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Using a small electric heater with a fan in cold weather?

Jay_and_KatJay_and_Kat Member Posts: 215
edited December 2022 in Camping & Travel
Presuming I don't chicken out, I'm going to be going camping in our T@B 400 BD next week for a couple nights.  Where I'll be going is COLD right now (a nearby campground / canoe rental tower cam shows ~20F right now.)  Now, I fully understand the Alde heater will keep the interior of the camper comfortable, but there's the issue of condensation I've seen raised by others.

I bought a small two fan USB fan to move air around, I plan to leave the back window open to the 2nd lock position and the ceiling vent open a bit to fight this.  But I'm also wondering if putting a small electric heater that I've got, which also has a fan, up at the front of the camper will help as well.  I'm thinking I could use the temp-set function on the heater (senses room temp, runs on high to reach temp then switches to low, when temp gets ~4F over your set temp, turns off until it goes below the set, then runs on low again) so the fan would run (mostly) all night.

I'm thinking I'd set the heater up under the front table so it's out of the way if / when I need to make a midnight restroom run.

I'd be connected to shore power on this trip, so draining the batteries won't be a concern (NOT LiFePo batteries)

So, good idea, bad idea, just use the USB fans and be done with it?

[Edited 19-Dec @ 6:15pm]
So I realize now, I wasn't clear on what I was thinking the advantage of the small electric heater would be, so lets edit that in.  My thought is, it would serve the purpose of both a small fan to move the air around to hopefully reduce condensation (as many have suggested, running a small fan with a window and the top vent cracked a touch helps,) as well as reduce how much the Alde will have to work to heat the camper.
My apologies for not being clearer, that's on me.
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Jay and Kat
Tow vehicle:  2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S + tow package
Camper:  2022 T@B 400 Boondock w/Norcold 3-way fridge

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    VictoriaPVictoriaP Member Posts: 1,492
    The Alde on shore power is dry heat, as I understand it. You are the one creating condensation with your breath, so the only benefit to using a space heater is to warm things up while waiting for the Alde to actually heat. The other source of condensation is propane—your stove, propane fridges in older models, possibly the Alde when on propane (though I’ve heard it doesn’t contribute).

    Fans/vent/side window gap should be sufficient…back window might make the bed area too cold in that kind of weather. Take along a microfiber or chamois or other superabsorbent cloth just in case you do need to wipe things down, and bring the space heater to get heat faster than the Alde can manage, but I probably wouldn’t bother leaving it running all night unless you find the Alde insufficient.
    2019 320s BD Lite, white with blue (“Haven”)
    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6r (unsafe 200lb tongue weight limit until 2020 models)
    2020 Subaru Outback XT
    Pacific NW
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    techietabtechietab Member Posts: 159
    The Alde on propane mode doesn't contribute to cabin humidity any more than it does when it's on shore electric. Propane byproducts are vented out of the camper.
    Northern VA
    2022 T@b 320 S / 2021 Subaru Outback
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