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Stacking RV fridge and furnace unit in same cabinet?

tooldad1041
Explorer
Explorer
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.
11 REPLIES 11

Vintage465
Nomad
Nomad
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
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!

BarneyS
Explorer III
Explorer III
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
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
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.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

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

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

tooldad1041
Explorer
Explorer
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
Explorer
Explorer
My trailer too.
2015 Ram 1500
2022 Grand Design Imagine XLS 22RBE

doxiemom11
Explorer II
Explorer II
Our motorhome is set up that way .

BarneyS
Explorer III
Explorer III
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
2004 Sunnybrook Titan 30FKS TT
Hensley "Arrow" 1400# hitch (Sold)
Not towing now.
Former tow vehicles were 2016 Ram 2500 CTD, 2002 Ford F250, 7.3 PSD, 1997 Ram 2500 5.9 gas engine

RoyF
Explorer
Explorer
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
Nomad
Nomad
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.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

Twomed
Explorer
Explorer
Have seen that arrangementg in several motorhomes. Just check the install requirements for your furnace for wall/top clearaces and you will be ok.
Happy Trails ๐Ÿ™‚
06 Monaco Dynasty
07 Hummer H3
FMCA 279843