Why Space Heaters are a BAD IDEA for a Mobile, Marine, or Off-Grid Electrical System.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

*Visit academy.EXPLORIST.life to experience every lesson, ad-free.* Follow along with a lesson plan, quizzes, and chat with other members. In the academy, you don't have to wait until every Sunday to watch the videos and read the articles; they will simply be published once we are finished. *➤ Join the EXPLORIST.life Academy:* academy.explorist.life *➤ Shop the EXPLORIST.life Store:* shop.explorist.life ➤ Shop Batteries: Use Code 'explorist' at checkout for $50 off per battery: battlebornbatteries.com/?afmc=explorist_bb67 The scenario of a van parked indoors during the winter is to simulate a worst-of-the-worst case scenario of somebody who travels to cold environments (for snowskiing) and may be stuck in a snowstorm where it may be 4+ days without any kind of solar gain from the sun. If you are somebody who stays in warm weather and you never see below-freezing temps or snow; this example will be extreme for your case, but you should keep an open mind and use the concepts taught in the video to estimate the power that YOU can anticipate for YOUR needs and the way YOU travel.

[@TinyOffGridHouseResearch]

Nate; the length of the video was just right and concise for you to convey the material. An off-grid electrical space heating can be achievable with the use of closed cell foam insulation of the space needing heating or cooling and the use of an energy efficient mini split (aka Heat Pump). By design, the mini split technology is more energy efficient. When compared to a conventional thermal heating unit, a Mini-Split has a CoP of 2.5 or greater, using 1/5 the energy required for a "thermal" electric heater that is running at 95% efficiency. It is also important to have the area to be heated or cooled be vapor insulated, with closed cell foam, to trap the conditioned air so the mini split does not have to run as often to maintain the desired room temperature.

[@robbehr8806]

Good video! I use an electric space heater for load testing.

[@Robnord1]

I appreciate your videos Nate.👍👍 I installed quite a few inverter/battery bank systems in cabins and boats in the 90s, and your videos with clear explanations both help me remember things I am forgetting (sadly, at an alarming rate these days) and get up to speed on current technology and equipment.

[@patrickgosselin9756]

A mini split type setup tends to be more than 100% efficient. Closer to 4 times in some cases even. Would be curious testing with something like the wave 2 in slightly less extreme conditions. Guessing it would be a tad more reasonable for a lot of places that don't get down to -20 and beyond.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I’d like to think that these videos arm you with the knowledge to go and test out whatever type of heater you’d like to use. Take what you’ve learned and apply it!

[@bigdaddy99929]

Thx Nate!! Great info and fun afterwards. Have a fantastic summer this year!!

[@waynehobbs5175]

Great video, thanks Nate. Looking forward to the R/C article.

[@this-is-slammin-549]

I’ve always thought of running an electric space heater in my crawl space during the winter, off of solar. To gently heat the living space and floors.

[@williamhanna5224]

Excellent !

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Many thanks!

[@RainbowGin]

Please cover heat pumps

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I’d like to think that these videos arm you with the knowledge to go and test out whatever type of heater you’d like to use. Take what you’ve learned and apply it!

[@tacotimeracing6638]

@@EXPLORISTlife I am currently installing a Amazon 9000btu mini split in a 332sf cabin, with 1600 watts of panels, and 1520ah of batteries. Not sure what is going to happen, but that's all this whole thing really is... Just one big experiment. Taco out!

[@maggiebrattoli383]

Next video, how long can I run a car fridge (12v) with a jackery 😊 that’s my setup so far. I love your videos.

[@se8214]

I have an odd request, what about electical heat rope usage? The kind used to wrap around water lunes to keep them from freezing.

[@davidcurry9196]

I’d love to see the comparison between space heater and heat pump because my class A RV has both - which is more efficient? Or are they equally ‘bad’?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The goal with these videos is to arm you with the knowledge you need to test your own equipment. Take what you’ve learned and go apply it.

