Looking for a ventless propane heater for my enclosed trailer/camper. I think propane would be the way to go since I will have a propane cooktop and can use one 20 lb tank to run both. But now they have the small diesel heaters and was wondering if anyone has any experience with them. I'm only heating an area about 100 sq feet but wondering about the diesel smell if/when spilled while filling. Thermostat would be nice too. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I would go with one of the diesel heaters as they are vented. Ventless heaters and small campers are not a good combination….

Those diesel heaters are small, could probably take it outside to fill...

When they first appeared a guy a friend knows claimed he heated his unheated garage in the winter with one, with very little fuel.....or so they said.

X2
Unless you don't care if you wake up.

30 year retired boiler operator....Go vented, even in a home.

You don't want to be immersed in the byproducts of combustion....Not at all.

Both propane and diesel/kerosene puts out lots of water as a product of combustion. Unvented is not good in a small enclosed space except for short periods of use (to warm up in a box blind). Go vented so you can let it burn overnight. "Direct vent" is the terminology for a heater that draws combustion air from outside and vents combustion products outside.

CO detector is a MUST HAVE

and go vented too

The ventless heaters warm a place up but suck! You always smell some fumes, you always get condensation, etc. I’ve never used these now popular mini diesel heaters but they seem to be a great option. Or even a small vented propane option like an old spear house heater type of deal. I had an old vented heater that crapped the bed in my fur shed and replaced it with the ventless propane and it was the worst thing I ever did in there. Fought it for a number of years and finally got a different vented heater. It was near impossible to dry critters and hides without constant fans blowing on them and even then it was waaaaaay slower. I know that’s not the application you’re looking at, but I wouldn’t want ventless where I’m sleeping. Happy trapping! ScottW

X3
There is ^^^^that^^^^
And without ventilation, enjoy the rain as moisture accumulates inside.

Ventless combustion heaters will cause serious condensation and rot your camper. And any combustion, (propane, diesel, etc.), emits dangerous by-products. The only safe option, without venting, is electric.

When I worked on trucks we used the diesel heaters for the cab when the truck wasn't running. They worked great. All exhaust went outside and had a fresh air tube pulling air from outside. They had a tube that ran into the trucks fuel tank. Maybe u can find one like that and externally mount a tank. So the stink stays outside. Espar was the name brand they used. But there are alot of Chinese knockoffs now.

If you know someone with a ventless heater check it out when running you won't have to ask anyone

I would absolutely recommend a diesel heater. I have 3 of them I use for ice fishing. Two are build into my permanent shacks and I have a portable one I use in my pop-up ice shack. They work great, and it wouldn't take much to set it up with either an external tank or a quick disconnect so you could fill the tank outside. For the little bit I use mine, I just use kerosene so it's not a big deal if I spill a little while filling the tanks inside. They sip the diesel/kerosene compared to propane. Can run all day on a gallon of fuel.

Keep in mind though they need a power source. I use a 12v lithium battery. A battery like that could last 2-3 days depending on how high you have it running.

There are some that have a control panel that works on either thermostat or manual level control. There was a thread on diesel heaters not too long ago, might find some more info and endorsements if you can track that down.

In my state, a ventless propane heater is not allowed in a bedroom.

I have many hours using kerosene heaters to
keep mud from freezing at work.
Still own a few and know their upkeep.
Have lent them out as needed.

Somewhere along the trail the fuel changed.
Can no longer burn them around people.
Clear fuel, K-1, new wicks, fuel additives, no matter.

Used to use them on construction sites but they would turn the sheetrock yellow so we quit using them and went to propane.

Than you, will look into it. This was the information I was looking for.

We used to used to tent-in the entire sides of houses and heat inside with a kerosene-fueled jet heater so we could lay brick in the winter. We'd drape plastic over the back of the scaffolding. The fumes were almost unbearable, especially near the top. Many days I went home with a bad headache.

That was back in the 80's before we n\knew any better.