Community Forums

Sunset 1 · 12-04-2005, 01:00 PM

I live in central MN. Will be having many guests for Christmas. I have never used the furnace in my 1999 Winnebago Chieftain in the dead of winter, will I be able to have some people stay over night in the coach and be comfortable with the furnace on.

Thanks

Sunset

Sunset 1 · 12-04-2005, 01:00 PM

I live in central MN. Will be having many guests for Christmas. I have never used the furnace in my 1999 Winnebago Chieftain in the dead of winter, will I be able to have some people stay over night in the coach and be comfortable with the furnace on.

Thanks

Sunset

**Petro** · 12-04-2005, 01:20 PM

Sunset;
You did not say if you need water in your system? If you have at least 30A power and run your furnace along with a portable electric heater it should be comfortable. You will have a moisture build up. Depending on the temperature you may have moisture build up on windows and metal frames around doors and windows. we stayed in an older 87 M/H in temps down to 12 above for a few days. We did not use the water system and we flushed the toilet with windshield washer antifreeze. A little ventilation would help.

Don

TXiceman · 12-04-2005, 01:44 PM

If you depend totally on the furnace, you will burn a lot of propane. Best if you use a small electric heater if it very cold. If you wil ahve people showering in the coach, you will need to keep the basement warm and dump and rewinterize it before you let if get cold inside.

Also with several people in the coach you will need to keep a vent cracked open to let out the excess moisture or the windows will weat a lot.

Ken

ajbjrvers · 12-05-2005, 03:21 AM

To; Sunset 1

As mentioned in one of the postings above, condensation is a big factor when using your rv heat system in cold weather. If you have Max-Air covers on your ceiling exhaust fans, leave a vent open all the time. This will deal with condensation and will also provide better air circulation. Condensation will ruin an rv's interior and also do a job on structural adhesives. Also, I think there is more of a chance for an accident with people not used to rv's with portable electric heaters,maybe use the electric bed warmers, buy propane furnace should be enough, but be sure to have a vent open,,.

Hope this info is of use to you.. Thanks AJBJRVERS

Novi · 12-05-2005, 04:03 AM

morning Sunset 1: We routinely use our MH in below freezing weather. Besides the things already mentioned, if the coach is plugged into shore power an electric blanket on the bed really helps for a comfortable, warm sleep. It also heats up the mattress so getting into bed is a pleasure. Even if not plugged into shore power we run the generator for a hour before bed and watch TV, the bed is always nicely warmed up. I should also mention that the furnace will come on a lot!!! like every 10 minutes even if the temp. is set low and be sure to have the tank FULL. As temps outside drop the effectiveness of propane drops so it takes more propane to run the furnace than at warmer temps. Have a good Christmas.

troth · 12-05-2005, 04:52 AM

Sunset 1, you likely have a 28 gallon LP tank on your coach. My experience in 20 degree weather living in the coach for four days was to burn through 3/4 of that tank... but that was 'boondocking' without electric assist.

MO _ Jack · 12-05-2005, 06:08 AM

Sunset; If you have shore power you may want to consider a small de-humidifer in addition to a portable electric heater. They sure help in reducing the condensation problem.

Jack

Sunset 1 · 12-05-2005, 06:53 AM

Thanks so much to all of you for the information. Tere will be only two people using it for overnight. I have only a 20 amp power source to plug into so maybe one portable heater will work. They will not be showering or using any water, maybe the toilet, but can use antifreeze to flush.

Must I still be concerned about moisture build up?
I can ventilate through the roof fan.

Thanks again for all the help.

Sunset 1

TXiceman · 12-05-2005, 08:18 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Novi:
As temps outside drop the effectiveness of propane drops so it takes more propane to run the furnace than at warmer temps. Have a good Christmas. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The effectiveness of the propane furnace is not any less at lower temps, nor does it take more propane to run at lower temps. But, it will take more propane to keep warm as you have to run the furnace a lot more to keep up with the heat loss due to it being so much colder outside.

Ken