Furnace Amps

Put an amp clamp on the positive battery cable, disconnect shore power and turn on the furnace. Anything else is a guess.

Hi Fred,

There is now a much better alternative power free vented heater available. Just what a boondocker who wishes to heat with propane needs. It even has a thermostat. It is available at Amazon for a lower price--but the write up at Home Depot is better. I believe it is lower cost than the unvented (and hence UNSAFE) wave catalytic units.



http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ashley-Hearth-Products-8-000-BTU-LP-Gas-Direct-Vent-Heater-AGDV8L/206165166

Use and care manual:

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/59/596984a9-53a6-41f3-a93d-85c9bf4945c9.pdf

Golden_HVAC wrote:
You might also consider a Olympic catalytic safety heater. I have a 6000 BTU model and it keeps my 30' Bounder toasty warm at 30F outside, and with a little furnace use, I can keep it 70 inside and 19 outside.

The olympic heater does not use any electrical power, and has no fan or exhaust system. You would keep a window and roof vent open, just like when running your stove. . .


GOod luck,

Fred.

Yes you can estimate that the furnace will draw about 7 amps per hour it is on.

The refrigerator, CO and propane detectors also will consume about 35 amp hours per day.

If you had a 120 - 140 watt solar panel, it would make up for about 25 AH daily in the winter shorter days, but more when it is cold out, the panels are tilted to the south, and sun is reflecting off the snow onto the panels!

You might also consider a Olympic catalytic safety heater. I have a 6000 BTU model and it keeps my 30' Bounder toasty warm at 30F outside, and with a little furnace use, I can keep it 70 inside and 19 outside.

The olympic heater does not use any electrical power, and has no fan or exhaust system. You would keep a window and roof vent open, just like when running your stove. . .


GOod luck,

Fred.

Not exactly an answer to your question, but an alternative to heating at night, and it works very well for me:

I run my Honda EU2000i all night, and have a cheap Wal-Mart heater, one that has THREE heat settings (wattages). I run it on low, which is 600 watts, and it keeps me toasty all night.

A friend does the same with his EU1000i.

I sleep much better with the gen and heater rather than the propane furnace running, because the furnace is loud and wakes me up when it cycles all night.

This won't work in campgrounds with quiet hours and camp hosts that patrol for noise.

I've done this in dispersed camping areas and USFS campgrounds that were mostly deserted due to camping there in the late fall.

frjeff wrote:
thanks all!!!!

There are other amp draws . My tv and radio draw while off. The gas detectors also draw a substantial amt. of 12v power. Some powered roof vents have a draw when off .

see this thread.......
http://www.rv.net/forums/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/21135413.cfm

thanks all!!!!

Mine tested at 6.7A.

About 7

pianotuna wrote:
Rule of thumb is one battery one night. Don't forget that in cold weather battery capacity is drastically reduced.

That pretty much covers it

After one night of furnace operation on battery alone you WILL need to recharge battery come morning.......count in it

Rule of thumb is one battery one night. Don't forget that in cold weather battery capacity is drastically reduced.