Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > TRAVEL TRAILER, 5th WHEEL & TRUCK CAMPER FORUMS > Travel Trailer Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 01-17-2016, 06:32 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Mopar1973Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New Meadows, Idaho
Posts: 161
It should be much of a issue. I think the blower motor draws about 8-10 amps. At least for my Atwood heater in my Jayco.
__________________
2002 Dodge Ram 2500 towing 2000 Jayco Eagle 296 FBS
Mopar1973Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 01-18-2016, 07:53 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Pricejh's Avatar
 
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 726
Your battery should be able to power the furnace for several hours. With the TV recharging while on the road, there should be no problems. I survived the ice storm of '15 in Greenwood SC along with an 18 hour power outage on just battery power. Temps were in the sub 20 range and the trailer stayed nice and toasty the whole time, no freeze ups at all.
__________________
John Price
2016 Denali 289RK w/a Hensley Arrow Hitch
2015 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummings
Pricejh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 08:56 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
scottandanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
I am surprised to find that the furnace can run on just the battery!!! Power from the tow vehicle should easily recharge the battery if needed, while towing.
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
scottandanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 09:18 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Mr_D's Avatar
 
Country Coach Owners Club
Solo Rvers Club
iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Vancouver, WA
Posts: 37,725
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottandanna View Post
One thing I have found on this little trailer is that the propane bottles are bottomless.

When I bought the trailer, both bottles were only half full. I like to have one bottle half full and the other full, and run them both at the same time so when one runs out, I still have another half bottle, and never completely run myself out of propane.

Well, I bought this thing in May, and have one half-full bottle (since new). So I ran the other bottle only, and just last week had it filled, and it was still at 1/8 tank or so. But I wanted to get to that "1 full, 1 half-full" condition, so I had it filled before it was empty.

And we have used it for 2 two week trips this winter, used it to cook thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, heated the trailer, and ran the fridge on gas while driving, not to mention cooking while on 3 other week long trips earlier this year.

So, as far as using too much propane...I am not all that worried.

And propane is relatively cheap.

Thanks for all the feedback. I hopefully won't have to do this, but if we end up taking a surprise trip up through the Colorado mountains and into Wyoming this winter, I wanted to be sure I could do it without having to winterize it each day, and just hit the road and keep the trailer warm during the day while we are traveling.
Yep, our last MH had a 40 gallon (32 usable tank) we only used it for cooking, heat and hot water although most of the time we were on shore power and used electric heat and the water heater had a factory electric element. Every couple years I'd top it off with less than 10 gallons or so. The present rig only has a 5.5 gal tank just for the cooktop. Not sure how long that will last as we very seldom use the cooktop.
__________________
2009 45' Magna 630 w/Cummins ISX 650 HP/1950 Lbs Ft, HWH Active Air
Charter Good Sam Lifetime Member, FMCA,
RV'ing since 1957, NRA Benefactor Life, towing '21 Jeep JLU Rubicon Ecodiesel
Mr_D is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-18-2016, 09:29 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Old-Biscuit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,689
RVs are self contained recreational vehicles meaning that fridge, water heater, furnace, water pump and stove all can be operated without AC power.

All of the above run off of RVs battery and/or propane systems

Furnace is biggest DC hog..rule of thumb is one night of operation per12V battery

RVs battery can be recharged/maintained by vehicles alt. and charge line.

Turn your furnace ON and travel

Only issue would be IF too many registers are blocked, return air flow is blocked with RV in travel mode.
Furnace would trip......safely shut down .........should lack of proper air flow exist.
Old-Biscuit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 06:28 AM   #20
Senior Member
 
scottandanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit View Post
Only issue would be IF too many registers are blocked, return air flow is blocked with RV in travel mode.
Furnace would trip......safely shut down .........should lack of proper air flow exist.
Please explain "travel mode" and why air flow would be restricted...

Small trailer, only has two registers. One in middle of floor, and one coming out below the shower. Return flow goes (I think) to under the kitchen sink.

I hope it works, because we WILL be doing winter travel in the near future.
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
scottandanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 07:00 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
Travel mode is when you stuff all the outside gear in the trailer blocking the air registers.

