Hi, folks...
Just following along with the discussion. I second the motion that the Caframo/WM low profile heater is a great little unit. We use it often on Starbright when docked. I do, however, wish to make an alternative suggestion to those who might be looking for a heater to leave unattended. We use a freestanding, oil-filled radiator commonly available at the big box stores. Over the years, I have learned where to dial in the thermostat, and which power level to select (900W/600W) to keep the cabin at our target freeze protection temps based on predicted outside conditions. I prefer this type of heater greatly over the Caframo forced-air convection heater for unattended use simply because it is highly fault tolerant. The resistive wires in the Caframo units can go very high temp and fracture if the fan experiences a fault - either locked rotor or bogging-down bearing. I have always worried that there could be a small bit of very hot ejecta in those cases. The oil-filled units, on the other hand, keep the elements completely enclosed in the oil and do not rely on moving air.
It is important, though, to properly mount the radiator type as they are typically tall and narrow, and are often standing on wheels. On Starbright, I put the wheels in rubber furniture cups, and support the unit at the top as well. Then, we run external fans to keep the warm air moving through the cabins and also keep the mildew from spawning.
Just an alternative to consider, there is always more than one way to skin the cat. I know I sleep a little better since Starbright is 190 miles from my home and winter visits are sometimes spaced out a little.
On another note.... Terry, I have read in the past that you have been using a Wallas 30dt installation. I am seriously considering picking one up on the Seattle boat show pricing, but would love to pick your brain on how you use the unit. Specifically, it seems that this unit is intended to be used in a "set and forget" fashion as it has a lengthy start-up and shut-down sequence. We intend to use the unit for evenings/mornings for the most part and thus cycle it a couple of times a day and I am curious about your use-models and experiences. Could we perhaps converse by PM or phone sometime?