Heating Trailer While Driving

This would probably never be a concern for my family since we live in North Florida. But I would be afraid to use it while on the road because of a gas explosion or something. But I'm sure that is just my ignorance because I'm sure motorhomes use it all the time.

I've never towed when it was below freezing, so I've never had the need to keep the TT warm during transit. And as others have said, it doesn't take that long to heat up the TT once on site. I would have more use for running the A/C to get the TT cooled on the way to the site. Several times I've camped in 100 degree weather in a site with no shade, and it takes several hours to cool down the TT so you aren't sweating profusely while inside.

I've never thought of running the furnace before I get to the campsite, but that's actually a good idea to stop at the entrance to the campground, turn on the furnace, and by the time I'm set up the trailer is warm. Great idea.

jaydub74 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
Never. I avoid using the furnace when I am occupying the RV. I am certainly not going to run the furnace while RV is empty going down the road.
It will heat up fast enough while I set up. Why waste the propane.

Thanks for all the responses. I was wondering about heat loss as the walls are paper thin so I doubt it would be overly economical to run it while driving. I did like the suggestion of turning it on 30 minutes prior to arrival. We have an infant daughter, it's nice to have a warm place to put her coming from the car. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Lantley, why do you avoid running the heater even while occupied?

Josh

I avoid running the furnace because for the most part if I have electric hook ups I can heat the entire trailer using electric vs. my propane. Heating with electric allows me to reduce propane consumption and avoid the noise of the furnace.
I can see where running the heat could be beneficial for those traveling during freezing conditions.

I've had the water lines freeze up in the old Jayco. The big problem was that somebody turned on a faucet, and didn't turn it off thinking the water pump was off. It wasn't When we finally dropped back in the valley the trailer thawed, it pumped the contents fresh water tank into the sink, which did NOT drain because it was still frozen, so it flooded the trailer. Luckily it had a pretty small tank which was only about 1/4th full. Since that incident, the heat stays on. The couple extra dollars it costs to do that (if even that much) is well worth preventing freeze and water damage. But its your trailer, so good luck.

What I do in either hot or cold weather is turn on the AC or the furnace without opening the slides while I'm hooking up water, sewer and other outside stuff.

jaydub74 wrote:

Lantley wrote:
Never. I avoid using the furnace when I am occupying the RV. I am certainly not going to run the furnace while RV is empty going down the road.
It will heat up fast enough while I set up. Why waste the propane.

Thanks for all the responses. I was wondering about heat loss as the walls are paper thin so I doubt it would be overly economical to run it while driving. I did like the suggestion of turning it on 30 minutes prior to arrival. We have an infant daughter, it's nice to have a warm place to put her coming from the car. Otherwise I wouldn't bother.

Lantley, why do you avoid running the heater even while occupied?

Josh

As an alternative turn it on when you first arrive at your destination and by the time you check in and get situated in your site the trailer should be fairly comfortable and will only get warmer. It really doesn't take long to get a trailer up in temp using the LP furnace.

Larry

My trailer only takes 5 minutes to warm up, maybe 10 if it is really cold. It takes longer than that to setup camp and get situated. I think running the heater on the road is just a waste of propane but to each their own. Turn it on first thing when you get there and it will be warm before you are situated.

I have a propane detector and a carbon monoxide detector. I have no problem running my heater over night. Biggest problem with running it overnight is that the blower does drain the battery a fair amount... if you are running on battery power.

I only run the furnace enroute if temps are going to be below 30F.
Otherwise it does not take that long to warm up upon arrival.

Why so many concerns about running propane heater at night?