Ideas for heating race trailer? | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ideas for heating race trailer?

rmemedic

rmemedic

Well-known member
So I have an aluminum 7x12 trailer that I sleep in at the races. Race season starts in April and this has been one cold winter and assume this spring won't be better.
Looking to heat it up for a few hours for 2 nights per weekend.
I have a nice set up, custom work/tool bench up front with cabinets below it, LED lights, sound system etc that runs off a deep cycle battery.
For now I either sleep on my cot or the air mattress when the gf is there (part of the reason for wanting heat is she's asking about it lol). Eventually once my car project is done I'm building a fold up bunk.

So far I'm considering a Big Buddy heater: http://www.homedepot.ca/product/mh1...W8Alg&ef_id=Ucg@wQAABFKm0Afd:20140313154143:s On sale for ~120 at princess auto right now.
With this, I would have my man door cracked, and my roof vent partly open. And plug in a CO monitor that will be almost directly next to the heater. Obviously, my only concern with this one is the CO and burning of O2.
I'll only run it when the trailer cools off too much or when I'm getting up in the morning, never sleeping with it on.

My other option, is one of those quiet little generators powering an electric space heater. Drawbacks are the price, and the fact that I may not be able to get away with running it through the night to warm the trailer up (track quiet times are 11pm until 5 am). However, I then have a generator to charge my battery (not that I've ever run out) and in case of home emergencies.

Or, considering one of these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/US-Stove-Direct-Vented-8-000-BTU-LP-Gas-Heater-DV8L/203586192
With this, I can run it all night without worry. To run it in the trailer, I'll cut some holes in the floor in order to vent it. In the warmer months I can just leave the heater at home and plug the holes up in the floor. I really don't want to put holes in the skin of the trailer.
But then, I'm paying a fair amount of money for something I'll only use a few times per year... However, it would be nice after a wet, muddy moto to step inside a warm and dry trailer to get changed/dry.


Was considering a tiny wood stove and making a false rear wall where my ramp is to run the pipe out... But it's dirty, smells, takes set up time, gotta carry wood, and it won't be simple as just dropping the ramp to load the bike up at the end of the day.

Other options are roof top heater/ac units... But at this time of year, not many are on the used market and I would like to have a set up ready to go. Plus I would still need a generator as the fan takes current that would kill my battery by the end of the weekend.

Input? Budget is a factor but not super tight, maybe someone here has a great idea?
 
Maybe a small RV style furnace? Dometic's need a 12v supply for the fan, and source of propane. We have a tent trailer, and the furnace throws off plenty of heat to keep it warm.

I've got no idea about cost though...
 
I have a small kerosene heater for my garage and it works great. Very little smell after it's been running a few minutes and the flame is fairly small so it doesn't eat up as much o2. It's not good if you want to frequently turn it on and off which is when the kerosene smell occurs.

It's around $200 at Canadian tire.
 
N3WMAN said:
Light the trailer on fire.

Not the best long term solution if I'm honest.
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Effective though :dontknow:

If a generator a possibility you can get one of those smaller electric heaters. I used one in my garage and after about ten minutes it was t shirt weather (obviously insulated but not heated garage)
While the generator might be cheap the heater can be depending on how nuts you want to go with size
 
#1, do not use an air mattress when its cold out, they put a cold air layer under you. winter camping 101. Get a foam pad, put the radiant foil bubble foam insulation from home depot under that and your at R20. Please be extremely cautious with any tent heater or portable heater that is not rated for indoor use, when your sleeping, cracking the door and the roof vent has proven it is still not totally safe. Go to an RV store and get a heater designed for a trailer, it wont be cheap. Or get foam style pads, insulation and winter rated sleeping bags, wear toques at night and YOU get up 20 minutes early, make coffee and start a propane heater and take the chill out of the air. Any heater producing CO2 in a small space, even vented when sleeping can be a problem. Explaining a dead girlfriend can really wreck a weekend.
 
Just a point on the mr.buddy heater, it uses those propane bottles you can buy (pricey) I would want to use a propane tank, - you can however...it is optional. ", or to a 20 lb. cylinder with optional hose".

propane heat hurts my head after a while, I would feel safer with electric heat if I am going to be sleeping in a trailer. Don't forget you will prob. have your gas can (maybe bike) and other flammable objects in the trailer.

Ive been using a supplemental infrared/quartz heater in my home. When its more than -10*C outside, my furness barely comes on and keeps the room pretty toasty. Seems to draw very little power as well for the amount of heat it puts out. (but propane heater throws out way more heat)

How sealed is your enclosed trailer?
 
