3 Best Electric Heaters for Teardrop Trailers (Plus Thermostat)

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Okay, this is neat. I just looked up the recharge times for the Bluetti AC50s on their website and they are saying 3 hours on solar. So I was off on my calculations of 5-5.5 hours. I must have been calculating my original solar panels that I typically use. Wow, 3 hours! Seems too good to be true. Can't wait to try it more this spring.

[@teresacooper5318]

Excellent Information. Thank You.

[@alev4287]

Hey super stoked I found your channel. I've been thinking this same thing about using an electric heater to avoid extra condensation winter camping. I got the Bluetti AC200, super stoked! I'm preparing the back of my truck and insulating it etc. Been watching tons of videos for best ideas. I'd say we are in the same mindset and i've also lived in AK in wintertime, such a beautiful place. I'm going to be hopefully driving around to ski resorts in lower 48 and camping in bed of my tundra. What have you found that works well to keep the batteries warm enough? I didn't realize the effect on the batteries until i tried using my electric skateboard to ride up Mt. Washington road. I'll probably do a video on that as i have footage. The cold sucked the life of the battery, but I was able to charge it up almost completely on my ride down! But yeah what should I use to insulate the AC200? Keep it wrapped in insulation? Do you bring your AC50 into your car to charge when driving? I'd like to run a wire from my truck to the bed where if i can keep the ac200 there, i won't have to move it. I also have 2 120watt solar panels to help charge it. Do you have any ideas for charging on the road? If you kept yours in the teardrop, how would you charge on the road? Also, i noticed your AMG? battery in the teardrop, do you have a video or know a video about how to use that battery and what it's good for? Thanks for all your videos and stoked for you and your family!

[@alev4287]

Also I forgot but what have you found that works best to dry out wet winter clothes the end of the day?

[@i4nic256]

@@alev4287 You can try hot hands packets to give it warmth in between uses, maybe keep it in a closed container or wrapping it in something. You can even try reflectix. I even put it in a bin and put a insulated hot water bottle inside to keep it warm for 8 hours. If you try that I would do container inside container to keep the hot water bottle separate from the battery just in case of water leaks. When I say insulated hot water bottle, I meant something to help trap in more heat from the bottle so the heat lasts longer.

[@alev4287]

@@i4nic256 thanks yeah i think i'll try to wrap it with my leftover reflectix or that water bottle trick would work too, hopefully won't have too many crazy cold days and nights left

[@ricardostravels3265]

A heating blanket and warm clothing is the way to go, although eating a hot meal before bed really helps as well. Also, placing a bottle with hot water inside your sleeping bag helps as well.

[@MrBlack-wt5er]

You are a genius! That's the smartest solution I ever seen!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Agreed!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

We have an entire video on what he is saying if you’re interested. It’s our winter camping teardrop video. I think you may enjoy it.

[@irishgrl]

I saw on another video a hack that kills 2 birds with one stone…it’s a bit cringe but it makes logical sense once you get past the eww factor….anyway, in the night when you have to pee, pee into a container you can close tightly and put that in your sleeping bag between your legs. It saves you from getting up & having to use a toilet (for the moment) & it’s already warm & you don’t have to heat it. (I think it’s genius myself) Tip: use a dedicated leakproof container for only this purpose. Maybe one of those ice bag thingies with the screw lid? That way you can feel the warmth while it lasts…maybe look for an insulated one?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@irishgrl that’s a great idea. I never thought about this. Another thing I mentioned in my winter camping video is that you don’t want a full bladder when you sleep. There’s wasted energy heating that reserve of water. So getting it out of your system and into the bottle to warm yourself has two benefits.

[@merds01]

I bought the small Honeywell 4 years ago when I worked at the office and they kept it 66 in there. Used it everyday for a year before working from home and still use it on a nearly daily basis (mainly winter time) - has held up with no issues what so ever. Just in case anyone was curious.

[@hsgjkhagljkh]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I have a minivan and spent hours trying to find the right heating source. I dreaded the idea of figuring out how to install a small diesel heater. This is exactly what I need!! :)

[@turtleturtle8507]

The tear drop trailers are much smaller and better insulated than a mini van

[@carmenmartinez2882]

Buddy heater on low for a few minutes then turn it to pilot only, I warm up my T4 Gazelle tent that way, mostly on pilot, of course some ventilation and definitely a carbon monoxide detector is a must. Tents have 0 insulation, with a decent sleeping bag and the pilot all night my tent is very comfortable, a 1 lb canister will last aprox 2 to 3 full nights this way, refillable canisters out of a 5 lbs tank is very inexpensive at aprox $1.05 a pound to refill the 5 lbs and you’re set for several nights. Been doing this forever, is amazing how much the pilot can warm up the tent, you’ll probably do even better in the van.

[@theaharper5528]

@@carmenmartinez2882 Wow this is some good advice. I just bought a buddy heater and was wishing there was an even lower setting, didn't think at all to just have it on the pilot light after heating up a space.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I love this geeky stuff! Thank you all for sharing your ideas with us. Half the things we share in this video came from all of you. So fun being a part of this community.

[@henkholdingastate]

with a dimmer such as those used for incandescent lamps, you can infinitely regulate the output power of the stove. For such a small heater, almost any dimmer will suffice

[@FromShetoMe]

LOL. Wish I could have heard that conversation regarding the toilets. The trick is to get your partner to use it before you do so the seat isn't so cold.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad to see you on here. You reminded me that I needed to email you soon. Should have an email coming from us tonight. Love the seat warming idea! Honestly I would go to those lengths if that ensures the whole family will come out. I am still struggling to get May out more than 2 times a winter.

[@bayareaview8301]

Thank you very much brother for your information. It was very helpful. I’m in United States supposed to worker that has to travel to work but I normally there by 4:30 and I don’t start until 8 AM so I sleep in my SUV with a sleeping bag very comfortable but now in the winter time is been a killer temperature has dropped to 18° and trying to get dressed at 18° is freaking cold so the Setup that you recommended gave me idea which it’s helping a lot little power station with the heater about 10 minutes before I get up I turn it on by time I get out my sleeping bag and get dressed it’s warm. Thank you.

[@diodorobocanegra2955]

Boy you got alot of comments for such a small heater review. Still have another 50 plus to finish..you won the Emmy. Good job.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

😂 😂 😂

[@FrankLadd]

I blast my tent with the little buddy before bed or if I go out for the bathroom. It get the tent really warm in 15 minutes or less. Then I turn it off and go back to sleep. I use a Lasko all night to maintain the temperature and to keep the tent dry. I'll look into the Honeywell unit. Thanks!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Your setup is 100% identical to us. Well, at least our setup for the last 3 years. Little Buddy/Lasko combo is great. This year we have been blessed with a ton of lithium so we are trying to see if we can move away from the propane a bit. The propane worked great solo camping, a little less well, but still almost flawless with two of us, now with the whole family in tow it is just way too much moisture. We are so due for a teardrop with a rooftop tent! And I think you will really like that honeyewell, especially the extra punch you get from the additional 50 watts when you first get up in the morning. Thanks for sharing your setup Frank. Always good for all of us in the community to hear what others are doing.

[@СлаваСлава-з4х]

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!!

[@inkey2]

Starting about 3 years ago I started to experiment with electric emergency heating because I live in a cold part of the USA (Massachusetts). After trying a number of small heaters I liked the small Honeywell ones because it has a two option power switch. I ran it a few times of a small "ANKAR" battery power station. Although I got less than an hours heat on low. Better than nothing

[@baneverything5580]

My Bluetti EB70 saved me during a very VERY cold winter storm power outage powering an electric blanket. It was an AC one and I accidentally stepped on the controls and turned it up to a less efficient level but it still only used 1/3rd of the battery in 8 hours at zero degrees in a camper with very high winds. I`m buying a DC electric blanket next to use with my large variety of smaller power stations.

