Heating While Driving

[johnsonjm209]

Let me ask a question. When you are running your propane furnace and driving along, do you allow the house batteries to power the fans or do you run your generator to do this task?

[Dadeaux]

Originally Posted by johnsonjm209

Let me ask a question. When you are running your propane furnace and driving along, do you allow the house batteries to power the fans or do you run your generator to do this task?

There should be no need for the generator if you are using propane for heat. With heat pumps then of course the genset will be necessary.

[beachboy27]

Same as Dadeaux, I just use propane and the batteries power the fans.

[VSPA]

Haven't driven the new Vista yet for extended cold weather yet, but after a few minutes driving the Tiffin we had no problems even in freezing weather just using the dash heat only.

[336muffin]

Joe from Ct,The drive engine will charge the battery's while you drive. And yes we run both of our furnace's. Be aware which furnace heats your basement! Also don't forget your water line that supplies your ice maker, it is exposed to the outside temp.

[dchase]

Originally Posted by Pusherman

No problem running the LP furnace while driving.

So does the generator have to be used while using propane heat while driving...can't find anything in our rv manual.

[jzick]

Originally Posted by dchase

So does the generator have to be used while using propane heat while driving...can't find anything in our rv manual.

No, you can run lp heat with just battery power. We typically run the generator, however as we tend to need just the heat pump and not the gas furnace (we never are anywhere the temp is below 40). This means, for us, the genny will run 90% of our travel time, either for a/c or heat pumps.

[ARCA Dave]

Hi everyone, Dave here. I am new also to this motorhome lifestyle, as my wife and I had previously been traveling with with a truck and fifthwheel. My question is about the heat system in general. I understand that the heat pumps (We have 2 roof mounted on our Holiday Rambler Endeavor LE) do not work very well when the temps are down around 35 or so. I had been running the heat pumps and at night, I hear the furnace blower motor come on and the "WOOF" of the flame lighting, which I would take to be normal. It would run for less than a minute and shut off. The heat pumps would immediatly come back on and run for less than a minute, then the furnace would come on..."WOOF" light up, run for a short time and shut off. This cycling went on for a few minutes then I got up and shut the heat pumps OFF and turned the furnace only on and it kept us toasty. The question is, why did they cycle on and off and neither one ran for long enough to sustain heat, but when I got up and shut off the heat pumps, and ran strictly off of the propane furnace everything was nice and warm. Do I have a problem or is this normal and I just need to switch over to propane when it approaches freezing? Thanks so much for any help, Dave in Charleston SC.

[dchase]

Hi Dave - don't know why, but our heat pumps don't work very well for heat either...don't experience the 'on and off' situation, but they do not supply heat like the lp....we always use the lp..

[LA-HODAG]

ARCA, The heat pumps are only effective down to about 40 degrees. In my Fleetwood, (and probably most recent class As with heat pumps since they all seem to use the same components) when the system is set on "electric" (heat pumps) the system tells the gas heater to come on if it is too cold for the pumps to work, and then when the gas heats the rig sufficiently, the heat pump tries to take over and maintain the temp. I have not experienced the really short cycling you refer to, but have seen five minute intervals of gas/electric switching. It seems that it is cold enough where you are that you should just switch over to the gas heat setting.

[62Morgan]

Dave, I might have an answer to explain your "cycling". The thermostat control is the brain of the system. If you select the "Heat Pump" mode, your desired temperature setting is compared to the current temp condition. If you set it to a temperature difference greater than 4 degrees above current temp....for example, the t'stat will fire up the Furnace in an effort to bring up the comfort level rather quickly [since you're told it you want a higher comfort setting]. Once it reaches your desired temp. it shuts the furnace "Off" & resumes heat pump function.

You have your furnace "suddenly" firing during the nite because the t'stat sensor location is experiencing the same temperature differential. That is, the temp drops more than 3 degrees suddenly at the temp sensor location. If you had a ceiling fan or some supplemental air circulation fan operating and thereby keeping the temp. drop within a lower range...the t'stat would not be calling upon the furnace for supplemental heat. It's the drastic 3-4 temp. fall-off that's triggering it. BTW: One furnace outlet might be aimed directly at the sensor and forcing a hairdryer effect. You could try deflecting the airstream away to give the sensor a more uniform room temp. reading instead.

And, for Johnson...

The furnace's fan motor is a 12 volt operated motor. If you have a charged set of house batteries, one furnace will last all night w/o problem in 30 degrees.[the low 20's might cause recycling too often]. When driving, the superior output of the alternator is replenishing battery array as you drive. You will arrive at destination with a fully-charged battery set even if running a furnace constantly.

On my Tiffin I could conceivably run both while driving. But, I Haven't had cause to do that as I preheat the entire coach before setting out on-the-road.

Hope this might clarify things...

[ARCA Dave]

Thanks for the updates.......Glad we haven't had that much cold weather down here....and by the way......13 days then off to Daytona!!!

[johnsonjm209]

Thanks Morgan & Muffin.

[2Labs]

Originally Posted by ARCA Dave

....13 days then off to Daytona!!!

a little jealous here ... we were hoping to make it to Daytona this year, but it looks like we'll have to mark the calendar for next year!