Furnace Vents?

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
I purchased some operable floor vents to replace the fixed open o/e supplied, upon counting how many I needed I realized that there is only one vent in the bedroom and it is mounted in the side of the sink cabinet. Seems like it might it not be sufficient in cold weather. We havn't had the rig through a winter yet, anybody out there ever add a vent or think that the vent is enough?
 
K

Ken Washington

Guest
Roger,
I think it will be fine! I thought the same thing but have had no problems.
Ken
 

sailorand

Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
we have lots of hot air in the bathroom and bedroom, but very little in the kitchen and living room. What are yours like??
 

ChopperBill

Well-known member
sailorand said:
we have lots of hot air in the bathroom and bedroom, but very little in the kitchen and living room. What are yours like??
Gave mine a try this weekend as we are headed to the Utah hills. Lots of air in bath, bedroom and living room. Not quite as much in the kitchen but seem adequate, plus the cold air return is there so that will make some difference.
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Howdy, we have good air flow through all vents, if the vent next to the work bench is not enough we can always fire up the MR Buddy heater I guess. It really hasn't been cold enough for us to give it a real test, 'sposed to cool down this week finally. Will give a full report....
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
We're giving our furnace a very thorough workout in Amarillo this winter. Airflow from floor registers is great in the LR and kitchen, so-so in the bathroom and very little from the vent under the sink. If I close the registers in LR and kitchen, flow in the bedroom improves. Not sure if that's a solution since I've seen several warnings about NOT closing registers. Just might resort to a small ceramic heater in the bedroom for all those cold winter nights we signed up for :eek:
 

tdharley

Well-known member
I tell you the truth I went to Home Depot & they have some very nice , safe & good looking fan forced Quartz heaters. I bought one for my bedroom and one larger for the kitchen / living room area. The larger one has a very thin profile & fits on the back wall behind the chairs.

Why should I use my Propane when I can use the campsites electric?

Also maybe its just me but my heating unit is not so quiet. I tried to order the coil for my AC unit but they do not recommend it for ducted units.
 

nhunter

Well-known member
We bought an electric heater Holmes model#HFH416-CN. It is a very quiet unit and has a 750w and 1500w settings and a thermostat that you can select your temp in actual units. We found that some of these heaters are very loud, but we sleep with this one on no problem and keeps the bedroom very comfortable.
 
We are presently in Cheyenne Wyo. The temperature has been around 20 degrees plus wind chill. Our coach keeps us warm; with plenty air flow all around. We also have a wave 8 propane heater and with the added heat the heater doesn’t run a lot. I have to get propane about every three day the wave has a 7gal tank. I have tried the space heaters and had to watch it, they keep blowing circuits and didn’t provided as much heat as the wave does. Hope this helps
 

tdharley

Well-known member
I had a wave heater in my last rig & found it to be a great addition. I also added an extra CO detector and always made sure a window was open slightly.

We now have custody of our 3 year old grandson and I decided not to install on due to the "open" flame. Also the the propane usage.

I found that if I pick my electrical recepticals right I do not blow fuses. That is one of the better things about the Bighorn, 30 amp. service.
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
Last night dipped below freezing again with the typical north Texas winds. We used a Titan ceramic heater (under $20) in the bedroom. It has 1500 and 900w settings plus thermostat. Kept the pocket door closed and the bathroom door all the way open. Kept the bedroom nice and toasty (at 900w) and wasn't loud enough to wake up DW so it's a keeper.
 

tdharley

Well-known member
Just a word.

Remember, as I tell my grandson "the electric monster". You are not on a GFCI protected outlet. Be careful getting out of the shower.
 

HappyKayakers

Well-known member
tdharley said:
Just a word.

Remember, as I tell my grandson "the electric monster". You are not on a GFCI protected outlet. Be careful getting out of the shower.

That would have to be one heck of a step. The heater sits on the dresser underneath the TV set. :D
 
J

Jim_1899

Guest
Camping so far this winter its just been in the low 30's and the furnice has worked great and has been warm in the galley and the bedroom. The bathroom however is too hot so I put a magazine and book over the vent, I plan on getting a vent that I can open and shut.

My propane tank ran out and it did not switch over to the second tank. I had to move the switch manually, is it suppost to work automatically?
 

trdeal

Past North Carolina Chapter Leader
So far as I know yes,it is supposed to automaticly switch over. At least my Mt. Rushmore does.
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Jim;

If both tank valves are open, when the first tank runs empty your indicator will show red but the other tank should be in operation. You have to physically switch the valve, then the indicator will show green.

John
 
Jim_1899 said:
Camping so far this winter its just been in the low 30's and the furnice has worked great and has been warm in the galley and the bedroom. The bathroom however is too hot so I put a magazine and book over the vent, I plan on getting a vent that I can open and shut.

My propane tank ran out and it did not switch over to the second tank. I had to move the switch manually, is it suppost to work automatically?

Jim: Is your unit came with extra insulation package and dual pane windows?
 
J

Jim_1899

Guest
I don't have the dual pane windows or the extra insulation. I bought my BH off the lot instead of ordering it. I had my propane tanks filled yesterday and the guy filling the tank has rewired and serviced my popup camper so I have gotten to know him. He camps a lot in the winter too, and suggested that I look into getting a 100lb tank and secure it in the storage area. Most full timers head south, I wonder how much propane the BH uses in 20 to 30 degree weather with keeping the temp inside at 65. With you being from Ottawa I thought you might know.
 

tdharley

Well-known member
I dont know about that advice about the 100lb cylinder. Sounds pretty risky to me. You would be sleeping right over and that compartment was not made for it.

Also I do not beleive that the extra insulation package and dual pane windows are all they are cracked up to be. I am sure that anybody who has them are going to say they are. As i said before I am a builder of new homes on Long Island. I am a Energystar builder & have been a draftsman trained in heat loss & Rescheck, which is calculations done on new homes for energy comparison to State codes. You lose 60% of your heat through the ceiling, most of the rest is lost from the floor, windows and radiant cold walls. The double pane windows as I understand them are just that , double pane. And its not only the glass that comes into play either, it is also the frame, is it tight, no air seepage and does it have a thermal brake? Not the same as an Andersen double pane insulated. All my homes have a minimum of an R30 in the ceilings & R22 in the walls. I thought I read some were that my Bighorn came with a R7 in the walls & a R23 in the ceiling. I certainly know you can never insulate them as much as your home. Don't let the salesman at the dealership lead you to beleive their insulation package will make you feel like your in Florida.

Considering all this I have had many trailers & motor homes, they are notourious for air seepage, cold window frames, cold walls & not being able to get enough insulation to make them efficent.
 
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