comforter since it is my husband and I) plus an expensive, but sturdy wool Pendleton blanket works wonders. Of course...eventually one has to get up to do personal business and get coffee brewing, but hey, that's the fun of camping, eh? Cheers and safe travels always!

[@glenmo1]

At certain truck stops they sell 12 volt heaters and 12 volt electric blankets that run on 12 volts.. there's no loss through AC inverter (you lose 13 to 17% of your power when it converts to AC through the inverter)

[@teslah2997]

thanks, Tristan, for the experiment....appreciated, as always!

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks for watching!

[@WEBFundamental]

I learnt it from a friend who lives in a van. He used a diesel parking heater that can really warm the space up. The heater at Amazon is about $180 and it did not take much diesel to heat over night. I also use waste oil heater and the cost of heating is nothing, just the initial set up cost but it was less than $200.

[@heatherrenae620]

Thank You for explaining elementary wattage usage for Jackery,! I’m a newbie and have watched a lot of videos on car camping, but never had anyone explain that, so great starting point for me in understanding Jackery usage. Thanks for not assuming people know that. Appreciated 👍🏽

[@drobichaud1000]

Just look at your owners manual ffs

[@mikedakin2016]

if you don't understand the science you shouldn't be using one!

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

I will help you . Take the wattats that the electrical device requires to run at its maximum capacity. ( in this case 250 watts ) then you take the power source voltage ( in this case 12 volts )and divide the voltage into the watts ( in this case it is going to be 20.83 amperes. ) by using this formula it is also how you determine what size wire would be used for a installation of any electrical device. Now it is easy to determine how long a 1000 ampere hour device ( Jackery or Bluetey ) ( spelling ) would be able to provide power to the device. This is done by taking the time the device is running and multiplying the wattage to get the sum watt hour. Time x wattage = watt hours. In this case he will run out of power in 4 hours at full run for the full 4 hours. 1000 watts decided by 250 watt device . With 5hese formulas one can determine any device’s power consumption over time. Hope this helps you or anyone else. I know post is 2 years old however science does not change. 👍🇺🇸✌🏻🙏🏽😎

[@sydneymomma11]

​@@christinamoneyhan5688 Thank you writing this out, it's helpful to me, too.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

@@sydneymomma11 you all are quite welcome.

[@MsThebeMoon]

I have a smaller Soleil heater I bought for $10 a couple/few years ago. I use it at my desk and it works really well for that purpose. I'm glad you did this because I've often thought about using it in my vehicle when camping.

[@bugsy1254]

Just wondering if you hadn't turned on the heater, would the temperature in the van have gone down and not stayed at 52? Or, in other words, was the heater working by maintaining the temperature in the van?

[@debvoz]

That is exactly what I thought

[@rudygeorgiamulesandcountry1594]

The power bank would not have run the heater all night, @ 268 W it draws too much charge.

[@debbieweckler5239]

I'm so glad you did this. I almost bought one of those for $10. at Walmart , last week. Thank you

[@jackshepherd2660]

For 250watts, you can get a red heat lamp like to use for chickens! You won’t want to sleep real close to it!

[@morethantheeyesees]

Put it on a timer that runs it for 5 minutes every half hour. If that is not enough then reset for 10 minutes per half hour. Or leave a 50 watt reptile heater black bulb (no light) on all night

[@mondavou9408]

Good idea!

[@mondavou9408]

@@morethantheeyesees Also good idea!

[@nancyst.john-smith3891]

So many fires have been started by poultry heat lamps. They have zero safety features.

[@doc.christopherthompson324]

@@nancyst.john-smith3891 . Yes & because most people don't use their God given common sense, when using them. Ha.Ha.Ha

[@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710]

Hi, when I did daily tent camping, I had up to three candles in one- or two-quart mason jars to use. They were on the floor roughly parallel with my shoulder. I would be reading at night. When my nose would get cold I would lean to the left holding my nose over the candle until it warmed. I used a headlamp to read and the candle took care of ambient lighting.

[@ratherbfishing455]

I'm going to buy one for my bathroom if the price goes down in the summer. My $20 Walmart Lasko heater that lasted over a year is almost as good as my $350 space heater.

