When it's minus 14 F you get to thinking...

[2Susan]

We just returned from the Alberta to So-Cal grand tour, and the cold weather camping got us thinking about cold weather tricks and tips. We were mostly unplugged for stops and the batteries with the cold temps and the furnace running at least 1/2 the time didn't last the night.

I am also wondering where the air to the furnace comes from - is it that panel beneath the fridge? Or is it outside air? If you were hooked up to power and could run an electric heater, would the cold air return circulate that warm air to the storage compartments to help keep stuff from freezing there? I am thinking of the fan only setting. Then the question becomes whether it is better to run the generator (which uses less than a gallon an hour of gas), or us the LP gas and have to wake up to fire the generator when the batteries die.

We did buy tire chains, but fortunately conditions weren't that snowy. We did encounter miles and miles of ice (mostly in Montana). The worst problem was high winds, necessitating an emergency stop when even 10 mph wasn't stable enough. We were fortunate on the open prairie to be near a tiny town and hid on the lee side of a building. Even with that wall of protection we rocked violently all night. I told the children that is what it is like in a boat with waves! Morning light revealed 4 semi trucks and one long RV trailer flipped jelly side down by the wind.

[Mountainmanbob]

Originally Posted by 2Susan

Then the question becomes whether it is better to run the generator (which uses less than a gallon an hour of gas), or us the LP gas and have to wake up to fire the generator when the batteries die.

seems like a toss up to me
but
since you were in very cold weather
I have read around here somewhere
that when using your coach heater
it also heats the water pipes in some way ???

Originally Posted by 2Susan

Morning light revealed 4 semi trucks and one long RV trailer flipped jelly side down by the wind.

you are fortunate
that all is safe with you and your family

Mountainman

[campdohbrew]

Somewhere on here is a thread about an add-on electric heating element marketed under the Coleman name that may interest you. It provides electric heat and uses your current blower system to circulate. It only cost about $40 and is a simple install. Try doing a search on “Coleman heating element.”

[2Susan]

Thank you, I will search for that. We have the arctic pack but the have limitations I am sure.