CheapHeat furnace conversion

[2-MTnesters]

I was wondering if anyone has converted their factory installed LP furnace to the CheapHeat system. Seems like a very practical system when connected to shore power. No worrying about running out of gas and no hassling with multiple small electric space heaters. Wondering if it heats the coach as well as when using gas. Tim

[jcthorne]

There is no '42 amp version' of the CH system. The install ratings are in watts but the coil is the same (with 3 sets of taps) for all kits.

The highest wattage install is 5000 watts and uses 21amps at 240vac. It also requires more heat vents and larger duct work than most single propane furnace RVs have. Trying to push that many BTUs into under sized duct work will result in too high discharge air temps and the unit will shut down on thermal limits. The 3700 watt coil is more often used for retrofit installations where its tied to a 30k btu propane furnace.

[pianotuna]

Hi Paw Paw,

Am glad you love your cheap heat and that it meets your needs.

I work in folks homes--so I might be 40 miles from the RV. Or if I'm on a road trip (which happens often) I might be 60 feet away.

It is more usual for me to have about 45 amps to work with. I'm careful to not push the connections harder than 80% of that (36 amps). When I momentarily need more than the 45 amps, I use my battery bank and inverter for additional loads. That allows me great flexibility. The inverter gives me an additional 20 amps to draw on. I use it LOTS!

If I am at a clients home I offer them a discount on their tuning in exchange for parking and power. This works out well and Churches are a favorite stop--as they often have 3 separate circuits to feed my additions. (You know the ones--having a roof over my head and heat.)

In a campground I can go 30, 20 and 15, for a total of 65 amps, if necessary. Again I use no more than 80% of that on a continuous basis.

Since my OEM is 30 amps cheap heat would not be a good fit for me. It is too large to run on a 15 amp circuit--and too small to meet my particular heating needs.

If folks are truly going to be in cold weather I'd encourage them to get the 42 amp version of the cheap heat. It should keep them warm and toasty down to pretty extreme levels of cold.

[Paw_Paw_John]

Pianotuna

How far from where you camp do you work? I'm also guessing that you are not paying for electricity. So to if I got it right when available you have your 30 amp and two 15 amp cords plugged in at one time. That adds up to 60 amps, not bad. All I can say to each their own!!! I love my cheap heat system!!

[pianotuna]

Hi Paw Paw,

Where I live it is quite possible for the weekly high temperature to be -27C (-16.6f). Life goes on, despite that.

Not all of us have the luxury of being retired--so I would be at work. In fact, during the -37C (-34f) I was working preparing a piano for a concert. There was no campground involved, and most often that is the case. That's why I have the OEM power cord and two auxiliary shore power cords, so that my home brew system can work with multiple 15 amp circuits, if they are available.

I now full time in my class C.

Paw Paw John wrote:
If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be, there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,

[2-MTnesters]

Paw Paw John wrote:
If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,

I agree 100%. For me, if I were in my camper and the temps were in the 20's I wouldn't be venturing out very far! so no problem with switching over to gas. Thing is, I don't full time in my Montana and it will be several years until I'm able to reach that goal. For my use, I believe the cheap heat will be perfect. When I do reach full time status, I will be heading to MUCH warmer temps this time of the year and will only be using my furnace to take off the chill in the coach.

[Paw_Paw_John]

If you are camping in -16f degrees you would not be venturing out doors, so if the electricity goes out you will be there to swap over to the gas system and not freeze anything!! I know that I'm not that far from my camper when I'm camping in it. How hard is it to give the campground manager your cell # to call you if your away from the campground for any longer than and hour or two if the electricity failure occurred. Just a thought!! Good luck this winter and stay warm, I know I will!!, happy holidays too all!!!,

[harold1946]

2-MTnesters wrote:
If I'm ever in temps that are in the -30 to -40 range it's because someone dragged me to that place against my will and is holding me there hostage!! lol

I'm with you. :B,But I have to admit I consider most of pianotunas' comments as a form of entertainment.
Keep them comming Don. :B

[pianotuna]

Hi 2-MT,

Try it--you might like it. It does require proper preparation.

Right now the temperature is -7 C (19 f) and the low is forecast to be -10 C (14 f).

The lowest I've been out camping in is -37C (-34 f), but I have boondocked at -27 C (-16.6f) for 5 days in blizzard conditions.

Both moving sue and photomike have me beat as they have camped at -40. I don't know if they were boondocking at the time.

You can see why lack of fail over is a personal deal breaker for me.

I love the cheap heat concept but find the implementation lacking. I put a lot of thought and effort into my home brew system, it is safe, and up to code or better. It is easy to scale it down to what ever power outlets are available. Conversely I can use up to 65 amps with three discrete shore power cords.

