first time using our furnace in our Roo

[artsygirl1970]

We've been out several times last month in colder temps and only used the heated mattresses, but last night and today are COLD here in Michigan. Like 47 degrees cold. So we kicked on the furnace this morning and the smoke alarm keeps going off. We ended up rigging the cool breeze fan to blow air onto the smoke alarm so we're not pissing off the rest of camp, and we cracked a couple of windows and turned the ceiling vent fans on low. Anyone else have this happen and did it stop after the furnace ran for a bit?

Thanks for your input folks, and Happy Camping fellow Roo owners : )

[fonzie]

Yes it will stop after the oil is burned off the heater exchanger.....

[artsygirl1970]

Thanks, Fonzie! Its our first camper, so we're total newbies but we love our ROO.

[ChooChooMan74]

The Dealer should have told you to run the furnace to burn off all the leftover oil from the manufacturing process. Also, good to run occasionally to burn off the dust.

[jking46]

It's 48 and misting in ne Indiana now and we kept the ikss warm last night with a small electric heater. We are at a state park with electric hook ups. Use their power instead of my propane.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by ChooChooMan74

The Dealer should have told you to run the furnace to burn off all the leftover oil from the manufacturing process. Also, good to run occasionally to burn off the dust.

EXACTLY!
Should have been explained during the PDI.
another example of a poor dealer.

[yetavon]

If you haven't used your oven yet you might as well run it to.....

[104duane]

We always use a small electric heater. Bought our first camper in 1964 from Montgomery ward. It was a pop up with two beds and nothing else. We always used a tiny electric heater. Happy camping.

[-bld-]

I have found small ceramic heater cubes (approx 10" x 10" x 10") with two heating settings to be great for heating just a small space/room.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by jking46

Use their power instead of my propane.

Got that right. They charge for it so might as well use it.

For those with a furnace just set it a few degrees lower in case the electric heater can't keep up. Might never need it but nice to know it is there. You want to run the furnace once in a while anyhow.

Jim

[PhoneDude 8289]

Originally Posted by artsygirl1970

We've been out several times last month in colder temps and only used the heated mattresses, but last night and today are COLD here in Michigan. Like 47 degrees cold. So we kicked on the furnace this morning and the smoke alarm keeps going off. We ended up rigging the cool breeze fan to blow air onto the smoke alarm so we're not pissing off the rest of camp, and we cracked a couple of windows and turned the ceiling vent fans on low. Anyone else have this happen and did it stop after the furnace ran for a bit?

Thanks for your input folks, and Happy Camping fellow Roo owners : )

Happened to us January '14 on our way home from Florida, only difference is we expected it. Didn't think about the oven tho till the first time we lit it.

[magpi26]

Originally Posted by -bld-

I have found small ceramic heater cubes (approx 10" x 10" x 10") with two heating settings to be great for heating just a small space/room.

The furnaces in most campers are so noisy that you cannot have a reasonable conversation or hear a radio or TV. The ceramic heater is the answer to several problems. First, in most campgrounds, you are paying for electric and having these little heaters eliminates the use of propane. Secondly, the noise factor is eliminated and the heat is much more even and comfortable. You must buy a heater that is a tall, thin unit that has automatic temp control. The best ones I have found are sold on Amazon and cost $55. Here is the description: Lasko 755320 Ceramic Tower Heater with Digital Display and Remote Control
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$54.97

[Ford Idaho]

When it is cool and we are up and about the small electric heater is fine but it does not provide enough heat to keep the bedroom warm.

I set the furnace to 65 degrees and all is well overnight.

[magpi26]

You need to get a quality heater. The little ones at Walmart do not heat a camper. In most campers u need two ceramic heaters.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by magpi26

The furnaces in most campers are so noisy that you cannot have a reasonable conversation or hear a radio or TV. The ceramic heater is the answer to several problems. First, in most campgrounds, you are paying for electric and having these little heaters eliminates the use of propane. Secondly, the noise factor is eliminated and the heat is much more even and comfortable. You must buy a heater that is a tall, thin unit that has automatic temp control. The best ones I have found are sold on Amazon and cost $55. Here is the description: Lasko 755320 Ceramic Tower Heater with Digital Display and Remote Control
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$54.97

If your furnace is that noisy you need to check it! I can barely hear mine running in my 5er. Something is wrong, like the fan is out of balance. Could be being caused by something inside the furnace and it might just need a cleaning.

You must buy a heater that is tall and thin? Give me a break. A 1500 watt heater is a 1500 watt heater no matter what its shape. I use this one in my 5er. It works great. It moves air across the living area and into the bedroom.

Amazon.com - Vornado AVH2 Whole Room Vortex Heater, Automatic Climate Control - Space Heaters

It fits nicely on the kitchen counter, and moves plenty of air when set on high. It also has a high and low setting. You can switch it to low, which is 750 watts, once your trailer is at the temperature you want provided it is not too cold outside.

Jim

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by magpi26

You need to get a quality heater. The little ones at Walmart do not heat a camper. In most campers u need two ceramic heaters.

I can see why two would work better in cold weather but my 5er only has two 15 amp circuits. Sense each heater has got to be on its own circuit, 1500 watts = about 13 amps, this could be a problem. That is why I use one heater and set my furnace at around 63 to 65 degrees. If the electric heater can't keep up the furnace kicks in and helps.

Jim

[drhroo]

Originally Posted by magpi26

The furnaces in most campers are so noisy that you cannot have a reasonable conversation or hear a radio or TV. The ceramic heater is the answer to several problems. First, in most campgrounds, you are paying for electric and having these little heaters eliminates the use of propane. Secondly, the noise factor is eliminated and the heat is much more even and comfortable. You must buy a heater that is a tall, thin unit that has automatic temp control. The best ones I have found are sold on Amazon and cost $55. Here is the description: Lasko 755320 Ceramic Tower Heater with Digital Display and Remote Control
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
$54.97

We have this one or another Lasso that is very similar and it has worked great for us during two recent Rocky Mountain trips where early morning temps where in the 30's. I don't think you "need" to have a tall thin one like this but it does fit well in small space. We have an 2016 IKSS and with that floorplan we "back it up" against the island pointing towards the front bunk. We usually leave it off at night because we find the heated mattress and our comforter to be more than adequate. I keep the remote on the table near the head of the front bunk if I need to change it. When we wake in the morning I grab the remote and fire it up before we roll out of bed. Once we're up I'll set both the Lasso and the TT heater at 65 or 70 while we're showering and getting dressed. During the day I put it in a corner near the front bunk if we need it.

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by oldtool2

I can see why two would work better in cold weather but my 5er only has two 15 amp circuits. Sense each heater has got to be on its own circuit, 1500 watts = about 13 amps, this could be a problem. That is why I use one heater and set my furnace at around 63 to 65 degrees. If the electric heater can't keep up the furnace kicks in and helps.

Jim

If we are using the heater, coffee pot and the electric skillet the breaker pops.

Coffee and bacon > heat.....

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by 104duane

We always use a small electric heater. Bought our first camper in 1964 from Montgomery ward. It was a pop up with two beds and nothing else. We always used a tiny electric heater. Happy camping.

For many of us that live in states like California, the state park campgrounds DON'T have electric hookups.
less than 1% of California state park campgrounds have electric hookups.
So saying to just use an electric heater isn't a solution everywhere.
For the 25 years we camped in California, having a working propane furnace is a MUST.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

If we are using the heater, coffee pot and the electric skillet the breaker pops.

Coffee and bacon > heat.....

I agree, coffee and bacon will get my vote every time! Just grab a flannel shirt.

Jim