WOW furnace uses gallons of propane

[Bat Dude]

We have our coach partially packed for our pending winter escape in 10 days. This will entail dry camping the first 2-3 days as we head to the SW from central Michigan. This is due to places with full hook-ups are closed for the season as of Nov. 1. So we have not winterized the coach as we will need water access ASAP on the road and not have the ability to flush RV antifreeze from the system.


Just topped up the propane tank and with temps in the 20°F range I have the furn set to lowest (45F°) and the furnace has been running off and on all night.


This does not bode well for staying in places that may require a lot of heat when boon docking.


With full hookups electric heat is an option. Our 19' TT was easily kept toasty with a small electric cube heater and rarely did we need propane even in the high 20°Fs.


So looks like the new MH will take some major adjustment in thinking on operating costs.


Let the new adventure begin,


Bat Dude

[Sweetbriar]

If you run the numbers - 1 gallon of propane = 92,000 BTU with the average RV Furnace at 30,000 BTU makes for a propane consumption rate of one gallon for ever three hours of run time. Lot of variables concerning how long the furnace will run per hour but it will empty the tank in a few days of heavy use.

What does help when you might be stationary for more than a day or three is to add an Extend-A-Stay to the propane distribution piping. The adaptor allow you to use potable 20 lbs DOT tanks rather than the coach main tank. Refilling a 20 lbs portable tank is a lot easier than breaking camp to drive the RV to have the tank refilled.

[jacwjames]

I took a new job in Upper Michigan to start on April 1, 2011. I decided to take my motor home to live in it while I looked for something more permanent. The campground I stayed had only had 20 amp plugs available, no water, or dump until the snow melted, which happened toward the end of May. I did not want to have to go get my LP tank filled every week so I used it sparingly. Here's what I did

1. Before I left TN for the trip to Michigan I took spray foam and tried to seal between the frame rails in the front and back of the coach.
2. I made sure my wet bay heater was working.
3. I installed a remote temp sensor on the back side of the water tanks away from the wet bay heater, this would give me the worse case scenario for temp.
4. I rigged a small cube heater in the small bay that had my water pump, hot water heater, water manifold and a lot of piping. I used one of these https://www.lowes.com/pd/EasyHeat-Fr...roller/1060249, and plugged into the basement outlet, my thought being that in a confined space the cube heater thermostat would get a false reading in such a confined space. I fastened the heater down so it could not turn over. When I got to the campground I used one 20 amp cord for this heater.
5. In the house portion I used another small heater, which barely kept the living area "livable", some mornings it would be below 40F. I kept all the bottom cabinet doors open.
6. I did used the furnace to take the chill off, I had it set and in the morning before I woke up I'd flip the thermostat on and the furnace would kick on. I did not leave it run during the day while I was at work.
7. I had a large sun shade for the front windshield, I put this up and also draped heavy blankets across the front to insulate the area.
8. I kept the slides in most of the time, especially if it was really cold.
9. I had the good window shades that I kept down.
10. I have 2 ceiling vents, I insulated both of these and didn't use.
11. Since I couldn't dump I used the common shower and laundry room to do dishes.

There were temps down into the signal digits a couple of times and most of the time in the teens at night. Got 2 ft of snow during the month of April and some more in May. For the year they ended up with +220 inches of snow. I couldn't move to a full hook up site until the very end of May.



I survived but it was not pleasant. I didn't have to get propane until the end of May.

[ArtJoyce]

If you are connected to electric. Run a small electric heater.

[groswald]

Bat Dude,

If your coach is livable with the slides in, leave ‘em in or pull them in at night. It reduces the number of cubic feet that have to be heated as well as the square footage of exterior walls through which heat escapes. Also, cut some 1” styrofoam to cover the roof vents and skylight in the shower. These will reduce overall furnace run time.

That said, we frequently encounter temps below 40. We keep the coach at 60 over night, and the furnace doesn’t run all that often.

Regards,

Randy

[johnhicks]

Don't be surprised if it kills your batteries overnight too.

