Winter Use of 378 and Our First Long Trip

[JimF]

Taking our escape from the frozen north to the southern climes a bit late this year and being a cautious type I did NOT want to freeze up. We have been out in the unit for the last week with each night dropping into the teens and no freeze up yet.
We did, however, add insulation to the water utility compartment and the fresh water tank compartment. Used 1 1/2 inch foam in the floors and many layers of 1/4" in the sides (as much as I could shove in). That and a 75-watt clip on light in the fresh water side has kept the compartment a balmy 51 degrees with the outside temp of 18. That is with or without the so-called "Artic Pack" engaged. I put temp sensors in the compartments.

With some help from one of the members I found two 1 1/2" heat ports into the fresh water compartment which really helps when the furnace is running, doesn't do a darn thing for the water filter and all the lines in the utility compartment, hence the light.

Oh, have put about 1500 miles on the unit and everything has worked great, really glad we installed the SafeT Plus steering stablizer. The milage has been going up also from 6.7 to 7.6 as everything breaks in, we are happy.

[petey]

sounds like good stuff.we will be going during xmas ourselfs,its running about 28 at night here not very cold,day time 38.will be going to 7 feathers casino in canyon-ville oregon for 7 nights.she is winterized now.will drop all antifreeze clean out and go,its about 280 from home. have fun pete

[mbtelguy]

Hi ! JimF.
I'm not sure I will have the heating ports on my 2009 GT 378 but just in case,
can you describe where they are located?
Quote from original post:
"With some help from one of the members I found two 1 1/2" heat ports into the fresh water compartment which really helps when the furnace is running,"

Gary

[mbtelguy]

Hi ! JimF

I not sure that my 2009 GT 378 has the heating ports but could you please explain where the ports are located on your unit

Gary

[petey]

Originally Posted by mbtelguy

Hi ! JimF

I not sure that my 2009 GT 378 has the heating ports but could you please explain where the ports are located on your unit

Gary

i think you are talking about where heat comes out of,2 next to couch,2 in floor forward area,1 in bath area,1 in bed room.2 furnaces.i hope this helps,or let me know????????? pete aultom

[JimF]

Wher the ports are located - Found a third heat port.

1) The port to the line bundle (lines from the fresh water side compartment to the filter side) in the bedroom remove the heater outlet grill, the one just inside the bedroom door. Look in the duct and you will see a hole in the bottom to the duct line- this heats the line bundle.
2) In the compartment with the fresh water tank, remove the black access (modesty) panel, look at the top of the compartment in about the middle of the tanks, you will see a 1 /12 inch hole on the left and right side of the compantment. These lead into the heat plenum of the rear furnace.

These only work when the rear heat is on, nothing is connected to the front furnace, that suggestion was not accurate.

Hope that helps.

[mbtelguy]

Thanks JimF

I appreciate you taking the time to reply. My unit is currently in
storage but the first thing I will be checking will be these ports.

The reason I was so interested, is that I was thinking of
cutting a hole in floor (under clothes closet) and mounting
a fan to direct heat into the water tank area.

Thanks Again

Gary

[Tbeasley77]

I've got a 2011 350ts and doing winter driving. How do you run heat in the back? I thought the only option is furnace (but not when driving) otherwise run the heat strips but that doesn't heat down into the tanks does it?

[JimF]

Originally Posted by Tbeasley77

I've got a 2011 350ts and doing winter driving. How do you run heat in the back? I thought the only option is furnace (but not when driving) otherwise run the heat strips but that doesn't heat down into the tanks does it?

Tom, we have a 378 which has 2 furnaces, front and back. The heat in the holding tank/fresh water tank is from the rear furnace. Weather you run your furnace or not when you are going down the road is really up to you regardless what anyone else says. You get cold enough and I just bet you will turn it on.

That said, thus far we have not had to do that. When we pull out in the morning the tank compantments are warm enough to hold heat above freezing all day long. I don't know where it is coming from but our heat sensor in the utility compartment measures a considerable temp rise when we are driving, hav;t figured that one out yet but working on it.

[JimF]

Have been on the road about a month now, been in freezing weather about half of that time, never below 18 to 20. So far I have quit using the "artic pack" and the added auxiliary heat in the water compartment. I have added extra insulation in the water tank and water utility compartment and have been monitoring the compartment temps with a wireless thermostat with sensors in the compartments.

Thus far with an outside temp of 18 degrees we are heating the coach with the fireplace and the back furnace set at 68 to 69 degrees. The lowest temp measured in the water utility compartment (with sensor next to the water filter) is 46 degrees. I can drop that temp by turning on the fantastic fan, it pulls so much air you can feel the cold coming up from the rear heat ducts, the fan is pulling through the seals around the doors and back through the heat ports. I have learned not to run that fan and the temp will go back up pretty quickly when the furnace runs.

Have also found that if leave the engine heater in the on position, i.e., vent or a/c, etc., cold will come in through the a/c - heat ducts in the dash, turn the selector to OFF and that will stop.

Our last unit was a custom built 5th wheel that we full timed in, I can say that this unit is much more air tight than the 5th wheel, especially around the slides.

So far so good. Having fun in sun (if it will come out).

Travel safe folks.