Heating using propane

[pokey]

This will be my first winter living full time in my Fifth wheel Forest River 32 foot Cardinal RV. I've already purchased an energy efficient electric heater that is supposed to heat up to 1000 square feet, plenty for the RV's size. So far I've had mornings in the upper 30's to low 40's and this heater I don't believe is going to heat the RV enough. I'm thinking of using my propane system as well now when winter really sets in. What is everyone's experience with how much propane is used if set at a decent temperature? Thanks all

[Cowracer]

That will vary greatly due to many things. There is no way to even guess the amount for any given camper

Tim

[5picker]

You'll find you are going to need more than just an electric heater. Not just for your comfort but to keep the plumbing from freezing in lower compartments.

With that said, the furnace is one of the biggest propane hogs but supplementing it with the electric heater you can get by using less.

Every rig is insulated differently but expect to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 days to a week from a 30 lb. bottle if temperatures are at freezing.

Many folks connect to larger extend-a-stay bottles when the weather gets cold.

[Kimber45]

that 1000 sq foot rating on that heater is prob assuming 2x4 construction with R13 walls and double pain windows. not single pane windows and 1 1/2 thick walls. are you paying the power bill? I supplement with electric heat in cold weather camping when im not paying the power bill. if you are paying for electric your furnace may be more efficient.

[pokey]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You'll find you are going to need more than just an electric heater. Not just for your comfort but to keep the plumbing from freezing in lower compartments.

With that said, the furnace is one of the biggest propane hogs but supplementing it with the electric heater you can get by using less.

Every rig is insulated differently but expect to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 days to a week from a 30 lb. bottle if temperatures are at freezing.

Many folks connect to larger extend-a-stay bottles when the weather gets cold.

Thanks for the info. Mine is a limited edition and has extra insulation as well as the belly being totally covered with aluminum. I have 2 15 pound propane bottles and going to try and use propane heat sparingly as much as I can. I'm also thinking of getting another low energy heater to have on each end which should heat well I think. Thanks again

[pokey]

Originally Posted by pokey

Thanks for the info. Mine is a limited edition and has extra insulation as well as the belly being totally covered with aluminum. I have 2 15 pound propane bottles and going to try and use propane heat sparingly as much as I can. I'm also thinking of getting another low energy heater to have on each end which should heat well I think. Thanks again

Another heater and doing without using propane.

[pokey]

Originally Posted by Kimber45

that 1000 sq foot rating on that heater is prob assuming 2x4 construction with R13 walls and double pain windows. not single pane windows and 1 1/2 thick walls. are you paying the power bill? I supplement with electric heat in cold weather camping when im not paying the power bill. if you are paying for electric your furnace may be more efficient.

That's one positive of my lot rent. $100 per month goes towards the electric. None of the RV's here including myself have acceded the $100 that I know of. I may be better off $$$ wise just by adding another low efficient heater having one on each end and it should heat properly.

[5picker]

Be careful of your amperage draw using TWO electric heaters. On high, they will take a 30a service to its limit, leaving you very little current for anything else. (like your water heater)

I don't know your particular model but with most models, the propane furnace supplies heat to areas the electric heater can't. Such as the enclosed underbelly and wet bay. You may want to rethink not using any propane at all.

Also be cautious of your outside shower if you have one. Most have no protection from the cold behind that thin plastic door.

Also, 'Limited Edition' and 'Arctic Pack' are little more than marketing ploys. Don't be fooled into thinking these are true 4 season rigs.

[pokey]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Be careful of your amperage draw using TWO electric heaters. On high, they will take a 30a service to its limit, leaving you very little current for anything else.

I don't know your particular model but with most models, the propane furnace supplies heat to areas the electric heater can't. Such as the enclosed underbelly and wet bay. You may want to rethink not using any propane at all.

Also be cautious of your outside shower if you have one. Most have no protection from the cold behind that thin plastic door.

