|
04-14-2008, 12:05 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 434
|
How do you handle freezing weather when you are on the road and have only 15 amp shore power service available?
My thoughts are to set the EMS to 20 amp and turn on the Bay Heater. My other thought is to bite the bullet and start the gen set as the temp drops below 40, but then I'm using both diesel AND propane since the furnace comes on under 40-ish degrees.
My frig trips this 15A Shore breaker when the compressor kicks on, so I have the frig on LPG.
Is there a way to have the inverter power the Bay Heater and have the 15A shore power just replenish the batteries?
__________________
Bud
US Army Major, Retired
'08 Monaco Diplomat SFT,
'11 Z-71 4X4 toad
|
|
|
|
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!
|
04-14-2008, 12:05 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 434
|
How do you handle freezing weather when you are on the road and have only 15 amp shore power service available?
My thoughts are to set the EMS to 20 amp and turn on the Bay Heater. My other thought is to bite the bullet and start the gen set as the temp drops below 40, but then I'm using both diesel AND propane since the furnace comes on under 40-ish degrees.
My frig trips this 15A Shore breaker when the compressor kicks on, so I have the frig on LPG.
Is there a way to have the inverter power the Bay Heater and have the 15A shore power just replenish the batteries?
__________________
Bud
US Army Major, Retired
'08 Monaco Diplomat SFT,
'11 Z-71 4X4 toad
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 12:26 PM
|
#3
|
Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA.
Posts: 846
|
15 amp shore power is almost useless..It will keep the batts charged if they are already up. It will (maybe) run one heat pump. It will run the microwave, maybe.. The propane heaters will keep the house warm overnight and then some,,never tried for longer than overnight. Then the generator has to run to recharge..
When we dry camp, we usually run the generator for 2 hours while having coffee in the AM, and getting ready for the day, then run the gennie again for 2 hours while preparing dinner etc before going to bed.
The Bay Heater will probably not come on unless the temp is about 25 outside as long as the bay doors are closed.
You have a 39 gallon propane tank, use it..MM has only had to be filled one time all winter.
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 12:34 PM
|
#4
|
Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA.
Posts: 846
|
Your gennie will only use approx 1/4 to 1/2 gallon per hour so as long as you are in a place where you can kick it on and use it without complaints, don't be afraid to run it. Some people let it run 24/7 when dry-camping, although I've never figured out why..
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 12:43 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SE Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,850
|
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You have a 39 gallon propane tank, use it..MM has only had to be filled one time all winter. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I find it to be kind of amazing how efficent the propane appliances seem to be - especially if you dont get over ambitious setting the thermostat up high and if you turn off the water heater overnight and when you're away from the coach.
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 12:48 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 434
|
Do you think the 15A shore power will be enough if I use the furnace and run the gen set in the AM?
__________________
Bud
US Army Major, Retired
'08 Monaco Diplomat SFT,
'11 Z-71 4X4 toad
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 12:53 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Knoxville, TN, USA
Posts: 3,994
|
Bud,
The bay heater is 12 volts and runs off the house batteries. If you are on the highway it is the only thing that will keep your holding tanks from freezing unless you have the optional tank heaters. They also run on 12 volts DC. Run as many things on propane as you can and run the generator as often as practical to keep the batteries up.
Bob
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BudtheDiplomat:
How do you handle freezing weather when you are on the road and have only 15 amp shore power service available?
My thoughts are to set the EMS to 20 amp and turn on the Bay Heater. My other thought is to bite the bullet and start the gen set as the temp drops below 40, but then I'm using both diesel AND propane since the furnace comes on under 40-ish degrees.
My frig trips this 15A Shore breaker when the compressor kicks on, so I have the frig on LPG.
Is there a way to have the inverter power the Bay Heater and have the 15A shore power just replenish the batteries? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
__________________
Bob and Pam
2022 Quantum JM31
2023 Colorado Z71
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 01:10 PM
|
#8
|
Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA.
Posts: 846
|
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do you think the 15A shore power will be enough if I use the furnace and run the gen set in the AM? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Bud, just where the heck are you??
I thought you were in Texas!!
In answer to your question, Heck Yeah!! You can keep an eye on what your batts are doing by looking at that monitor on the wall by the sink..
You don't need to be hooked to any electric at all. If you want to run the convection/microwave, it would be best to have the gennie on, but as long as nothing else is running, the 15 amp should pull it for short periods. The electrical management system will shed any load that the available amperage will not run.
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 01:23 PM
|
#9
|
Registered User
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA.
Posts: 846
|
Basically, consider yourself as dry-camping. Set your fridge to propane, turn hot water heater off unless you need Hot water and then turn it on using propane (the switch is labeled 12 Volt) We only turn HW heater on if we know we need it. Again, usually AM and PM, otherwise it will kick on and off all day and night. It will hold hot/warm water most of the day without running it. If you are going to use oven, use gennie. Everything else, your all set.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Do you think the 15A shore power will be enough if I use the furnace </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
The furnace will operate from the batteries also, but the 15 Amp cord you have plugged in will replenish them.
I just realized this is probably your first time for this stuff. It seems like second nature to me after dry camping for the past 20 years. MM and I have gone up to three weeks using the batts and gennie without being plugged in to any power. It's easy, you just learn to watch what you use, as everything can not be turned on at the same time without having the gennie running..
|
|
|
04-14-2008, 02:25 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 434
|
Thanks SacsTc;
We took a maiden voyage from Houston to about 30 miles Northwest of Indianapolis. The last couple of days have dipped down in the high 30's, but tonight is supposed to go down to 30. We had sleet yesterday. We're leaving for return trip this Friday, and it's supposed to be 75 degrees!
And yes, I'm VERY new to RVing. Spent 24 years in the Army, but my 'power' was a dry match and an M-16.
__________________
Bud
US Army Major, Retired
'08 Monaco Diplomat SFT,
'11 Z-71 4X4 toad
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|