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Old 01-28-2017, 08:42 AM   #15
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There are two different problems at play. It takes a lot of heat to get the mass of the body and it's contents up to "room temperature". Conversely it takes a lot of heat loss to cool it off again. If you use the furnace to start out warm before you leave then you can turn it off and see where dash heat takes you. It may be sufficient to keep you comfortable. If not there is always the furnace. That requires fewer BTU's from the dash than getting into a cold RV and trying to warm it up with the dash heater. The other thing you can do to help is the usual winterization insulation improvements like vent pillows and reflectix in some of the windows (just slip behind the blind). Curtains will help the front but let the rest of the house suffer. The same techniques work for cooling in the summer as it's all the same heat loss and thermal mass root causes.
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Old 01-28-2017, 08:48 AM   #16
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we use several electric heaters when needed, with the inverter on, and the engine alternator providing charging of the batteries while traveling - if the batteries get too low, the AGS starts the generator ...
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Old 01-28-2017, 08:57 AM   #17
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Don't advise using electric heaters without the genset running--most engine alternators really aren't designed to handle that kind of load over and above what the rig is already consuming--will likely lead to a shortened alternator life over the longer term.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:16 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by electrowood View Post

Recirculated will not give you fresh oxygenated air when using propane devices.????
The furnace is a heat exchanging design. It uses heated outside air to heat inside air.
There will be no oxygen depletion when running it.

The oven, stove or Mr. Buddy heater will deplete the oxygen.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:19 AM   #19
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When in cold not just cool weather, traveling below freezing and not winterized, I travel with the furnace set to 60° to keep the tanks happy and adds to the the coach temp. This keeps the drivers area warmer also, plus over the pass's when defrost is needed you can keep warm and see down the road also.

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Old 01-28-2017, 09:27 AM   #20
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If your coach is not winterized and has plain water in any of the water tanks and plumbing the use of the furnace is mandatory if the temperature falls below freezing to protect the tanks and plumbing from freeze damage . The furnace also heats the basement area to protect it the water tanks and plumbing from freezing. It's also possible your coach may have tank heaters installed if so turn them on if you encounter sub freezing weather. My first F53 based coach had tank heaters, my current coach does not so read your owners manual to see what is applicable for you.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:33 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by MisterT View Post
we use several electric heaters when needed, with the inverter on, and the engine alternator providing charging of the batteries while traveling - if the batteries get too low, the AGS starts the generator ...
If the AGS starts the generator, it's because your alternator couldn't keep up with the high amp draw. Several heaters is several hundred amps.

The isolation relay, logic controler, senses this high draw draging the chassis battery down. When it does, it isolates ( cuts off ) the house batteries, to keep the chassis battery at the proper voltage to supply the engine controls and accesseries.

By starting out this way, all you are doing is overworking your alternator for a while and then deep cycling your house bank, un-necessarily.

It is a good test of the systems though.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:34 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Scout View Post
Don't advise using electric heaters without the genset running--most engine alternators really aren't designed to handle that kind of load over and above what the rig is already consuming--will likely lead to a shortened alternator life over the longer term.
Ditto.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:40 AM   #23
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When I run the dash AC/Heat, I always run it in recirc in the MH. The volumn of air in the MH really changes the paradigm of recirc. One should not run recirc in a car or pickup with a relatively small air volumn, due to the reduction in O2 can make one drowsy and the increase in H2O from respiration can fog the windows. But in a big box like a MH, not such a problem.
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Old 01-28-2017, 09:54 AM   #24
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I find these threads, about using a propane furnace in-motion, interesting.

The user manual for my coach has this:

CAUTION:
It is not advisable to use the furnace to
heat the inside of the motorhome during
transit.
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Old 01-28-2017, 10:03 AM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark- View Post
I find these threads, about using a propane furnace in-motion, interesting.

The user manual for my coach has this:

CAUTION:
It is not advisable to use the furnace to
heat the inside of the motorhome during
transit.
Opps, I'm guilty then, for at least the past 10 years in three different class a's.
Neil
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Old 01-28-2017, 10:08 AM   #26
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We've got two heat sources in our coach - the Aquahot system for house heat - and the dash heater - and typically do a couple of cold weather runs each year. When possible - we use the Aquahot to bring the coach interior up to a living temp (somewhere in the 68 - 70 degree range) - before we hit the road. While driving - we turn off the Aquahot - and live with the output from the dash heater. If the ambient outdoor temps are 20 degrees or above - the cockpit area stays quite comfortable and while the rest of the coach does cool down a bit - it doesn't take much to bring it back to "living temps" when we turn on the Aquahot once we stop. If the ambient outdoor temp drops much below 20 degrees - we may run the Aquahot while we're underway - primarily so that we're not freezing when we stop. The dash heater does a good job keeping the cockpit area warm regardless of the outdoor temps.

I suppose I should add that we usually deal with cooler temps pretty well. Give me a pair of sweat pants and a long sleeve Henley over a t shirt and I'm good down to the low 60's. My DW likes it colder than I.
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Old 01-28-2017, 10:14 AM   #27
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As am I guilty of using the furnace but for only about 30 years and umpteen rv's

if traveling in freezing temps and not winterized your basement and pipes need the furnace... and think about the chilling effect of 60+ mph freezing air rushing past the underbelly, wind chills
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Old 01-28-2017, 10:50 AM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyMac View Post
When I run the dash AC/Heat, I always run it in recirc in the MH. The volumn of air in the MH really changes the paradigm of recirc. One should not run recirc in a car or pickup with a relatively small air volumn, due to the reduction in O2 can make one drowsy and the increase in H2O from respiration can fog the windows. But in a big box like a MH, not such a problem.
In my post about recirc I did not elaborate as this post does. I agree. I also maintain an extra carbon monoxide monitor as a precaution. All good posts.
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