Options/questions for Heartland 5th wheel trailers

I'm new to the Heartland Owners Forum so please excuse my ignorance on things related to the product line. My wife and I are planning on our first RV purchase next year and she's heard good things about the Keystone Montana but I'm leaning towards Heartland's products (Landmark, Big Horn, etc.). In looking through the options I have a question about water heaters. Is the prospect of a tankless water heater a viable one or are there reasons something like that hasn't been unsed in RV's?

The second question concerns the small couch in the living area. I realize that space is at a premium but I'm a guy with an average build and I wouldn't even think of stretching out on one of those abbreviated things. Is anything else available and what sacrifices of wall space would need to be made?

My last question concerns workability. I'm an engineer and I have the flexibility of doing my work on the road as long as there's a reliable high-speed internet connection available. I would need room for a laptop/docking station with 22 inch monitor; a large format (11x17) desk top multi-function printer/scanner/fax/copier; and room for a 36 inch inkjet plotter. The plotter could be stored somewhere until needed but everything else would need to be set up in the living space somewhere. Has anyone seen, or run into a situation/need like this and if so what floorplan was selected and what modifications were needed.

Thanks folks for the assistance. I know I'm serious about this since we just bought a 2010 F-350 SuperDuty.

Regards to all.

Hi kc8rxq,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and hopefully the family. We have a great bunch of people here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge if needed.

Some folks are using the Cyclone toy hauler for full time working and living. They are converting the toy hauling area into an office and equipping it to meet their particular needs. Also you might look at the BigHorn that has the extra rear bedroom and changing it around. Your dealer might be able to help you with the change out of not ordering or deleting some items for you.

Meanwhile, look at Heartland RVs Web Site and enjoy the forum.

Jim M

Welcome, and the best of luck to you. Good choice on the truck, not the brand but the 350 won't limit what you can hall. Lots of stuff can confuse you I'd just tell you to check out what you think you will like, if something bothers you move on cause once you buy it, it is yours for a while.

kc8rxq, I don't know of anyone installing a tankless HWH. I see no reason why they wouldn't work but I'm also not sure of the power/electrical requirements. Our standard HWH does a fine job and can be used with a combination of LP and electric for faster recovery.
This floorplan may suit your needs with both a working area and a larger couch. It even has a half bath!
By the way, welcome to the Heartland Forum. I can't say anything bad of Montana's but then again, I'm a Heartland owner.

kc,

We are testing tankless water heaters now. I have one in my demo coach. Not sure if or when we'd begin offering them. I can say from experience thus far that they are in fact viable. For RVs, you use a propane fueled tankless HWH. Is uses a DC circuit to control it. So no AC power is needed to use it. Water is then limited only to available propane and water.

There's a chance that we'd install one if you supplied it. Work that out with your dealer. You may also want to speak to the Brand Manager or the Regional Sales Manager at Heartland for your area. Call 574-262-5992 and ask for Kary Katzenberger (Brand Manager, Landmark/Bighorn).

Jim

kc8rxq, I have a Big Horn 3670 RL. It has an pc desk which I believe would serve your needs well. Your 36" plotter, now that's another story, but you already know that. However, just thinking about it. IF you are willing to loose some closet space you may be able to install it in the bedroom closet and cable to it. If you are not going to install a washer/dryer, perhaps removing the wall between the closet and the WD area would allow you to use this area and a little bit of the closet. I hope you are talking table top plotter here. If you have a stand alone legged version, all bet's are off. One more idea, put the plotter in the basement storage compartments/s (there exist 2 in the BH 3670RL) and cable to it.

Tankless hot water heaters ; I've been using these in my home for over 25 years. I'm on my 4th one now. The first one/s were made by Thermar (European) and were electric only and required a 40 amp circuit each (Wow!). I put one in and the water was warm not hot. I installed a second one in series and life was good until it blew up in my face ! Electric usage was tremendous. I removed both and went to tankless LP. It worked well and served me for years. I installed my BOSCH LP tankless 3 years ago and it is the best so far. Downside, both LP units use a lot of gas when on. This is a concern because you can only carry so much LP in your RV. Also, mine has a 6" chimmey vent and these units need to breath because they consume lots of oxygen. I installed them because we have a jacuzzi and it uses a lot of hot water when we use it. When not, they are ecconomical compared to a storage tank type. If quantity of HW is a concern, I run my RV WH electric & LP at the same time and we have never have had to take a cold shower even if we both shower in succesion with any RV. The make up is pretty fast when both sources are used simultaneously.

In closing, you say you are an engineer, what railroad do you work for ? How many times have you heard the ole question ?

Just kidding, so am I. Welcome to the HL family.

Tom

We are with a friend, Pulltab here on the forum, who installed a tankless water heater several years ago and loves it. Went pretty much into the same opening as the orginal water heater in his 07' Bighorn.

As for the desk, our 3600RL has exactly what you're looking for, it's even bigger than the one in the 3670...unfortunately, they stopped making this floorplan....so I guess the 3670 Bighorn or the Landmark Augusta would be your best option.

Welcome to the forum. Can't speak to the tankless water heater, other than to say sounds like a good idea. can say, currently on 6th RV, 3rd 5er, 1st heartland, WON'T GO BACK!!!!!, nuff said. Can't go wrong with Heartland.

As for the desk, I was looking on the HL site at the LM Grand Canyon. The desk on that looks bigger than the 3670 or Augusta. Could just be the photo and how it's set up, but it does looks bigger. The photo is what it looks like in a 3670, though. We have a photo printer in the cabinet, below, that gets set on the kitchen counter if we need it. And now the wife wants to load her Cricut software on MY laptop, too.

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