Flaman Rentals Blog

The good and not so bad about heated enclosed sled trailers

Posted by Steve Whittington Dec 30, 2010

This year we brought in a standardized insulation and heating package for our XR enclosed sled trailers. The package was designed to be simple and robust and it really is! It includes a 25,000 BTU forced air propane heater with a 35 lb underbelly mount propane tank. To start the unit the operation is simple – move the thermostat to the desired heat level and an interior battery will fire up the unit. Presto! You now have heat.

To understand the units we have been field testing them. The system is easy to use and warms a three place enclosed sled trailer at -10 in about ten minutes. It really is quite comfortable and fast. The insulation in the roof, walls and floor keep the heat in well. You’re going to need that in this weather!

There are a couple of things we don’t like: there’s no remote fill on the tank. Not having this option does keep the costs down, but that is hardly remembered when you are struggling on your back beneath the unit to fill the propane tank. While filling the tank is not an everyday occurrence, when it does happen it is a nuance, and you have to make sure wherever you are getting it filled has a long enough hose to reach.

The second thing we did not like was shutting the system down. If you do not push the thermostat into the right position it stays on and drains your battery. This has occurred for us in our lots with customers while showing off the unit, so most likely this is not applicable in the field.

In conclusion, the good far outweighs the bad. The system works well and produces heat fast! We are looking at carrying a remote fill kit for aftermarket purchase in case you get tired of crawling around beneath the trailer.