Heating during Winter travel

[win35p]

This will be the first time we have taken a trip in winter where we will need heat in the coach as we travel and overnight without ac power hookup.
I could run the generator as my coach has "electric heat" on thermostat which I suppose is a heat pump but I am not sure how effective it is if the temperatures are at freezing. Or, I could turn the propane furnace on but question whether the running fan will draw down my batteries. Also, unsure how long propane lasts when running fridge and furnace (I have a 28 gal LPG tank).
I am wondering what others do when traveling during the winter?

[jettyjock]

Just came back from a 3 day trip were we had the furnace and hot water on every day and night. No problem with propane. Had 110 so I don't know about the batteries. Woke up sat morning and the water hose was frozen, but the water pump still worked.

[raceguy549]

Your propane supply should last easily for 3 days. The batteries probably won't however. You'll need to run the generator some to recharge them. When they get low the furnace will turn on the fan but will not relight. You'll wakeup shivering all the while listening to the furnace blower. Brrrrrr.

[Hikerdogs]

The heat pump only works down to about 36* to 38*F below that it will automatically switch to propane. If there is no propane available the system will shut down.

You shouldn't have any problems using the propane system alone. If the batteries are in good shape and fully charged there should be plenty of battery power to run it through the night. In the morning when you start the engine the alternator will recharge the batteries.

We've done this on many occasions throughout the years. We generally keep the thermostat set to 65* - 68*F during the evening hours and lower it to 55* when we head for bed. It usually comes on only a couple times during the night if the outside temp stays in the high 20's to low 30's. By the time you stop the next evening the batteries should be fully charged.

If you're staying in the same place without hookups for several days it's best to run the generator for a couple hours in the morning. It's pointless to run the generator when traveling unless you want to use the microwave or some other 120V appliance. The system automatically selects the engine alternator to charge the batteries.

If you have the optional 10 gal water heater with the "Motoraid" system you should have a floor vent behind the engine cover that has a heating system similar to the dash heater. It runs off the engine cooling system and has a switch on the dash to power the fan. We use ours when traveling in cold weather and rarely have to turn on the propane heat. On the rare occasion we do need the propane heat it works fine when traveling down the road.

We may keep the thermostat cooler than some, or have better dual pane windows, or more insulation, but our propane tank (28 gallons) will last a couple weeks even with the temperatures hovering in the high teens to low 20's

[mikf]

I never turn the water on to the icemaker when travelling in cold weather. seems to me like it is to exposed and could freeze. I run the propane furnace at night. if you are traveling during the day your batteries will charge back up. there are plenty of places to buy propane and I think that would be cheaper then running your gen. to be able to use your heatpump. as long it is not snowing or freezing rain cold weather travel should not be a problem.

[Danny Beck]

Brand new to this whole RV thing and about to go through my first winter and I use it alot...so I don't want to winterize it....any suggestions?

[mikf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Beck Brand new to this whole RV thing and about to go through my first winter and I use it alot...so I don't want to winterize it....any suggestions?

Danny depends on where you live and what kind of rig you have. if you have a heated basement you will have to run your propane furnace when the temps drop below freezing. if it is not heated you will to come up with a way to get heat to the area where your holding tanks are. again a lot depends on what your rig is.

[dsbike]

We spent last winter in the Baltimore area. We kept the temps at 65, & used the propane heater, we don't have a heatpump. At the coldest part of winter rarely going above 35' & several days around 26-32' we went through a 100lb bottle of propane every 10 days. We also use propane for our 6 gal water heater. We used sleeping bags draped over the dash & engine doghouse & sleeping pads against the walls on the slide out to help insulate. Unbelievable how much cold air comes through the dash. This was a very expensive winter for us, but you do what you have to do.
My point here is that depending on how well your rv is insulated, will make the difference on how much propane you use.
Can't answer the other questions you have, we were always hooked up to electric. On the + side our electric bill for the months during the winter were apprx $40 a month, the lowest in the campground.

[bachler]

We have done a lot of winter RVING , While snowmobiling. The coldest we ever parked in was 37 degrees below zero; No power; No problem; Fill your propane tank, We would set the temp at 65 when we were gone and 70 when we were there; Over night About 58/60 degrees. Never had any problem. as most of the coaches now have heat ducts in the basment area. The problem arises when they Hook up to power and use those %$#@^&$ use electric heaters. Now NO heat gets to the Basment And. Good for those EL cheep ohs there pipes freeze. .. Then they come and want to barrow water, because there lines are frozen.. I politely tell them NO. (the furnace is ment to be used) You will have no problem..

[lazylen7]

We fabbed up a "wind block" out of a cheap poly tarp for the front of our DP to prevent cold air from cooling the heater core lines and entering the front of the moho while driving. We also installed pipe wrap insulation on those same lines, being that they run from the back to the front under the RV. Really helped in keeping heat available to the front. Also ran the propane furnace. For gassers, you could do the same to prevent hyper cooling of the rad.

[skigramp]

Keeping warm while driving in cold temperatures takes preparation.

For the past several years we have left Wisconsin in January ... on several occasions the temperatures have been in single digits as we travelled. The heat loss when you are travelling 60 mph through those kinds of temps is really great. We run the dash heater and the LP furnace but the front of the coach is still cold ... we wear warm clothes and my wife quite often has a robe on her lap ...

[Mr_D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bachler We have done a lot of winter RVING , While snowmobiling. The coldest we ever parked in was 37 degrees below zero; No power; No problem; Fill your propane tank, We would set the temp at 65 when we were gone and 70 when we were there; Over night About 58/60 degrees. Never had any problem. as most of the coaches now have heat ducts in the basment area. The problem arises when they Hook up to power and use those %$#@^&$ use electric heaters. Now NO heat gets to the Basment And. Good for those EL cheep ohs there pipes freeze. .. Then they come and want to barrow water, because there lines are frozen.. I politely tell them NO. (the furnace is ment to be used) You will have no problem..

Glad I don't have you for neighbors!

[MntDriver]

37 below 0 and you didnt freeze up? Not that I don't believe you, but that's the coldest I've ever heard. Is that farenheit? And we dont know what type of unit you own as it's not in your profile.

We live at 8,600 feet in Colorado, and use our motorhome in Breckenridge CO at TigerRun, where temps get below zero frequently. I use a 100 watt trouble light in the dump area compartment, and also a 100 watt trouble light in the water pump area when we are parked. We also run the furnace some and use two electric "el cheapo" heaters inside, and we have never frozen up.

To the OP, use your motoraid heat exchanger when you drive! It uses heated antifreeze from your engine, that circulates through your water heater and then through a heat exchanger with fans which you control from your dash. All the fan forced heat will come from your floor vents which also heats (somewhat) the sewer compartments. This option is only available on Winnebago gas units, and not available on Winnebago Diesel units.

FYI. On our unit, there is no direct furnace duct that is directed toward the sewer dump compartment that I can find. We can run our furnace all the time, and the sewer compartment still gets below freezing (without the trouble light). We do run the furnace some as to heat that compartment as I believe there are a few holes cut in the metal furnace main duct work which directs heat to that area. Also you can see the top of the fresh water tank under the closet floor and I believe the heat from the furnace circulates through there somewhat.

[Beabop]

Welcome to the newbies, it always helps to post the make and model of your rig in your signature.