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Old 12-26-2013, 07:52 PM   #1
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1953 21' Flying Cloud
Atlanta , Georgia
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Electric heater? Propane furnace? Or both?

we're in the process of renovating our '53 flying cloud and it is currently down to the bare bones.
We anticipate bringing it up to the New York area next winter (work related, not by choice) and are trying to decide if we should install a furnace or just rely on a plug in electric space heater for the cabin.
We plan on using tank heaters and insulating to the 9's. Will an electric space heater suffice? Should we just use a furnace? Both?
We plan on staying through till the summer so it will need to be a long term solution.

Any advice for how we can prepare for cold weather living in this early stage of renovating would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
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Old 12-26-2013, 08:21 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by handrew View Post
we're in the process of renovating our '53 flying cloud and it is currently down to the bare bones.
We anticipate bringing it up to the New York area next winter (work related, not by choice) and are trying to decide if we should install a furnace or just rely on a plug in electric space heater for the cabin.
You will need a furnace because an electric heater won't provide enough heat for the climate there.
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Old 12-26-2013, 08:52 PM   #3
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Yes, you will need a regular furnace. It gets very cold in NYS.
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Old 12-26-2013, 08:57 PM   #4
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Our '66 TradeWind seems comfortable with 2 ceramic heaters down to around 20 degrees if the wind isn't more than 10 MPH or so. Windier or much colder and you will be cold. The rear area needs to be sealed off from air infiltration somehow and for more than 1 night of this temperature range I would recommend draining the plumbing and using more primitive methods. The water pump doesn't like ice chunks or slushy water.

If you opt to run a propane furnace, be prepared for a lot of usage in the winter. We can use up a 30 lb tank of propane in 2 days if the temp drops below 20.
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Old 12-26-2013, 09:46 PM   #5
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We have camped in weather for days when it got down to +7 during the nighttime hours.
2 1,500 electric heaters kept us warm in a 26' Argosy.
You will need the furnace if you have any hopes of keeping the tanks warm.
The problem you will have along with keeping the waste tanks warm enough is keeping the dump valves from freezing. Both the valves are in the trunk. If it is like my 26'. The BW handle is I'm the trunk. The GW handle is just forward of the sewer outlet on the left side. But the valve is inside of the trunk.
As long as you keep the coach at a reasonable temp inside. I believe the FW tank will be OK. Especially if you chose to fill the FW every day or so..
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:06 AM   #6
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I have experienced winter living while at the campground of Ft. Campbell, KY. Last January while there the mercury dropped to +11. Fellow campers helped me figure out how to survive. Keep the gas furnace on because it blows warm air into the belly of the AS. I had also prepared myself for the unexpected by installing a 4ft baseboard electric heater in the bedroom of the AS. This was used as well. Outside I would just refill my fresh water tank with a hose that I had drained well the evening before so there would not be any ice plugging it. Closing the GW valve prevented any ice buildup in the drain line.
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Old 11-18-2014, 10:35 AM   #7
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If you are going to be in one spot for a while I would consider getting a 100 gallon tank set next to the trailer. Set the thermostat as low as it will go during the day and upping it when you come home till bedtime.

If you have the time and space consider a catalytic heater for use while in the trailer. They are a radiant heater and thus warm you as soon as they are turned on if directed at you.

If you went with 2 1500 watt heaters are using ALL of the electric you have available. Your convertor needs to be on, the frig will cycle, you may want to use a microwave, and a tv.
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Old 11-22-2014, 02:23 PM   #8
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When you advise to keep the cabin warm, does that necessarily mean using the furnace or will using ceramic heaters work too. That is, does the furnace keep the pipes warm underneath in addition to the cabin or does the cabin's heat radiate downward keeping the pipes flowing? I'm hoping we can get by with one or two ceramic heaters because we'll have an electrical hook-up thru the winter. If the propane furnace is necessary, do you think it can be turned on just intermittently? We'll be wintering near St. George. Thanks for any advice!
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Old 11-22-2014, 08:15 PM   #9
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We are living in our trailer at the moment. (Our house sold really fast). We are parked in the shed we store our trailer in. We put insulation around the bottom of the trailer with a small ceramic heater. We have a ceramic heater in the trailer and run the heat pump when we can and the furnace when it is too cold. We have had record setting cold and so far, so good. We are fortunate in that we were able o get things set up so we can dump without moving and the well got put in so we can fill the water.I would agree with the suggestion to get a big propane tank if possible. The furnace eats propane.
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Old 11-22-2014, 08:16 PM   #10
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I should mention we are in Michigan and have had single digit lows.
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Old 11-22-2014, 08:29 PM   #11
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Have the best of both worlds and get a Platinum Cat. Uses very little electricity and propane. Vented so you don't need to crack a window. Use a Dyson or similar fan to move the interior air around over the hot surface that the Platinum Cat is heating. Cool surface to the touch so it will not ignite or burn you.

http://ventedcatheater.com/6.html

However living in an Airstream in New York over the winter could test your survival skills to the max. It will freeze your water tanks and plumbing.
You maybe able to insulate the walls to the 9's but the floor will still be very cold.

Cheers
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