I am living in an RV where insulation is minimal so I really rely on the "heat the person not the house" principle. Last winter I used a 1,000 watt electric space heater to keep me and my little doggy warm until freezing temperatures hit, but I wanted to see if I could slim down even more on the electric bill without sacrificing any comfort.
This whole past week it has been between 40-50f (4.5-10c) so I've been able to give my chick brooding lamp a proper test. I'm actually finding that (on top of being 4x more efficient per hour), it is also better at heating me (and my usually-cold little dog) than the electric space heater was. About 36" below the lamp gets to 85 (29.5) degrees, and the indoor air temp gets to about 10 (4.5) degrees warmer than outside if I keep in on for a couple of hours. I think if I ran it all day it could handle another 10 degrees colder no problem.
I spent just $21 on the setup: $10 on the 10" Aluminum clamp light with a 300w maximum wattage ceramic base, and $11 on the 250w Red heat bulb (both from just any generic hardware store). If you or your pet loves to lay in the sun, or by the fire, or in front of the electric space heater, I strongly recommend trying out a brooding lamp!
I traded my space heater for a chick brooding lamp and am saving 75% on electricity and feeling even warmer (plus my little dog loves it)
byu/Ok-Cook-7542 inFrugal
Posted by Ok-Cook-7542
8 Comments
Strictly speaking, it’s impossible for the lamp to be more efficient. It’s just more directed/effective at heating you rather than heating the space and air.
I should have also added, the warmth is radiant heat so the surface temperature under the lamp gets a lot hotter than the air temperature, and it warms your skin like sitting in front of a fire or in the sun (which is definitely why my dog is so into it)
edit a typo
Electric blanket, its legit a game changer since you’re heating the surface not the air.
And when you start laying eggs, you will save money there too
Be very careful using this. Lots of chicken coops and barns have burned down due to the lamps falling on flammable surfaces. Make sure it’s well secure and away from flammable materials.
Please be extremely careful.
These heat lamps do not have the same safety features as a space heater. They are hot to the touch & they don’t have an automatic off switch. That means if the clamp fails for whatever reason, this lamp will fall on whatever is beneath it while hot & still radiating heat.
The cost savings could never replace my peace of mind to ensure safety.
Have you considered a heated blanket? In my RV, I’d use a space heater for the room to up the temp to about 60* then I’d use a heated blanket for me & my dog to feel comfortable.
electric bill? In an RV? you stay parked somewhere you pay?
I sure hope you only run that when you’re awake and sitting under it. They’re a heck of a fire hazard in an environment like an RV, when compared to an oil filled radiant or ceramic infrared heater.
What did you do to improve the RV insulation and air leaks over the year since last winter? Replacing window Weather stripping, adding it to storage compartments, window shrink film, add or fix skirting, spray foaming gaps, layering thrifted rugs?