Camping Heater

Do you know that the resources in the world are limited and at the pace, we are using the non-renewable resources, they are only going to last only another 100 years at max? Knowing that you must be encouraged to find an alternative for anything that runs on electricity generated by using fuel, right?

If you are an owner of a recreational vehicle or RV, you are familiar with the fact that in the winter season, you can’t live without heating your camper. And, the good news is that you can heat your camper even without electricity.

Yes, we are going to tell you how to heat a camper without electricity. There are many different ways, so let’s look at each of them in detail.

Is Heating A Camper Necessary While Camping?

To answer this question, let me tell you about the winters here in the US. The average temperature throughout the country on a wintery night in 30-degree F while in some parts, it falls up to 8-9-degree F as well.

In this climate, if you don’t use a heater inside your camper, there is only one thing that can happen and that is you catching hypothermia. So, it is best for you, even without electricity, to use some other method to heat the interior of your camper.

Disadvantages Of Electric Heating Systems

Electric heaters are very good for campers, and they are very commonly used by a lot of campers, but there are some demerits to an electric heater.

• Slow Heating. Electric heaters are slow in initially heating up. No doubt they can provide you with a lot of comforts over time, but after starting you will have to give it 20- 30 minutes to heat up.
• Ineffective. When you think of a very large camper in cold weather, electric heaters aren’t as effective as other heaters.
• Need for electricity. This is a big drawback because a constant supply of electricity isn’t feasible all the time, particularly if you are going off the grid.
• Extra Space. One electric heater isn’t sufficient for a camper, so you will have to take 2 or 3 campers. Now, more heaters mean more space occupied inside your camper.
• Environment Factor. There is always the environmental factor with using electricity and it is best to use an alternate source of energy.

Keeping all the demerits in mind, it will come in handy if you have some alternatives to electric heaters for you. So, we won’t make you wait anymore, and let’s see what are the options available to you.

How To Stay Warm Inside A Camper Without Electricity

Let us check out what methods you can use to keep your camper warm and heated in the winters without electricity:

1. Car Battery

First of all, is a method which doesn’t require any extra accessory. You can turn on your vehicle and turn the heater of the vehicle as high as it can get. You can keep it for about half an hour and then switch it off and turn off your vehicle.

This should be enough to keep your camper heated for the night, given that it is properly insulated.

This method is more of a backup plan for emergencies because it isn’t feasible to use it all the time.

It eats up your fuel and your vehicle has to be insulated properly.

You can look for the best car camping heaters on 7 Best Car Camping Heaters: Stay Cozy Warm On The Go.

2. Self-Insulation

There are two ways of keeping a camper warm. Either you generate heat, or your keep the heat that is already inside insulated. The above method is of a generation of heat, but it still won’t be effective, if this method isn’t used. You have to insulate your camper and to do that you can follow some steps.

a) Insulating The Exterior:

You can insulate your camper’s exterior by covering it with tarps or clothes of thick material. You can also use blankets and taping them but it becomes more costly then.

You need to make sure that the tarp you will be using should be waterproof. Otherwise, the water will start seeping inside and carry away all the heat from the inside. Also, always try to paint your camper in some dark color during the winter season, as dark color absorbs heat and makes the interior warmer. 

b) Insulating Walls:

In campers, the walls are quite thin and they don’t do a good job of insulating the interior. That’s why you need to use curtains even if there is no door or window. Having dark colored curtains help, because they absorb the heat and keep it trapped.

c) Insulating Windows And Vents:

Windows and vents are two places that are most likely to bring in air from the outside and make your camper cold. For that, you need to ensure that the windows and vents are covered properly. You can use plastics, tarps blankets, etc., and try to use any means possible to stop air from coming in through the windows and vents. 

d) Insulating Ground:

So, after taking care of the exterior, interior, roofs, vents, and windows, only one thing remains that is the ground. This is also a key area of any camper, that needs to be properly insulated.

For grounds, you can use foam mats. Lay them as they are very comfortable to step on and the best thing is that they trap heat and will keep your camper warm. 

3. Wear Warm Clothes

So, what you don’t have electricity in your camper and you can’t use a heater because of that. You can always try to use means that are in your hands.

