Do you need to run the genny?

[kenandterry]

Just had a brief discussion with some others about their "A Class" motorhome........another brand, but I don't think it matters.

I think we agree that if it's very hot when travelling, we may need to run the generator to power the rooftop A/C units in order to cool the interior because the dash A/C vents can't handle the job.

These other people seem to think you would also need to run the generator to power the furnace if travelling when it's very cold.

Comments?

[TURBS]

Gennie can be run while driving down the road.
A/c is the most efficient while driving down the road.
Personally id run heater to but many say that's a no no.
Propane police go figure

[polkatronron]

Yes, we run our funace when it is cold and the engine generator keeps the batts all charged up..and yes we run the Onan genny in the summer to run the roof air. As for using the propane when driving....we have done it for 30 years and don't see an issue. On long drives we also run the fridge on propane in hot weather.

[cfsoistman]

You could run the furnace without the need to run the generator. The alternator will keep the batteries charged while driving down the road.
We use our generator for AC operation during very hot days of travel. We run the front AC and just the fan on the rear unit. We're probably giving the vehicles behind us a shower from the condensate blowing off the back.

[kenandterry]

Polkatronron...........

I'm a little confused with your answer.

Will the furnace actually work without your Onan genny running? Are you saying the engine alternator (under the hood) keeps the house batteries charged up while running the furnace?

I understand needing your Onan genny running for the A/C units to run. And, if you were running the genny for your rooftop A/C units, wouldn't it make sense to run the fridge on electricity at the same time instead of propane?

[ronhanson]

The furnace is powered by the 12v system. Both the chassis engine and generator charge the 12v system.

Whenever the generator is on or Im hooked up to 120v I run the fridge on electric but gas is no problem either.

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Polkatronron...........
Will the furnace actually work without your Onan genny running? Are you saying the engine alternator (under the hood) keeps the house batteries charged up while running the furnace?

Yes, the engine alternator will charge the house batteries. The furnace only uses about the same amount of electricity as the dash air blower. So it's no problem to run the furnace (or both furnaces if you have two) without running the generator.

[kick]

My concern would be flue gases and driving down the road with the furnace on. What happens if the air pressure / wind pushes the gases back into the RV. I understand it should all stay on the outside, but what if it's not perfectly sealed.

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by kick

My concern would be flue gases and driving down the road with the furnace on. What happens if the air pressure / wind pushes the gases back into the RV. I understand it should all stay on the outside, but what if it's not perfectly sealed.

I took my furnace out and took it apart to fix a problem it had. Based on the design I observed I think that it would be very unlikely for an outside wind to be able to push exhaust gasses into the motorhome. Of course nothing is impossible.

So to help out hopefully you have an LP detector (built into your LP cut off switch probably), smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector installed inside the coach to warn you if lots of exhaust gas getting inside. After all it's not just the furnace that makes exhaust gas. While driving down the road you could get exhaust gas from any LP things that are running or from the engine or the generator exhaust.

I bought a two-pack of onelink wireless speaking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at Home depot. I installed one in the front and one in the back. If either detects anything they both go off (they're connected wirelessly) and they say what the problem is.

<WHOOP> <WHOOP> <WHOOP> CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTED EXIT IMMEDIATELY <WHOOP> <WHOOP> <WHOOP> and then it repeats.