[@SUVRVing]

It would make more sense if you're running it all the time in a space like a bathroom. Thanks for watching!

[@museluvr]

@@SUVRVing Doesnt need to run all the time in a bathroom. I use a 1500w to heat up the room about 5mins. before showering, then turn it off. And I love your van tour videos .. getting several ideas for a Ford or Chevy van I'm keeping a lookout for. Ty for all you do. :)

[@MaxZomboni]

I use a 350 watt wall plug heater in my bathroom. I only use it when I need it, but it heats the bathroom really fast.

[@ratherbfishing455]

@@museluvr Yes. I turn mine on about five minutes before also.

[@grannymoreno9551]

It warms my tiny 4' x 7' bathroom.

[@katmogstad1692]

I bought the same heater from the clearance rack for less than $3. I have a minivan and a new Goal Zero Yeti 1000. The heater is good for a quick warm up of my bed before bedtime and I place it directly in front of my bed. I don’t run it very long because, like you learned, it will deplete my power bank within a few hours. I have kept it because it’s small and can be used when I have access to shore power.

[@leslieross7555]

The electric blanket will heat the ambient air, also, that's my experience.

[@SUVRVing]

Yep, electric blankets are a much better solution. Thanks for watching!

[@Monaz1]

Yes I have electric blanket. They are excellent!

[@jonwarner1977]

Yeah, was going to mention an electric blanket.

[@LadyBugout]

Yep! That’s all it takes for my little transit connect🤗

[@robertl.fallin7062]

WOOL is your freind freinds. A 30° camp bag with a wool blanket has served me into single diget temperatures.

[@laragreene8328]

I got a Pelonis heater at Walmart for around $20. It heats great,has a thermostat and the tip over cut off. I think youd like it much better. It heats really good and strong. I have one,that still works after several years and I just bought a extra one to use in another room. Hope you stay warm whatever you decide on. This one is small also but works great!! Heats up a whole room very fast!!!

[@stevenscarborough9376]

We have a similar heater that we only have used when we had shore power. Example: rv park. In that case it worked ok for us. (Toyota Sienna van.) Agree that a heater like this is a no go with a Jackery. Good job on the video!

[@tonymai1844]

Sienna van is ok for one person. Little e-heater with shore power is nice. Other wise it would be cold just like you are in the tent after 3-4hours. UN-insulated vehicle can not hold the heat very well. We need some sort of heat when sleeping in the vehicle camper. Chinese diesel heater may be one option. I dont see other option better than diesel heater.

[@johnswanson3741]

You don't need heat when you are sleeping, it is just nice to warm the place up in the morning before you climb out to get dressed... thus the little buddy

[@atshmh5]

Good to know. I'm planning to start camping in my Ford Escape this summer and fall. Thanks!

[@christineg.6006]

Get a small catalytic heater that runs off a 1 lb bottle or a Mr.Buddy. Much better than a watt guzzling ceramic heater.

[@ub2bn]

Watts vs. Watt Hours ... Available power, on demand vs. Available Capacity. The Jackery 1000 just happens to have both 1000 Watts of Power, and 1000 Watt Hours of Capacity. Only about 80%, or 800 Watt Hours, are actually "usable", without significantly lowering the longevity/cycles of the unit's battery . That 250 Watt heater will use up 750 - 800 Watt Hours of that 800 Watt Hours in 3 hours.

[@joraveranius444]

I've used a Mr. Buddy heater in my camper shell and they work great.

[@crisdelgado1008]

Terrific and functional content! Thank you for this post. You just saved me from an obviously useless purchase. You’d probably be warmer with a rabbit camping with you.

[@mattcm32]

Thanks for making this video, I found it before making my own purchase of a 200W heater to use in my Honda Fit, and I’m really glad I did!

[@1ACL]

I'm wondering if your vehicle had stored some heat from the day in it's mass, and the heater was able to at least stabilize the temp as the night came and your car lost heat. The real test would be to see what the temps are without the heater on a day and a night with similar temps as your experiment night, and compare the two. But, ya, that little guy wont cut it no matter what.

