Stacking RV fridge and furnace unit in same cabinet?

[tooldad1041]

I am converting a cargo trailer to a toy hauler with my son and his best friends so we can travel to different ATV parks in midwest.

To make the most efficient furnace run both for vents and propane lines, I would need to build a cabinet that would have the furnace on the bottom, then about 2ft off the ground, an RV fridge. There would be a 3/4 plywood panel separating the 2 units.

Disclaimer, I am a shop teacher, just not an HVAC technician. I understand I will have to cut holes in outside of trailer.

In our current commercially built toy hauler, the fridge and furnace are on opposite sides. Just wanted to get some suggestions and clarification if stacking, but separate compartments, would be safe and ok.

[Vintage465]

I don't know that I've ever seen a trailer that doesn't have the Fridge over the Furnace. It is certainly the norm

[BarneyS]

deltabravo wrote:

tooldad1041 wrote:
...then about 2ft off the ground

Do you mean 2' off the floor of the trailer?

I've seen several RVs with the furnace and fridge stacked.

Of course that is what he meant. Not only several but many have that arrangement and I and others posted about it in this thread.

I believe all manufacturers of RV refrigerators intend for them to be about 2 feet above the floor. Otherwise, you would have to bend all the way to the floor to get something from the bottom drawers or shelf.
I realize the some popups or smaller trailers may have different arrangements and have the fridge lower.
Barney

[deltabravo]

tooldad1041 wrote:
...then about 2ft off the ground

Do you mean 2' off the floor of the trailer?

I've seen several RVs with the furnace and fridge stacked.

[enblethen]

There is nothing wrong with your thinking and positioning. Refers requiew good ventilation is my point.

[tooldad1041]

Thanks for the replies. I have purchased a water damaged trailer to use as a donor. So I do have the covers and components to switch to the cargo trailer.

I will try to post on another blog, the progress. It is mostly my son and his friends building as they want to enter the trailer in a shop class building competition at the end of April. so it will happen pretty quick. We have already stripped the floor, repainted the frame, and welded in etrack for securement. This week is replace the floor and install windows.

[TurnThePage]

My trailer too.

[doxiemom11]

Our motorhome is set up that way .

[BarneyS]

Yes, you can put both the fridge and furnace on top of each other in seperate compartments. Our trailer is exactly that way with just a simple 3/4 board between them.

You will need to cut two openings in the exterior wall. The top one, and largest, will be for the refrigerator. The bottom one, which is much smaller, is for the furnace. You can see both openings which have the outside covers on, in the following picture of our rig. Look just behind the front awning support and above our wooden name sign. The fridge cover has the horizontal openings and the furnace cover has the small square opening which is actually a round exhaust vent that I have a square wire cover on to keep mud daubers out. I have the same type of screening in the horizontal openings in the fridge cover. The other larger cover near the front of the trailer is for the water heater.



Here is a picture of the furnace opening inside showing a bit of the furnace and the duct that supplies the heat to the floor ducting. There is a screen that covers this opening and the fridge is sitting on a board just above the furnace and behind the front facing surface you see at the top of the picture.



It should not be a hard job to do except for possibly running and sizing the length of the furnace ducting. Of course, they also make small furnaces like those found in popup trailers that do not require any ducting.
Good luck and keep us posted on the progress please.
Barney

[RoyF]

My 2008 Hitchhiker II has refrigerator over furnace. If the furnace is on then the outside temperature will never be warmer than the 50s. The refrigerator stays plenty cold with outside air in the 90s, so the small effect of furnace exhaust does not bother the refrigerator.

[enblethen]

Biggest problem I see is the refer ventilation. Insure that the refer ventilation is tight to the coils so any heat generated from furnace doesn't enter the lower vent. Look closely at the installation of the refer has min distances to cooling unit.

[Twomed]

Have seen that arrangementg in several motorhomes. Just check the install requirements for your furnace for wall/top clearaces and you will be ok.