The CheapHeat™ system has been designed to provide a maximum amount of configurations with a minimum amount of equipment. Our model CH-50 Controller is engineered so that it can operate with both 30 amp and 50 amp shore power inputs. Additionally, the controller works with a specially designed heating element that provides the customer the ability to pick from 3 different heating outputs from one heater element. As well, the add-on cabinet is designed to accommodate 6 different cabinet configurations with only 3 different cabinet styles. (See Compatibility Chart)

Because of the advanced design, the CheapHeat™ CH-50 controller integrates seamlessly with the existing gas furnace printed circuit controller and thermostat. Once installed, the only additional control the customer will have, is a switch that gives them the ability to select whether they want to heat their RV with GAS or ELECTRIC.

The CheapHeat™ allows the RV owner to have uninterrupted heat for their RV, when their hooked to its manufacturers recommended shore power, without having to use gas, or worry about running out of gas (LPG). This means no having to pull up stakes during a vacation to get your propane refilled.

When using the CheapHeat™ electric heating option you don’t have to worry about the gas furnace igniter failure, jets clogging, or spider web problems that are inherent when using LPG gas furnaces. With the electric element providing the heating to the RV, the only moving part outside of the controller is the fan motor in the gas furnace.

One of the long standing problems an RV owner has faced is how to keep their pipes from freezing without going out every few days to refill the propane. With the CheapHeat™ system, when the system is in the electric mode, there is no propane use for heating, so you don’t have to worry about running out.

When it comes to safety there are at least 3 areas the CheapHeat™ system really shines:

1. If you’re NOT using gas heat you don’t have to worry about the furnace causing monoxide poisoning.
2. You don’t have to worry about a 1500ºF flame burning inside a metal cabinet in your RV.
3. There is no need to use unsafe portable electric heaters to supplement your heating, or freeze protection.

The CheapHeat™ system is also failsafe protected, with four internal safeties:

1. Auto reset air temperature switch used to control discharge air temperature.
2. High temperature fusible link that disconnects permanently at a preset high temperature (well below the temperature the even paper starts to turn brown).
3. In line manual reset breaker that controls any over current problems.
4. All wiring and components are oversized by at least 30% with respect to the actual load requirements.

Because the manufacturer installed gas furnace generates such high air temperatures as the air travels across its firebox, it has a tendency to generate high discharge air temperatures. This leads to over shooting the thermostat setting by getting the coach air to hot before it shuts off and then allowing it get to cool before it comes back on. When the CheapHeat™ system is in the electric heating mode you’ll find that the heated air temperature is cooler, allowing longer run time, which does a better job of mixing all the air in the coach, as a by product, the RV maintains a more comfortable temperature throughout the coach.

With the CheapHeat™ system the RV owner has the peace of mind in knowing that when they need the heat they won’t run out of propane. You don’t have to worry about monoxide poisoning from the furnace. You don’t have to worry about it not working because of igniter or spider web problems, and most importantly, you don’t have to worry about your RV catching fire because a portable heater tipped over, or it overheated a wall socket.

The CheapHeat™ system has been registered with the U.S. patent office to protect its customer from fakes and imitations. As a patented product, you can be confident that a thorough search has been made at the U.S. Government archives, to insure that the CheapHeat™ system is not an uncertified spin-off of some other product.

This is where the CheapHeat™ really shines. Rather than having to pay for propane (LPG) to heat your RV, the RV owner can now just plug the RV into shore power at their favorite RV Park. Then turn the CheapHeat™ override switch to ELEC and bingo, free heat, because most all RV parks include electrical, as part of their daily/nightly space rent.

With a gas furnace, during the warm up and cool down process, the firebox makes snapping, cracking and popping noises. This is because of the extreme temperature changes happening inside the firebox. When using the CheapHeat™ system in the electric heat mode, none of these temperatures are exposed to the firebox so, no noise. Additionally on the DH18-115 & PL18-115 models the controller actually reduces the fan speed to help decrease noise levels and increase comfort levels.

When operating the CheapHeat™ system in the electric heat mode, you no longer have to worry about having a portable heater tip over and cause a fire, or having it overheat and set the wall socket on fire. You don’t have to worry about a possible gas explosion, that may have been caused by a gas furnace misfiring. But most importantly, you won’t have to worry about some manufacturer not installing your SH model furnace correctly, causing the flue pipe to burn the outer wall of the RV.

The CheapHeat™ system has been designed for durability and reliability, above and beyond industry standards. As an example, the control relays are all 30% plus oversized. The circuit board is double layered with 30% oversized copper connections and it is mounted in an industrial grade electrical box. The electrical element is designed to be used in the most rugged conditions, and has been drop tested from three feet, with no damage. Additionally, as an electrical supplied heating system, it has a minimum amount of moving parts, compared to a gas heater. There is no metal firebox to rust out when you use a tungsten electrical coil to heat with. All of that being said, if your RV Park does have a power outage, just flip the override switch and you’re back on gas heat.

All of the component parts in our CheapHeat™ controller are UL® Listed, as well as the Printed Circuit Board and its manufacturing process have been UL® Listed. All of those components and PC Board are mounted in an industrial grade NEMA-1 UL® Listed and certified metal box to make a completed controller.