[@jordanpeters3737]

Thats exactly what my thoughts were. I believe the temp inside would have dropped a few degrees lower if the heater had not been running. So it might have stabilized it a bit. I slept in my vehicle when it was 20f outside, and inside my vehicle reached the same temp. But definitely should make a comparison video showing without as well

[@SUVRVing]

It had already been dark for several hours by this point, and the temperature inside was already stable. The heater had no effect. Thanks for watching!

[@cboyle707]

I have one and yes. I think that's how it works best, to stabilize the heat you already have. I like mind when I just need a little help keeping the temp from falling in an already comfortable room.

[@akush55]

the mod > mini 250 watt heater power on only via aluminum dryer duct under the blanket as way to channel with the help of a laptop fans far down or place one duct to rear of heater pull in cool air for heating

[@MossCottageMarket]

Thanks for the review. I was excited that maybe it would work as I too camp out of my SUV. I guess I'll get an electric blanket instead. Blessings, Helen

[@54andBored]

Maybe both ..the face would get cold

[@logothaironsides2942]

I think it must depend where the heater is standing too. I mean if it is up above you, the warmth also goes up. Your thermometer must measure the air around itself and that was lowdown too. When I was little, we had no heating at all and dad put a heater in our bathroom that was up on the wall near the ceiling. It really didnt do much for anything except the top of our heads and our bathroom was quite little.

[@joline2730]

logothair: I agree absolutely, the two items should be in reverse position ...

[@OOICU812]

A better insulated enclosure would have shown a noticeable increase in temperature.

[@kellyjohnson3617]

I have a ceramic heater for my bathroom. I will use it in my bedroom on a cold night. It warms things up really well. I brought it camping but didn’t really help warm things up. I found my electric blanket was much more worthwhile snd it kept me warm. I’m gonna say it’s that the insulation factor is the issue. With my electric blanket I have my down quilt over it and it really keeps me toasty. The electric heater is pretty worthless. But at home in my bedroom and bathroom it’s fine. Wool blanket and sleeping bag and sleeping bag liner and my hoody snd long John’s are good options. Thanks for demonstrating this snd confirming my experience is the same

[@robannmateja5000]

What temperature would it had been without the heater? It did at least maintain the indoor temperature for a period of time. And for $10, it might be worth it just to get some local warmth when getting dressed, etc.... and you would need to position it better in your vehicle. Thanks for the video; it was interesting!

[@nancyst.john-smith3891]

That’s what I was thinking. What was the interior temperature after 30 minutes of the heater being turned off?

[@mikemccann8822]

That and so far nobody has mentioned the mass that filled his sleeping area started at some cold temperature and the heater is trying to warm up that too. Poor assumptions toward the conclusion.

[@karrinorris4331]

I tried the 350 watt ceramic heater in a 5x8 cargo trailer it didn't help much at all. The small 1200 watt heater kept me warm though but had to plug in to a house.

[@demesrvl6761]

When the central heater in the office where I worked died, we used these on our desktop just to warm up our hands.

[@trhg0002]

I keep one of these on my desk as well. I use it to mainly warm up my hands.

[@ronsmith1364]

seems like the main purpose is a desktop hand warmer for uber cold office cube. or to blow warm air on to cold feet/legs in a too cold office setting. perhaps a home office with 60' thermostat setting for a bit of spot warmth. I have heard of 'heated mice' for working with a pc in a cool environment. This was an ultra power bill conservation post. Want to say a fan is needed to mix that hot & cold air inside a vehicle. direct heat will probably be the most efficient power/comfort balance for a car camping scenario.

[@trhg0002]

@@ronsmith1364 Yep.

[@dt8ustotten285]

Have small RV camped for decades. I purchased small black ceramic heaters from Tractor Supply for like $15. These KICK BUTT but have a 500-750 watt draw. They have a thermostat and you can dial in the heat temp. They could have warmed your space in minutes and the Jackery should have been able to handle that.

[@SCSlimBoiseID]

The little heater likely kept the inside of your outfit from getting colder, rather than making it warmer. I have one of those, the exact same model, and use it in my home office, where it sometimes is a bit colder than the rest of the house. It actually does warm the room a bit, but it takes an hour or two to achieve a noticeable difference. I don't think it would make much difference at all in a bigger room.

[@wisgolf1185]

Same thought I had, without the heater, the car might have been down to 40 degrees.