Also, 'Limited Edition' and 'Arctic Pack' are little more than marketing ploys. Don't be fooled into thinking these are true 4 season rigs.

True about the amperage draw. I already have to turn the heater I have now off when using the toaster with the heat set on high. I may just go using my heater as a supplement along with propane. Thanks

[nomad297]

This is not usually the case, but I have gone through 15 pounds in one day. The problem was the heat was set high early in the morning to make it comfortable for showering, and I forgot to lower the heat and turn off the Fantastic fan (which was set at a pretty high speed) after taking a shower. The Fantastic fan sucked more heat out than the furnace could pump in, so the furnace ran non-stop for the whole day while we were away.

Otherwise, in temperatures ranging from lows in the 30s to highs in the 50s, I will use about 45 pounds in one week in the Windjammer which doesn’t have any sort of winter package. I don’t play with the thermostat too much, so the inside temperature stays at about 67 degrees.

Bruce

[pokey]

Originally Posted by nomad297

This is not usually the case, but I have gone through 15 pounds in one day. The problem was the heat was set high early in the morning to make it comfortable for showering, and I forgot to lower the heat and turn off the Fantastic fan (which was set at a pretty high speed) after taking a shower. The Fantastic fan sucked more heat out than the furnace could pump in, so the furnace ran non-stop for the whole day while we were away.

Otherwise, in temperatures ranging from lows in the 30s to highs in the 50s, I will use about 45 pounds in one week in the Windjammer which doesn’t have any sort of winter package. I don’t play with the thermostat too much, so the inside temperature stays at about 67 degrees.

Bruce

Oh I'm sure that the Fantastic Fan really sucked the heat out! What did you keep your thermostat set at?

[pokey]

Originally Posted by 5picker

You'll find you are going to need more than just an electric heater. Not just for your comfort but to keep the plumbing from freezing in lower compartments.

With that said, the furnace is one of the biggest propane hogs but supplementing it with the electric heater you can get by using less.

Every rig is insulated differently but expect to get somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 days to a week from a 30 lb. bottle if temperatures are at freezing.

Many folks connect to larger extend-a-stay bottles when the weather gets cold.

Thanks for the info and you're correct after you got me to thinking about it. An electric heater using propane also I believe is the best way to go. Thanks again

[formerFR]

we've never 'liked' to run our furnace much, and used small heaters around the coach, sometimes 3 or 4, so each area has it's own heat source. I use them in 'low' mode, so that the electrical draw is minimal and the coach's breakers and shore power can handle them, even all at once.
Sure, you might have to cut off one or two while you use the microwave, but other than that, it works just fine. No propane needed.
I four years, much of that full-timing and over 86,000 miles of travel, I've refilled my propane tank only once, and probably didn't even need to really do it then. I doubt we've gone through even a single onboard tank's worth.

Now, if you're a 30amp coach, you'll have to be more cognizant of the power draws, but you can also use an extension cord and run one or two off of the 15/20amp outlet at the power pole, if you have one, or have access to one from another building or location. I even do this sometimes when in freezing/windy winter weather - putting a separate heater down in the wet bay, but powered by a different power line so that it doesn't effect my interior heating power draws.

[pokey]

Originally Posted by formerFR

we've never 'liked' to run our furnace much, and used small heaters around the coach, sometimes 3 or 4, so each area has it's own heat source. I use them in 'low' mode, so that the electrical draw is minimal and the coach's breakers and shore power can handle them, even all at once.
Sure, you might have to cut off one or two while you use the microwave, but other than that, it works just fine. No propane needed.
I four years, much of that full-timing and over 86,000 miles of travel, I've refilled my propane tank only once, and probably didn't even need to really do it then. I doubt we've gone through even a single onboard tank's worth.

Now, if you're a 30amp coach, you'll have to be more cognizant of the power draws, but you can also use an extension cord and run one or two off of the 15/20amp outlet at the power pole, if you have one, or have access to one from another building or location. I even do this sometimes when in freezing/windy winter weather - putting a separate heater down in the wet bay, but powered by a different power line so that it doesn't effect my interior heating power draws.

