Going to Flagstaff and Santa Fe in two weeks -- cold weather operating?

[chustmyre]

We have a 2017 FC 25...

and are headed west in two weeks and will be in Flagstaff, AZ, and Santa Fe, NM, where overnight temperatures will be in the mid-20s.

We have mostly camped in hot weather and have only used the heater once.

I recall the salesman saying the furnace kicks on at 32 degrees but since it was July when we bought it and we were in southern Mississippi, I did not pay much attention to the talk about heaters and furnaces.

What setting do I use to ensure the furnace kicks on when it gets cold at night?

Thanks,

Chuck

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by chustmyre

I recall the salesman saying the furnace kicks on at 32 degrees but since it was July when we bought it and we were in southern Mississippi, I did not pay much attention to the talk about heaters and furnaces.

What setting do I use to ensure the furnace kicks on when it gets cold at night?

The furnace is set with a thermostat, just like your air conditioner. The furnace doesn't magically turn itself on at 32°F, regardless of what the salesman said.

In fact, the furnace probably uses the same thermostat as the air conditioner (mine does). If so, it will have a switch that lets you choose between A/C and furnace.

Set the thermostat for whatever temperature you're comfortable at— or at least whatever temperature you'll be comfortable under the covers at.

[mojo]

There is a heat strip function that will blow warm air from the AC ducts that will shift to furnace at around 40°. But the heat strip function is somewhat loud. Your furnace will kick on at whatever temp you set it to though. If you have electric, make it as toasty as you like. If no electric, Use a warm comforter/blankets for sleeping, set the temp at 50° and then kick it up in the AM. The furnace fan can eat up a bit of battery juice when you're without power.

[FreshAirStmr]

You'll be hooked up to shore power, right? This is what we've been doing for sub-freezing temps (mid twenties down to high teens):

1) During the night, set furnace to at least 50 (we set it to 55 degrees) to keep tanks from freezing; you can set it as high as you want depending on how much propane you want to burn. We might use the heat pumps during the evening before bed, but we don't bother trying to use them during the night.

2) During the night, keep the hot water heater on

3) Before turning in for the night, disconnect city water and turn on the water pump

We don't use our portable electric heater during the night because we don't want to keep the interior temp so high that the furnace doesn't come on. Instead we keep toasty in bed with an electric mattress pad and a couple of wool blankets.

Joanne

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by FreshAirStmr

We don't use our portable electric heater during the night because we don't want to keep the interior temp so high that the furnace doesn't come on. Instead we keep toasty in bed with an electric mattress pad and a couple of wool blankets.

We run ours at night. Why not - saves propane. But I set the electric heater slightly above the furnace temp so the furnace will still kick on once in a while. You want that on to distribute heat to the tanks and more thoroughly throughout the trailer.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

We run ours at night. Why not - saves propane. But I set the electric heater slightly above the furnace temp so the furnace will still kick on once in a while. You want that on to distribute heat to the tanks and more thoroughly throughout the trailer.

I would do it the other way in a trailer where you need the furnace to pipe heat into the belly pan to keep the tanks from freezing. Set the furnace to come on first, and the electric heater to come on if the furnace can't keep up.

On my Interstate, which has no belly pan and relies on electric tank heaters, I do it the opposite, as you're doing now. I set the electric heater to come on first, and the furnace to come on if the electric heater can't keep up.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

We run ours at night. Why not - saves propane. But I set the electric heater slightly above the furnace temp so the furnace will still kick on once in a while. You want that on to distribute heat to the tanks and more thoroughly throughout the trailer.

As long as the furnace is kicking on either way should work.

I have a 30' trailer. There's enough space for separation.

[DaveP]

We were out twice in mid-October boob-docking in the central Colorado mountains. Overnight temperatures ranged from 30 degrees down to 15 degrees. When it was 30, the furnace kept the trailer nice and comfy. When it was 15, the trailer would not get warmer than 57 degrees.

As freshairstmr mentioned, make sure to leave the water heater running. I think it also helps to keep the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open a bit to allow warm air into these areas.

[WestieHouse]

Consider draining water from your outdoor shower connection, or removing the handle and hose connector to prevent water in them from freezing and breaking. And be sure to disconnect and drain your fresh water hose.

Last week we were camped in Amarillo where temps were predicted to, and did, get down to low 20’s. The management warned everyone they would be charged $95 repair if they left water connected and the supply pipe/valve froze and broke.

We open all cabinet doors beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks whenever it is below 30 degrees.

We purchased an indoor/outdoor thermometer to monitor local temperature at our exact site. Weather reports and Weather Channel are often several degrees different from our exact location. Our down comforter keeps us cozy to below freezing so we must monitor real time outside temps at our site to be sure the Airstream is protected properly.

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

The furnace is set with a thermostat, just like your air conditioner. The furnace doesn't magically turn itself on at 32°F, regardless of what the salesman said.

I discovered (another thread) that the Dometic CCC2 (Comfort Control Center) is able to turn on the heat if you're in "auto"

“AUTO” - Auto Change Over Mode
In the AUTO mode the system will automatically change the mode of operation from cool to heat or from heat to cool. In order for this mode to operate, the zone being programmed must contain either a heat pump, heat strip or furnace heating source. When in the AUTO mode, all pre programmed operations for the heat pump, heat strip, and furnace will apply.
Auto Change Over Cooling: If the room temperature rises above the temperature set-point by 2 degrees, the air conditioner will turn ON until the room temperature reaches the temperature set-point at which time the air conditioner will cycle off. Auto Change Over Heating: If the room temperature goes below the temperature set-point by 2 degrees, the available heat source will be cycled ON until the room temperature reaches the temperature set point at which time it will cycle OFF.
If more than one heat source is available on this zone, the priority for selecting the heat source will be heat pump (first), furnace (second), and heat strip (third).


I'm learning.

However, I really wanted to suggest that the OP when in Flagstaff, visits the Lowell Observatory. Tremendous history from Mars canals, to NASA landing sites to the discovery of Pluto.
Friendly people, stunning displays, maybe look through the 24" Clark refractor that's HUGE!

[rjbrown99]

We were in Flag in May with similar temperatures. Furnace kicked on just fine, same thermostat as the AC for our 23FB. We did buy an electric heater and it helped a lot, especially in the bathroom which has no heat source otherwise. We also have the vent covers now which can hold in more heat. A fan can also help circulate heat, and bring warm slippers.

Make sure to visit Pizzicletta in Flag, some of the best pizza in the US. Not kidding.