[@sheilacaine3962]

I have the heater from walmart that is 20 bucks it heats my tiny house 650 square ft. Ill have to check wattage.

[@belindahugheslifestyle]

Well done on your experiment. Thanks for doing that. I would have considered buying it otherwise. My friend LAVALindy uses a brooding heater panel in her van. Yes, brooding as in chickens. She's quite happy with it. And if she got one, it surely didn't cost much. You might try that next. Happy trails! 💖☮🙏

[@davidyummus6259]

Look into the power consumption of a 12 volt car camping blanket, you may be surprised ;)

[@kathyfann]

I use one of these in my Motorhome bedroom and it made all the Difference back area. But I have a lot more power in the Motorhome

[@catrashoo]

That thing is meant for office desks to warm up hands 😆

[@SUVRVing]

Yep!

[@alexanderweaver7066]

For your Rav4, a small heater like the Covea Cupid butane heater running for 10 to 15 minutes before bedtime would sufficiently heat up your interior. I do that in my GMC Savana and my interior is comfortably warm. My NEMO 15 degree sleeping bag keeps me toasty down to the high 20's. Sometimes I turn on my Gas One stove for 15 to 20 minutes prior to bedtime and the same amount of time in the morning before crawling out of my bag, using a mini heater over the stoves flames. I have a medium size Mr. heater Buddy for those really frosty evenings and mornings. I never close my sliding door completely unless it is pouring rain outside.

[@carstars]

Did keep the temperature from dropping.

[@alexanderweaver4838]

I have a similar unit in my bedroom at home. It has two levels of cool air and two of heated air with a control switch that increases levels (like a dimmer switch) of cool or heat. It also has the safety switch that turns if off automatically when tipped over. In order for it to be effective the bedroom door has to be closed and the unit is on the floor. I've used it for winter to save on the costs of heating oil (average $300 for 100 gallons, lasts 1 1/2 to 2 months). Of course the electricity costs rises with its use along with three radiator heaters we use. To be honest, I think it would be more cost effective just to use the heating oil method alone. I've used this portable heater for over three years and it has not caused any issues. When I overland camp and sleep in my Jeep SUV I'll boil a liter of hot water, pour it into my Pathfinder canteen and wrap the canteen in a thick wool sock double layers to protect my sleeping bag and myself. The canteen goes into my footbox. I use a rechargeable hand warmer (Ocoopa from Amazon) or chemical hand warmers near my core. My sleeping bag stays warm all night. For super cold nights I have wool blankets to throw over my bedroll. If I use my tent, Mr. Buddy Heater keeps my tent interior around 60 to 65 degrees. However, I do keep at least one vent or window open even if I'm using a carbon monoxide detector.

[@cindylou2313]

I’m very glad you shared a review on such a practical item. Thank you!

[@SUVRVing]

Thanks for watching, Cindy!

[@brianbailey462]

more like impractical

[@cindylou2313]

@@brianbailey462 true that 😆

[@cheweyweather]

Try one of those low energy 200 watt flat panel heaters. Those can't cause fires and work fairly efficient in a small space. Thank you for the test.

[@samanthadodd8112]

Excellent video. I was wondering about those little heaters. I had heard that u need at least 450 watts or more. U may want to try one of those bigger ones. I do have a heated blanket. I just hate getting up - that first 10 mins is killer until the car gets warm.

[@MaxZomboni]

That's what I'm thinking too. He needs to go up to at least 350 watts. It will use more of his battery power, but it will heat his car.

[@samanthadodd8112]

@@MaxZomboni Several of the little heaters have a low heat button that uses less than 500 watts.

[@jaynetabb208]

I have 2 of these. A test I did, the thermometer didnt change much but I noticed a difference in the van and began to sweat after about 20 minutes. It was in the 40s when I tested it. He needs 2 of them. One didnt do anything.

[@danishknight2798]

I have a spare bedroom/office with poor duck work from the central heat so I have one of these under my desk for keeping my feet warmer at night. Your observation is correct that this heater only give about an increase of 2 degrees in a small room i.e. if my office is 61 in the morning and I turn on this heater then a couple of hours later the office has gone up to 63 when I come back.