You should try to pack as many sets of warm clothes as you can and carry blankets in extra. If your camper is insulated from outside and you have warm clothes, you can easily get through the night.

In a camp, you should wear warm clothes in multiple layers, always have blankets to cover yourself, and it is better to have a warm sleeping bag to tuck into.

While inside the sleeping bag, have a bottle of warm water with you and it can generate heat for your body.

4. Hydronic Heating

If you are thinking of buying a new camper, keeping in mind the value of comfort, you can look for the feature of hydronic heating. It is like the system of refrigeration except that it’s for the opposite thing, i.e., heating.

It is made of a system of pipes running throughout your camper and it uses the heat generated by the engine. Water and antifreeze liquid mixed, flows through this channel of pipes, gathering heat from the engine and then through convection gives out the heat to your camper. 

When your camper is parked, it has a boiler system installed that heats the flowing water instead. This is a utilization of the extra heat of the engine and if installed already, is a very good option for heating your camper.

This means although effective can be costly because it will use up your car’s battery and if the camper doesn’t already have a hydronic system inbuilt, it becomes very costly to install one.

Replacement For Electric Heaters

With electricity, heating of a camper becomes very easy, as you can just install an electric heater. But there are heaters, just as effective, that can run without electricity as well.

Propane Heaters

Propane heaters are the most commonly used heaters in a camper, especially in popup campers. Before going to camp, you can just fill your camper with propane from the gas station and stay warm throughout the trip.

If you have a propane heater, you will need to install a tanker for storing propane. Propane heaters are quite cheap, very easy to install and take up less space.

However, propane heaters, if used for a while can be harmful to you. It emits carbon monoxide which is deadly for humans. That is why there has been an effort to reduce the use of propane heaters these days.

You can check out our article on how to replace a propane heater, just click on How To Heat An RV Without Propane: 6 Best Alternatives.

Kerosene Heaters

 Kerosene heaters are cheap and take up a small space. They can easily replace your electric heater. As you can probably guess, it produces heat by burning kerosene. It is best suited for isolated places, particularly in the open, but you can also use it inside a camper.

When it works, it produces a smell of kerosene, which if you aren’t used to can be quite irritating. It also emits carbon monoxide but in lesser quantity.

If you are using a kerosene heater, always keep ways for ventilation, by opening windows or vents because otherwise, they may be a shortage of oxygen inside your camper. 

None the less, kerosene heaters are quite popular and despite the drawbacks, can work fine for a small camping trip.

Solar Heaters

The best alternative and in fact the best way of heating your camper, especially a caravan is by using solar heaters. It is the most environment-friendly heater out there in the market. They are operated by a renewable source of energy in solar power or sunlight.

The mechanism is similar to a hydronic heating system with water flowing through pipes for heating and running of your camper but it is run by solar energy.

You will have to install solar panel grids over your camper for this purpose. You can also use solar energy for other things inside your camper like running TV or fans. 

The solar heaters are a bit difficult to use on rainy days, however. Also, the initial setup cost is a bit expensive but keeping the environment in mind it is good to switch to a solar heater.

Installing A Furnace

So what, you can’t use an electric heater, you can use the method that was used before heaters, burning a fire inside a furnace. You can have a furnace installed in your camper at a very low price.

For fuel, you can use diesel in your tank and collect some fallen branches or cut out wood that you can pick up on the way to your campsite.

If you worry about electricity and gas, a furnace is an excellent option. Even in extremely cold conditions, a furnace is capable to keep you warm. But you have to check for the proper ventilation of the smoke and the disposal of ash.

Wood Stove

It is similar to a furnace, but here you will be using a stove. It is simply the burning of wood inside the stove. You will likely get a lot of scrap wood in your journey or you can even buy wood from markets.

For all the superiority of heaters and heating systems, they are expensive and if you can’t afford to spend so much on a heater, you can use a wood stove. 

You can easily open it for loading wood and set it to burn and it will keep your camper warm and comfortable, but just like a furnace, you will have to take care of the smoke and burned residue of wood. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Conclusion

It is best to stop using fossil fuel and depending on it for every little thing. As you have seen there are a number of options available for you to use to heat a camper that doesn’t involve electricity.

