Heating a trailer while under tow

Hi,

Is there a thermostat? Or just a low medium high setting? If there is a pilot light it may blow out, so I'd use caution when running the furnace while trundling down the road.

swimmer_spe wrote:
Oh, I should have added, my furnace does not need battery power.

swimmer_spe wrote:
Oh, I should have added, my furnace does not need battery power. Dead battery really only means my breakaway brakes don't work.

For some reason, I have always been told to turn off the propane tanks while under tow for safety.

In the OPD valve assembly on propane cylinders is a spring loaded shut-off valve. Hose has to be connected to cylinder in order for propane to flow.

In the big green nut on hose (ACME Nut) is a floating ball bearing that will shift towards hose end and shutoff propane flow if line/hose etc. breaks downstream (excess flow check valve).
Also inside that ACME Nut is a thermal fuse.......it will melt in a fire and cause excess flow which then trips excess flow check valve.

Dang propane cylinders are more safe than vehicle fuel tank. So having them valved in and using the propane while in transit is safe.
Measures are in place just in case

My slides cover one of the 4 heater vents, other then heating the underside of the stove (in the slide) and burning propane - there is no real downside I have found from running the heater underway. In my case the smaller space with the slides in made it cycle less, and the 60 mph constant cold wind down the sides made it cycle more. The biggest issue you are going to run into is running the heater for 24 hours without plugging in will deplete most any battery bank, and the charge line of the TV is usually a joke.

Putting the plants in the bathroom with a few hot water bottles, which can be reheated (pour them into a pot) on the stove without using batteries. Other then that stay at campgrounds and plug in at night, oil filled heaters tend to hold heat for a long time, maybe one of those in the restroom would help as well.

I guess technically maybe having the propane off while traveling is slightly safer than having it on. But, staying home would be safer yet. Leaving it off when camped would be safer than having it one, etc.
Use your camper as it was intended: run whatever appliance you need to and enjoy the travels.

I use my furnace too. Really, I have to otherwise the water lines freeze. It does go through a lot of propane though, so I'm considering adding a coolant heat exchanger with some dripless quick connects from the van.

Oh, I should have added, my furnace does not need battery power. Dead battery really only means my breakaway brakes don't work.

For some reason, I have always been told to turn off the propane tanks while under tow for safety.

Nutinelse2do wrote:

sch911 wrote:
That's what the furnace is for. Never understood those who think it can't be run while underway???

X2

Dang trailers are 'self contained'

That is why furnace runs on DC power..so it can be used.

sch911 wrote:
That's what the furnace is for. Never understood those who think it can't be run while underway???

X2

Hi,

Preheat the trailer with electric power for 24 hours. Set the thermostat to cycle.

I regularly travel with my furnace active. So long as it is direct spark ignition I doubt there will be a problem.

Expect the batteries to need charging each night of the trip.

That's what the furnace is for. Never understood those who think it can't be run while underway???