I do not want to take over the other thread about preheating a camper so I thought that I would start this thread. I was wondering if anyone has ever done any tests to see how long the heat is maintained in your TC.There are a number of variables (outside temperature, if the inside was completely heated, window types, etc.) but I would like to get some numbers if people have them. I know I need to look into my heat loss when driving and I think I will pick up a infrared thermometer or a thermal camera to do some tests, but was wondering how others compare when moving and when parked. How fast does the temperature drop after shutting off your heat?Here is what I have found for my TC:ParkedOutside Temp 0C (32F) - Inside Temp 20C (68F) - Drop of 1 degree C (1.8F) in 20 minutes*Outside Temp -20C (-4F)- Inside Temp 20C (68F) - Drop of 1 degree C (1.8F) in 8 minutesMovingOutside Temp 0C (32F) - Inside Temp 20C (68F) - Dropped to 10C (50F) in 30 minutesOutside Temp -20C (-4F) - Inside Temp 18C (64.4F) - Dropped to -5C (23F) in 30 minutes* At 0C (32F) outside when parked the temp stabilized at a loss of 3 degrees C - 5.4F (17C - 62.6) after 45 minutes and one person and one dog in camperThanks,** Edited to show F

Can you please run back outside and then test the moving temperature drops to see what happens when the furnace is left running. I've read many accounts of people that have driven with their furnaces running, and think I have done it too, only because I forgot to shut it off, but it's extremely rare for us to be driving at 0C for any length of time, and unheard of to test it at -20C.Can a running furnace keep up? Is it safe to allow it to just run without cycling off and on?

