Convince me that a heated trailer is the way to go!

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I've currently got a 7x23 3 place trailer and am looking to upgrade to a 4 place. When I do, I am thinking about heat. Heat is not worth it for me if all it does is melt off the sled and ice up the trailer. The real benefits to heat that I would want are: 1. ability to dry off gear over night without having to lug it all into the hotel room, 2. can change morning at night at parking lot in heated comfort. 3. Warm place to have a beer after a long day.

I have been hearing mixed reviews. Some guys say it is a must, others are telling me:

1. you get too much humididty in the trailer to really dry out your clothes, so you still end up taking them in to the hotel room.
2. The sleds melt off great, but water pools and freezes in the trailer, wrecking door gaskets, removing access to tie downs, etc.
3. Unless you are plugged in at the hotel, the heaters need 12v for the fan and you can't heat the trailer for even a day, let alone 4 days without access to plug in power to charge the battery or run an inverter, unless you add two batteries in the trailer and have two on the truck!

I'd like to hear from people with actual experience using heated trailers. Normally we stay at hotels in the mountains that don't provide 120V plug in.

1. Will I be able to fully dry clothes over night in the trailer?
2. Will I be able to heat the trailer for the entire 4 days that typically make up a trip?
3. Will the trailer ice up over time causing problems?

Thanks!
 

JP.

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Bring a honda or yamaha 3000 inverter generator and put in a construction fan that runs all night, everything will be bone dry with a 40000 btu furnace over night easy

The fan is what dries stuff
 

lsone

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Bring a honda or yamaha 3000 inverter generator and put in a construction fan that runs all night, everything will be bone dry with a 40000 btu furnace over night easy

The fan is what dries stuff
Yea be prepared to dump another 3-5g in setting it up with a nice, not annoying and fuel hungry generator, then a fan that actually moves air to delete the humidity. Seems like a pain in the ass to be the one that spends the cake for everyone else to enjoy LOL
 

lilduke

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Yea be prepared to dump another 3-5g in setting it up with a nice, not annoying and fuel hungry generator, then a fan that actually moves air to delete the humidity. Seems like a pain in the ass to be the one that spends the cake for everyone else to enjoy LOL

Hey now we all need a friend like that.
 

blastoff

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We always seemed to bring the suits to room for a 100% guarantee drying and of course the boots.
 

gates559

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Bring a honda or yamaha 3000 inverter generator and put in a construction fan that runs all night, everything will be bone dry with a 40000 btu furnace over night easy

The fan is what dries stuff

are you talking a construction heater? if so dont you need a bigger generator to run one?
 

JP.

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are you talking a construction heater? if so dont you need a bigger generator to run one?

In my mission trailer I had a 40000 btu furnace, and I used a construction fan on the floor pointed at ceiling and riding gear hanging on walls. My Yamaha 3000 inverter runs all night, it's quit and with the thermostat about half way the trailer and all gear is dry. All the generator is doing is running the fan and keeping trailer batteries from dying.



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chezandy0

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Ill give you three reasons. Not having to haul all your S*^T in and your buddy forgetting his helmet on the heater in the room.Not sleeping with stinky equipment all night.
 

shoppingcart111

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What gear are you guys using that gets that wet? I've had skidoo, klim, tobe now motorfist and I've never had the gear that wet (except that day in renshaw when it was a tourential downpour in the staging area) that it didn't dry overnight in the room, always just hang it up in the coathanger spot in the room, just so its not all over the bed or floor, keep the room at a comfortable temp and its fine by morning. Sleds is another story.
 

maierch

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are you talking a construction heater? if so dont you need a bigger generator to run one?




I have one of these in my trailer that runs all night with the furnace and all my gear is always dry and the sleds are melted off by morning. As JP said you need to have something to keep your batteries dying durning the night whether it be a small generator or a plug in. I use an 1800 Honda to keep mine charged when a plugin isn't available.
 

Go-Vertical

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In my mission trailer I had a 40000 btu furnace, and I used a construction fan on the floor pointed at ceiling and riding gear hanging on walls. My Yamaha 3000 inverter runs all night, it's quit and with the thermostat about half way the trailer and all gear is dry. All the generator is doing is running the fan and keeping trailer batteries from dying.

Yes exactly. Have yet to use a generator in 4 years. It's also nice to work in a sled at night with good lighting and heat to keep your fingers warm. Gear is always dry in the morning. Only time of icing on the floor was when it was -35. And was running low on propane after day 4.
 

chezandy0

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Gear gets damp and wet when you ride not sit in the cabin pulling a show and shine.
 

chezandy0

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I also agree with the rest of the boys the fan is the key! Leave the roof vents open a bit to get the humidity out and the way you go sleds dry floors dry ready to rock. Beware leaving generator in the back of your truck somebody was cutting pull start cords on generators in the parking lot last year.
 

JP.

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These fans move air



Most Home building centres carry them
 

camarogreg

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Would one of these work?
8007150.jpg
200 bucks at Princess Auto, if not where could you get a better heater?
 

Rotax_Kid

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The heat is real nice when you have to work on something or want to adjust in the evening after a ride. Good lighting and heat are on the top of my list when I upgrade.
 

S.W.A.T.

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Would one of these work?200 bucks at Princess Auto, if not where could you get a better heater?

That will work to keep warm but airflow does the drying, think of your dryer at home. Those single propane heaters can be oxygen thieves too so becareful if sleeping in there.
 
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