Winter travels below freezing

[Jim.B1]

I have a 2014 Southwind 32VS and preparing for my annual trip from Ontario to Florida in January. I usually travel with water jugs until I am out of the below freezing temps, but this year I want to try travel with a full fresh water tank.
The online brochures say the tanks are either heated or ducted to receive heat from the furnace, but I need some confirmation.
I am looking for any comments from owners of my specific model or similar Fleetwood models.
I know it is possible, but need to hear about "my" model.
Thank you in advance.

[NXR]

Mine is supposed to have a propane furnace duct into the wet bay but where others have a duct I have solid wood. The only way to know for sure is to put a temperature sensor in the compartment and run the furnace. I put my weather station outdoor sensor in the wet bay and confirmed no heat.

We have heating pads on the bottom of each tank and a "sleeve" heater around the gray and black tank piping, just above the dump valve. If you have something similar then turn the tank heaters on and see if the sleeves get warm.

Our sleeve heaters have a Therma Heat label and are only 7 watts but enough to keep the water sitting at the dump valve from freezing. The tank heaters are thermostatically controlled but the sleeve heaters, being so small, are just powered up.

Trust but verify.

Ray


PS: When parked below freezing I put a small, 250 watt personal heater in the wet bay. It's controlled by a Thermo Cube that turns the heater on at 35 F and off at 45 F.

I also keep fluid in all three tanks so the tank heaters have something to heat. That mass of heated water also helps keep the surrounding area warmer.

[House Husband]

Add remote thermostats to any bays that have water in them. Then you know when to panic.
I use 100 watt light bulbs when parked. Fleetwood MHs have furnace ducts to the wet bays.

Richard

[Jim.B1]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I did place remote thermometers in 2 different lower bins as a test, and the one beside the fresh water tank rose 3 degrees 33F-36F in about an hour.
It would have kept climbing but it was simply a test today.
So, it looks like my tanks are receiving heat from the furnace and I will travel with the fresh water tank full this winter and leave the jugs at home. Thanks again.
Cheers Jim

[Bobby F]

If you choose to fill before you reach warmth, just don't break down anywhere cold.

A couple of days involuntarily parked below freezing can disrupt all plans and precautions, and cost a lot of money in repairs.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Jim.B1

Thanks for the suggestions.

I did place remote thermometers in 2 different lower bins as a test, and the one beside the fresh water tank rose 3 degrees 33F-36F in about an hour.

It would have kept climbing but it was simply a test today.

So, it looks like my tanks are receiving heat from the furnace and I will travel with the fresh water tank full this winter and leave the jugs at home.

Or not. I'd investigate further myself.

Three degrees in an hour when it's in the 30's is nothing, especially if the propane furnace was running continuously. If hot air is being ducted into the area and with a temperature sensor reading air temperature in a very small area I'd expect to see close to 10X that rise.

Remember, when the furnace is shut off the heat source goes away and any heat loss just increases.

Ray

[medic574]

We have a 2019 Southwind and I can confirm that there is a heating duct to the basement from both furnaces. One is up front in the basement near the 100 gallon water tank and one is in the rear basement.

[Jim.B1]

Another followup.
I have been travelling for 3 days now and the outside temps have not been above 27F and my tank areas have been 38F -48F depending on how frequently the furnace comes on.
So, I am pleased to note and report, the furnace does heat the lower areas sufficiently to allow me to de-winterize before my travels south and use the on board water system versus carrying water jugs.
Thanks everyone for your input.

[FootballBatt]

I thought I was being smart by using an electric heater to cut down on propane consumption while hooked up in a RV park. I set it in the bathroom and it worked perfectly to keep the shower area and rear bedroom area nice and toasty. This thread got me to thinking and a since the propane furnace was not kicking on I put a wifi enabled thermometer in the basement.

While the living area was a comfortable 70, the below floor temps where 34 degrees when temps dropped into the low 20s. To close for comfort. I have an electrical outlet in the basement but I am not real comfortable putting something down there out of sight.

Thoughts?

[Jim.B1]

Originally Posted by FootballBatt

I thought I was being smart by using an electric heater to cut down on propane consumption while hooked up in a RV park. I set it in the bathroom and it worked perfectly to keep the shower area and rear bedroom area nice and toasty. This thread got me to thinking and a since the propane furnace was not kicking on I put a wifi enabled thermometer in the basement.

While the living area was a comfortable 70, the below floor temps where 34 degrees when temps dropped into the low 20s. To close for comfort. I have an electrical outlet in the basement but I am not real comfortable putting something down there out of sight.

Thoughts?

Try plugging in a 100 watt light bulb and placing it in the wet bay, safer than an electric heater and get the propane furnace repaired. It is probably just a $13 Sail Switch causing the problem.

[d23haynes57]

Originally Posted by Jim.B1

Try plugging in a 100 watt light bulb and placing it in the wet bay, safer than an electric heater and get the propane furnace repaired. It is probably just a $13 Sail Switch causing the problem.

The propane furnace was not kicking on due to the use of an electric heater to keep the inside warm to avoid using the propane. Not because the heater is broken.

[FootballBatt]

Exactly!

I guess my question is are you comfortable putting an electric heater in the basement or like one person said does a 100 watt bulb provide enough heat?

[Tony Ramirez]

I've put the incandescent light bulbs in my bays before, works GREAT. Only problem is it's getting harder to find incandescent bulbs nowadays, & LEDs don't give off enough heat.

[MikeCh]

I use a 400 watt Extreme heater in my wet bay. They are designed to be used in these types of situations and unattended without concern. It is enough to keep the bay well above freezing and I can run it off my inverter so I don’t have to run my furnace while driving.