[@TroyGabe]

Great video...I just installed a Chinese diesel heater in my teardrop. I installed a Jerry gas can to the side of the trailer in place of the plastic one that came with it. I have tested it and it's great I installed it in the gally on the side the cooler not on the bottom. I'll put a video on my youtube showing it installed and working and a 4 day trip in a week should be raining 🌧 maybe ❄ snow. It a nice dry heat.

[@TroyGabe]

Oh I have that 350 watt electric one for when hookups

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Good timing on this. We just cued up in our "watch later" tab Slim Potatoehead's video on his Chines diesel install. Really looking forward to seeing that video. That nice dry heat sounds great. Safe travels out there. Sounds like you have a fun trip ahead of you. Makes me excited to get out this weekend just thinking about it!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I think that is what we are going to do as well. I love how much heat that little thing puts out.

[@TroyGabe]

@@PlayingwithSticks i just posted the a quick video I hope it helps any question feel let me know

[@lasttime500]

I live in the tropics. Why am I watching this? Lol

[@mikemead2315]

Welding blanket to protect from fires. Great under and around propane appliances where tip over or over heating might start a fire, in front of radiant heaters that may over heat fabrics and wood in front of it, and would also work under and around electric heaters. Harbor Freight sells them. I cut to fit.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Welding blanket! Good one Mike. Brings me back to my high school days. Used to take every welding and shop class I could to avoid the college preparatory classes that my parents wanted me to take. You would think with all those classes I would be handy. But, you would be wrong :) May thinks I am handy, but it is because I study every youtube video possible before embarking on any project!

[@mikemead2315]

@@PlayingwithSticks 🤣. I like your sense of humor! I can relate.

[@burly636]

I just received one of the 200 watt My Heat heaters yesterday and was wondering if they work on a solar generator. Was going to try it. Tip over feature is the first things I checked, not tip safe. Thought about making a wall cage for it in my van. My late husband was a fire chief and fire safety was drilled into me. LOL

[@PlayingwithSticks]

You have great points here. I think one of the most important rules for all of us to abide by is to ensure we never have the heater on while we are sleeping, ensure the heater is not near flammable materials, and ensure the trailer has adequate exitts.

[@mikemead2315]

Nicely done presentation. You have a knack. I like seeing your complete solution covering all aspects. Thanks!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks Mike! Appreciate the kind words.

[@ronstrobel9227]

This couldn't have come at a better time! We just got an EcoFlow Delta and tested our 1500 watt ceramic heater with it. No need to mention that particular arrangement won't work for heating a 6x10 Cargo Trailer Conversion through the night. I think we will take your recommendations for heated blankets and the Honeywell as a possible solution. Thanks! ~ Kir in Tennessee

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Fun purchase! Those Ecoflows are truly amazing. Waiting to see how long it takes other brands to adopt what they are doing in terms of their wall charging speeds. Glad this video was helpful. You may see a cargo trailer on here this spring. We picked it up this fall, did very slight modifications and then stopped. We aren't sure if we are going to move forward with the big plans because at the moment we absolutely love the simplicity, the openness, and how quickly it converts from a trash hauler/toy hauler/ to our bedroom on wheels.

[@ronstrobel9227]

@@PlayingwithSticks We love ours, even though we are just barely starting to convert it. Nothing fancy. Still debating insulation; here in Tennessee it doesn't get real cold for a very long time. Porta-potty, no plumbing; maybe no electric, but may have to reconsider and put a 30-amp connection in. Look forward to seeing your cargo trailer and what you decide to do with it! ~ Kir in Tennessee

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@ronstrobel9227 Yours sounds just like ours. The insulation is a tough one. You know we have a 13' trailer up here with no insulation and we use it from May to September. It does just fine for us. Now, would insulation allow us to use much less propane in late September, yes. But, it also increases how much moisture stays in the camper as well. Sometimes having a drafty camper if the temps aren't too cold outside is actually a benefit when it comes to managing the moisture.

[@outdoorsman2b918]

Have you tried the Ecoflow River 2 Pro? It is rated 800 Watts.(1600 peak), has 4 A/C outlets. 3 USB A, 1 USB C 100W, and a 12V car lighter type outlet. It also have two 12V outlets that I don't know how to explain the type, but look like the laptop's charging cable ( female cylindrical type) At home A/C power, it charges from 0-100% in like 70 mins. You can also use 220W solar panel to charge it. It also charges from your car 12V outlet but it may take 5-10 hour to charge from 12V. Not cheap but often on sale for approx. $340. Just came came out a newer version, River 3 Pro . Much smaller. These tiny ones can't use it but, Ecoflow also came out with an 800W charger that taps into the car battery, and you don't have to install a 2nd alternator. I don't know which is the smaller "solar generator" that you can connect.

[@deeleeman8216]

I love the heater that plugs into the wall that white on. It worked great in my 9x9 room. Another thing is that you can buy a timer for like turning on lights and plug it in and then plug like the purple heater into it and set the timer. They have multiple times you can set it. I’m heading into van life soon and I will be using a small heater like the white one.

[@boardbuslife]

I wouldn't have survived last winter at -4°F if it wasn't for those thick, sherpa blanket hoodies that are popular now. Stayed cozy with barely any heat available!

[@stef2282]

tube heaters are brilliant for the energy consumption as well. 120w and gets nice and warm!

[@noguardrails47]

I took a Honeywell personal fan for 15 dollars and duct taped it to the back of my Lasko Myheat and it does help push the heat out further - at a little reduction in temperature. I like the tradeoff because in my opinion the lasko just doesnt push the heat very far from the unit. barely over 1 foot to 1 1/2. The personal fan boosts the flow and makes the Lasko work better. Also it does add about 50 watts to the total power usage.

[@ladycountdown]

You can get a USB port Rechargeable battery operated fan and have that charged up in advance so that you are not drawing down more energy simultaneously.

[@vanvorst1999]

😎👍 I love my Minetom heater with it's timer to warm up my camper bathroom just before I get up in the morning!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That is so cool. I never would have even thought about doing that before getting this heater. Opens up some great opportunities for preparing spaces. Thanks for sharing Scott. Always good to hear from someone else who use these heaters.

[@douglasw5371]

I run the Minetom heater inside my Mini Jayco RK10 and it does a fantastic job while I am on shore power.

[@MikeO-p8l]

I'm use a jam berry nail dryer,and jackery explorer 300 , only uses 100 watts ... It works , also heated blankets only use 80 watts at peak , also car seat heater , uses 12 volt plug , and less watts .

[@johnbell9491]

This is exactly the video I've been looking for. Thank you!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Love hearing that!

[@johnbell9491]

@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you also for the vid on electric blankets, another one I was looking for. 😊

[@JRR31984]

Awesome recommendations. I still think inergy is the best, but I love your heater points. For now I can't afford inergy, so I'm working with battery and inverter products for beginner work.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Honestly we are not very familiar with Inergy. Can you tell us a bit more? Would love to know what makes them better. We are most knowledgeable when it comes to Jackery, Maxoak, the Ecoflows, and Rockpals. We still have quite a lot of learning to do.

[@imbonnie]

ditto regarding Inergy. I’ve tried them all and Inergy has the best capacity and efficiency. I have the Inergy Flex so if I need more capacity I can add batteries. They just need a wireless app.