We advise you to have a minimum of two options for heating your camper so that even if one fails, you have a backup option with you. For us, we find the solar heating system the best because apart from being the need of the hour, it is also very effective.

You can also share your camping experience in a camper and tell us how you keep your camper warm and cozy, through the comment section below.

Happy Camping!

Do you own an RV? Then you must know how important it is to keep the RV heated because it can get quite cold inside. Especially in the winters here in the states, the temperature can be quite low and sometimes falls below 15-degree F. At that time, a heater is the only way to survive inside an RV.

The most common type of heater is the propane heater but there are many problems associated with it. Because of that, we have listed out some alternatives to look at for How To Heat An RV Without Propane.

• Portable heaters
• Hydronic Heating
• Trapping heat
• Solar Heating
• Wood Stoves
• Heat Pumps

Disadvantages Of Propane In An RV

An RV can be heated by using propane-fueled heaters and they are the most common type of heater available. You can use a propane heater, they are good in general because they are efficient and economic, but they have some big flaws because of which it is better to have an alternative to propane heaters which can be very helpful. 

RV should be all about comfort, and that is why you need to know all that may cause you trouble while using propane heaters:

1. Tank Maintenance. You need to keep the tank in check by regular inspection and it takes up a lot of your time.
2. Availability of Propane. Propane is not largely available. Only a few of the gas stations have propane available that you can buy.
3. Leakage. Leakage of propane is the reason for almost 15 persons dying every month in the US.
4. Carbon Monoxide. CO is a very poisonous gas that is released into the environment because of the leakage of propane. It causes harm to your body, poses a threat to your life, and also affects the environment around in a drastic manner.

Of all the problems, you may overlook three of them, but the fourth one posing a treat to your life is too dangerous and that’s why you should switch from a propane heating system to some other alternative. Let’s look at a few alternatives that you can use.

Heat An RV Without Propane: 6 Alternatives

1.Portable Electric Heaters

There are different types of portable heaters that you can use for heating your RV, especially during winter. The portable heaters are small in size and are quite cheap. They are usually driven by electricity, although sometimes they may also be fuel driven.

(a) Space Heaters:

Space heaters are small portable heaters that are good for heating small packets of space like a room in a quick time. They are a cheap alternative to propane heaters and you can buy multiple space heaters for your RV. 

But keep in mind that they are more likely to catch fire, so they should be kept at a safe distance from the walls or flammable things.

(b)Radiant Heaters:

Radiant heaters are just like regular heaters but they release heat in a straight path instead of circulating the air around it. So, you can use them like campfires to keep yourself warm. They also cost very less and are less likely to catch fire. 

You can use them in places like your bedroom for directing the heat towards one area.

(c) Oil-Filled Radiant Heaters:

You can get the space heater or radiant heater as a temporary solution for your RV, but in winter, you want your RV to stay warm all day and night for long periods. In that case, the previous two becomes ineffective and you will need this type of heater. These are radiant heater filled with oil to act as space heaters and they can heat your RV for a long time.

It takes 15 to 20 minutes for them to heat up or cool down, but once heated your RV can have a pleasant and warm temperature for a long time. It is a bit difficult to find a good oil type radiant heater and it is also a bit expensive than the other two.

Portable heaters run on electricity and using them for long takes a toll on the battery of your RV. So, as fellow owners of RV, we can tell you to carry a fuel-based generator to run these portable electric heaters. 

2. Hydronic Heating

If you are thinking of buying a new RV, keeping in mind the value of comfort, you can look for the feature of hydronic heating. It is like the system of refrigeration except that it’s for the opposite thing, i.e., heating. It is made of a system of pipes running throughout your RV and it uses the heat generated by the engine. Water and antifreeze liquid mixed, flows through this channel of pipes, gathering heat from the engine and then through convection gives out the heat to your RV. 

When your RV is parked, it has a boiler system installed that heats the flowing water instead. This is a utilization of the extra heat of the engine and if installed already, is a very good option for heating your RV.

But just like the moon has spots, hydronic heating has its drawbacks. If your RV doesn’t have a hydronic heating system installed, then installing it is very expensive and troublesome. Also, the boiler system needs to be maintained from corrosion and breakdown.

But overall, it is a very effective and smart way of keeping your RV warm.