[@StephenBond]

Nate is right

[@chrisdaniel1339]

I have a whole house, electric, tankless, water heater that uses 240v AC and it is excellent, is there a way to convert a smaller size tankless, electric water heater to DC current for use in an overlanding expedition vehicle? I want to use one for potable hot water and a second one for underfloor radiant space heating. These would be my largest AC loads if I used inverters and I would probably need two very large inverter if I could not run those loads directly with AC current. Thank you

[@fiddlesteven]

It's a different story if you have an Ford electric E-Transit Van that is well insulated and has Pro Power. The vans heater is electric and takes a huge amount of power from the traction battery. Running a small ceramic electric heater plugged into the pro power takes far less power from the vans traction battery. If the van is plugged in an charging, the power is coming from the shore power any way

[@EXPLORISTlife]

How many watt hours is pulled from the traction battery for every hour of active heating? Hit us up with some actual numbers!! "Huge" and "Far Less" are relative terms and not that helpful.

[@steveschaefer5835]

I don’t seem to be able to find the they running an air conditioner off grid video that you talk about. I’m guessing that you haven’t made it yet.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That'll be coming out this upcoming weekend (4/21/24) or it's already available in academy.explorist.life

[@steveschaefer5835]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks I will look for it

[@timf6916]

Good information

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks!

[@wjhann4836]

I just calculated - you told, the heater was switched to low. So it was running nearly all time.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We had it set to low/eco for most of the test, but on the days where it was particularly cold; we turned it up to high to keep a more realistic interior temperature of 60F. I had temp alarms set for when the van got too cold for comfort.

[@wjhann4836]

@@EXPLORISTlife Yes, your numbers about that time were some frosty

[@marcmercado2085]

Been a while since I seen you post.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah? We’ve been putting out videos every Sunday at 5am MST for the last 2+ years. 🤷🏻😂

[@simon359]

I’ve learned that instead of using massive battery power it’s better just to get a good blanket! But it depends on the situation.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

A heating blanket under the fitted sheet on the mattress is a great way to keep warm when the vehicle is cold. This can also be used in conjunction with other heating sources like a diesel/gas heater like an Espar heater or similar. Blanket is good for sure, but actual heating will be necessary for a week long snowstorm in Canada at a ski resort where nighttime temps drop to -40.

[@michaelhayes7471]

Where do you buy a space heater for 15 dollars

[@EXPLORISTlife]

A couple here: amzn.to/4aDjDpK

[@bonggarcia9307]

Propane heater is the way to go

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Most any kind of hydrocarbon fuel will indeed be a fair amount less expensive per BTU here, yes.

[@p.b.7861]

A Radiator Oil Heater is more efficient than resistance heating coils, then next Heat Pump is even better.

[@campvanrvadventures]

That make my setup look like a toy

[@craigbrowning9448]

I've got a tiny 350 watt heater that basically I hang on an extension cord close to my bed at night. It acted up in the smallest replacement I could find was like over 600 watts. I was able to blow the original out with an air hose and it began to work again. The power system I have is a Bluetti AC200 with 2 Batteries. I have a Mr Buddy which is in storage to supplement that and I'm thinking of getting something like a diesel or gasoline heater. The latter is preferred because that is what the vehicle runs on so I don't have to install an extra tank.

[@jasonbroom7147]

I pay $.12/kwh for electricity, which means the cost for those 546kwh, over 33 days, would be $65.52, or almost exactly $2/day. This is why solar doesn't make financial sense for a lot of people.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Although I do appreciate the view, The target audience for this video is the off-grid crowd, where we can’t simply pay for electricity.

[@stewartperry7797]

Sadly Nate, we in California are getting a no-option choice. Space heaters or no heat for use due to climate change activists changing our use laws to be so restricted that sales of all fossil fuel heaters are banned.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

This is more of a math video than a public policy video. I hope you were able to keep an open mind and learn something new!

[@stewartperry7797]

@@EXPLORISTlife I wasn’t expecting that response but I did learn something. Good luck.

[@Robnord1]

@@stewartperry7797 Hi Stewart. Nothing Nate could explain would make running high wattage from an inverter/battery bank a practical or good thing. Nate cannot say this, but I can; There comes a time, when faced with irrational or unjust laws, we ignore them, or disobey. Dopey CA politicians and greenies banning fossil fuels is insane. Fossil fuels for your cooking, heating, water heating and to fuel your generator are a *must* in a grid down situation and when away from the grid. Disobey accordingly is my advice. I was born in CA, but rarely return these days. It has become a land of insanity and tyrannical government. The fossil fuel bans are just more evidence of that. Rob in WA.