Furnace Fan Only Mode?

Traver8 wrote:
Hello All,

Starting to prepare for my first winter in my trailer and have been thinking about heating. I am full timing right now and would like to use electric as my primary heat source to save my propane. I have a heated underbelly that is warmed by the furnace.

What I have been thinking is that if I can use the furnace in a fan only mode to circulate the heated air created by my electric heater this should transfer heat to the underbelly without using the propane.

What do you think? Anyone made a mod to their furnace to use the fan only?

Thanks for your feedback.

Terry

Rigging the furnace fan could be done, basically would need to add a 12V SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) relay in between the fan motor and the control board. The relay basically selects between the control board or direct 12V to the fan motor. Then a simple toggle switch can be used to turn the relay on for bypass.

HOWEVER running the fan by it's self is going to waste your heat. The reason for this is the furnace fan motor does double duty, it not only blows the inside air across the heat exchanger, it ALSO drives a fan on the burner chamber. This means the burner chamber is going to have COLD, COLD outside air being drawn into the burner chamber and PUSHED through the BURNER SIDE of the heat exchanger.

This will CHILL the heat exchanger and the inside air drawn across it will be cooled. Added to this you will be drawing warmer inside air (which in a RV is very humid) and condensing the moisture on the cold heat exchanger. This is going to cause a lot of rust to form on the heat exchanger.

Honestly, I really don't understand why folks who camp in the winter seem to be extremely cheap. SPEND the money on propane and use your furnace the way it was designed...