Non-electric site Heat?

TracieT · 06-11-2009, 04:18 PM

Hi to all! Welcome to another camping season!!

The place we are going to this weekend is a non-electric campsite. We were hoping for good weather but it does not look like we are going to have it.

My question is- can we run the furnace all night, for two nights? We have a 22Salem FBLE. I am suspecting that the lake we are camping at is going to fall below freezing both nights.

Thanks!

dezolen · 06-11-2009, 05:08 PM

At least one night with fully charged battery. Hopefully 2. Where the heck are you where it is still below freezing?

TracieT · 06-11-2009, 05:46 PM

Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. I guess that I should correct myself that it shouldn't be below freezing but the weather report is saying the high 30's. Our trailer has 2 batteries and two propane tanks. My husband says that we could probably get away with turning on the furnace before bed to heat it up and then setting the thermostat to 55 for the night and then turning it up again in the morning before until we get a campfire burning again. I am just wondering if this will work for two days? Anyone have any experience with this?

NWJeeper · 06-11-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TracieT

Mt. Hood National Forest in Oregon. I guess that I should correct myself that it shouldn't be below freezing but the weather report is saying the high 30's. Our trailer has 2 batteries and two propane tanks. My husband says that we could probably get away with turning on the furnace before bed to heat it up and then setting the thermostat to 55 for the night and then turning it up again in the morning before until we get a campfire burning again. I am just wondering if this will work for two days? Anyone have any experience with this?

It might work as your husband intends as long as you turn down the thermostat at night. Take lots of blankets if you expect really cold temps and this will help. Most stock batteries used in RVs are poor in terms of Amp hours available. I would be very conservative and make sure to use only the power you really need. The furnace is a power hungry hog using lots of battery power so keep it's use to a minimum.

Where will you be camping? We love that area and my realatives live in Estacada not far from Mt Hood.

Have a great trip...

TracieT · 06-11-2009, 06:24 PM

We are going to Trillium Lake. I hear its beautiful, we've never been.

TracieT · 06-11-2009, 06:26 PM

**KyDan** · 06-11-2009, 06:37 PM

Wow, what an AWESOME picture! I am jealous!

We have camped at or near freezing in a small trailer with just one
12v battery. It always ran down in the middle of the 2nd night.
With 2 batteries and conserving as you say, you should be OK.
One tip is you can often remove one bulb from the lights you use
the most. IE, you can remove one bulb from the 2 bulb fixture over
the kitchen table. Same thing for the bathroom.
If you get in a bind on the last morning you can plug
in your tow vehicle and get a few hours out of that battery too.
Really. I've often plugged my truck back in to squeeze one more
night out of cold camping.

Enjoy your trip!!!
Tell us how it went when you get back to reality.

TracieT · 06-11-2009, 07:19 PM

Thanks Dan. We plan to spend the daytime hours out hiking and biking and have battery powered lanterns and touch lamps to use for light sources. Thanks for addressing my concerns!

dezolen · 06-11-2009, 08:32 PM

Beautiful scenery. I'd say its worth a cold night or 2. We need to retire to get to places like that sooner than later

NWJeeper · 06-11-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dezolen

Beautiful scenery. I'd say its worth a cold night or 2. We need to retire to get to places like that sooner than later

Amen to that brother! Every trip we take the wife and I always say "we will be back when we retire" There are hundreds of beautiful spots like this here in the northwest and sooo much to see across our nation that it is just impossible to do what you want to do and see what you want to see in a typical 2 week vacation.

Tracie have a great trip, i'm jealous, wished we could be going too, wife just has too much to do for us to get away. sigh...........

chevy02 · 06-11-2009, 11:22 PM

OK!! Why am i not seeing beautiful scenery?? I like beautiful scenery too.

**KyDan** · 06-12-2009, 06:34 AM

I tried to link back to it but it shows the entire discussion.
The photo is in the message just above my post where I
say Wow, what a beatuiful photo.
(It is!)

Radio · 06-12-2009, 08:47 PM

I'd pack candles. They make light and some heat, and you can save your batteries. Also a few battery powered lanterns. And you could always take along an extra tank of LP gas for good measure.

MtnGuy · 06-14-2009, 06:34 AM

We use a Big Buddy Heater when dry camping in cold weather. The 2 disposible propane tanks last about 10 hours in the low position. But even in the low position, it will keep our camper comfortable when the outside temps are in the low 30s.

Gotta leave a window or 2 cracked open, to make sure to let in fresh air......to make sure there is suffient oxygen, and to dilute any carbon monoxide.

chevy02 · 06-14-2009, 07:43 PM

Ok i see beautiful scenery now too and you`re right AWESOME

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