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crankcall said:
#1, do not use an air mattress when its cold out, they put a cold air layer under you. winter camping 101. Get a foam pad, put the radiant foil bubble foam insulation from home depot under that and your at R20. Please be extremely cautious with any tent heater or portable heater that is not rated for indoor use, when your sleeping, cracking the door and the roof vent has proven it is still not totally safe. Go to an RV store and get a heater designed for a trailer, it wont be cheap. Or get foam style pads, insulation and winter rated sleeping bags, wear toques at night and YOU get up 20 minutes early, make coffee and start a propane heater and take the chill out of the air. Any heater producing CO2 in a small space, even vented when sleeping can be a problem. Explaining a dead girlfriend can really wreck a weekend.
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Yep, with the propane heater I would only run it to heat the trailer up before bed, maybe once middle of the night and turn it off before passing out, and then turning it on first thing in the morning before getting dressed.
I layer the air mattress pretty good and use a fleece blanket and a -25 bag as a comforter... It's warm while sleeping. When it's just my, I use my cot and typical army stuff... Toasty.
I'd like to avoid a permanent install, it would take up 1/3 of my under bench storage and I have tools, parts, camp gear etc under there.

frekeyguy said:
Just a point on the mr.buddy heater, it uses those propane bottles you can buy (pricey) I would want to use a propane tank, - you can however...it is optional. ", or to a 20 lb. cylinder with optional hose".

propane heat hurts my head after a while, I would feel safer with electric heat if I am going to be sleeping in a trailer. Don't forget you will prob. have your gas can (maybe bike) and other flammable objects in the trailer.

Ive been using a supplemental infrared/quartz heater in my home. When its more than -10*C outside, my furness barely comes on and keeps the room pretty toasty. Seems to draw very little power as well for the amount of heat it puts out. (but propane heater throws out way more heat)

How sealed is your enclosed trailer?
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Yeah, the plan would be to get a 20lb propane tank and run the line. That way I can also run my stove off of that same tank and don't have to buy those expensive little ones. I only go through a handful a year cooking at the track, but with the heater it would be worth the 20lb tank.

I didn't totally think about other fuel sources in the trailer... The bike will be outside (chained, alarmed etc) but I'll still have ~100L of race gas in the trailer. However, that tank of fuel is sealed up and will be approx 10' from where the heater will be placed which is on a steel work bench with nothing easily flammable anywhere close to it.

The trailer is pretty well sealed. It's newer. I've never seen a drop of water in it, even after drives in pouring rain. When it's -10 outside in the winter, it's just barely above freezing on a mildly sunny day.

If it wasn't for my car project, I'd buy a roof top A/C and Heat unit, a generator and I'd be set.
 
If it's cold enough for you to be running a heater at the track, then you can be guaranteed others will be running their generators for heat. The quiet etiquette goes out the window when the temp dips.
 
http://www.junglehammock.com/product/camo-vertex-with-weathershield/

+ and outside quit +sleeping bags.

Little space when not in use, can get you down into the negative teens during winter camping. Any further questions?
Hella comfy, and it'll get you the best sleep short of an actual mattress from the Brick. Only downside is this contraption is a bit difficult to bump uglies and make babies, but I'm sure you'll find a 'workaround'. ;)
 
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Never heat through unvented combustion in occupied space. Flue gases are not for breathing.
 
If you look at a natural gas water heater(standard efficiency) you'll note the configuration of venting. I would do the same using something like the Dyna-Glo Pro mounted to 20lb propane tank. A large diameter heavy steel tube (to act as heat sink) on legs over top of the heater. 4 inch vent pipe thru roof. Convection should prevent flue gases from escaping into occupied space. This could be proven with detector.
 
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I would never use propane or kerosene heaters in an enclosed trailer even for a bit.

In such a small space the buildup of CO would happen very quickly, and you would be taking a permanent nap.

If anything, id use a deep cycle battery hooked to an inverter and use an electric heater.
 
infernobuster said:
I would never use propane or kerosene heaters in an enclosed trailer even for a bit.

In such a small space the buildup of CO would happen very quickly, and you would be taking a permanent nap.

If anything, id use a deep cycle battery hooked to an inverter and use an electric heater.
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Propane heaters are used in campers all the time. If properly functioning safeguards are in place.............

I wonder what the math is on the deep cycle battery heater........
 
Date fatties until it gets warmer.
 
inreb said:
Propane heaters are used in campers all the time. If properly functioning safeguards are in place.............

I wonder what the math is on the deep cycle battery heater........
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Battery math is not going to be good and you can risk your life by experimenting with combustion devices. Batteries are not cheap or light. They can't be quickly refueled.

You can buy a cheap used 1 Kw gennie and run a small electric heater. 500 watts is probably enough if the trailer is lined and hopefully insulated (Not likely). You also have power for other uses. Go with an inverter gennie and it will run for most of the night at a modest load and noise level.
 
nobbie48 said:
You can buy a cheap used 1 Kw gennie and run a small electric heater. 500 watts is probably enough if the trailer is lined and hopefully insulated (Not likely). You also have power for other uses. Go with an inverter gennie and it will run for most of the night at a modest load and noise level.
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One of them oil filled electric radiator heaters running off the quiet inverter gennie would do it for sure if the sleeping quarters are partitioned off with tarp or vapour barrier. I have done this in an uninsulated garage.
 
infernobuster said:
I would never use propane or kerosene heaters in an enclosed trailer even for a bit.

In such a small space the buildup of CO would happen very quickly, and you would be taking a permanent nap.

If anything, id use a deep cycle battery hooked to an inverter and use an electric heater.
Click to expand...

this guy would know what hes taking about ^^^
im sure he has seen his share with the job he has.
 
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