That along with slides covering them will overheat the furnace.
twinboat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 08:12 AM   #22
Senior Member
 
rbleau6885's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Mass
Posts: 292
Ya good point my slide covers two so that would be no go for me and probably most
__________________
Rich,242014 wildwood 27RLSS travel trailer
2005 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab
2005 GMC Sierra 3500 single cab dump
rbleau6885 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 08:39 AM   #23
Senior Member
 
Mopar1973Man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New Meadows, Idaho
Posts: 161
Like my Jayco has 4 register two a partial covered by the slide. I've fired up the heater several times with the slide in and never had a issue yet. Typically I'm not traveling till temps are above freezing. Most of my water lines are outside the living quarters so running the heater is mute point and won't solve my issue. So this brings up a valid point do you know where all your plumbing is located?
__________________
2002 Dodge Ram 2500 towing 2000 Jayco Eagle 296 FBS
Mopar1973Man is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 09:07 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
scottandanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
Well, then I don't have a travel mode. My registers are in the bathroom and right in the middle of my floor, both are un-obstructed when everything is pulled in for "travel mode"
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
scottandanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2016, 10:57 PM   #25
Senior Member
 
rarebear.nm's Avatar
 
Excel Owners Club
Winnebago Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 6,788
Exclamation

Keep in mind that while traveling you have a strong wind blowing over the trailer reducing the air boundary layer next the trailer's skin to almost zero. This will require some additional heat input and thus propane.

I would strongly encourage anyone thinking about driving with propane on study up on those dangers. You maybe able to get away with doing it if all goes well. If you have a collision and a propane line is damaged it becomes a very different game quickly. I once watched a Class B being driven explode and burn from a propane problem. The crew bailed and ran for their lives just making it in time. Also possible while at a gas station if your heater comes on and there's a strong concentration of gas fumes you may have real fireworks show. Instead you might consider running up your furnace while at rest stops and lunch time and then shut it down before starting out again. This would add at least some extra heat while in route. Just saying caution goes a long way in this business.
__________________
Fred & Denise (RVM157) New Mexico
2007 Excel Classic 30RSO & Coach House 272XL E450
2007 RAM 3500, Diesel, 6Spd Auto, SWD, 4x4, CC & LB
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
rarebear.nm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2016, 09:26 AM   #26
Senior Member
 
scottandanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Issaquah/Grand Coulee, WA
Posts: 1,073
Quote:
Originally Posted by rarebear.nm View Post
Keep in mind that while traveling you have a strong wind blowing over the trailer reducing the air boundary layer next the trailer's skin to almost zero. This will require some additional heat input and thus propane.

I would strongly encourage anyone thinking about driving with propane on study up on those dangers. You maybe able to get away with doing it if all goes well. If you have a collision and a propane line is damaged it becomes a very different game quickly. I once watched a Class B being driven explode and burn from a propane problem. The crew bailed and ran for their lives just making it in time. Also possible while at a gas station if your heater comes on and there's a strong concentration of gas fumes you may have real fireworks show. Instead you might consider running up your furnace while at rest stops and lunch time and then shut it down before starting out again. This would add at least some extra heat while in route. Just saying caution goes a long way in this business.
So, I should be towing with the gas tanks off? If so, will the refrigerator continue running off the tow vehicle's electricity?

I have always left the gas on thinking that keeps the fridge running while on the road...

I love this forum...seems like I learn something new every day!
__________________
2015 24' Rockwood UltraLite 2304DS w/Equal-I-Zer 4-Point 1000lb sway control.
2014 39' Montana 3402RL (full-time)
Towing with 2018 Ram 2500 and 2014 Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee
scottandanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2016, 10:06 AM   #27
Senior Member
 
Sweetbriar's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,790
There are risks and hazards with everything we do. The risk of a propane fueled post accident fire? It's there but pretty low. You're more likely to become fused to your truck in a head on with a drunk driver or may be become a snack for a bear once camped, blow out the left front tire and end up heading towards on coming traffic and the list goes on.
Sweetbriar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-20-2016, 10:10 AM   #28
Senior Member
 
Cooperhawk's Avatar
 
Winnebago Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: 5 miles south of Lakeville, Mn
Posts: 3,046
We run with the furnace on all the time.
__________________
Jim and Carol Cooper with Oreo the Kitty
FAA ATC ret, VFW, AL, VVA, NRA
US Army Aviation, MACV Vietnam 65-66
2012 Journey 36M, Cummings 360hp
Cooperhawk is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
ace, furnace, power, tow, towing



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Tow vs. driving a support vehicle bruceisla Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 11 06-06-2015 01:03 PM
Run both air conditioner on shore power buddalo RV Systems & Appliances 8 04-25-2015 04:42 PM
Tow vehicle SnellMonaco Toads and Motorhome Related Towing 4 06-17-2014 12:36 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:56 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.