[@WheresWiseman]

We loved this video! Actually came back to it weeks later for advice and bought the AC50 tonight. So excited to try out our portable heaters in the mountains this month. Thanks again for the great research 🤘🏻

[@PlayingwithSticks]

You are most welcome! We were just watching one of your videos a few days ago. I assume you got the AC50S. But, if not you still have time to cancel that order. The AC50S is the upgraded version from the original AC50. And for us we get the biggest bang from the electric blankets. We mostly use our heater in the morning and sometimes right before bed. If you don't have an electric blanket yet, you will be so happy you got one.

[@jlscielo]

Yay! I used the link to buy the Honeywell heater and thermostat temperature controller so I can keep using a small portable power generator! So much great information. I ended up choosing the EcoFlow River mini for power. I cannot wait to try these out. Now on to your blanket video!🤗😂🙌

[@gramnet]

Love the eco line. I have the eco flow river pro.

[@ytJnC]

Looking forward to the next episodes. I would like to hear about humidity control, particularly while “winterizing”. I’m leaning to some Damp Rid cartridges but would like to hear of other options.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That is a tough one. We use damp rid when parked. For the first year we took it with us while traveling, but accidentally tipped it over multiple times. You don't want that slushy goo tipping over. Awful chemical mess to clean up. Even when properly secured we continued to forget to put the cover on. Yep, a few bumps and it was all over the camper again. If carrying it make sure to add it to your camp cleanup checklist so you don't forget it like us. To us what we found to be best is a combination of a few things. Making sure the trailer isn't TOO sealed. Weatherizing and insulating a trailer is great, but you can take it too far. Where I work we have a weatherization department. In the past the logic was to seal up all homes in Alaska. Well, we quickly found without proper ventilation the homes became black mold growing machines. Today we seal, but let the house breathe. Another thing you can do is get that mattress up off the ground. In sailboats folks use the Froli Sleep system. A lot of people have added this to their teardrop trailers to prevent moisture gathering under the mattress. And then like our teardrop (so ugly) we really believe in the power of carpet or rat fur. Again, so ugly but in our experience it takes that moisture into the fibers and somehow over time it properly allows it to evaporate without causing mildew/mold/etc. Our camper is sealed fairly well, but we still get a bit of air movement even when everything is closed. Most folks vent the top just a smidge at night. The only issue with that is that the hot air travels that way and quickly heads out. This is why in our opinion it is best to get that cabin up warm with the heater, and then once you are asleep the electric blanket does the rest of the work. Once you wake up the heater goes back on again. Hope that helps.

[@TSunshineful]

Cheapest kitty litter in old socks

[@ytJnC]

Thanks for the replies. Particularly with fan usage and an eye to prevent mold. Froli is certainly on our radar. I finally figured out how to get our espacher heater thermostat working, and leave it on now for winterizing. It’s plumbed to the van gas tank and theoretically could run all winter. We set the thermostat to 46 degrees and it’s done a great job of keeping the van dry. We stayed in it last night and the humidity was in the 40s. Regarding damp rid, the cartridges are mostly sealed (although I suspect if tipped over or shaken, something might come out). Thanks again for the detailed feedback.

[@josephdebes3060]

Damp Rid now has small ziplock style hanging bags designed to hang with your clothes in a closet. It does however, give you the option of hanging it on any convenient hook in an RV. Less likely for any spills, but still gives you the humidity control

[@marlenemartel9649]

Thank you for sharing this video. I really like the Lasko heater and the idea of a thermostat to regulate the heat better. However my main concern is with recharging the battery of the Power Station (in this video Bluetti). Here in Canada when it rains or when it is cloudy, Solar Panels are not ideal. For this reason, I was thinking a getting 2 Jackery or Bluetti, 500 Watt-hour; use one for one night, recharge it from the other power station the next day and keep doing these cycles. However after contacting Jackery about this set up, I was told that the Jackery would recharge only to 80% (as opposed to 100% with a 120v wall outlet). So not the best for the second night sleep. So my question is: How do you recharge your Bluetti for maximum power? Thank you so much.

[@baneverything5580]

WOW! I just got my Lasko 200w heater! Now I have an extra emergency option in my camper and I can power it from 12 different batteries I have! And it works GREAT for such low power!

[@kevinfisher466]

you are a damn liar. This is what the company says on their website: At this time, we do not manufacture battery operated products. This heater and all other Lasko products are equipped with a power cord and designed to operate in a 120V outlet only.

[@kevinfisher466]

get the hell off of youtube 😩😠🤬

[@noahriding5780]

I would also like to know how long these are expected to last for? This is going to be a consideration because there may come a time where people can't get to the store. Thanks.

[@hmfem3656]

Not only enjoyed but also got a lot of valuable info regarding electric heaters. Liked & subscribed today 👍

[@stevec3872]

I have remedied the My Heater lack of a safety switch in case it is knocked over by simply using Gorilla Tape to securely tape it to a flat cement block which makes it all but impossible to tip over. I could do the same thing using Velcro as well.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

So simple! Thanks for sharing. I am a bit embarassed that I used it for that long without even ensuring it had a tip-over feature. Like you said, as light as they are it doesn't take much to secure one down.

[@LWRoad]

Loved the drone glacier shot, excellent!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

I wish I could take credit for that. Jordan from Valiant trailers took that out on the Knik. He did a great job as that was the very first time he used his drone.

[@MyWasteOfTime]

Not really "Surge," heat is creates resistance causing the power usage to go down. Good video!

[@saltpepper1894]

now Someone please make a tiny Air conditioner unit! #Vanlife

[@saltpepper1894]

@tzilla yeah i know... $1000 expensive

[@michaelmcgee6465]

Yeap. I was searching for a smaller ac too. 5000 btu is as small as I could find except the 1000 buck zero breeze. You'd think there would a 4000 or even 3000 btu window unit available. Oh well. I'm starting with a bluetti ac200 . ordered and awaiting delivery. It paired with 750 watts of solar. Pv panels that I already have and lots of insulation. Hopping it will work out.

[@stevecrawford7605]

Coolbreeze. Lol

[@garbinator09]

Great video. Even though I have no plans to use these, we went more upscale ordering our Vestibule fully loaded teardrop. Only I nixed the solar panels on top. Here in California, we have giant redwoods spanning 300ft making solar useless unless a user wishes to park in the open sunlight during the heat of the day. Not for me. We also are going with the Lithium battery power with a battery warmer (?) which I have not researched yet. We would like too explore our lower 48 but think we will began our journeys right here in our home state of California, as we know of hundreds of yet to be explored venues of natural beauty awaiting those seeking it. Cheers! Gary

[@PlayingwithSticks]

What a great purchase you made Gary! We are huge Cosmo Weems fans and often gaze longingly at his little teardrop. Like you we also found quickly that the solar on the rooftop did not work out for us here in Alaska. Obviously it worked at times, but that is a lot of nice glass to have sitting out that rarely gets used. Would love to hear more about the battery warmer if you end up pursuing that option. Similar to you we planned a trip to Iceland, but right before the trip we thought "hey there is probably a lot of great places here in our backyard that we haven't discovered." And that was 4 years ago when we decided to get a teardrop. And since then we haven't left the country once for adventure. It really can be found in your backyard. Now, I will say you and I are lucky in that our backyard is Alaska and California. But, even during our 5.5 years in Nebraska we never ran out of great places to see.

[@aztecagames]

Come down south to the desert! No trees here to block the sun :D

[@JasonGage]

Hey Drew, I have a Bluetti EB3A. Do you think that will be enough to power that little Honeywell heater in my teardrop? Love your videos thanks

[@My_Fishingjournal]

Love your video and my worry is the carbon monoxide. Typically I like to sleep in my camper shell with my son inside. Also I have a auxiliary outlet in my campershell that can be powered on from my starter battery without my car being turned on because it's plugged into my Auxbeam switch panel that's turned on all the time even when the truck is off. Will these heaters drain my battery?

