Heat Ducted to Water Bays

[DrJAG]

When using the propane heater, is any heat ducted to the storage bays? Is so, where exactly? Thanks....

[tmartin]

My understanding is that only the center wet bay has a heat duct. The rest of the compartments are not heated.

[psw757]

I’ve been trying to figure this out for a couple years now. I’ve had a forest river rep tell me yes and another tell me no.

Until someone finds this mystery duct I’m going to assume no.

[alsdas88]

You should be able to access the compartment where the heater is located and do a quick visual inspection with the heater running. In my 5'r, I had the same "yes it does - no it doesn't" conversations with multiple parties. Once I opened the access to my "wet bay" where the water heater, tub drains etc are located AND I turned on the heater, I quickly found that I do indeed have direct heat output into that area. I also located a couple of vents in the wall between the cargo storage and the wet bay that allows good heat into that space as well. The beauty with getting heat into the storage area means my bedroom and bathroom floor is nice and warm when getting up in the frigid mornings down here in SE Arizona.

[psw757]

Originally Posted by alsdas88

You should be able to access the compartment where the heater is located and do a quick visual inspection with the heater running. In my 5'r, I had the same "yes it does - no it doesn't" conversations with multiple parties. Once I opened the access to my "wet bay" where the water heater, tub drains etc are located AND I turned on the heater, I quickly found that I do indeed have direct heat output into that area. I also located a couple of vents in the wall between the cargo storage and the wet bay that allows good heat into that space as well. The beauty with getting heat into the storage area means my bedroom and bathroom floor is nice and warm when getting up in the frigid mornings down here in SE Arizona.

I did look at one point a couple years ago when I had the paneling off in the wet bay and didn’t notice any ducting and it was in the general location of furnace(right below).

Maybe it is more in center of compartment between frame rails, hard to see in that area but there looks to be a lot of wiring and plumbing in that area.

If someone does locate it please post here, there have been others in the past asking the same question.

[DrJAG]

Currently have our RV in the driveway. Last night, outside temp was high 40s. Set heat pump to 68 deg and turned on 2 electric heaters. This morning, outside temp was 29 deg. Temp inside RV was 68 deg, but system had switched to propane furnace. I opened water bay compartment and could not feel any heat being blown in. I only had a min to do this has I had to leave. It is supposed to drop down into mid 20s tonight. I will put a thermometer with min/max memory in the water bay. In the morning, I will check temps and see if I can detect any heat blowing in. I’ll have more time so hopefully will be able to determine if ducting is there.

[DrJAG]

So last two days, highs have been mid 30s, and lows mid/upper 20s. I have furnace set to 68 and running two electric heaters. Full wall slide was extended and bedroom retracted. With furnace running, I could not feel any warm air on my hand inside the water compartment. The temp in the bay, however, was consistently 6 to 7 deg warmer than outside temp. With snow predicted for today, I pulled the full wall slide in last night. Low outside temp was in low 20s and currently it is 28. Water bay is only 3 deg warmer than outside. So if heat is ducted to the water bay, it doesn’t work very well.

[SlowrideHD]

I leave my heat pump set on 42 degrees and my 5er is sitting in an unheated 20 X 48 building with an open front. I believe the furnace kicks on automatically if the outside air temp gets below 35. I've never winterized my fifth wheel and occasionally experience temps in the low 20's or high teens. I've never had anything freeze in my fifth wheel in the last four years.