Hi PhotoMike,I've not done tests while moving--and if I had they would not work for you as I am in a class C.I hope this may be useful. Here is what I found:November 19, 2011 12:50 test begins on 28'5" Class C with dual pane windowsAmbient temperature -18 CRV temperature was -18 C when picked up but rose to -10 C after 10 kilometers of driving, mostly at highway speeds. The area under the kitchen cabinet was -18 C.I plugged in two oil filled heaters @ 462 watts each and one radiant heater @ 556 watts for a total of 1480 watts, or the equivalent of 5051 BTU's. The oil filled heaters are in the rear corners of the rear bedroom and the door is open. The radiant heater is in the door way facing the driver's compartment.13:50 Ambient temperature -18 C, RV temperatures, -7.6 C in the shelf over the dinette, -18 C under kitchen cabinet, -3.6 C rear bedroom14:50Ambient temperature -17 C, RV temperatures, -5.5 C in the shelf over the dinette, -15.7 under kitchen cabinet, -1.3 C rear bedroom15:50 Ambient temperature -17.8 C, RV temperatures, -3.7 C in the shelf over the dinette, -14.6 under kitchen cabinet, 0.1 C rear bedroom16:50Ambient temperature -17.8 C, RV temperatures, -2.4 C in the shelf over the dinette, -14.2 under kitchen cabinet, 1 C rear bedroom17:50Ambient temperature -18 C, RV temperatures, -2.1 C in the shelf over the dinette, -14 under kitchen cabinet, 1.3 C rear bedroom18:50Ambient temperature -18.3 C, RV temperatures, -1.8 C in the shelf over the dinette, -13.8 C under kitchen cabinet, 1.5 C rear bedroom19:50Ambient temperature -18 C, RV temperatures, -1.5 C in the shelf over the dinette, -13.7 C under kitchen cabinet, 1.5 C rear bedroom20:50Ambient temperature -18.1 C, RV temperatures, -1.8 C in the shelf over the dinette, -13.8 C under kitchen cabinet, 1.5 C rear bedroomThe RV has arrived at steady state. The next part of the test involves switching on a dual fan to blow air into that rather frozen kitchen cabinet. This, by a happy circumstance, also causes a some air to flow through the furnace duct work.21:50Ambient temperature -18 C, RV temperatures, -2.2 C in the shelf over the dinette, -7.9 C under kitchen cabinet, `1.1 C rear bedroom22:50Ambient temperature -18.6 C, RV temperatures, -2.2 C in the shelf over the dinette, -7.2 C under kitchen cabinet, 0.6 C rear bedroom23:50Ambient temperature -18.7 C, RV temperatures, -2.9 C in the shelf over the dinette, -7.4 C under kitchen cabinet, 0.2 C rear bedroom07:50Ambient temperature -18.3 C, RV temperatures, -5.4 C in the shelf over the dinette, -9.7 C under kitchen cabinet, -1.9 C rear bedroom08:50Ambient temperature -17.2 C, RV temperatures, -5.5 C in the shelf over the dinette, -9.7 C under kitchen cabinet, -2.0 C rear bedroom09:50Ambient temperature -16 C, RV temperatures, -5.2 C in the shelf over the dinette, -9.2 C under kitchen cabinet, -1.7 C rear bedroomOn to the next part of testing. I've added 1500 watts of fan based heaters raising the total to just under 3000 watts.10:50Ambient temperature -15.1 C, RV temperatures, -2.1 C in the shelf over the dinette, -4.1 C under kitchen cabinet, 3.1 C rear bedroom11:50Ambient temperature -14.2 C, RV temperatures, 1.8 C in the shelf over the dinette, -1 C under kitchen cabinet, 6.6 C rear bedroom12:50Ambient temperature -13 C, RV temperatures, 4.9 C in the shelf over the dinette, 2.1 C under kitchen cabinet, 10.0 C rear bedroom13:50Ambient temperature -12 C, RV temperatures, 7.9 C in the shelf over the dinette, 4.9 C under kitchen cabinet, 12.1 C rear bedroom14:50 Ambient temperature -12 C, RV temperatures, 9.9 C in the shelf over the dinette, 2.8 C under kitchen cabinet (fan cycled to off range between -1.1 and 4.7), 14.3 C rear bedroom15:50Ambient temperature -12.3 C, RV temperatures, 10.6 C in the shelf over the dinette, 3.8 C under kitchen cabinet (fan cycled to off), 15.1 C rear bedroomI've adjusted the under kitchen cabinet thermostat upwards, which was one of the "side issues" for doing this testing.16:50Ambient temperature -12.8 C, RV temperatures, 11.1 C in the shelf over the dinette, 2.9 C under kitchen cabinet (fan cycled to off), 15.6 C rear bedroom18:50Ambient temperature -15.8 C, RV temperatures, 11.3 C in the shelf over the dinette, 4.9 C under kitchen cabinet (fan cycled to off range between 2.7 and 6.3), 15.8 C rear bedroomI've ended the test and shut down the heaters except for one just to keep a little heat going in the RV.So far, my thoughts are that without the fan, the kitchen cabinet area essentially never warms up except if the propane furnace, (which happens to "live there") is running. The difference in temperature varies between 10 and 12 degrees C from the temperature at the dinette.With the fan running that difference is about 1/2 as much or 5 to 6 degrees C.I am not attempting to keep the kitchen cabinet at the same temperature as the rest of the RV--just trying to keep the water lines from freezing up while not running the propane furnace. Apparently doing so requires about 3000 watts or around 10,000 btu's when there is an ambient temperature of -12 to -15 C.

Hi PhotoMike,Some of the discussion of the data above may (I hope) be useful to you. Here is a link to it.thread where this data was discussed.

Hi PhotoMike,It sounds to me as if there is a hole of some kind. My "hole" was the outdoor shower. Once I sealed it the heat loss was less than 50% of what it had been. The actual opening was perhaps 2 cm. It did have a tight fitting plastic cover plate on the outside.

pianotuna wrote:Hi PhotoMike,It sounds to me as if there is a hole of some kind. My "hole" was the outdoor shower. Once I sealed it the heat loss was less than 50% of what it had been. The actual opening was perhaps 2 cm. It did have a tight fitting plastic cover plate on the outside.I have a number of holes to deal with but I was talking about the TC not me :B:BOnce the storm windows are in here is what I have to "fix"- Roof vent in cabover and bath (will make an insert for these)- Side windows in cabover (do not have storms for them, going to use the stretchy heat shrink plastic)- Side access door (had a plug for it made out of styro)- Over stove vent (I think this is my big loss area and I cannot figure out how to close. Too high on the outside for a closing cover. Did make a inside cover to go into fan but still getting air behind fan)- Fridge vents (I take a insulated ceiling tile and put in there when not using the fridge but think it needs more)What I want to figure out is how much loss is normal (if there is a normal).

