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tripinspect · 10-21-2018, 08:55 PM

I woke up this am to 15 C in my RV (full time residence - skirted and decked). Good sleeping temp - but needed to up the temp to 17 C when fully clothed and about...

I open up my MaxxAir vent (set on 2 - of 10 - exhaust) - to vent stove cooking fumes - and noticed my RV furnace won't shut down.... cabin already reached 17 and now (reaches and exceeds) 19 C on two digital thermometers ???? WTHeck?

Findings:

The thermostat is mounted on the inside cabin wall where the fridge comes in - from the outside of RV. Very little (if any in places) insulation will block the flow of cold outside air from being "sucked into" the cabin thru the space between the fridge and the interior wall (1/4 inch laminate). Two season design I suspect... (summer and summer)

I pressed my face against the thermostat and felt a rush of cold air to one side. Popping the face and two screws later exposed a 1 inch hole behind the plate to let the two little wires come thru for the temp sensor.

Since my RV is so air tight (because of my doing - NOT the original MFG), the MaxxAir roof vent fan was trying to draw exhaust air from, essentially, a vacuum.

So, I sealed the hole behind the thermostat so it could not draw cold air into it - and false sense inside temperature (eliminate longer furnace run time).

All said, my RV furnace - and it's appetite for LP gas (along with 12v draw) will not provide the low cost solution for the winter warmth that I seek.

This can only be provided economically thru a "mini" wood stove appliance.

I have one (or two) in mind - low cost and efficient.

My next post will reveal my carefully researched and implemented design / considerations in my 8' x 26' RV home ( and lovin it ).

Thanks

Mike Whetmore (always a converted / believer in tiny home dweller)

cwk · 10-22-2018, 06:33 AM

Very good troubleshooting skills. That hidden air leak would have been pretty difficult for a repair shop to find. Nice work.

tripinspect · 10-22-2018, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cwk

Very good troubleshooting skills. That hidden air leak would have been pretty difficult for a repair shop to find. Nice work.

Yes, this is working well now. However, I should slide out the fridge and insulate the interior walls. Unlike Florida, we could see temps in Kamloops BC, down to -30C. I have been reading what can happen to NorCold fridges when temps get down below 0 C (32 F). The coolant can freeze up and stop proper operation. Another issue to deal with...

Still workin on the wood stove for my unit (1997 - 26 ft - Alumascape by Holiday Rambler ). This unit, over 20 years old, is still like new. Aluminum frame construction makes the difference. No wood to rot, a solid frame to connect to... Still - walls are only 1 inch thick with fiber glass insulation.

Workin with a MFG now, trying to incorporate the best of all the best designs into one "low cost" RV wood stove cold weather solution.

Thanks