This is a guest post from Greg who purchased an electric fireplace for his RV.
Last year, we purchased a 36 foot, 1996 Southwind motor home. It was in good shape structurally, but definitely needed some TLC. One of the first things we did was replace all the carpeting. Then, just in time for Penn State tailgating season, I added a 32" flat screen TV. I mounted it overhead, so when we removed the old TV (which was mounted in the dash), we had to find something to fill the hole.
An electric fireplace insert seemed like the perfect fit. It would look great and be functional. A big benefit to having an electric fireplace in an RV is that you don't have to use your own gas to run the furnace. Typically you have to pay for an electric hookup when you rent a site, so an electric fireplace has the potential to save a lot of money.
I measured the opening that the old TV left behind and then searched the internet for an electric fireplace insert that would fit. I found a fireplace in the perfect size and price from electricfireplacesdirect.com.
I attached the ClassicFlame 18" plug-in electric fireplace to the floor with brackets and plugged it into the existing outlet inside the dashboard left by the TV. I used the old vented cover from the TV to fill much of the space and then built a wooden mantel to trim out the fireplace. We haven't experienced any issues with movement.
It looks great with the flat screen and does an excellent job of heating the living area of the motor home. On really cold nights we have turned the rear furnace on for the back bedroom, but typically this little electric fireplace can heat the entire RV without a problem.
We like it so much we often turn the light on in the summer when we don't need the heat just to enjoy the cozy feel of a fire.