Removing Furnace

You'll certainly have more room for Beer!

For me, I put an additional heater in mine. Going south this winter, cold weather followed wherever I ran to no matter how far south I went.

b

Funny how geography plays such a role in needs and wants. I can see how in the south if you don't winter camp or going north you probably wouldn't need a heater. While here where I am, I will camp for days on end in below freezing temps and I wouldn't think of not having a furnace and 2 full bottles of propane in the compartment and maybe a third stowed in the truck at night. To each his own. Keep on trucking

Resale just an odd concept for me, truly has no meaning. Ive never bought anything with the intent of getting rid of and so limit what I may or may not do.

It's going to be an odd concept or impossible, with no heater

that if you actually retire and can travel anywhere you want? Maybe that would include a few cold places without hookups, have you ever been to Alaska?
A group of us traveled to Alaska on motorcycles and camped out for 30 nights. Didn't need no heater. :

In winter?

Ours the heater itself is considerabley smaller than the space it occupied or used. The heater box fits thru a 7 3/4 X 17" hole to ~19" deep. As install instructions state minimum clearances are 1/2", the actuall space you might reclaim could be considerably smaller than what I gained. But if removing for weight-storage wouldnt be a consideration. Other than the Wave heater that replaced our furnace & wood to refit, all other items that are stored in this area are redistributed stuff we already carried. Still I guestimate 25# or better savings.

Just FYI, got the heater out of storage, sat on scale, heater complete with the duct hoses, registers, fittings, gas line, 2x2 block-everything except the wires & thermostat & 1 of the registers (thats covering hole in cabinet) weight just a tad over 37 pounds.
Heavier than I remember. Its an Atwood 8520-IV-DCLP- output rating of 1600BTU.

I was also thinking about using the space for storage. Our unit must be a lot smaller than your unit was, but it would still provide room for cat food!!

What if we go to Alaska? We already have in an old 1972 Sell's TC that we fixed up just for that trip in 2005. Took only an electric heater. When we did boondock, which was only 7 nights out of 58, we had no heater. Did it get cold inside? Yes, but we had plently of blankets to keep us warm and those nights were only on-the-road nights, not destination nights.

As for weight savings, 20-30 lbs. here and there does add up. I am even looking at removing my rear all-metal bumper as soon as I can figure out how to fasten my rear tiedowns. I have already removed the rear seat in the cab which was heavier than I thought it would be. We are "pushing" the limits of what our truck can haul, so to me, any weight savings is worth it.

Once again, thanks for all of the replies.
Del

805gregg wrote:
What if you actually retire and can travel anywhere you want? Maybe that would include a few cold places without hookups, have you ever been to Alaska?

A group of us traveled to Alaska on motorcycles and camped out for 30 nights. Didn't need no heater. :R

I too am thinking about removing the furnace, it doesn't look like a huge project and I would keep it for reinstallation later if we decide to use the camper other than in the summer or when it is sold. For me the two advantages are: more storage space and the weight that is saved, though minimal, is behind the axle. I realise that if I store heavy stuff in the newly available storage space it will be counterproductive, will have to pay attention to that.

delosholly,
With previous camper, if you have the Suburban with 2.25 intake and exhaust ports I found that a large galvanized conduit box blank panel covers it nicely and after painting to match it was almost unnoticeable.

AnEv942,
I'll have to keep your mod in mind. I think I would like to have a catalytic heater.

What if you actually retire and can travel anywhere you want? Maybe that would include a few cold places without hookups, have you ever been to Alaska?