[@inthewoodswithbigfoot3941]

Thanks again for all of your insights. I am still considering getting a teardrop. I think that it will be perfect!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad the insights are helpful. It is a tough decision narrowing down which trailer is best. We are excited to hear what you go with.

[@mrdave22]

thank you for the shout out, you da man! very thorough as always, great content! big thumbs up. you're the best. thanks for sharing

[@PlayingwithSticks]

No, you da man! It was your information :) Again, thank you so much for this great idea!

[@mrdave22]

@@PlayingwithSticks i guess it may prove useless with your new heater with a built in thermostat? either way i was glad to tell you about it and stoked to see you include me in your video. Thank you kind sir.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@mrdave22 No, not useless at all. At 350 watts that heater is too large for our power needs. Great for those hooking up to shore power or carrying around a 1,500-2,400 watt Bluetti. But, we are pretty sold on the combo of our AC50s and the Rockpals 300, which are perfect for the little heaters with your thermostat.

[@555vwc8]

Found today one that runs at 133 watts and runs hotter than the Honeywell in low and is half the size plus is more quiet

[@mrdave22]

@@555vwc8 link?

[@mikemead2315]

That AC50/S is a very nice setup for that size and easily best in class. The comparison considerations would be the small inverter at 300watts AC, long incomplete car charging at 15hr/50%, intermittent fan noise cooling, and AC socket location that could block other sockets when using some large plug-ins. Car charging can be sped up to 100% in 5.5 hrs using an intermediate car-AC inverter, and short extensions can get around AC socket placement.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Good points on the cons and the workarounds. When I was calling Bluetti to learn about specs, they said "are you sure you want to use the AC50s for your teardrop? You know it only has a 300 watt inverter?" And I said, yep. For most folks 300 watts may be on the small side. But, for everything we currently use in our teardrop nothing exceeds 300 watts. I just looked at their newer Bluetti AC200P 2000Wh/2000W Portable Power Station. Wow! Just wow! So many ports (17), such high watts accepted from solar, 2000 watt hours and able to power 2000 watt devices, 4800 watt surge, LiFePo4 Battery for even more charges (like the old ones were enough already :) ) And I am noticing their AC charging continues to get faster and faster. They now are offering a 400 watt charging adapter. Pretty crazy how these guys are listening to the critics and quickly putting everything we all want into their next builds.

[@mikemead2315]

@@PlayingwithSticks Yes! Developers are seeing a market to make money due to popularity mostly started and improved by suggestions made in the camping market. Getting better and better with more good choices. I agree that 300 watts is probably more than enough for most.

[@carriemainquist757]

I just want to say I would like this video twice. Super helpful.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thank you Carrie!

[@dontfencemein-rving7439]

Hola from cold and chilly Lima, Peru!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Love it! Hola. We could definitely benefit from that vitamin D you’re getting down there.

[@jesserevilla992]

Appreciate this vid; have seen you before. Although our rig is a 22.5 TT overall 26ft couples. Yet we hike & tent camp and the Travel Trailer becomes a base camp. You have great insight and helpful regardless of our differences in rigs. So I signed up.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks Jesse. I think there can be a lot of crossover. Many of the things I use when camping comes from Long Long honeymoon. They’re rig is much larger than mine, but there are so many similarities.

[@jesserevilla992]

@@PlayingwithSticks We absolutely Love those two @ Long Long Honeymoon their Original. I have personally unsubscribed to many on YT and now I pic content that has value without all the hoopla lol. I don't expect all content to be relatable all the time but folks like you are sound & real. You have a beautiful family God Bless, all your Endeavors. Your friends in Miami, FLA.

[@jeanariley7759]

Great info. Several years ago the AS SEEN ON TV people came out with Handy Heater. Advertised at 350 watts ( read manual says 400w, tho 😞). Very similar to the one you show. It has built in thermostat as well. Has 12 hour programmable timer but temp range is 60-90😐). The timer is for shut off not start up, tho. It retailed for $30 and works great. Has high and low setting , too. Actually flat on bottom so you could use appropriate rated extension cord and will sit on flat surface. Plug on back rotates as well. I also have a Soliel brand ( got at Wal-Mart - I think) Ceramic heater. One speed only- 250 watts. Has tip over switch, over heat protection and cool touch exterior. Finally, I have the Honeywell you show as well. Probably lowest watts of all on Low. The thermostat is great idea. The other possibility is using a timer on the ones without thermostat. Then it will come on when you want it to. You can set set small intervals, too- like 3 to 5 minutes. Check out Oddyessey (spelling) Camper channel on KZbin. I built my own "goal zero" from a jump pack watching his vids. He uses the Honeywell heater, too. He has video demonstrating the timer w/ link to the timer on Amazon. Have yet to buy "solar generator" because have solar set up with AGM battery in my van but also have the one I made. You won't have cold temperature issues with this set up, can jump your vehicle with it, air your tires and has 2 120 volt plugs, 2 12 volts plugs and 2 Usb plugs. Granted, only about a 22ah battery unless you add a battery to double it. Don't know how that translates to watt hours. It's heavier at about 25 lbs but covers a lot of bases! All on Oddyessey Camper channel.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Funny you mention the As SEEN ON TV version. We just saw that the other day too. We also noted that it would be nice for our Minetom to be able to sit flat. That is a feature it could have benefited immensely from. Thank you for sharing Odyssey Camper, that is a new one to us. Looks like it has some great resources. Like you we are big fans of our AGM battery setup as well. Especially in this winter weather. What really turned us on to solar power stations though was the potential to chase the sun. We found most campsites we stay at are pretty shaded, which means we needed portable solar. Then after stretching them across the campsite we realized we not only needed to go further, but we also needed the solar panels back at the camper for the AGM battery. The power station and an extra set of panels solved all our issues overnight. Love hearing when one channel can be your one stop shop. That really is our goal as well. We hope to someday give people the same experience that you received from Odyssey Camper. I bet that would make him feel really good knowing how much he has helped you out.

[@jeanariley7759]

@@PlayingwithSticks Darren is very helpful! A lot of correspondence between us. We have actually met in person. He lives in MI but travels a lot for work. The jump pack unit is portable and charges the same way...solar, 12 volt or 120. It has a light on it too! Plus all the other features I mentioned. Very easy to do. Check his channel out for details. His channel is a lot like you guys. The premise was to encourage people to get out and camp without a lot of expense. He converted two different Honda Odyssey vans very simply and then use various hacks for preparing is coffee providing heat power Etc. So there are a lot of similarities the only difference is that he generally goes camping by himself. His is a small Channel and probably not real well known outside of a small community. But he is very knowledgeable about Electronics Etc and I think you'll find some really helpful information there like what I just mentioned about the jump pack powerstation.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@jeanariley7759 We will definitely be checking out his channel. Thank you.

[@BrooklynAvenue]

I tried running a jamberry mini heater (100 watt) on my Jackery 300. It lasted about 20 minutes. You are using pretty powerful batteries!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Our batteries are pretty small. 280 and 500. We do have the 1500 but rarely use it.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Our batteries are pretty small. 280 and 500. We do have the 1500 but rarely use it.

[@heckmancs]

This was great info, didn't really want to use a diesel heater, or propane, in my cargo trailer conversion, this seems like a great alternative. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Honestly I think the video you want to watch of ours is the electric blanket. Most small camper owners like you find that this is by far the most efficient way to stay warm. Not only do you save a lot of energy you’re much warmer during the night and it warms up way faster. This way you’re only heating your body and not having to heat the entire cabin.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Like you said the built-in heater would be nice. But for $20-$30 and no installation required you can’t beat seeing if the simple route works first.

