Why Space Heaters are a BAD IDEA for a Mobile, Marine, or Off-Grid Electrical System.
14 April 2024 · 5 min · 8K views
What this video covers
An electric space heater rated for 1500 watts consumes excessive energy for off-grid battery banks, making it impractical for mobile or marine applications. Nate tested a space heater set to 60 degrees Fahrenheit in a van parked in an unheated barn for 33 days.1:43 With the heater set to its low setting of 665 watts, the unit consumed 546.7 kilowatt-hours of electricity.2:13 This usage averages 16,566 watt-hours per day, which would require a 1,380 amp-hour 12-volt battery bank to sustain.3:04 Recharging this daily draw would necessitate a solar array exceeding 2800 watts, an impractical requirement given reduced winter solar gain.3:45 Because electric heaters operate at nearly 100% efficiency, reducing power consumption directly results in less heat output.4:01 Fuel-burning alternatives, such as diesel heaters, propane furnaces, or wood-burning fireplaces, provide more appropriate heating solutions for off-grid systems.4:27 Electric space heaters are inefficient for off-grid use because the high energy demand requires an unsustainable battery bank and solar array size.
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