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Old 12-28-2016, 08:16 AM   #41
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2015 25' FB Flying Cloud
Minnetrista , MN
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space heater question

I ran two 1500 watt space heaters and blew a breaker. Can anyone tell me if there is more than one circuit for AC plug ins and if so how do I tell what is on which circuit?
My two cents, camping in any season puts a light bulb in my pocket but I totally understand that some don't see winter as recreational. There was a time when I use to winter camp in a tent and after that an AS is pure luxury.

I don't use the plumbing largely because there is no place to dump the tanks and it would seem to take a lot of work to ensure no freeze-up and breakage. More power to those that do.
For those of you who didn't see my winter camping video (12 reasons for winter camping) here it is:
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Old 12-28-2016, 08:45 AM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Al and Missy View Post
"...and blocking under chassis wind with cloth should have minimal advantage. Wind chill effect applies only to human skin."

Yes but....

Wind chill factor expresses the effective temperature on a human body as a result of wind speed in cold weather. It represents the temperature that would remove heat from a human body at the same rate if there were no wind. The difference relates to issues such as hypothermia where the wind chill reduces the amount of time before hypothermia sets in. Wind does not, however, have the capability to lower the temperature of an object below the temperature of the air. Water, for example will not freeze at a windchill of 25 degrees if the actual air temperature is above freezing.

Air flow over heat-conductive surfaces carries heat away faster whether that surface is a human body or the skin of a trailer. That is why there are fans on automobile radiators, refrigerator and air conditioner coils, etc. The heat transfer effect of air movement is significant. The internal temperature of a trailer depends on the balance between heat loss and heat gain. Heat is being added by the furnace, heaters, human bodies, appliances, etc. Heat is being lost through the body of the trailer at a rate in proportion to the difference between the internal and external temperatures and the thermal resistance between the inside and outside. Insulation between the skins increases the thermal resistance, air movement on the outside surface increases the thermal conductivity of the skin to the air, decreasing the overall thermal resistance and increasing heat loss. Think of the floor as an automobile radiator with the heat on the inside and the cooling air on the outside.

That said, I have no idea as to the effectiveness of placing a skirt around the trailer, but I doubt it is insignificant as so many people do it in really cold weather locations.

Al

Al, you are certainly correct. There will be heat transfer which is increased to some extent by airflow over surfaces. This is why the automobile radiator has so much surface area created by the fins, and fan speeds and temperature differentials that are significant. Low air velocity over a smooth surface is less significant. The calculations could get quite meaty and it's been a long time since my thermodynamics courses😴. My opinion was that the advantage of skirting a thin skinned aluminum shell trailer would be relatively minimal and not worth the bother in traveling mode.
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Old 12-28-2016, 09:40 AM   #43
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Al, you are certainly correct. There will be heat transfer which is increased to some extent by airflow over surfaces. This is why the automobile radiator has so much surface area created by the fins, and fan speeds and temperature differentials that are significant. Low air velocity over a smooth surface is less significant. The calculations could get quite meaty and it's been a long time since my thermodynamics courses😴. My opinion was that the advantage of skirting a thin skinned aluminum shell trailer would be relatively minimal and not worth the bother in traveling mode.

ps; By 'travelling mode' I mean camping for overnight or short periods only, as opposed to a more permanent setup.
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Old 12-28-2016, 09:56 AM   #44
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My wife and I are completely into winter camping. In Maui. In a condo.

Mike
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Old 12-29-2016, 11:42 AM   #45
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My wife and I are completely into winter camping. In Maui. In a condo.

Mike

Do you have courtesy parking? 😉
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Old 01-05-2017, 04:56 AM   #46
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Would be curious for an update whether you made it through the recent cold spell (with strong winds), without any damage to your plumbing including the outdoor shower? Your new thread about better insulation highlights the main point I was making last week about massive infusion of propane being required to keep an Airstream's plumbing functional during extreme cold.

What kind of propane usage did you find was necessary to keep the pipes from freezing?

