New to me Fuzion 345 TH

[bluwtrman]

So after going to the altar with the Momentum salesman, I got cold feet while looking at the pending cashectomy and ran for the door.

Couple weeks later found a 2015 Fuzion 345 and brought it home.

As I'm looking it over in more detail, I noticed a louvered wood vent built in to the area to the side of the electric fireplace. It's about 15"X 26". Looking through it I can see right into the mechanical and storage compartment in the belly of the camper. The furnace unit is sitting about a foot behind the vent panel, and there are other devices back there I'm still in the process of identifying.

My question is why shouldn't I seal this thing off and help the AC unit which seems to struggle keeping the space cool. If the furnace needs the air supply from inside the camper I can just take the seal off for the heating season. I'm not sure why the builder would open the conditioned area of the camper up this way, unless it has something to do with the "heated underbelly" claim on the brochure.

Anyone else noticed what I'm talking about?

[nayther]

bluwtrman wrote:
So after going to the altar with the Momentum salesman, I got cold feet while looking at the pending cashectomy and ran for the door.

Couple weeks later found a 2015 Fuzion 345 and brought it home.

As I'm looking it over in more detail, I noticed a louvered wood vent built in to the area to the side of the electric fireplace. It's about 15"X 26". Looking through it I can see right into the mechanical and storage compartment in the belly of the camper. The furnace unit is sitting about a foot behind the vent panel, and there are other devices back there I'm still in the process of identifying.

My question is why shouldn't I seal this thing off and help the AC unit which seems to struggle keeping the space cool. If the furnace needs the air supply from inside the camper I can just take the seal off for the heating season. I'm not sure why the builder would open the conditioned area of the camper up this way, unless it has something to do with the "heated underbelly" claim on the brochure.

Anyone else noticed what I'm talking about?

No, that is the return air for the furnace if you can see the furnace, it's a "free draw" return; ie it's not ducted, only the supply grilles are ducted. That area around the furnace should be generally air tight. your cooling issues are not due to this grille.

[Steve76eb]

My Fuzion 342 was the same way. I can't help you out on the whole air circulation thing, but thats where all the mice got into the trailer from. I removed that louvered panel and cover the backside in the metal roofing screen. That trailer was a magnet for mice.

[arhayes]

Don't have a Fuzion, but our Momentum is built the same way in that the kickplates under our main area cabinets are open to the basement. Ours does have ducting and heat vents to the basement. We had to replace our furnace this year, and in looking at the design, there really is no return air. It takes air from outside, heats it in the plenum, and blows it through the ducting to the heating vents. Exhaust from combustion is vented directly outside. Bottom line is I'm not sure why they do this as your basement is always going to be cooler than the main areas. Seems it could be sealed, but look forward to seeing other Reply's.