3. Trapping Heat

RVs are made of light material and so they give out the heat inside it easily. If you can’t generate heat inside your RV, to keep it warm, what you can do is keep the existing heat trapped inside. For that, you will need to do a series of things incorrectly manner.

(a) Insulation Of The Exterior:

 The first thing that comes to mind when you think of trapping heat is insulating, and for RVs, it is also the same. You can insulate your RV’s exterior by covering it with tarps or clothes of thick material. You can also use blankets and taping them but it becomes more costly then.

You need to make sure that the tarp you will be using should be waterproof. Otherwise, the water will start seeping inside and carry away all the heat from the inside.

(b) Insulating Walls:

In RVs, the walls are quite thin and they don’t do a good job of trapping the heat inside. That’s why you need to use curtains even if there is no door or window. Having dark colored curtains help, because they absorb the heat and keep it trapped.

(c) Windows and Vents:

Windows and vents are two places that are most likely to bring in cold air from the outside. For that, you need to ensure that the windows and vents are covered properly. You can use plastics, tarps blankets, etc., and try to use any means possible to stop air from coming in through the windows and vents. 

(d) Ground:

So after taking care of the exterior, interior, roofs, vents, and windows, only one thing remains that is the ground. This is also a key area of an RV that needs to be properly insulated.

For grounds, you can use foam mats. Lay them as they are very comfortable to step on and the best thing is that they trap heat and will keep your RV warm. 

4. Solar Heating

So far you have known about ways of heating your RV by using electricity or fuel. But there is a better alternative to heating your RV, one that is presently being promoted in all sectors and that is the solar heaters.

They are operated by a renewable source of energy in solar power or sunlight. The mechanism is similar to a hydronic heating system with water flowing through pipes for heating and running of your RV but it is run by solar energy.

You will have to install solar panels over your RV for this purpose. You can also use solar energy for other things inside your RV like running TV or fans. The initial setup cost is a bit expensive but keeping the environment in mind it is good to switch to a solar heater.

5. Wood Stove

What most RV owners use as an alternative to propane heaters is a wood stove. It is simply the burning of wood inside a stove. You will likely get a lot of scrap wood in your journey or you can even buy wood from markets. For all the superiority of heaters and heating systems, they are expensive and if you can’t afford to spend so much on a heater, you can use a wood stove. 

You can easily open it for loading wood and set it to burn and it will keep your RV warm and comfortable, but you will have to take care of the smoke though. 

6. Heat Pumps

So afar we have talked about ways of generating heat inside the RV or keeping heat inside the RV but there is a way to pump heat from the outside to the inside and they are called heat pumps. They use air conditioning to pump heat from the outside.

They run on electricity but uses less power than electric heaters. They are quite noisy and if you are going somewhere extremely cold, heat pumps don’t work because there is no heat outside at that time. Also, they are quite expensive.

But usually, they work two ways of heating or cooling depending on your choice which makes it a good option for your RV.

Some Tips To Stay Warm In RVs:

We have talked about all the systems, but there are some things you can do from your side to keep yourself warm inside an RV. Let us tell you.

           1. Warm Clothes: First of all, you can start by wearing warm clothes or wearing multiple layers of clothing. This will keep your body insulated be it inside the RV or stepping outside it. You can further wear gloves, socks and cover your head with caps made of woolen or warm materials to keep yourself protected from cold from head to bottom.

           2. Blankets: Carrying an extra set of blankets is always helpful whenever you are on a trip with your RV. You can use multiple blankets for sleeping, covering yourself, or sometimes insulating the RV from inside.   

           3. Painting of RV: This is a simple tip that we can give you that always use dark colors when you pain your RV. Dark colors have the property of absorbing heat and keeping the interior of your RV warm.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 Final Verdict

So, you don’t have to worry about filling up on propane anymore to heat your RV, right. There are so many other ways to do so. Some are generic while others are a bit complex and require installation.

But in any case, comfort comes first, and thinking of the freezing wind of the winters, it is good to keep options when it comes to heating your RV.

We prefer the solar heating system simply because of the environmental factor, but you can pick out which one you like and enjoy your winters comfortably.

Make sure to tell us about your trips and the heaters you used through the comment section below.

And yes, Happy Camping!