Do you have to run AC or Heater on the road

[Kidoo]

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 keep the RV comfie?

I guess different brand would make a difference, thermo windows, insulation, lenght, big or small window, ect.

What would be the lowest or highest temp to drive the RV and stay confortable.

I am also looking at a Gulfstream Independence 8295 2006 with the Workhorse, 3 slides with the one sun room slide out with 3 big windows table and chair, 5 windows when open plus 3 sky window. Would it be hard to keep warm on the road near freezing?

http://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/products/gas-motorhomes/independence/8295.htm

Thanks

[Retired_JSO]

chuckftboy wrote:
My dash heat and air seems to do just fine between 30 and 98 degrees.
haven't been in temps outside of that. We only use the house air when we stop to eat or shop

X2. Both do a great job. If the MH has sat out in the sun for several hours, the dash air would need some help. After most of the heat is removed, the dash air does fine. We pull the door closed between the living/galley and restroom and the heat does a good job.

I am sure it also has a lot to do with insulation R values too.

[camper_ron]

J-Rooster wrote:
I start my genset and run the air usually when I'm out in the Mojave Desert between Barstow, CA. and Needles, CA. on my way to Lake Havasu, City.

This realy works for you? I have seen a lot of posts regarding running the house AC to cool down the unit while underway. I personally never could get this cool down effect using that logic. I must have been doing something wrong?

r0n….:@

[J-Rooster]

I start my genset and run the air usually when I'm out in the Mojave Desert between Barstow, CA. and Needles, CA. on my way to Lake Havasu, City.

[BillMFl]

If my MH is already warm or cold and we are heading out on the road the dash ac or heat is all we need in typical weather (40's to 90's). But if the MH has been sitting stored and the ac or heat has not been on, then the dash by itself will not warm or cool adequately by itself if the outside temps are pretty high or low. Don't know or care about the back of the coach when going down the road as long as the cab area is comfortable. A long fuel stop or rest area that allows the coach to get hot or chilly calls for back up heat or cool for a while.


My brain cells must be too hot or cold! Please excuse the duplication.

[BillMFl]

If my MH is already warm or cold and we are heading out on the road the dash ac or heat is all we need in typical weather (40's to 90's). But if the MH has been sitting stored and the ac or heat has not been on, then the dash by itself will not warm or cool adequately by itself if the outside temps are pretty high or low. Don't know or care about the back of the coach when going down the road as long as the cab area is comfortable. A long fuel stop or rest area that allows the coach to get hot or chilly calls for back up heat or cool for a while.

[Kidoo]

The point is that the less extra you need to keep the RV comfi tells me on how well the RV is made, like insulation, air comming in from the slide, roof and wall isulation, air around the tanks, many or not too many windows, ect..

There is certainly different combination of RV set up that makes a difference. I was lookin to buy a Tiffin Allegro 32BA Diesel 2007, the slide pulls out with the storage area. I wonder if this set up is more prone to have air all around the storage area and makes it cooler in cold temps. I am also looking at a La Palma, but it is a 36 foot, kind of long to keep warm I would think but this one has dual pane windows, heated tanks,
I traveled quite a few times between 40 to 60 temps, but not much in the 95 to 100 degrees. Most of my travel have been like going to Alaska or going west from the north at the end of winter or going south in January february.

It is hard to find the right RV at the right price that will suit your mode of travel. Then maybe one day I will just do less "Motor" and more "Home" type of travel.

[wny_pat1]

And as the OP himself said, some motorhome brands are better than others. Do some searching right here on RV.net and you will find out which ones are best for cold weather use.

[AllegroD]

rgatijnet1 wrote:
As always, it depends on the coach and the floor plan. If you are uncomfortable, turn on the furnace, if your dash heat will not provide enough heat. On my coach, the dash heat or AC works fine because our Monaco class A is a rear living room coach and the driver's area is sort of isolated, with a bath behind the driver's seat and a closet behind the passenger seat.
Again, if YOUR coach is NOT warm enough for you when you drive, use whatever heat is necessary. There is no one answer for all coaches.

"Have to", No! IMO, The above is the answer. It is likely that you will run into a situation where you will WANT to.

[Kidoo]

Groover wrote:
"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."

I find this comment interesting becuase I have been wondering about that.

I have been thinking about putting a Tee in a hot water line with a normally off solenoid valve that operates off of 12volts then run the extra line to main tank vent lines. Pushing a mometary on switch would open the valve to let hot water return to the the main tank. If the hot water is not too hot for the main tank it would do a very good job of warming the water compartment. When boondocking it would also help conserve fresh and gray water capacity by reducing the need to run water down the drain waiting for the hot water to get there. If you wanted to automate it you could but a thermostate in water compartment to activate the return valve.

If I did this I would feel more comfortable using electric heat when available.

Sounds like a great idea, let us know if you progress in your plan

[Groover]

"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."

I find this comment interesting becuase I have been wondering about that.

I have been thinking about putting a Tee in a hot water line with a normally off solenoid valve that operates off of 12volts then run the extra line to main tank vent lines. Pushing a mometary on switch would open the valve to let hot water return to the the main tank. If the hot water is not too hot for the main tank it would do a very good job of warming the water compartment. When boondocking it would also help conserve fresh and gray water capacity by reducing the need to run water down the drain waiting for the hot water to get there. If you wanted to automate it you could but a thermostate in water compartment to activate the return valve.

If I did this I would feel more comfortable using electric heat when available.

[Kidoo]

Thans for all the info.

[bluwtr49]

Kidoo wrote:

bluwtr49 wrote:
We use the roof air when necessary and the hydronic heating when necessary. Basically leave the thermostats set at 72, kick back and enjoy the drive. The temp takes care of itself. The heat is the easiest since no intervention is necessary but with the air I do need to push a button to start the genny.

If you will be driving in cold weather at all a hydronic system just can't be beat.

What is Hydronic system? How does it work?

Hydronic heating is a system like Hydro Hot, Hurricane, and etc that uses circulating hot water to air handlers that heat the coach. The water is heated by a combination of electric and/or diesel when stationary or engine heat when traveling. The water is than circulated throughout the coach (including the hot water heater) by a pump. Nice even heat with no hot or cold spots and easily regulated to withing 1 degree of you setpoint.

Generally these systems also have one or more zones in the basement for freeze protection,

[sowego]

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.

[Kidoo]

bluwtr49 wrote:
We use the roof air when necessary and the hydronic heating when necessary. Basically leave the thermostats set at 72, kick back and enjoy the drive. The temp takes care of itself. The heat is the easiest since no intervention is necessary but with the air I do need to push a button to start the genny.

If you will be driving in cold weather at all a hydronic system just can't be beat.

What is Hydronic system? How does it work?