Thanks,

Peter



Quote:
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Furnace does blow hot air to the plumbing below, so in subfreezing it needs to run. The combo space-heater/s - furnace is a balance. I sat the space heaters (2, a larger one by the galley and a smaller for the bedroom aft) at 50% heating capacity AND the thermostat for the furnace to kick in at 50 F. I assume (correctly so far) that if the cabin is kept above 50, leaving cabinets open will suffice to keep the plumbing above 32 F. This way I use a lot less propane and not much electricity. I am connected to the grid. Outside temp falls below freezing every day and (touch wood, cross fingers, etc.) fully functional, full enjoyment of the rig so far. About $30 of electricity in about a month. BTW, not trying to prove any point, just enjoying life
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Old 01-05-2017, 06:06 AM   #47
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Thanks for the entertaining video!
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Old 01-05-2017, 07:21 AM   #48
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Hi Peter, I just posted a lengthy reply in a different forum. If you don't see it or incomplete, please ask and I will send it to you as a message. Thanks.
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Old 01-05-2017, 08:03 AM   #49
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Thanks I saw it.
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Old 01-06-2017, 10:08 PM   #50
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Today one of my propane bottles emptied, after a month of use. I did experience freezing on the black tank valve and on the shower elbow, so I added 2 lamps under the rig with some wood boards around the tanks to keep more of the heat. One space heater on high, one on low (1.5KW and 750 W), and the thermostat on the wall set at 69.
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Old 01-06-2017, 11:21 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wesair View Post
I ran two 1500 watt space heaters and blew a breaker. Can anyone tell me if there is more than one circuit for AC plug ins and if so how do I tell what is on which circuit?
]
The owners manual for my 2013 Flying Cloud lists all the 120V circuits for each model of trailer. For the 25FB, the two bedroom outlets share a circuit with the battery charger. The remaining outlets are all on a different circuit. That's for a standard 25FB with single air conditioner.
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Old 01-06-2017, 11:51 PM   #52
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Another thing to be aware of....inside the 120 volt electrical panel, the wiring is done with screw-down fasteners. Sometimes these work loose. When you run high current loads over long periods, the loose connectors get hot an things go downhill. It would be a good idea to open the box up and tighten down the screws, especially on the neutral buss bar.

You can see scary pictures and a better explanation at http://www.airforums.com/forums/f44/...re-158530.html
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Old 01-07-2017, 06:06 AM   #53
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Good information, thanks. Its amazing how many things there are to keep track of. Tightening the screws would be a good thing to add to the dewinterizing process.
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Old 04-16-2018, 02:44 PM   #54
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Springtime in Ontario

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Glad we have our Dickinson Fireplace.

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Old 04-16-2018, 03:59 PM   #55
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My wife and I winter camp every year, in all kinds of conditions, and we absolutely love it! In many ways we enjoy it more than camping in the warmer months. We really enjoy the solitude of having complete state park campgrounds to ourselves or very few other hearty souls. I think that's what we love the most, not having to deal with the crowded campgrounds in season. We see much more wildlife in the winter, I assume because there are less people to scare off the animals. Literally herds of dear strolling past our rig seemingly without a care. When it's not too cold, night time walks through the park can be just amazing. Lit up by only the stars and the moon. No need to make reservations however always need to check if the campground is open year round. Our 310TD keeps us warm and toasty with proper care and use of the furnace and a couple of electric ceramic heaters. Some of our most memorable camping experiences have been during our annual winter camping adventures. We've made small mods over the years to make the rig warmer and to keep all systems running properly without freezing up. We usually camp for 4 to 8 weeks during the winter months usually between mid Dec and the middle of Feb or there about. Our kids live out west in CO so that's where we have done most of our winter camping. Also in MO, KS, IL, NB, NM.....we absolutely love it!
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Lyons Colorado along the St Vrain river, one of our favorite spots.
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Old 02-20-2019, 03:54 AM   #56
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Hi Peter, I just posted a lengthy reply in a different forum. If you don't see it or incomplete, please ask and I will send it to you as a message. Thanks.
Hello, Vitaver.

Would you mind sending this to me? Our first foray into full-time Airstreaming will likely start in January in New Mexico, so I am vaccuuming up every ounce of experience I can find!

Thanks!
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Old 02-20-2019, 04:04 AM   #57
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The post you are looking for is over 2 years old FYI.

You might want to check these threads, although I don't see Vitaver's "lengthy reply" post at this time:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f4/r...er-161185.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f453...ml#post1895411
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f459...ed-160394.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f462...ng-159671.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f462...ng-161869.html

Good luck,

Peter
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Old 02-21-2019, 09:40 AM   #58
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Thank you! I have been reading through as many threads as I can, but hadnt found those yet.
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