Manual fan setting for gas furnace in rv

In theory it would draw in the room air and recirculate it with some of it going to the basement area. It would also perhaps do a decent job of stirring up the air in the RV eliminating cold spots. I have not done this and haven’t heard of a way to do it.

You might be better off running a small heater in the basement area or as some do a 75-100 watt light bulb.

not going to work.

You would end up pushing COOL air from the furnace since the burner won't be lit into the basement and the return air from the basement will come back into the living space MANY TIMES colder. This cool air most likely will not be warm enough to prevent freeze ups in your plumbing or tanks.

That would end up causing a constant cold breeze which would chill your living space requiring you to add MORE electric heaters..

Just use the furnace as is and be done with it.

I am really puzzled as to why folks winter camp in a minimally insulated RV then start cheaping out with the built in furnace..

If you can't afford the propane, perhaps it is time to rethink your winter camping?

Gdetrailer wrote:
not going to work.

You would end up pushing COOL air from the furnace since the burner won't be lit into the basement and the return air from the basement will come back into the living space MANY TIMES colder. This cool air most likely will not be warm enough to prevent freeze ups in your plumbing or tanks.

That would end up causing a constant cold breeze which would chill your living space requiring you to add MORE electric heaters..

Just use the furnace as is and be done with it.

I am really puzzled as to why folks winter camp in a minimally insulated RV then start cheaping out with the built in furnace..

If you can't afford the propane, perhaps it is time to rethink your winter camping?

Perhaps other folks have different goals and desires and come here in hopes of help with positive feedback. It's too bad they often get responses like yours.
I don't have a propane furnace so I can't help you OP, but I sure wish I could.

My constructive feedback: Call your nearest gas house and rent a big cylinder to stand next to your RV and crank up that furnace.

Alternately, the cheap fix: Winterize your water system and use the resort facilities for hygiene.

The outpouring of Artic air into the lower 48 has a lot of folks freaking out it seems. Battling winter in an RV even a four seasons one is no easy or inexpensive task.

Maybe you can turn on the furnace and after it lights turn off the LP. When the furnace quits the fan should keep running. I bet it will cool off the coach quite fast.

K Charles wrote:
Maybe you can turn on the furnace and after it lights turn off the LP. When the furnace quits the fan should keep running. I bet it will cool off the coach quite fast.

'Ice cube motel':B

Hi,

I tried a 1500 watt heater under the cabinets. The fresh water lines still froze up. Then moved to the window fans, to replace the cold air return grill. I've not had a freeze up since I did so.

bennefim wrote:
We use small electric heaters rather than burn propane,

Why?

All the tank compartments ducting I have seen don't have return line.
They are design to pump warm air down and let it go "to the woods" via holes around dump valves and other.
What temperatures we are talking about?
I had exposed tanks under my motorhome and camped in 20'F and the tank never froze. Dirty water has lower freezing temp and motorhome keeps warm air bubble all around.
So unless you are in real cold with winds, I think dumping some antifreeze into tanks is all it would take.

Don't discount what Gdetrailer says. The furnace fan motor on an RV furnace actually has two fans on it: one to move the air through the heat exchanger and through the RV, and the other (on the other side of the heat exchanger) to provide air for the combustion and remove the resulting exhaust. This second fan, with the burner not operating, will be pumping cold outside air through the heat exchanger and doing a nice job of taking heat from the RV and exhausting it outside.

pianotuna's solution is better in this regard, in that it isn't actively pushing cold air through the outside part of the heat exchanger.