[@WildcatPhoto]

Realizing this video is a couple years old... I was looking for a new heater. I have one that looks about like your Lasko, and get too warm after while, especially too warm for dog child. The Honeywell Bud has been discontinued (oh no), but I found one if it really comes. I got one like the one without a cord and sent it back because the way Little Guy installed the receptacle, the rotating plug did not turn the right direction to be able to fit back in the hole where it needed to go; just my luck. So, I'm hoping the Honeywell on 170 watts will work a bit better. I use a 12 volt throw, but on occasion go to a campground where a heater is nice. Years ago, I had a Honeywell, but it did not have two heats. I open the roof vent a bit, so having a choice should help.

[@spideymcgee4718]

So.... this video convinced my wife that winter camping isn't happening anytime soon and I am the guinea pig. I'm thinking the electric blanket is the way to go. Also, my mini trailer is not insulated. I'm thinking of adding my own. Should I just build out a thin wall and truly insulate it? I am getting an AC unit so I'm not too worried about the heat.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Have you checked out the pricing for getting it insulated? you may be surprised how affordable it is as part of the build. Many of the old school van dwellers who I highly respect suggest Poly iso sheets. They appear to be the best bang for the buck. Insulation they are r 7 value per inch. And so yes, you can either detach the interior skin if it has any or add your own thin wall. If you aren't worried about the heat though you may have no need to insulate. You will be surprised how little it takes to cool one of these trailers. If you have AC this means you are hooked into shore power. This would be more than enough to keep you cool at night. The insulation in the heat is typically for cooling your camper for short periods, then turning off the AC which is powered from your gas generator. This way your camper stays cool for a few hours before having to turn it back on again.

[@spideymcgee4718]

@@PlayingwithSticks the company I chose doesn't do insulation, but luckily Jess and I are on the shorter side so I'm going to build out an inch or so on the side and add insulation myself using those poly iso sheets! You're the man!

[@tinabeane]

Very interesting, that Minetom is nice but if it doesn't seem to do the temp correctly when plugged in to my power station that is a no go for me. I will have to check out that programmable thermostat, good hack on how to use it for heat. I like to sleep cold too, so would want it below 60. Thanks well done!!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That was our issue as well. It now is our bathroom heater when giving the boys a bath and our backup heater on the road.

[@brandonnelson4164]

AC50s is only 120w of solar. EB3A is another solid choice (although it’s fan can be a bit louder). If you need 200w of charger EB55 is great.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

True. AC50s definitely has its limitations on solar input and watt ouput.

[@ACheshireCat2001]

Did not know about the Honeywell... or an external thermostat, I did find a 400 watt oil filled heater with a thermostat, The size is a bit big radiation area, but no fan... thin , might be a bit odd to find space for, I put mine under some shelves I built in the greenhouse.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That sounds like a great setup for the greenhouse.

[@ACheshireCat2001]

@@PlayingwithSticks something you might experiment with... I tried it today with my new Goal Zero 500x... I did not feel like hooking up 178 watts worth of panels today for a partial charge... I have the 4 way parallel adapter and hooked up just two 12 volt panels in parallel a 50 watt and a 28 watt, sun was bright and was getting good power input... I can see watts in and out and volts in... I have some shiny bubble insolation that I intended for solar projects... took a 45 inch length of the 2 foot wide shiny stuff and set it flat in front of the tilted 50 watt Nomad portable panel and saw the watts in jump up more then expected, at some point I was getting above 50 watts from both panels together... I unplugged the 28 watt panel to see what just the 50 watt panel and the layer of shiny stuff was reflecting onto the 50 watt panel... I got a reading of 45 watts on just the 50 watt panel plugged in....without the shiny stuff I think the 50 watt panel was delivering maybe 30 watts ... so I have more experiments to run in good sunlight... like a silver tarp from harbor freight used to set a leaning at sun 50 watt panel on... a little more light skipping off tarp at a panel could put the production up a bit more. My Goal Zero Yeti 500x can input up to 150 watts ...max...paralleling panels and adding more up to an actual input max level should cut charge time a lot.

[@Danny42006]

Hi, thanks for super tips, however it means that both heaters will not work with Jackery 250 (with max 200w), right? Due to the power surge in first seconds even thought after that the heaters needs around 150-200W? May be it is time to buy another power station as Jackery pissed me with solar power input limit.

[@NomadicParkourMedia]

The My Lasko does not move heat, I bought it and It couldn't keep the back of my car warm, even paired with the thermostat, may try the 400 watt. Regardless I appreciate your videos and the tips.

[@shutterofthebox1296]

Great Video! While watching the video and you were talking about the "Surge" when turned on. I couldn't tell which one you were talking about that was around 320 or so. My point is, I have a jackery 300. I need a heater of some sort. Could you let me know what both of these small heaters surge too? What would you recommend?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Sorry it’s been so long since I shot this video, I’m a little hazy on it. I think the best thing you can do is look at the specs of your Jackery. Some of them also have surge capacities as well. Meaning, it might say 300 watts, but it may have the ability to Surge to 360.

[@kayc2579]

I've had several my heat heaters. They do not have a turn off feature but if it falls face down it goes off as a result of overheating. If it goes off you have to wait awhile to turn it back on. I have never had one that didn't do that. You showed that yours was face down but I think you are mistaken.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That still sounds risky to me. I don't want people to have a heater that requires overheating to turn off. A tip-over kill switch in my opinion. sounds much safer than a heater that runs even for 2 seconds on it's face.

[@kayc2579]

@@PlayingwithSticks I use one in my lap so it is never actually sitting up. If I also have a blanket in my lap, I have to take a lot of care to keep it from going off. If the air doesn't circulate pretty freely around it, it goes off anyway, you may want to play around with it to check out how it works. Enjoy your camping. You have introduced me to the teardrops

[@beard_here4921]

So I ended up here after your mention of space heaters in the Bluetti video. Considering how much power burn even small heaters use, and how much you like camping, I'm curious if you've considered a wood stove sized for a hot tent (Pomoly Timber Wolf 3 comes to mind) piped out through one side of the camper. RE: the heaters--for my huge window AC which with the archaic 1-10 knob for temp, I ran the cord behind furniture to the middle of the floorplan and plugged it into a Lux WIN100. Now the window unit acts like it's on a real, programmable thermostat because it it. Food for thought.

[@williambeatty2675]

So I lived in Georgia at a campgrounds during winter and I basically ran my gas burners to stay warm see my electric and water were in on my rent and I never thought of electric heater but for I paid for rent was just fine with me.

[@swahilijs]

Thanks glad I found you. We camp in a van and I’ve been wanting to use a heater that won’t affixaiate us. We use a Jackery 500 and love it. Next one will be a Jackery 1500. What was that agm thing you mentioned.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

AGM is basically a battery that does both starting and powering. Like a typical flooded battery but more designed for running items for longer periods of time. Basically it is the name we use for most base model/budget trailer batteries.

[@drivestorage1779]

okay, this is it! I'd watched quite a few of your videos but this one tops it all. Subscribed! You covered "almost" all of the issues in a trailer/camper. One of my next questions that I have in mind would be humidity control (which you flashed a sentence to identify that, that is a whole other subject). Ya! The never-ending battle. Also, would love to see how you insulate your trailers (as in which materials), if possible. Thank you!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you are enjoying the content. We are a bit backed up at the moment so the humidity and insulation videos are still on the back burner. A great resource for insulation on the cheap is cheap RV living with Bob Wells. As for humidity I find the experts on that to be out of the sailing community. They have a lot of good tricks for keeping their cabin dry out on the ocean

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

TO DRIVE STORAGE: Playing with Sticks did provide some answer and tips in a long comment, posted up above, in response to "CATMANDEAUX" question. See this comment thread. I add this to help, as I had the same question. Found the answer reading PWS's replies. Hope that helps.

