Room by room
Electric heating in a caravan or motorhome
The short answer
The limit in a caravan is rarely the heater — it is the site bollard. Work out your amps first and the right wattage follows.
Written and checked by the RapidHeat UK team · Last updated September 2026 · how we work out running costs
Key takeaways
- Site hook-ups are often 6 A, 10 A or 16 A — a 2 kW heater plus a kettle will trip a 6 A pitch.
- Selectable power levels matter more in a caravan than maximum output.
- Electric heat adds no moisture, so it beats gas for damp control inside a van.
What your hook-up allows
| Site supply | Approximate total watts | Sensible heater setting |
|---|---|---|
| 6 A | About 1,380 W | Up to roughly 750 W, and nothing else heavy running |
| 10 A | About 2,300 W | 1,000–1,200 W with care |
| 16 A | About 3,680 W | 1,500–2,000 W, still watching the kettle |
Watts divided by 230 gives amps. Remember the fridge, water heater, kettle and chargers all share that budget — a 2 kW heater plus a kettle will trip a 10 A bollard instantly. Heaters with a switchable low setting are much easier to live with on site.
Never run heating off the leisure battery
Electric heating is far too power-hungry for 12 V. A 1 kW heater would flatten a typical leisure battery in well under half an hour. Off hook-up, heating means your gas or diesel system, not a plug-in heater.
Damp is the real enemy
Vans are small, well-sealed spaces with several people breathing in them. Gentle continuous warmth plus ventilation stops condensation running down the windows and mould appearing in lockers. Crack a roof vent even when it is cold — sealing everything up makes damp worse, not better.
Storage over winter
If the van is on a serviced pitch with power, a low thermostat setting keeps the interior above freezing and protects pipes and upholstery from damp. Drain the water system regardless — a heater is not insurance against a hard frost.
Safety in a small space
- Fully unwind the hook-up cable; a coiled reel under load gets hot.
- Keep the heater on a flat, hard surface, not carpet, cushions or a bunk.
- At least a metre of clear space in front of the outlet — no towels drying over it.
- Choose a unit with overheat and tip-over cut-offs, and switch it off when you sleep.
- Fit and test a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm.
RapidHeat on site
RapidHeat is compact, quick to warm a small space and thermostat controlled, which is exactly what a caravan wants on an evening hook-up. Watch your amps, keep the space around it clear, and use the timer for a morning warm-up before anyone gets out of bed. Wattage guidance in low wattage heaters.
RapidHeat ceramic heater
4.8/5 · 1,247 UK customers£49.95· £89.91 for two · £110.89 for three (about £36.96 each)
- Thermostat, timer and remote
- Warm room in about 5 minutes
- Free tracked UK delivery
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Perfect for my cold office
I have a small office with a door that gets really cold because the building management keeps the winter temperature far too low for comfort. I plugged this into the socket above my desk and now I am warm without anyone even knowing it is there. I love it.
Great in the bathroom
We use it to take the chill off the bathroom before the kids' bath time. Warms up fast and the timer is handy. Four stars only because I wish the display were a little dimmer at night.
Worth being straight about: RapidHeat is built for rooms up to about 12 m². It is not a replacement for central heating and it will not transform an open-plan lounge or an uninsulated garage. If it is not right for your room, send it back within 30 days.
Questions people ask
- What size heater can I use on a 10 A hook-up?
- 10 A at 230 V is roughly 2,300 W total for everything on the van. A 1,000 W heater leaves room for a kettle; a 2,000 W heater does not. On a 6 A pitch, keep the heater at 500–800 W.
- Is an electric heater better than gas in a caravan?
- On a hook-up, yes for most people: no moisture, no ventilation requirement, no bottle to refill. Off-grid, gas or diesel heating is the practical choice because a leisure battery will not run a mains heater.
- How do I stop damp in a caravan over winter?
- A little warmth plus ventilation. A low-wattage heater on a thermostat, vents left open and cushions lifted off surfaces does more than sealing the van up tight.
- Can I leave a heater running while I am out?
- Only a thermostatic unit with overheat protection, placed on a hard surface well clear of curtains and upholstery. Many sites ask you not to leave appliances running unattended, so check the site rules.
Take reliable warmth away with you
Order RapidHeat today with free tracked UK delivery and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Sold direct by RapidHeat UK. Secure checkout, free tracked UK delivery.