I'm on 50 amp and only use the microwave rarely and the toaster every couple of days. What type of heaters do you use, brand, type? Thanks for the info.

[JohnD10]

I lived in my 33-foot 5'ver in the freezing cold months of winter earlier this year in Denver.

Now, mine doesn't have the winter package, but does have the heated underbelly.

Now, even though I was still working for some of that time, I had to leave the heat up during the day while at work because I had four cats.

That being said, when it was below freezing constantly I went through one 30-pound tank of LP each day, and eventually switched to 100-pound tank, which would last anywhere from 3-5 days in a cold snap to maybe a week and a half when it warmed up to over freezing and the sun was out.

As for electric heaters, instead of using forced air heaters, I switched to the oil-filled radiator heaters (bought two of them at Walmart for $35 each - just saw them on sale again yesterday for the same price) and I found that one in the bedroom and one in the living room set on low would do a real good job in keeping the propane use down and if not a deep freeze outside will do the inside very good.

Oh...one other secret with the oil-filled heater...set them over the top of a furnace vent and it would cut the furnace run time in half as it would blow the heat around off of the electric heater!

And as 5picker said...keep a close eye on your outside shower...no matter what I did to protect it...it froze up and I had to replace it...what a PITA that was!

During freeze spells and even every night, unhook your water hose (even if it is heated - what a joke those heated hoses are) and run off of your fresh water tank as much as possible.

Notice in the third photo the blue heated water hose coiled up under the trailer?

I gave up on it and just went to using the regular hose and filling the fresh water tank when needed.

And...DON'T leave your gray tank valve open unless you want your sewer hose to freeze up on you, and do buy some heating tape from Lowe's or Home Depot and wrap it around your sewer pipes if they are hanging below the underbelly of your rig, and make double sure to have it wrapped around the gate valves if they are exposed under the 5'ver.

I can't remember how many times that my neighbors on both sides of me (plus many others) had to use the park's bathrooms and showers because they didn't do this and their water and sewer systems froze up for days at a time while I was using my own in my 5'ver.

I've got more but my fingers are tired from typing...

Edited in: That Cougar next to me in the third shot had the winter package and they were frozen up almost the whole month they were in this park.

[formerFR]

I have no idea what 'brand' they are, as they are several different types we've just picked up at various stores over the years - no special brand, or type, needed, but most will have both two settings: one for either 'low' or 'high' heat, which means one uses 750w of power, or about 5 to 7 amps, and the other is 1,500w, which is about 10 -14 amps, and the other setting is for the 'temp' you want it to come on, which is usually just a rotating knob, so the unit goes off when the temp rises enough that the heater is not needed.

so, if you keep each one at the 'low' setting, you will be using anywhere from 20amps to 28amps of power if 4 units are going at the same time. You could also run one or two via an extension cord from the 15/20amp shore outlet, if you have a way or place to run the cord into the coach. We use our slide seal, which is just enough room to push the end of an extension cord thru, and into the coach, for additional heaters, when needed, from the other outlet.

[pokey]

Originally Posted by formerFR

I have no idea what 'brand' they are, as they are several different types we've just picked up at various stores over the years - no special brand, or type, needed, but most will have both two settings: one for either 'low' or 'high' heat, which means one uses 750w of power, or about 5 to 7 amps, and the other is 1,500w, which is about 10 -14 amps, and the other setting is for the 'temp' you want it to come on, which is usually just a rotating knob, so the unit goes off when the temp rises enough that the heater is not needed.

so, if you keep each one at the 'low' setting, you will be using anywhere from 20amps to 28amps of power if 4 units are going at the same time. You could also run one or two via an extension cord from the 15/20amp shore outlet, if you have a way or place to run the cord into the coach. We use our slide seal, which is just enough room to push the end of an extension cord thru, and into the coach, for additional heaters, when needed, from the other outlet.

