Propane Usage

dcogs15 · 07-16-2013, 09:30 AM

Just checked the propane gages on our new MH (Forester 3051S). Propane supposedly was filled by the dealer, but I didn't verify on the gage. The tank is 60# and shows 2/3 on the LED monitor and 1/2 on the tank-mounted gage. That means we've used about 30# of propane on our first trip! We only use it for WH and fridge, and very briefly turned on the furnace one morning to be sure it worked. In our previous TT we only used one 20# tank through 3 camping seasons, again for WH and fridge. The MH has 12 cf fridge and the TT had 6 cf, so I'd expect higher propane usage on the MH, but this seems like a lot.

What is your typical propane usage? Any experience with the accuracy of the propane monitor/gage?

bakken · 07-16-2013, 09:34 AM

That is a lot, and I would be checking for leaks.
We don't go through that much in a season!

jeeplj8 · 07-16-2013, 09:38 AM

You stated you used WH and fridge...while the fridge does not burn a great deal, the WH is a propane hog. I would monitor your use and see if it is consistent. Some RV water heaters are set to a very high temperature (probably to make the hot water go further) which takes a lot of BTU energy to maintain that heat. If there was showering, I would be suspicious you really just burned all that propane.

TURBS · 07-16-2013, 09:39 AM

60# in a season depending on furnace usage.
Why not use electric on wh and fridge?

Turbs

OldCoot · 07-16-2013, 09:46 AM

We run wh and frig on propane constantly and they have not been turned off since getting the 5er in Feb12 and one tank is still full and the other is about 1/2. The furnace will eat your lunch using propane. Only used it one night in FL last winter to supplement the EdenPure electric heater.

jeeplj8 · 07-16-2013, 09:47 AM

With all the hot air in your camper - I am pretty sure your furnace does not burn much propane...

OldCoot · 07-16-2013, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeeplj8

With all the hot air in your camper - I am pretty sure your furnace does not burn much propane...

Someone dump 'nasty' on your cereal this morning?

dcogs15 · 07-16-2013, 09:54 AM

The WH has been set for both electric and propane. Does anyone know if it "favors" electr over propane when the MH is connected to 110v? I imagine I may have been heating the WH while we're on the road. Thanks for suggestion to check the temp setting. The water temp doesn't seem too high though.

jeeplj8 · 07-16-2013, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcogs15

The WH has been set for both electric and propane. Does anyone know if it "favors" electr over propane when the MH is connected to 110v? I imagine I may have been heating the WH while we're on the road. Thanks for suggestion to check the temp setting. The water temp doesn't seem too high though.

you want to turn both off when travelling, but yeah - if you had the gas turned on when travelling your HW heater was burning propane the whole time. it only needs 12v off the battery to work.

And to my experience when both are on, usually the 110 keeps it hot enough I do not hear the propane kick on that much. but as soon as there is a draw the propane element will kick in because the 110 element is not very quick to heat up.

OldCoot · 07-16-2013, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcogs15

The WH has been set for both electric and propane. Does anyone know if it "favors" electr over propane when the MH is connected to 110v? I imagine I may have been heating the WH while we're on the road. Thanks for suggestion to check the temp setting. The water temp doesn't seem too high though.

Normally, the wh will favor electric for just keeping the water to temp. The propane will come on when using a large volume of water like when taking a shower. I doubt very much if the propane comes on very much while on the road unless you're using hot water. The tanks are insulated pretty well and can go several hrs without coming on provided no hot water is used.

bakken · 07-16-2013, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcogs15

The WH has been set for both electric and propane. Does anyone know if it "favors" electr over propane when the MH is connected to 110v?

Now there is a heck of a good question.
But even if the temp setting on the propane side is hotter than the electric, if you have the electric element on all the time, it would take much propane to bump it up.
We always have the hwt on electric, but have turned on the propane when having a shower, but I never paid attention to whether it fired up the moment I hit the switch, or not. Need to experiment!

dalford · 07-16-2013, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcogs15

The WH has been set for both electric and propane. Does anyone know if it "favors" electr over propane when the MH is connected to 110v? I imagine I may have been heating the WH while we're on the road. Thanks for suggestion to check the temp setting. The water temp doesn't seem too high though.

When you say set to both, do mean "Auto"? Ours is either Off, Auto or Gas. In Auto the unit detects the 120v and switches to ac. When ac goes away it switches to gas. The Gas switch means gas always.

As far as turning off while traveling, there is a whole thread on this site about what people do. I leave my gas on. My DW and I just returned from a 4000 mile trip pulling the TT. If I turned the gas off I would be better off removing the fridge and adding an ice chest rack in its place.

I don't know how full my tanks are from that trip (have not refilled yet), but I think one is still 100%, and the other pretty low. Used gas for fridge, cook top some, oven some and the heater few nights. As Old Coot says, you can run fridge on gas forever.

dalford · 07-16-2013, 10:14 AM

Oops, I misunderread the post, sorry I see you are talking about the water heater..

Oakman · 07-16-2013, 10:43 AM

OMG! All this advice and the OP doesn't even know if he started with a full tank of propane. And who's to say the gauges are correct?

OldCoot · 07-16-2013, 10:46 AM

Something to remember, just because the wh is set to propane does not mean it is burning all the time while going down the road. If it had reached the proper temp and shut off before you left the campground, chances are, provided no hot water usage, it might come on for a short time a couple of times in an 8 hr trip.

TURBS · 07-16-2013, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakman

OMG! All this advice and the OP doesn't even know if he started with a full tank of propane. And who's to say the gauges are correct?

What he said!

bakken · 07-16-2013, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oakman

OMG! All this advice and the OP doesn't even know if he started with a full tank of propane. And who's to say the gauges are correct?

Yeah, time to shut it down. Pointless.

dcogs15 · 07-16-2013, 11:04 AM

Just to clarify before I get a bad rep on this site....I did check the propane via that LED's on the control center. The LEDs showed "full" which should verify that the dealer filled the tank at delivery as required. I just didn't cross check against the gauge that's mounted on the tank. The LED would imply that we've used about 20# so far and gauge would indicate that we've used about 30# (if the working capacity of a 60# tank is actually 60#). Thanks all for your input!

bakken · 07-16-2013, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcogs15

Just to clarify before I get a bad rep on this site....I did check the propane via that LED's on the control center. The LEDs showed "full" which should verify that the dealer filled the tank at delivery as required. I just didn't cross check against the gauge that's mounted on the tank. The LED would imply that we've used about 20# so far and gauge would indicate that we've used about 30# (if the working capacity of a 60# tank is actually 60#). Thanks all for your input!

No reason for you to get a bad rep, all you did was ask a question.
But you did get some questionable feedback.
I would still check for leaks.

dalford · 07-16-2013, 11:30 AM

My mama always said, "If you don't have anything good to say, then don't say anything at all."

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