[@richardnwilson]

Great video thank you! Your comment however about the heater surging and turning on and off more often and wasting power is not accurate. All electric heaters are nearly 100% efficient meaning that almost all the electricity is converted into heat. A small amount of electricity that is not converted into heat is used to power any lights on the heater or any sound the heater makes or more significantly the fan which distributes the Heat around the camper. The measure of efficiency of an electric heater is the exact opposite of almost any other Appliance in that with other appliances we measure lost efficiency as "waste" heat where as with heaters the "waste" heat is what we actually want to produce. So if a heater surges or turns on and off more often it doesn't make any difference in efficiency since virtually all the power is converted to heat anyway.

[@whydontyouaskme]

Idc what yall think, but I had an original Xbox one, I’d load up an intense game like modern warfare on highest graphics settings. That kept me warm and if I wanted I could enjoy gaming while staying warm using about 120-180watts.

[@precisiont5188]

The toilet chairs can be used for chairs too.

[@bmay511]

Once again, another great vid, Dru / Drew!!! (sp)? Good tips here . . . I too, had to shop for some space heaters where the specific wattage was a major issue! In my "Man Cave", (which is a partially finished basement), it gets pretty chilly down there in the winter nights. Started shopping for some space heaters as a result. Given that most "conventional" space heaters are anywhere in the 1500 - 5000 watt range, having too many on at once, and then starting the microwave or even firing up the surround sound in the entertainment cabinet, it was tripping the breaker and blowing the power out down there. Not good! These little portable heaters in your vid are an absolute gem!!! I bought a similar model at Bed Bath & Beyond for about $40. Uses only about 250 watts! Keep 'em coming buddy, and stay safe!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thank you! It is Drew, but Dru works too :) The man cave sounds great. We could really use that for these KZbin videos. To get our studio I run the lights, stands, and cameras from one room to another. And yes, these heaters are a gem. And we find for small rooms like bathrooms they get them up to temp pretty quick. You stay safe as well. Happy holidays!

[@wallywal6139]

Another great and timely video! I really enjoy winter camping and have been looking at different heat solutions. Your research is one step ahead of mine and it sure saves me a lot of trial and error. Picked up a 12v blanket and electric throw after your video on that and now the Honeywell heater and thermostat. Been using a Wave 3 catalytic heater but really excited to try electric. Battery technology has moved so fast that it's now possible in my 70 sq ft camper. 45 degrees is a good sleeping temp for me too. The AC50S is one of my best buys in a long time along with my Bluetti 1500 and now electric heat could be feasible. By the way, get rid of the biodegradable bags. They are unreliable at best and the bottom fell out of one of mine while in use...inside the camper (ugh). It's a common issue with these bags and they can't be trusted.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks for sharing all of this Wally! Boo, on the bags. Cosmo Weems pointed me in that direction because I was filling up the landfills after each trip with non biodegradable bags. 2 bags maybe? Or are they just junk?

[@wallywal6139]

@@PlayingwithSticks The bottom seam is so weak that I wouldn't trust these even using two. Once bitten twice shy!

[@TiagoAndreF]

@@PlayingwithSticks Hey bro thanks for your vídeo, can you give me a info please, i have a bluetti ac50s europe socket, and i made an order for Honeywell HCE100B from Amazon but im from europe, Portugal, here we use 230-240v and the plug socket is different, you know if the Honeywell will work? Thank you 👍

[@baneverything5580]

@@PlayingwithSticks Have a look at the low wattage Dash Mini griddles and sandwich makers. Some are only 350 watts allowing you to cook pancakes, eggs, sausage, etc in minutes with a 500 watt power station. I just ordered a 550 watt grilled cheese type one and the under 400 watt griddle for using solar powered cooking. I also have two 12v 100 watt rice cookers so I can make a full meal or breakfast using my solar power stations. The Dash mini griddle is about 12 bucks and I ordered a used sandwich maker and got both for under 25. I love off grid cooking with the sun.

[@MyTentLife]

I personally like the one you just plug into the outlet. The only problem is in a teardrop there is only 2 outlets in my Nucamp boondock. I have been doing a lot of thinking about going full time living in my teardrop. I’m just a little concerned still is with me being 63 and soon to be 64 how much if any pain will it cause me in a teardrop. So will think about it some more and will let you know when I do. I guess the bottom line is I’m excited but yet scared to make that move.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That is a big move. But, I would love to hear about it if you do. If it was me I would start out doing a 2 week trip. But, I wouldn't treat it like a trip. I would ensure I had everything ready as if I was going to live there for a year. It would be a fun experiment. We live in ours 2-3 months a year. It takes time to figure it all out. But, once you get it dialed in, it can be really pleasurable.

[@MyTentLife]

@@PlayingwithSticks there true. I’ve done a 2 and a half camping trip in it already and it was very pleasant. I will do a month in it come springtime and see how that goes. I think I will do a 2 month camping trip after that this next summer and if everything goes good in them 2 trips I will go to Arizona next year form a full 6 or 7 months. So hopefully I can go full time after that. I sure will let you know how that goes. But as a kids I did a lot of camping and I have always loved it.

[@ketoauntie7301]

Would you recommend these heaters for van living❓

[@EvanWharton]

Those power stations look so nice, but man they're expensive! Specially up here when you get hit with killer shipping costs. We just bought an Eskimo Fatfish ice tent today, gonna try our new winter set up over the long Easter weekend. Always appreciate the protips and perspective we get from you guys.

[@jenniferstewarts4851]

Ok, another option is the diesel heater option, you can get small ones from 1000 watt up to 8000 watt, though the best for something this side might be the 2000 watt, THOUGH a 5000 watt could also have a sneeky use. going with the 2000 watt version, its more then enough to heat a tear drop even if its -40 out, they have built in thermostats, and their fuel consumption is rather low often around .1 to .25l per hour. thats often enough that a 2L POP Bottle worth of fuel will last all night, and a 5gal can will last over a week. They require 12v to run usually but that can just be plugged into a 12v cigerette lighter or 12v output port on your portable energy pack. now here's where the fun one comes in, if you have a connected tent, where by your door opens right into the tent area... you can run the heater while the doors open, and it will heat the tent area too, this is where the larger heater can come into play, but even a 3000 kw which i enough to heat bout 200 square feet of area at max output, ish... its about 9000 btu or the same as the smaller buddy heaters. so you can use them as a heat source for the entire tent system and trailer.

[@shaunhall960]

I never considered these small heaters would work but this is good to hear!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

They really only work in very small spaces. I tried it in my cargo trailer and it didn’t work at all. I didn’t think the cargo trailer had that much more air space in it, but obviously it does. You get a lot of benefits from the small little Teardrops.

[@shaunhall960]

@@PlayingwithSticks Indeed, for me it would be ideal because I'm going to be using a teardrop and my electric blanket. Bye bye gas heaters! ;)

[@fm00078]

I know, video is over a year old. Your RockPal's light can be taped over with a piece of Parchment Paper to diffuse the light so not to be blinded. My Super Bright LED flashlight (no ZOOM control) I'll tape a piece of parchment paper in a cone shape on it. 😉👍 I changed my home's lights to LED's & the cheap one's I get are the small PAR-16. Same thing, parchment paper cone. 😉👍👍

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Great suggestion year! I really appreciate this. My poor RockPals, my favorite little Power Station finally bit the dust this fall. But I still own and a few other camping supplies with obnoxious LED lights so I’ll definitely take your tip and use it on those.

[@loui828]

Wondering if the small “my heat” heater would be best to use with a thermostat as it is 200w vs the 400w Mineton. The mineton obviously outputs a lot more heat than the other My Heat heater” I’m trying to keep some warmth in my Subaru Outback.

