Do you have to run AC or Heater on the road
I am looking at buying a Class A. I was wondering if you have to run the RV roof Air conditionner when driving in warm weather or using the furnace when driving below freezing temp and is it enough to...
Forum Discussion
Motorhomes aren't insulted well enough to keep them totally comfortable at outside temps that are either too hot or too cold for human comfort.
It's totally logical...
In the front driver's area with all that glass with the sun coming in...summer's heat will send interior temps much higher than outside if AC is not added. Sometimes dash AC alone will help but once you reach temps in the 90's all bets are off...run the genny and the roof AC units.
In the winter when winds blow and snow flies...dash heat will help but will not keep humans totally comfortable and may allow pipes to freeze down below. You will not only want to run the propane furnaces but need to. You should be ok to travel with dash heat if you don't have guests onboard who will be sitting to far back from the dash heat to feel it. Once temps drop into the 40s I'd consider using the furnace.
All you can do is try it and see what works for you and add heat or cooling as needed.
Double pane windows will help but not prevent you from using AC or heat. That being said...I'd not buy a rig without them! Mainly it is the windshield that lets in the most heat and cold. The number of slides may not make that much difference either even though there can be air leakage. Mostly we've found the slide area is only colder when they are extended, not pulled in going down the road. Tank heaters help but may not prevent the pump or lines from freezing. And from what I've learned you dare not use tank heaters if the tanks aren't mostly full or the heater may damage the tanks.
Yes, it will increase your costs a bit but not enough to take you to the poor house.
Running the genny going down the road will use approx. 1/2 gallon of fuel per hour. The propane usage isn't bad enough to worry about and well worth protecting your rig's systems and making your traveling experience more pleasant.
One must have item so you"know for sure"--keep a remote temp sensor in the water/utility bay so you know when that bay's pump and pipes are in jeopardy of freezing.
It's totally logical...
In the front driver's area with all that glass with the sun coming in...summer's heat will send interior temps much higher than outside if AC is not added. Sometimes dash AC alone will help but once you reach temps in the 90's all bets are off...run the genny and the roof AC units.
In the winter when winds blow and snow flies...dash heat will help but will not keep humans totally comfortable and may allow pipes to freeze down below. You will not only want to run the propane furnaces but need to. You should be ok to travel with dash heat if you don't have guests onboard who will be sitting to far back from the dash heat to feel it. Once temps drop into the 40s I'd consider using the furnace.
All you can do is try it and see what works for you and add heat or cooling as needed.
Double pane windows will help but not prevent you from using AC or heat. That being said...I'd not buy a rig without them! Mainly it is the windshield that lets in the most heat and cold. The number of slides may not make that much difference either even though there can be air leakage. Mostly we've found the slide area is only colder when they are extended, not pulled in going down the road. Tank heaters help but may not prevent the pump or lines from freezing. And from what I've learned you dare not use tank heaters if the tanks aren't mostly full or the heater may damage the tanks.
Yes, it will increase your costs a bit but not enough to take you to the poor house.
Running the genny going down the road will use approx. 1/2 gallon of fuel per hour. The propane usage isn't bad enough to worry about and well worth protecting your rig's systems and making your traveling experience more pleasant.
One must have item so you"know for sure"--keep a remote temp sensor in the water/utility bay so you know when that bay's pump and pipes are in jeopardy of freezing.
