Community Forums

buc1908 · 11-09-2018, 08:05 PM

Do you run the heater while you travel?It is safe?

Mr_D · 11-09-2018, 08:10 PM

Yes, but in my motorhome. Haven't had a TT since 1988 and I don't remember having the heat on when traveling.

consolenut · 11-09-2018, 08:18 PM

Yes you can run furnace on the road traveling. I do it as do many others. Set thermostat on about 60 to keep things from freezing in transit.

jelag · 11-10-2018, 04:49 AM

In my RV when the slides are in, 50% of the heating ducts are covered with the base of the slide thus it wouldn't allow the heat to exit the venting system and heat the unit...

We are very careful when we run in cold climates and after a few hours on the road find the inside of the unit at 35* from all the heat that has escaped from the wind passing the sides of the unit.. We open the slides and fire up the furnace and open those cabinets where we have water lines, under the sinks... in the bulkhead around the washer/dryer connection... etc..

To sometimes help we will fire the gen set.. and use the electric grid on the AC units to add to the heat... this is a option when traveling... run the gen set.. and the heat strips in the AC units... to date we've not needed to do this...

At times when we dry camp at night when we see temperatures in the 20's we will run the gen set all night and let the heat strips in the AC unit help the furnace keep the unit warm as the furnace won't keep up....

VrrmmRydr · 11-10-2018, 04:56 AM

We always run the heat when traveling in cold weather. The dash heat is mostly worthless.
Same goes for the AC in the summer.

mobilemike · 11-10-2018, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jelag

In my RV when the slides are in, 50% of the heating ducts are covered with the base of the slide thus it wouldn't allow the heat to exit the venting system and heat the unit...
.

Wouldn't that mean that 50% of the vents will still flow heat to keep the rig warm? I would assume the vents that are covered by the slide will still push some air around the slide and into the cabin area. The slide is sealed to the outside so the warm air is still going inside the rig.

Old-Biscuit · 11-10-2018, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobilemike

Wouldn't that mean that 50% of the vents will still flow heat to keep the rig warm? I would assume the vents that are covered by the slide will still push some air around the slide and into the cabin area. The slide is sealed to the outside so the warm air is still going inside the rig.

The issue can be 'airflow restriction'
Furnace heat exchanger could overheat due to restricted airflow so the High Limit Switch would OPEN shutting down the DC to circuit board/gas valve.
Fan keeps running then heat exchanger temp drops/High Limit Switch CLOSES and DC to circuit board allows ignition/gas valve and Main Flame relights only to repeat the overheating cycle. It's called 'Limiting' and can damage the heat exchanger due to thermal stress......overheating/cooling repetitive thermal cycles cause metal fatigue/cracks-----which then allow 'CO' into Room Air side of furnace

SO.
Running furnace while in transit depends.......if return airflow and/or discharge airflow are restricted enough to cause furnace High Temp Limit Switch to operate then NO

56safari · 11-10-2018, 03:13 PM

We also use the furnace while on the road. Never an issue. Usually use it only when the temp is below freezing and/or it's really cloudy. The rest of the time we're comfortable with just the dash heat.