[@RTO1019]

I realize these are super small heaters, but do u think they will heat large vans also if the insulation is good? I don't wanna mess with a propane heater. To avoid propane I think I'm gonna get a yeti 3000x .

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That is a tough one. To be honest they barely heat a teardrop. I mean if it is left on for over an hour it gets extremely hot. Too hot. But, we leave ours on for about 20 minutes and that just gets it warm enough for comfort. When it comes to economical heating your best route may be an electric blanket. This way you aren't having to heat up the entire space, just your body.

[@myyoutubechannel3161]

Great video can I use this with a power inverter in my car, if soo how many watts of a power inverter do i need to run these small heaters thanks.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Hmm... you could, but it would kind of defeat the purpose. To run a power inverter I believe you would need to have your engine on. If the engine is on you have a much more efficient heater in your car. You can use crocodile grips, to run that inverter straight off your battery, but you would need a way to manage the cables into the cabin. If that was the case I would shoot for an inverter that is around 700-1000watts. Giving you a bit of headroom for those initial power surges when the heater cranks on.

[@vahiktoro6525]

How do you deal with the humidity and condensation if you close every thing to keep the heat in? Just started Vanlife, on our first trip, we got lots of condensation (around 4 degree Celsius, 40 F) even by leaving the window little open to take the humidity out. We got reflectix on the window.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

You nailed it. It really is about proper venting. Basically you’re trying to find the balance between enough heat and enough venting.

[@Flockingtheherd]

I have a powerbank that has 80watts 120 surge. But what would happen if I plugged one of these things in? Would it just not work? Would it just work lesser power? Or would my battery just blow up

[@Randallkoller]

That Bluetti 50 is a bad joke, you couldn't give me one, it's loaded with flashlight batteries! If 1 or 2 go bad it's toast!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

That doesn’t sound right. This is a power station that is loved by many. If you’re saying it doesn’t have LIP04. I get it, but I also don’t think it’s really needed. And remember this is dated technology

[@MWDAdventures]

sleeping at 40-50 degrees.. wow.to cold for my taste. Great video.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Haha. I can directly attribute my sleeping habits to growing up in a home only heated by a wood stove and a VERY frugal, but amazing mother. Absolutely love your channel by the way Matt. Confession: we watch all the time, but never left comments because we didn't want you or others to think we were trying to promote our own channel with our comments. Which, is ridiculous and we realize that now. Someday we really hope to have a setup like yours. Big fans of the traditional teardrops, but the functionality, price, and ability to modify squaredrops make them a pretty good fit for our family. Thanks for watching Matt. Always fun to have a fellow small camper video creator dropping by.

[@terrellstewart4071]

I know this video is a yr old but there are uzb heating pad that u can put in you sheet on your bed and it will. Keep your bed really warm while you sleep and you can use a 12v diesel heater both are good and low power Consumption and better than the options he show

[@amygimma]

thanks for the video - do you have any updates on advice? what are you using now? and do you also supplement with a propane or other type of fueled heater?

[@EscapingNormalLife]

This video is so helpful. I actually own a teardrop nearly identical to yours and I own the Honeywell ceramic heater that was reviewed in this video. However, I have some questions to getting it to work in the trailer. I do not have a portable power station. Instead, I’m just using the 110w and 12v outlets that are built into the trailer itself. I’ve discovered that if I’m connected to shore power- then I can use the outlets or 12v in the trailer. However, I plan on doing more dispersed camping- where there won’t be any shore power to pull from. So I got a small power inverter (link below) to help convert the power from the 12v that’s built into the trailer to run the heater. But the heater won’t turn on. It’s actually giving me a flashing light on the inverter and my inside trailer lights actually dim when the heater is on. So I’m assuming the Honeywell heater is pulling too much power. However, it’s supposed to only pull 170w on low. And the inverter I got says it can output 200w (250w max). Any ideas why the heater won’t work? I did watch this video and notice how you said these small heaters pulled over 300w initially. So maybe that’s why? Do I need a bigger inverter? I’m berry very novice to all this and even more so to electricity in general, so any help is appreciated! Ps- i’m driving all over the United States and have plans to actually go up to Alaska (i’m starting out in Florida). Any suggestions for Alaska? Thanks! Here’s the power inverter I got: BESTEK 200W Car Power Inverter with 2 AC Outlets and 4.5A Dual USB Charging Ports Car Adapter with Car Cigarette Lighter Socket … (Cola Red) www.amazon.com/dp/B00U71XJ0K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_MMSF7HT6CZ9NDP7YCEKB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@precisiont5188]

The problem seems like your battery capacity is too low. You need more watts in the batteries. Lithium is great. AGM is another cheaper option.

[@EscapingNormalLife]

@@precisiont5188 thanks for replying. I ended up getting a bigger power inverter (500w), and it connects directly to the battery with battery/alligator clamps. This works good and runs the heater. Now I’m having questions about charging my battery with my solar panel. I have the Renogy Wanderer 10a PWM charge controller connected to a 100w Solar panel. Maybe I just don’t understand how get Wanderer charge controller LED screen actually reads/works. But I seems to be charging the battery EXTREMELY slow. There’s a small icon on the controller that indicates how charged the battery is, and it only shows One bar (3 bars indicates full battery). I’ve gone through KZbin seeing if anyone has a great Wanderer Controller overview (how it works) but I haven’t found one. Any recommendations?

[@steadmanuhlich6734]

@@EscapingNormalLife Look for videos that describe charging type of battery you are using (there are differences). And look for or search 'charge state" on the battery sites (should explain better than I can). Your battery, if old, or cold, may be weak. It may have been ruined by previous discharging. It may be 'toast' now. I don't know your battery. But, if a typical Lead Acid or AGM battery is discharged too low (below 50%) it may be damaged to the point that it cannot be fully charged again, or will be slow to charge. I write this to try to help, and as I don't know your level of battery knowledge. I hope this helps you or others.

[@EscapingNormalLife]

@@steadmanuhlich6734 way helpful! Thanks

[@xXRenaxChanXx]

I actually use one of those Honeywell units to heat the bathroom in my trailer and it works great.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks for sharing.

[@patricialongo5746]

In a few days I'm getting my 300W power station with peak output of 500W to power my lasco 200W space heater. I hope this power station can run the heater, I've got lots of solar power coming in, and I like air heat.

[@stanleytolle416]

Time to do some math. That 500 watt out put is only for a short of time. Figure out the amps for that 500 watts, 500 / 12 = that's 41 amps. Now figure out you usable amp hours which is .5 for lead acid and .8 for Li and multiply that by your battery amp hours. Now divide this number by the amps you need. Most likely you will be getting a fraction of an hour or so. Oops.

[@stanleytolle416]

You can do the same math with 200 watt heater. That's 16 amps.

[@regionalskygirl]

Good grief .... I just ordered a Mr. Heat this morning. After watching your video I'll have to order that Honeywell too. Thanks for the great video! 👍🏽

[@CoachDarren]

Regional SkyGirl how do you like the heater did it work well for you?

[@jkidd2191]

Hey Enjoyed the vid! I’m thinking of giving the lasko a try in my rx350 over the winter for random traveling I’m doing, I want to be able to stay warm but I’m kind of confused on power supplies for it that would last me decent times without having to recharge too much. I basically just want to warm up and turn it off kinda thing . I’m not too familiar with how watts work but this is over the 200w requirement for the heater at 300w haha . Do you think this would be sufficient enough to last all night or however the heater works? Hope I’m making sense and thanks for your help :)

[@shutterofthebox1296]

Do you think this will work with a Jackery 300, even with the surge? Great Video bud!!

