Furnace usage

I just use my regular furnace. Maybe a little added electric.

I am discovering this year that my furnace actually runs very well and is actually pretty efficient. The problem is NOT with the furnace. The problem is with all the duct work running under the floor. From my furnace I have 3 runs of duct work. None of it is insulated. I suppose it's designed that way so heat will go to the underbelly, thus qualifying the camper to have an "Arctic Package".

Since we have no water in the camper after winterizing, there is no need for a heated underbelly. This year, I decided to pull the one of the ducts directly off the furnace and just let it blow from there. I can do this with the way my furnace is installed.

By removing only 1 duct, and letting one line blow directly into the middle of the body, the difference in how much the furnace is running is unbelievable! It so much less. (we are still using our camper in the drive way at home every day and sleeping in it every night).

I'm off work all next week(Thanksgiving), and am planning on doing some DIY remodeling of the furnace area, to turn the furnace from a ducted system to a central system by cutting a new return hole, and separating old return to become a new forced air - out, and simply removing the existing ducts right at the furnace. So, if we want, I can reconnect the the original ducts back to the furnace any time.

As far as the front bedroom? (this is the line I unhooked), it stays warm with no problem. Actually, it stays warmer with the central air now, than it did when air was coming through the duct in that room. We don't like it so hot at night in the bed room area anyway, but even with that line disconnected, the bed room was warmer than with that line connected. THAT's how much heat loss is going into the underbelly!

I suggest before you invest in a new heating system, that you re-negotiate your existing furnace. Close off, or reconfigure your duct work system, and try to divert heat from going to places you really do not need heated. You'll be surprised at how well your on-board furnace actually does work.

I use a Buddy propane heater from Mr. Heater. It uses no electricity and is completely silent. I removed the regulator from the heater and using a hose plumbed it into the low pressure line that feeds my cooktop.

I think your furnace is also heating your basement area where if you just get a Electric Heater or portable gas heater you may open yourself up for freezing your tanks and water lines. Perhaps worth checking into before stopping the use of the propane furnace.

Electric Oil Filled type heaters works great for us in our OFF-ROAD POPUP. We will use the Mr Buddy heater when off-grid. The propane furnace in our case is way too big to use in our small footprint floor space. It runs us out of there with too much heat no matter where you set it and sleeping with the loud blower motor just a few feet away from the beds wakes me up everytime it turns on...

I have been thinking about replacing my propane furnace for a Hydronic type hot water system heat source.

Roy ken

Get a buddy Heater.

I'm sorry for the confusion. I should have mentioned that I am off grid full timer.
Very aware of the heated basement and know all about winterizing. We lived in New Hampshire for 20 plus years.
Out here in Quartzsite I'm not worried about black/grey/water tanks freezing, does not get that cold.
Need suggestions for ventless propane heater. Not a portable with a small tank.
Current furnaces extremely inefficient with both DC and propane!
Going to connect external tank and going to plumb a portable ventless heater.
Would like to hear from other full timers that winter in their rigs.
Thanks for the replys

I have found that simply turning on the gas stove top does pretty good for heating the camper up. I do this when traveling, and the camper is cold. It warms up the camper much faster than the furnace. Well... now that I've figured out how much heat loss I'm getting under the floor, I sure understand why now.

There are those who frown on using the stove top to warm up the camper, arguing the fumes and monoxide potential. But, don't we all use our propane stoves inside the camper to cook with too? What's the difference then?

Apart from having an open flame, this is another potential for a heating source, in a pinch or if you need a fast warm up.

Thanks for the post Dutchmensport. Good suggestion for someone liky yourself who does not live in your rig full time like us.
Not going to be wanting to get up at 2am and light the stove. A vetless propane heater with thermastat is what Im looking for.
Don't have to worry to much about oxygen depletion or carbon monoxide poisoning, these rigs with all the slides and such are not very air tight. Plus the heaters are highly regulated. Will still crack a window or two open though. Thanks for the post.

DutchmenSport wrote:
I have found that simply turning on the gas stove top does pretty good for heating the camper up.

There are those who frown on using the stove top to warm up the camper, arguing the fumes and monoxide potential.

To us the issue is not what you stated, but the immense amount of moisture created by burning LP. Been there. Not worth the heat, even over a very short period. YRMV.

Noplace2 you parked in an RV park? What do you do for heat?