Thanks, I'm thinking the size of mine that just adding one like you said in the bedroom would heat pretty well. It rarely gets say in the teens here and if so not for long.

[Flybob]

A few extra comments. If you are full timing, I would contact a local propane company and lease two 100 lb propane tanks. When it gets really cold you will be burning through the small tanks too fast. Also I would not waste a lot of extra money on High Efficiency heaters. Most small electric heaters are about the same efficiency unless you get into the really cheap ones. Do not buy into the claims of some of the miracle heaters as they can never output more energy than they take in despite the advertising claims. You may also want to add some type of temporary plastic window insulation or you will be moping up condensation daily.

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by pokey

Oh I'm sure that the Fantastic Fan really sucked the heat out! What did you keep your thermostat set at?

I have an analog thermostat that I usually leave set at just below 70. I have a thermometer inside that tells me my ambient temperature is usually around 67 degrees.

Bruce

[pokey]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

I lived in my 33-foot 5'ver in the freezing cold months of winter earlier this year in Denver.

Now, mine doesn't have the winter package, but does have the heated underbelly.

Now, even though I was still working for some of that time, I had to leave the heat up during the day while at work because I had four cats.

That being said, when it was below freezing constantly I went through one 30-pound tank of LP each day, and eventually switched to 100-pound tank, which would last anywhere from 3-5 days in a cold snap to maybe a week and a half when it warmed up to over freezing and the sun was out.

As for electric heaters, instead of using forced air heaters, I switched to the oil-filled radiator heaters (bought two of them at Walmart for $35 each - just saw them on sale again yesterday for the same price) and I found that one in the bedroom and one in the living room set on low would do a real good job in keeping the propane use down and if not a deep freeze outside will do the inside very good.

Oh...one other secret with the oil-filled heater...set them over the top of a furnace vent and it would cut the furnace run time in half as it would blow the heat around off of the electric heater!

And as 5picker said...keep a close eye on your outside shower...no matter what I did to protect it...it froze up and I had to replace it...what a PITA that was!

During freeze spells and even every night, unhook your water hose (even if it is heated - what a joke those heated hoses are) and run off of your fresh water tank as much as possible.

Notice in the third photo the blue heated water hose coiled up under the trailer?

I gave up on it and just went to using the regular hose and filling the fresh water tank when needed.

And...DON'T leave your gray tank valve open unless you want your sewer hose to freeze up on you, and do buy some heating tape from Lowe's or Home Depot and wrap it around your sewer pipes if they are hanging below the underbelly of your rig, and make double sure to have it wrapped around the gate valves if they are exposed under the 5'ver.

I can't remember how many times that my neighbors on both sides of me (plus many others) had to use the park's bathrooms and showers because they didn't do this and their water and sewer systems froze up for days at a time while I was using my own in my 5'ver.

I've got more but my fingers are tired from typing...

Edited in: That Cougar next to me in the third shot had the winter package and they were frozen up almost the whole month they were in this park.

Thanks for all of the info. As far as the outside shower the previous owner forgot to winterize it one year and it's busted and not in use at all with no reason to. I have 3 tanks, the black, the grey and the galley. I do keep the gray open because it's just shower and bathroom sink water. I'll start closing it when the weather starts getting and staying cold. As for the my pipes they are out in the open in the underbelly of the RV. If they are drained there shouldn't be a reason to wrap them or should they? Busting in the middle of winter would be a bad thing to happen! Insulating them would be pretty easy and better safe than sorry so that's something I'll do along with the gate valve. It doesn't get near as cold here as Denver, maybe in the teens for a couple of nights but rarely happens and back in the 30's or so. I lived in a houseboat 4 years and when temps dropped low enough to freeze things up I and other full timers left our water hose out in the open running at night with no problems and will here. Thanks for all of the helpful info. My fingers are getting tired now also. Take care.

David