Winter heat

[flyboykuao]

Hello, I am a newer RV owner. I'd like to keep the unit heated at a minimum heat this winter (near 50 F). I can think of 2 choices: Use a space heater or plug the RV into electricity and then use it's furnace. Can someone please recommend which is better?

If the furnace is your choice - can you tell me if a 110v extension cord plugged from a typical house sock to the RV will supply enough power? I am unfamiliar with electricity and amps - so I am unable to make sense of the furnace specs.

Thanks in advance.

[Busskipper]

way2roll wrote:

Busskipper wrote:
if reflexit is installed correctly then my history in Maryland is it seldom gets below 40 degrees, in 12 years only 30 degrees once - Just my experience in my Coach.

Best of Luck,

I think that depends on where in MD. We lived on top of the mountain and it wasn't uncommon to wake up to 0 or even negative temps in Jan and Feb.

To the OP - as others have stated, understanding why you want to achieve a certain temp and what means of heat you have are things needed to know. I would agree that a small heater set to 35-36 with a temp monitor in the coach as well as the wet bays would be a start. But is there a reason you want it heated all winter? Otherwise 10 minutes to drain the lines and fill with RV antifreeze allows you forgo any heat source and mitigate worry about anything freezing.

As for the lightbulb, I think that's referred to for wet bays only. Not an application to keep the entire coach above freezing.

A light bulb on a thermocube plug is cheap and easy.

Note here that I was referring to the Temperature inside the Coach - outside might get down to around 10 degrees for a few days each winter.My reason for keeping heater is to be able to leave the RV stocked and ready to go. - 🙂

[AllegroD]

If you need help in winterizing, you may want to do a search or start a new thread.

As to heat, if you are winterizing, you are going to have 110 and stored at home, I would do a small ceramic heat cube. That would take the moisture out.

if you are winterizing and it is at another facility, use Dry Z Air, Damprid or H2Out.

[2gypsies1]

If it's going to be in storage I wouldn't run a heater if you're not there to keep a check on it.

[way2roll]

You coach manufacturer should be able to provide detailed instructions on how to winterize your coach. There is also You Tube. I understand your concern, seems every year I forgot something - one year it was the outside shower, the next year the inside hand held shower wand. An easy fix in either case, but forgetting your water heater or ice maker or a main line under the coach and things get pricey quickly.

I wouldn't shoot for 50 degrees, that's just wasted energy. Get yourself a few small heaters and wireless thermometers, shoot for 34-36 degrees, open the cabinets and drawers, a light bulb in the wet bay plugged into a thermo cube and that should mitigate any worry.

I would still try and winterize, drain all tanks, drain the water heater (make sure it's turned off), bypass the water heater, blow out the lines with low PSI (they make an adapter for your water line to a compressor hose), and run rv antifreeze through everything. There may be an Antifreeze inlet in your water pump that will pull it through the pump and through your coach, Let all faucets run until pink, put some antifreeze in your traps and toilets. Don't forget the outdoor shower - that one always gets me.

I've always done all that in about 15 mins and worth it even if doing it a few times a year (unwinterize for a mid winter trip). That said I still didn't have luck with the clear debris filter cover on my water pump. Cheap but for some reason, even with antifreeze they always cracked. I never did a light bulb in the wet bay. Maybe I should have...

[flyboykuao]

This is very good feedback! To answer questions, my motivation is two fold. I will be winterizing the unit myself - as I have yet to find a good RV professional near me. I am not 100% confident in my ability to drain and using RV antifreeze. Where I live - 45 minutes south of Portland Oregon - we often have winters with extended days below freezing. My second motivation is to reduce humidity and guard against mold and mildew.

I very much appreciate everyone's help.

[tropical36]

flyboykuao wrote:
Hello, I am a newer RV owner. I'd like to keep the unit heated at a minimum heat this winter (near 50 F). I can think of 2 choices: Use a space heater or plug the RV into electricity and then use it's furnace. Can someone please recommend which is better?

If the furnace is your choice - can you tell me if a 110v extension cord plugged from a typical house sock to the RV will supply enough power? I am unfamiliar with electricity and amps - so I am unable to make sense of the furnace specs.

Thanks in advance.

Your propane furnace uses battery power for running the fan and controls, so plugging it in, is just for keeping the batteries charged up, which is a good idea anyway. Thing is, the furnace uses a lot of propane and you'll have to be sure to keep the tank filled.
I think I'd opt for three small electric space heaters and spread them out accordingly. However by going this route, the total amp draw, cannot exceed 20 amps and hopefully for something less, if you're to use a #12awg extension cord on a 20amp outlet. Even two small ceramic space heaters should do the trick, but would rather have three.
Some use both for saving on propane and even if just one space heater is used.

