Traveling with the furnace running

[Padlin]

Have a small fifth wheel, very little insulation, heading to FL in February from MA.

I know some folks shut off the gas while traveling, I'm not of tha camp and have no problem running the fridge on gas while I travel. Any reasons I can't run the furnace? Do folks do such? I have read where motorhomes are designed to be able to run with the furnace on, does that hold true of fifth wheels and trailers too?

[coolbreeze01]

Run it, its only propane.

[2oldman]

You'll be fine. Run it.

[CavemanCharlie]

Might depend in how well built, insulated, and how tight of a Camper you have for propane usage I suppose.

Might also depend on where the furnace is mounted as to weather or not the flame goes out.

Try it to find out. Then let us know how well worked out and what brand and style of 5th wheel you have. I'm curios to see your results. Seems like some people have had good results and others not.

[Cummins12V98]

Padlin wrote:
I don't understand the "sucking the heat out", have you tried it?

Thought it would take an hour to heat it up, will try it on a cold day at home.

Thanks

RV's are NOT air tight, yes I have tried it and used a LOT of propane. Also you are pulling the heat away with the cold wind washing the outside surface of the RV going down the highway.

[Padlin]

PapaNIes60 wrote:
Is your objective to keep it nice and comfy or freeze protection?

OP here. The idea is to warm it up some by the time we stop for the night. As someone else mentioned, in 20 minutes the air temp may be 60, but everything else is not. Kicking it on to 60ish an hour or so before we pull over would be the goal. Don't know how low the thermostat goes, but it wouldn't be a bad thing to keep it at 50 or some such at all times, if it's feasible.

I have no slide, the furnace has no remote ducts. A 12k front ducted Atwood HydroFlame.

[ga80486]

beemerphile1 wrote:

Padlin wrote:
I don't understand the "sucking the heat out", have you tried it?

Thought it would take an hour to heat it up, will try it on a cold day at home.

Thanks

In still air, a structure has an envelope of slightly warmer air around the outside. Driving down the road will prevent that envelope from forming and the moving air will literally suck the heat out much worse than if parked.

I guess the wind don't blow in Ohio 'eh?

[Bird_Freak]

I always ran the furnace in the mh's I had and still run it in the 5er but on a lower setting. Most MH owners run it to stay warm in really cold weather. Why is a TT or 5er any different? Same units.

[Dog_Trainer]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Here is the real issue.........

Are the floor registers and/or return air blocked when slides are retracted....trailer in travel mode.
IF YES then that can cause furnace to shut down on high temp limit switch due to lack of air flow

Otherwise......run it if you so desire.

This is an excellent point. None of my furnace vents are covered the air return is openso maybe that is why I have good success.

[Old-Biscuit]

Here is the real issue.........

Are the floor registers and/or return air blocked when slides are retracted....trailer in travel mode.
IF YES then that can cause furnace to shut down on high temp limit switch due to lack of air flow

Otherwise......run it if you so desire.

[aruba5er]

I leave my furnace on all the time. If it gets too cold in the camper the refer won't run and the freezer thaws. and maybe the plumbing will freeze and maybe you think it will warm up in 20 minutes but I found out the matteress and bedding is wayy colder than I like. So, I run the furnace and hang the cost of propane. BTW, I shut it off when we get near gas pumps.

[BCSnob]

You'll go through more propane if you try to keep the trailer at 65-685F as opposed to warm enough to prevent water lines from freezing; perhaps this is why many have used more propane than others.

[PapaNIes60]

Is your objective to keep it nice and comfy or freeze protection?

[rockhillmanor]

The distance traveled will dictate how much propane will be used which would account for the varied answers.

Of course if one is heading down to their weekend CG which is 30 miles down the road not much propane will be used.

For me when my destination is 2,0000 miles away I'm just not in the mood to have to stop and fill up the propane tank en route and/or when I get there! :W

[DutchmenSport]

I did try with mine! My flame blew out. Fortunately, it was just a test, on the road only about 10 minutes, stopped and check. Flame out.

[Dog_Trainer]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Dog Trainer wrote:
...You are getting a bunch of answers here from people that do not run the furnace and
so they are guessing...

You know that how? :h
Many of the posts were offered opinions to the op based on experience.

Sorry no offense intended but lets look at just your answers . I do not agree that the air is sucked out through the vents that are closed and with proper seals Sure you will lose some but not enough to make the difference you suggest. I also do not agree that the propane usage is enough to drain both propane tanks but maybe you are right my own experience in over 40 years of rving is that with 2 full 30 lb bottle or in the past a 30 Gal tank that I never came even close to using 1/2 of a bottle traveling 1200 miles over 4 days from Mi. to Fl. in January and February. So based on my personal information and experience I think running the furnace is a proper approach. I answered the OP's direct question. some of the answers I see here do not.