[@craigbeattie5209]

Great vid as usual Drew ...I just bought a teardrop trailer to tow with my Tesla and got an AC50s to go along with it. I haven’t had an opportunity to get out yet because of the Covid restrictions in our area but looking forward to it! Confirmed ...AC50s does have pass through charging too btw

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thanks for the confirmation Craig! We confirmed the same thing as well. We have actually tested this thing quite extensively now since making the video. It is rockstar! An AC50s and a teardrop are a perfect marriage. Kind of sad, because that is almost how I felt about my Rockpals. But now she will be the backup battery coming along for the ride 😂 I have had people mention that what if you were to tap into that incredible battery on the Tesla and use that for your Teardrop trailer, just think of the possibilities. Craig, what teardrop did you end up buying? We always enjoy knowing what people are rolling down the highways with today.

[@craigbeattie5209]

@@PlayingwithSticks It’s a 2014 Little Guy Five Wide. Looks to be very similar in dimensions to yours. If you’re ever wanting to compose content on what it’s like to tow a teardrop with a Tesla in the future I’d be happy to work you. I recently posted a picture on a Tesla Facebook group and it seemed to garner quite a bit of interest so it could be a good one for you to touch on. Cheers!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@craigbeattie5209 Thanks for sharing your make and model. I may take you up on that video idea. Seriously. Great topic.

[@craigbeattie5209]

@@PlayingwithSticks sounds great. I’m on Vancouver Island, just south of you so could capture some scenic content for you.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@craigbeattie5209 Would love that. I'm wondering how far off the trail would we have to go from the Alaska highway to meet up with you? How far is it to Vancouver Island from the Alcan?

[@yogavnture1]

i would like to see that honeywell on low setting . with two 6 volt battery (trojan 105?) and see how many hours i could get out of that Honeywell ...........bottom line is if a small heater could be functional for an entire night. we wouldn't have to buy a gas heater in unit. that is what i am searching for. now if the Honeywell on low takes about 160 watts. their must be a way to get thru a night on battery. 6 VOLT BATTERYS SHINE BECAUSE YOU CAN DISCHARGE TO 80% AND THEY ARE STILL PRETTY CHEAP TO BUY

[@PlayingwithSticks]

You may get through a night, but where do you get that charge for the next night? That is where it really gets tough. That would take quite a bit of solar panels, not to mention actual solar. Hope you can figure it out. Having a renewable energy source at your fingertips is pretty cool!

[@andrewwylie9259]

Would you say looking back now, an electric heated pad vs a fan heater is better?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Hands-down, an electric heating pad. Much more efficient. We have that video as well, I think we actually made that video before this electric heater video. I can’t remember though. But you may want to check it out, one of the three heaters it’s in the video the one that the truckers use is really a good option

[@nancyb4221]

Please excuse my ignorance but what is "this thing" as you call it that replaced your old Rockpal you're impressed with. I did not catch the brand and could not see it on the unit. Thank you

[@Mortankhamun]

Great video and great information! Thanks! I was wondering: have you (or anyone else in the comments) ever tried any heaters that run off 12v dc? If so, are there pros and cons that you’ve discovered?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Great question! To our knowledge there really aren't any that exist accept the little one made for cars. We have never tried it, but have heard from others that it doesn't quite push out enough heat. If anyone knows of one that is in that 100-300 watt range please let us know. We have often hoped it is either out there or that someone would create it soon.

[@goldgoat22]

The only really 12v ones I've seen have been Interior Car Warmers that some vehicles in Canada use to heat up the interior when plugged in. Most of them aren't very good and don't have the features these do. May need to look at the trucking industry a bit more.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

@@goldgoat22 Thank you for sharing this! I am assuming you are a poet or a musician?

[@goldgoat22]

@@PlayingwithSticks hah. No. My medium is CAD and aluminum. Lol. I have the Honeywell in red and have been looking for a temp shutoff solution for a bit now. Camper is under snow in the backyard. May try backyard covid camping this weekend.

[@scoobydog411]

I admit i haven’t seen all your videos sooooo I was wondering if you have tried a electric blanket for camping? In your little camper it might heat the air as well. Thanks

[@scoobydog411]

I found your videos thanks again.BRO

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Glad you found the video. Yes, the electric blanket is king out in the fall, winter, and spring. And you are correct. With the volume being so small in the interior the blanket heats up the space very well.

[@Epsudu]

Hey! I ended up following your advice and getting the jackery 500 and the iceco fridge you did a video on a while back. Do you have any idea, or a video already, about how long a jackery 500 would run with the fridge and one of these three electric heaters? I would like to charge our phones as well. Trying to figure out the right set up.

[@PlayingwithSticks]

If you can keep the air around your refrigerator at around 60-75 degrees based on our averages it could run about 70 hours off the Jackery 500. And that is without any solar. BUT, once you throw in a heater it will eat up everything fast. Using a 200 watt heater the 500 watt jackery can only run about 2 hours. However, like we mentioned most people run it 20 minutes before bed, 20 minutes when you wake. Do this for 2 days and 2 nights you hit a little over half your power supply. Then with your fridge it would be another 200 almost 300 watts. So you have already went past your max. Without upgrading to another power station I would suggest first combining your fridge, phones, and a 50 watt electric blanket (used before bed and when waking up). If you haven't seen our electric blanket video I think you would really benefit from it kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJO5Zn6wnq95nMk For 90% of us the electric blanket is all we need. The heaters just enhance the experience, but are not necessary in our opinion.

[@Epsudu]

Thanks so much. We are planning a road trip from Oregon to Alaska when the border opens up. I plan on leaving in June and having a 100 watt solar panel on the roof of the van as we drive to keep the jackery topped off. Any idea if you can charge the jackery with the alternator and solar?

[@squeebz]

Love this channel! I'd love to see a post about advice on overall camp set up. Put the best view here, the shower tent here, the tow vehicle here, etc. There must be some considerations you take into account at each new site. Thanks! Keep up the great work!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Great suggestion! Honestly we hint at it throughout all our videos, but have never even thought about making this one. This will be a video we make for sure. I have been thinking about this all winter. Really about how many poor camp setups I did just because I tried to use level ground vs. properly leveling my trailer in the best location. Thanks again for the great content idea.

[@squeebz]

@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks, Drew!

[@texteckle]

Dude check out turbo toilet or the clean waste suitcase toilet. Turbo works better inside the teardrop. It’s a game changer to pee in the middle of the night or first light in your warm camper. And when it’s cold your brain makes you think you have to go all night lol. Great vids!

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Thank you for sharing this toilet. Love the gel concept. It always grosses me out a bit hauling the sloshing bag. Luckily this time of year it freezes pretty quick.

[@thedistrict909MusicwithSoul]

So if you’re not plugging the heater into your Jackery then what are you plugging it into?

[@PlayingwithSticks]

Meaning if you don't own a small power station? You can plug it into a cigarette adapter wired to a 12 volt battery. Edit: sorry in my brain I was thinking electric blaanket. If you do not have a power station you would need a 12 V battery wired to an AC outlet. This would require an inverter in between the two.

[@stanleytolle416]

I have worked as a mechanic for a number of years and once had a customer try to get heat into his car using an inverter and a small heater. The guy burned his alternator out and never got any heat. The simple fact is you are not going to get much heat from a cars electrical system or a battery. Like a 200 watt heater that pulls around 2amps house hold current is going to pull 20 amps off a car system. A battery will be pulled down real quick with a 20 amp draw. What might be useful would be a 12 volt small electric comforter inside a sleeping bag for 15 to twenty minutes to warm up the thing before getting in. Otherwise it's dead battery for sure. What's silly here if you are trying to run a heater from a battery the battery is going to cost you much more than the heater. Like three or four hundred dollars.