2-MTnesters wrote:
If I'm ever in temps that are in the -30 to -40 range it's because someone dragged me to that place against my will and is holding me there hostage!! lol

[2-MTnesters]

If I'm ever in temps that are in the -30 to -40 range it's because someone dragged me to that place against my will and is holding me there hostage!! lol

[pianotuna]

Hi,

There no question the cheap heat system works for a 50 amp service.

I'd love to hear from someone who has used it at temperatures in the -30 to -40 area. (Which I do with my home brew system)

[Paw_Paw_John]

We did have a quite thanksgiving. Our three kids with their family's went their own way's. This is the first holiday spending it by ourselves. Very quite, we have nine grand children. That's the main reason I went with the cheap heat system. That camping trip when we where using three electric portable heaters, one of my grand daughter knocked over one of the portable heater. I panicked, grabbed it and burned my hand. Three years of safe camping!!! I think you will never regret this upgrade in your heating system. Good luck.

[2-MTnesters]

Paw Paw John thank you very much for the information on the Cheap Heat system! It's very encouraging to hear positive comments about the system from people that have actually installed and are using it as their primary source of heat. I believe this just might be my next mod that I do to the Montana following the installation of a patio awning on the large door side slide which will be completed hopefully next week. I hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have safe travels.

[Paw_Paw_John]

2-MTnesters
I to have installed the cheap heat system in my 36 foot Mobile Suite 2004 with three slides. I love this system and I hate some people that talk bad about something that they know nothing about. I used three electric portable heaters and my gas unit at one time and went thru two 7 gallons of propane in one week of camping. I searched for options and came across the cheap heat system and very happy with it. It's going on three years and I keep my camper plugged into electricity while parked at home. I keep my heater set at 45 degrees and have no problems. This system is 100% efficient and that's why you only need so little wattage to keep your camper warm. I camped in 25 degree outside temp and stayed in shorts with the heater set at 68 degrees and was very comfortable. It is easy to install if you have some DIY ability's. This system cost me about $658.00, that the cost of the system and the extra cost for the 30 amp disconnect, 4 inch hole saw, 240 volt wiring. This system is very safe and is built heavy duty for long lasting use. Please let me know if I can help in any way. Good luck!!!,

[harold1946]

Just following your topics: Box fans, Ostrich approach. None of which have anything to do with the RV Comfort System conversion.
? = Question They were not coments.
They were in reference to Kustom Coach and why none of them were standard equipment or options. :@

[pianotuna]

Hi harold1946,

Do try to keep on topic.

I will answer your comments, since you opened the door.

What I have done is not for everyone--we are all individuals and we all RV in different ways. My system is not perfect but it meets my needs. Cheap Heat can not do so without a large expenditure and replacement of the main power panel (to stay within code in Canada). Even if I had done that, the "factory standard" system would not meet my needs for redundancy.

Unfortunately some one got "lazy" at the factory and failed to connect the heat duct to the holding tank area. You can imagine how annoyed I was to find snow inside the holding tank area on the maiden voyage in March 2009. I've dealt with that by adding a 120 volt outlet, a mechanical thermostat and a 100 watt heater (it even has a fan)

The fan under the cabinet was to keep that area from freezing while I drive--as the dash heat prevents the propane furnace from cycling. A mechanical thermostat and a 23 watt fan dealt with it.

The extra heaters were my own idea, but they are inexpensive, easy to trouble shoot, and so far (knock on wood) none of them have burned out, despite me pushing them hard with days of 24 operation. They are nearly silent except for the "click" as the mechanical thermostats open and close.

I had hope to avoid a generator at all and when I was a weekend warrior (five days in the cold, max, with LOTS of driving {800 miles}) that worked well for me. As I wished to run a 540 watt block heater for 3 hours at -40 I went to a much improved battery bank.

Once I was nearly full time as of May 1, 2013 a generator made sense, as a back up power source.

As to solar, there is no storage facility in Regina that offers 120 volt shore power, so to keep all those lovely batteries in great shape I added a solar system. The nice part about that was, for summer time camping what I would run out of first was grey water tank space.

My tires were ten years old and had 65,000 miles on them. As a safety upgrade I replaced the wheels and went to wider, taller, higher capacity tires. And yes, I replaced the spare tire wheel, too.

I have not yet insulated the floor, but that is the last area of weakness for winter camping. I'm open for suggestions and may possibly spend a bundle and get radiant floor electric heating installed.

harold1946 wrote:

Were the extra heaters and box fans standard equipment or options from Kustom Coach, or is the ostrich approach their SOP ?????
Heat ducts to the holding tanks?
Insulated floor?
Portable generator?
Free standing inverter?
Wider tires?
Solar panels, charge controller?
875 AH battery bank?
Need I go on?