Heat loss | Good Sam Community

31 Replies

Photomike
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2014
Love the idea of heated carpets, need to line the entire camper with them :B
pianotuna
Nomad III
Feb 09, 2014
Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update. It sounds as if you have "tamed the tiger".

My latest cold weather mod is called "magic carpets". They are electrically heated (120 volts). I got three and they draw about 750 watts. The surface temperature hovers at about 33 to 37 C, and the floor under them gets to 47 C.

As a side benefit the unheated insulated basement gets warmed up too. The coldest spot on the floor now is about 10 C. Before I had the carpets, that spot was often below freezing, even with the living quarters at 22 C.
Photomike
Explorer III
Feb 09, 2014
So I got some time to test the insulating that I did a while back, just have not had time to post for a while. Heating up is even faster in the camper, took it from -17c to +19c in about an hour, that includes opening all the cupboards and all the access points. Was very happy with that, as well once up to temp feels MUCH warmer. Then did a test when driving and was very happy as it kept the temps up when driving, the furnace was running to keep the temps up but they never dropped like before.

After looking into it some more, I find that this is about all that can be expected. Even with a stick house in -17c it cools off pretty quick when the heat is shut off so to expect a TCer to retain heat is not realistic. At least now the furnace can keep up with the temps.

Now if the temps would get out of the -20's and -30's I could head out camping and take pictures. Nice that I have a warm place to stay but freezing off my toes and fingers when shooting is still not fun!
Photomike
Explorer III
Nov 15, 2013
Update: Over stove vent is closed, box access door is blocked, both vents have inserts, over cab windows have the reflex material taped in place (easily removed in case I need / want to), starting to put storm windows back in (doing a modification from past years, still working it out as I want to be able to take them out easier than removing the screws).

Results: In heating up the camper it is A LOT faster. It heated up from 3 C (37.4 F) to 16C (60.8) in 15 minutes. Feels a lot warmer and less drafts.

To do: Finish putting in storm windows and then test camping and when driving, possibly this weekend.
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Nov 12, 2013
one other thing, I cut large R13 plugs for every outside hatch on the TC to block cold air migration
Photomike
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2013
Buzzcut1 no outside shower, but good idea on the dump valves. Added to the to do list.
Buzzcut1
Nomad II
Nov 12, 2013
Check the outside shower and or dump valve compartment. My Lance 1055 had a giant cold air pathway that went under the shower pan and into the basement. I packed it with R13 Fiberglass bats and the camper is much warmer
Photomike
Explorer III
Nov 12, 2013
JACKPOT!!!

Wife is sewing new seat cushions for the dining room chairs and I got the old foam. Fit the foam in the roof vent in the bathroom, a piece in the box access door and another in the over the stove vent (fan just pulls off so pulled it off and put a piece in for now).

Am in the middle of designing a sliding door for the vent that will go between the wall and the fan body and I can slide open when I want and closed when I want. Using a piece of scrap plastic and there is already a space there. Will have to see if it works.

When I was working in the TC it was -2 when I started and 20 minutes later it was 18C. Every little thing helps and that is without the storm windows.
Photomike
Explorer III
Nov 11, 2013
Thanks again Travelnutz, you have given me an idea and if it works I have all the material here. Will hopefully take a look tonight.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Nov 11, 2013
Hi Photomike,

It is -20 C with 3000 watts of heaters kitchennette is 13 c and bedroom is 16.6 C

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Heat loss

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