Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-05-2014, 04:22 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3
3704bh in winter?

Hey everyone, so first of all I not new to the forum life, but definitely new to this one!

I recently purchased a 2012 3704bh, and can I say that I am most impressed by it! I have been living in it for around two months now. I am a single guy who works out of town a lot, but often has one or two guys staying with me. When I found this model it sold me right away. Being able to have two separate bedrooms with a shared half bath is awesome! I am a little disappointed in the entertainment center, mainly because there really isn't a nice layout for that. But it seems as if you either get a nice entertainment center, or you get a nice sleeping area. Never both.

The quality seems pretty fair in it, there are a few little minor things but nothing major. It is definitely better then some that I have seen.

Anyways I am looking at winter living in it, and of course I am living in AB Canada where we have pretty harsh winters. However I see LOTS of people that do it, so please keep the "don't do it" comments to yourself.

It has been hitting just below freezing the past couple nights, I have my 5er parked at an RV park where there are some other workers. It hasn't been cold enough to freeze the hoses running to the RVs but its close. Anyways, I have a 35k BTU furnace but it just doesn't seem to blow enough to the front and rear of the trailer. The two vents that are closest to the furnace are blowing nice HOT air. Now I don't have anything skirted in yet (mostly because of funds) but when winter really hits I will have that done. I think what is happening is because the furnace ducts are cheap exhaust dryer vent, I am getting to much heat loss before it ever hits the vent. It is blowing air just not warm. So I think what is happening is the vents closest to the furnace are closest to the thermostat. The ends of the trailer are "colder" so it keeps cycling on and off every 20 mins. The trailer is still warm but the furnace runs a LOT, doesn't really use much propane tho either. So I think most of what I am hearing is its cool off stage.

My question is are there any of you out there who have had this issue? If so how have you dealt with it? My thoughts are that this year instead of paying 4 grand for a skirt, I am just going to make my own with tarps and bails. I still want to be able to sit in just below freezing and still be comfortable tho. The underside of the trailer has a 1/4" plastic that are holding the vent ducts and a little bit of insulation stuck up in there. It is not much at all tho.
I have thought about purchasing some 1" polyboard insulation and gluing that in chunks to the plastic already installed. Of course this would be on the top of that plastic. That way that whole underside will be heated and I won't have that much heat loss from the vents, and the vents help keep the bottom warm. I have thought about sprayfoam, but with all my electric jacks and tank heaters I still think I want access to wires. I have thought about changing those vents out to insulated vents, but I think my polyboard is a better idea.

Any options on how to make this better for me? I know people have done it as I have seen them out in -40 still living. (they have big 400 pound propane pigs) This RV I am told is supposed to withstand to Canadian winters, it has the tank heaters, dual pane windows. It is supposed to have better insulated walls. Just wondering what people have done!

Thanks in advance!
Nate769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2014, 05:23 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
garmford's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 109
One thing I would do is to open up all of your access panels and for spots that could have some heat loss. We have the 3710bh and love it as well but this weekend I removed the shoe rack that's inside the closet in the front of the camper. To no surprise, there wasn't any insulation at all. The only thing behind it was the fiberglass nose cone of the trailer. That alone is one huge place for heat to escape. I now wish that I had taken a picture. We don't do too much cold weather camping so I will probably never add any insulation but if I were you I would defiantly look into areas like that. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums
__________________
2012 F350 DRW 6.7 PSD
Blue Ridge 3710 BH
garmford is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 09:14 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3
See, I don't have any access panels. (At least I can tell!) Everything in this trailer is built within the walls, so nothing comes up inside of them. OR at least I can't find anywhere. Every single water and drain line I find all come up inside a cupboard or counter. I guess it makes it so that whatever the temperature in the trailer is, is roughly what the water lines and stuff are exposed to. Basically from there everything runs directly through the floor to the underside of the unit. Which is where a few pieces of insulation have been thrown and that covered by that 1/4" plexi-glass. Again I am pretty sure that these trailer were designed to have a skirt on them for anything below 0. But not all the time do I want the hassle of putting it on for a day or two...

Also I have another question regarding water pressure in these units. I have put a regulator on the city water tap, but it sure doesn't seem like with that regulator there is enough pressure. Maybe I am trying to compare to my house, but it seems like its lacking a little...I do have a filter on the trailer too, but I wouldn't think that would cause it...
Nate769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2014, 06:22 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
jkaspar20's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Palestine, Texas
Posts: 165
FYI Do not exceed 55psi of water pressure. I once did a direct connect without regulator and ended up with a water leaks behind shower wall. The over pressure expanded the crimps at the connector. You make a 55psi regulator (inline) or buy a adjustable for a few $ more. I believe, the Mfg tells you not to exceed 55psi.
I went to a hardware store and inquired about the plastic pipe and connections. Was told NOT to exceed 65psi, even with air when winterizing.
jkaspar20 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
winter

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:24 PM.