[Goodspike]

I wouldn't consider trying to camp without power in cold weather without an electrical hookup. It has nothing to do with using a lot of propane or draining the battery. It has to do with the noise my furnace makes! I find it impossible to sleep with that thing on. We carry an electric radiator for nighttime use.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by johnhicks

Don't be surprised if it kills your batteries overnight too.

I spend travel nights at Flying J or Walmart.

I run the gas furnace when its cold, like last night in N. Carolina. 40s F.

The DW and I each had a cup of coffee thru out Kurig in the morning before the inverter started whinning low voltage.

Yes, the batteries were low and needed recharging, but that's what they are there for. Ran the generator until departure time.

[rk911]

when we head south and then west fm chicago we plan to stay in hotels for the first night (south-central illinois) and potentially the second night (memphis). so far the overnite temps in memphis on nite #2 have been warm enough to stay at a FHU park so we can flush and fill.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

If you run the numbers - 1 gallon of propane = 92,000 BTU with the average RV Furnace at 30,000 BTU makes for a propane consumption rate of one gallon for ever three hours of run time. Lot of variables concerning how long the furnace will run per hour but it will empty the tank in a few days of heavy use.

From experience with a 35,000 BTU furnace, we will burn 1/8th of the 19.6-gallon (actual fill) ASME tank each night in 35-degree overnight weather. (The tank is stamped 24.5 gallons, which is the "water fill" capacity.)

4.2 pounds per gallon of propane makes our ASME tank roughly equivalent to a 103 pound tank (water fill capacity). But only 80% of that capacity is usable.

So 2.5 to 3.0 gallons a night, which coincides nicely with your calculations.

Fortunately we have heat pumps as well and those work down to about 45 degrees, which saves us a bunch on propane.

In comparison, on last year's four-month trip where we only used propane for daily cooking, we used 1/4 of the tank total.

And after having the propane furnace disassemble itself on the first of those 35-degree nights, we now carry a tower electric heater to supplement the 1,500 watt electric heater they call a "fireplace".

FWIW,

Ray

[Old-Biscuit]

2020 HR Invicta
Doesn't that have a 25 gallon capacity propane tank?
80% ---20 gallons full

20 gallons X 91,500 BTU = 1,832,000 btu available
34,000 btu furnace (per hour run time) -----53.8 total hours of run time

Low battery voltage will be bigger concern vs running out of propane before you get to warmer climates

[THenne1713]

AND EXTRA $20/ 20# lpg PER WEEK should not be noticeable in your weekly budget? or even $40-$60?

[Ray,IN]

From MI,if you use I65S, the camping world at the Greenwood exit has electricity for over-nighting. Just call ahead and request permission. I leave from near Greenwood IN, my first night stop is at Athens, AL. Northgate RV park is a convenient stop, IF you use I65 S. instead of I75 S.



RV propane furnaces operate near 65% efficiency.

[Dutch Star Don]

Originally Posted by Bat Dude

We have our coach partially packed for our pending winter escape in 10 days. This will entail dry camping the first 2-3 days as we head to the SW from central Michigan. This is due to places with full hook-ups are closed for the season as of Nov. 1. So we have not winterized the coach as we will need water access ASAP on the road and not have the ability to flush RV antifreeze from the system.

Just topped up the propane tank and with temps in the 20°F range I have the furn set to lowest (45F°) and the furnace has been running off and on all night.

This does not bode well for staying in places that may require a lot of heat when boon docking.

With full hookups electric heat is an option. Our 19' TT was easily kept toasty with a small electric cube heater and rarely did we need propane even in the high 20°Fs.

So looks like the new MH will take some major adjustment in thinking on operating costs.

Let the new adventure begin,

Bat Dude

Your 19' TT had no windshield or passenger and driver side windows. It was also probably 8' - 12' shorter than you your new Class A.

If you want something that won't run your batteries down and is pretty efficient, get one of the Buddy Heaters for your coach. When we boondock at Yosemite over Thanksgiving, the smaller Buddy Heater will keep our 40' diesel pusher at about 62 degrees all day, burning through one green disposable propane tank. They're safe to use at night with an window open.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/mr-h...9&gclsrc=3p.ds