Community Forums

6mm · 08-02-2014, 12:45 PM

What does one have to watch for to have a true 4 season 5er.
We would like to have a 5W that is built better for the cold seasons??

glennwest · 08-02-2014, 01:46 PM

No exposed plumbing. Heated tanks or tank area heated by furnace, dense foam insulation such as Dow Blue. I am not a fan of wool or fiberglass insulation. In an rv it can settle (drop down); also it is compressed during insulation cutting down on efficiency. We have personally owned a Mobile Suites and currently a Teton. The Mobile Suites had 3.5" fiberglass insulation walls. Teton has 2" Blue Dow and it is much easier to heat and cool. Using this for examples only. Not promoting either. Typical RV furnaces are not efficient. More heat exhausts than goes inside. Some have captured this and directed it underneath the coach. Modern fireplaces heat rather well. Good supplement. Many use unvented gas heaters such as the Blue Flame units. They do well but some are sensitive to fumes. Dual pane windows are a must. Lots of cold and heat comes in windows. More windows amplifies this. Sure others will help also.

99-Am.Star · 08-02-2014, 04:15 PM

Excel and Artic Fox are two all season rigs. Excel has a -10* guarantee. Not sure about Artic Fox as to the -10* temp.

6mm · 08-02-2014, 05:21 PM

-10 on the Excel that sounds very good,I went to the web site and did not see any info that referred to which unit or model would meet that criteria.
Would also like to see construction info.
Thanks

glennwest · 08-02-2014, 06:24 PM

Excel's are good units. My advise to to look at all and see if it meets your needs. We have no idea of your budget. Custom units will meet most any need you have. They will build it most anyway you want. There are months wait time to build one and not in price range as mass produced units. New Horizons, Forksrv (Continental Coach) and Space Craft is your custom builders.

drfife · 08-03-2014, 10:57 AM

All Excel models have a -10 guarantee. Special instructions for units with residential refrigerators and washing machines.

glennwest · 08-03-2014, 12:36 PM

Does the -10 guarantee, guarantee you will be comfortable at these temps? Know the camper will not freeze but will you? Not downing Excel. Just resent advertisements like this. I question anyone staying comfortable at these temps.

jesilvas · 08-03-2014, 01:53 PM

OP, just so you know, there is no industry standard term for Four Seasons or All Season. All marketing words.

drfife · 08-03-2014, 09:05 PM

I never plan to test the -10 guarantee. I will head to warmer climes long before -10. I suspect if the furnace can keep the pipes from freezing in the basement, the living area will be comfortable.

I live on Texas and have faced several 100+ days. With two AC's the interior is cool and comfortable.

The insulation works both ways in cold and hot.

JDT · 08-03-2014, 10:28 PM

We've had our Excel in 15 degree temps last November. Not 10 below but we stayed very comfortable. We did supplement the gas heat with an electric space heater just to help cut down on propane usage but not so much that it did not come on. The gas heat is what keeps the pipes flowing. We did unhook the water hose at night, of course, and used the fresh water tank. We only had a couple of days of this weather but we had no problems. If it gets to 10 below I'm going home.

Structurally, Excel builds all their models the same way.

missourijan · 08-04-2014, 05:54 PM

X2 on what glennwest said all 3 times, except I think Mobile Suites walls are 3 1/4". We were in Carson City last December when it was 4 degrees, ugh, we were fine too but we used a lot of propane and electricity. Our biggest problem was it snowed, then melted a little, then froze icycles on the top of the front cap. As they melted and slid down the front our decal was scratched.

dynacopas · 08-05-2014, 03:22 PM

Hi not to be impartial or trying to advertise I am not.....the rig that I can say is tested and built for the cold as mine just went through it.....Newmar Kountry Aire if you can find one. I just did the winter in Minneapolis at -20 or more and it did well. Did not freeze up. My unit has dual furnaces and they did extremely well. 65 degrees inside was no issue with temps below 0. I have seen several Tetons in MN doing the same duty with no issues. I won't comment on which were freezing up and major headaches. As there were many. Yes I did keep my water running all winter with a heated hose and the furnaces running. At those temps I went through a 40lb cylinder every 6 days. Not bad furnace heat only and a dehumidifier. Just my opinion.

glennwest · 08-05-2014, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynacopas

Hi not to be impartial or trying to advertise I am not.....the rig that I can say is tested and built for the cold as mine just went through it.....Newmar Kountry Aire if you can find one. I just did the winter in Minneapolis at -20 or more and it did well. Did not freeze up. My unit has dual furnaces and they did extremely well. 65 degrees inside was no issue with temps below 0. I have seen several Tetons in MN doing the same duty with no issues. I won't comment on which were freezing up and major headaches. As there were many. Yes I did keep my water running all winter with a heated hose and the furnaces running. At those temps I went through a 40lb cylinder every 6 days. Not bad furnace heat only and a dehumidifier. Just my opinion.

Your unit and mine are not the typical 5thers. Sadly neither is in business due to the flood of mass produced units with tons of "flash". To get the quality we have you have to go custom build now. Not downing Excel or anyone units. Units like ours is not available anymore, unless custom build.

kakampers · 08-06-2014, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennwest

Does the -10 guarantee, guarantee you will be comfortable at these temps? Know the camper will not freeze but will you? Not downing Excel. Just resent advertisements like this. I question anyone staying comfortable at these temps.

Does -6 count? Several days at below zero temps...this is what we encountered this past winter while working a job in TN. Not only did the rig not freeze....neither did we. We stayed quite comfortable inside using only the on board furnace ( which cycled normally), the fireplace and one oil filled electric radiator.

Oh and BTW, that was in a mass produced Heartland Landmark, which is advertised to zero degrees...