[way2roll]

Busskipper wrote:
if reflexit is installed correctly then my history in Maryland is it seldom gets below 40 degrees, in 12 years only 30 degrees once - Just my experience in my Coach.

Best of Luck,

I think that depends on where in MD. We lived on top of the mountain and it wasn't uncommon to wake up to 0 or even negative temps in Jan and Feb.

To the OP - as others have stated, understanding why you want to achieve a certain temp and what means of heat you have are things needed to know. I would agree that a small heater set to 35-36 with a temp monitor in the coach as well as the wet bays would be a start. But is there a reason you want it heated all winter? Otherwise 10 minutes to drain the lines and fill with RV antifreeze allows you forgo any heat source and mitigate worry about anything freezing.

As for the lightbulb, I think that's referred to for wet bays only. Not an application to keep the entire coach above freezing.

A light bulb on a thermocube plug is cheap and easy.

[Busskipper]

flyboykuao wrote:
......

I'd like to keep the unit heated at a minimum heat this winter (near 50 F).

First off no need to stay much above 32 degrees - IMHO, just wasted Energy/Money - so Mission should be to have 34-36 as the target temperature.

...Use a space heater or

Both work - BUT - need to move the heat around in the Space - open cabinet doors - and I'd still Blow out the lines and drain the tanks, just in case. A little pink in the drains will not hurt either.:)

plug the RV into electricity and then use it's furnace.

Furnace requires Propane - and this will go FAST - so I'd use electric and have propane as a Back Up - but that just me.

Can someone please recommend which is better?

Better is just subjective in this case - easier - would be the operative word - and the extremes of the temp would be good to Know as the Electric is Limited to the size of the electric to the Coach - 15 amp - 20 amp - 30 amp - 50 amp - Sounds as if you only have 15 amp with a 12 gauge extension cord on a 120 circuit. If this is the case you are very limited in the amount of heat that the electric can provide.

...can you tell me if a 110v extension cord plugged from a typical house sock to the RV will supply enough power?

Simple answer, Yes, an extension cord will be enough electric to power the Furnace and Keep the batteries charged - So the conclusion is, you will need More Propane than you can store on board, may last 2 weeks in the winter/cold weather.

Added note here - look into getting some reflexic to put in all the windows and vents - this will be big - your Windshield will be just like having the Door Open - IMHO - so insulate it really well - NO, Really Well!

Last thing I'd do is get a remote Thermometer to warn of impending danger, along with giving you a high low for each day. A little Knowledge goes a long way.

.....

[COLOR=]Hope this helps - I've done this in every way possible - my conclusion is to Blow it out - Drain it - pink in the drains - then a minor heater (250 watts) in the coach and a (100 watt) bulb in the basement - Easy off a 12 ga extension cord - if reflexit is installed correctly then my history in Maryland is it seldom gets below 40 degrees, in 12 years only 30 degrees once - Just my experience in my Coach.

Best of Luck,

[PaulJ2]

Mandalay Parr wrote:
Propane furnace will work best.
Extension cord will be ok.
Call me if you wish.

Agree with above. I use my furnace set to 50 degrees, works fine.
No humidity problem because no one cooking and no one breathing in the trailer.
Heat, weather from furnace or from electric heater tends to dry the air. With the price of propane now, probably cheaper than the electric heat electric bill.

[Stim]

I use 2 of the 120 V Oil Heaters (look like the old time radiators) in my home to warn some areas.
They really work great, have no flame, are adjustable temp, dry heat and a year ago under $40.00.

[AllegroD]

A light bulb is not effective in a large area. In a wetbay it helps but not inside the RV.

[Terryallan]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

the bear II wrote:
I've read where RV'ers have used a light bulb to maintain heat in the RV during the winter months. Not sure how well it works but I remember reading several posts over the years with reference to using a light bulb. Now days it's becoming harder to find an incandescent light bulb to use for the heat source.

If this were true, then the lighting on our houses would heat it and no furnace would be needed. Then in the summer, it would be so hot with the lights on, that we would be sitting in the dark!

Light bulbs will not heat your house. But they can prevent pipes from freezing. It only takes a little heat to keep things from freezing

[doxiemom11]

The light bulb trick is used in cold weather to help the absorption refrigerator run better, and/or to heat a water bay not heated by the furnace.

[DownTheAvenue]

the bear II wrote:
I've read where RV'ers have used a light bulb to maintain heat in the RV during the winter months. Not sure how well it works but I remember reading several posts over the years with reference to using a light bulb. Now days it's becoming harder to find an incandescent light bulb to use for the heat source.

If this were true, then the lighting on our houses would heat it and no furnace would be needed. Then in the summer, it would be so hot with the lights on, that we would be sitting in the dark!