Shakedown Report November 18, 2014, 12:25:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149588So we traveled to Winthrop, WA on Friday to spend the weekend on some friends' property. The weather was gorgeous but COLD. Got down to 9 degrees Friday night. Our 2005 26.5 MB performed like a champ. We did use a Broan 1500 watt heater in the dinette area as a back-up but the furnace keep us very cozy. Only complaint was that the furnace fan was pretty loud at start up but then quieted down shortly thereafter. Nothing froze over the extremely cold nights. Did get some ice on the inside bottom ledge of the windows which we scraped off in the morning to avoid melted water streaming down the inside walls. On the way home, we drove Highway 20 (the North Cascades Highway) and encountered compact snow and ice on the roadway at Washington Pass. That was a little hair raising since this was our first RV trip EVER. But she handled very well (maybe a little slippage but not much) on the road and at our stop.It wasn't even that crowded with the two of us and four little dogs. Can't say that I'd do a severe weather trip again but it was nice to know the rig can handle it.Can anyone address the loud fan noise or is that just normal?Debra 2005 26.5 MB
Re: Loud furnace fan noise Reply #1 – November 18, 2014, 05:58:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149596"Can anyone address the loud fan noise or is that just normal?" It's normal. I have an '02 and I don't think the furnaces have changed much over time. If we have shore power, we always use a space heater instead of the furnace at night. The furnace is used to take the chill off in the morning. Also, if you have hookups and it's really cold, generally there is a 15 or 20 amp outlet on the electric pedestal where the 30 and 50 amp outlets are. You can run a heavy extension cord from the 20 amp outlet through a window (seal it with towels) and run a second space heater without having to worry about tripping the LD's breakers.Chris
Re: Loud furnace fan noise Reply #2 – November 18, 2014, 08:53:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149600Perhaps it would work to run the extension cord through one of the cab doors, a cab window, or possibly the coach entry door. I'd have to do that, as my SOB has inside storm windows that prevent opening a window.Eric Greenwell [lifewithalazydazerv] wrote, On 11/18/2014 3:58 PM:
Re: Loud furnace fan noise Reply #3 – November 18, 2014, 10:36:13 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149605LD's of all ages have noisy furnace fans. They are noisy and inefficient, using lots of propane and battery power. That's why most have an electric heater or two and many have added noise-free catalytic heaters.When dry camping, we use the furnace only in the morning and in the evening, if we have been gone all day. If it is really cold, we leave the catalytic heater on all day. It uses propane very efficiently and consume no battery power. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602095131438/show https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602104740401/show,Larry
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #4 – November 19, 2014, 12:55:42 am Yahoo Message Number: 149611So we traveled to Winthrop, WA on Friday to spend the weekend on some friends' property. The weather was gorgeous but COLD. Got down to 9 degrees Friday night. Our 2005 26.5 MB performed like a champ. We did use a Broan 1500 watt heater in the dinette area as a back-up but the furnace keep us very cozy. Shortly after I got my 24 LD I made some up grades for winter camping that made a big difference. I had no problem keeping the camper comfortable for night sleeping with a 1500 watt electric heater when it got down to -20F. Took a peace of heavy plastic tarp (50 mil) and fitted it to hang down from the front over head bed. Put some push snaps to keep it in place. This divided the cab off from the living area. This way I was not trying to heat the cab. Got a movers blanket from Harbor freight 72x 80 and folded it in half and hung it in front of the MH door. It is held in place by the large spring paper clips. Tuck it in at the walls so there in little cold air passing through the door and into the leaving area. The movers blanket is removed during the day. 72 in. x 80 in. Mover's BlanketReplace the shower trap with one with a clean out plug at the bottom. Get the one with a cap not a plug. When the weather gets cold where the trap will freeze back the cap off just enough that it will leak. This way most of the water will go into the holding tank but what is left in the trap will leak out onto the ground. This amount to about 12 oz of water.
Re: Loud furnace fan noise Reply #5 – November 19, 2014, 07:42:05 am Yahoo Message Number: 149612I used a similar philosophy, but with a little more permanent solution. I installed a separate electrical line using metal-armored cable, running from a reverse outlet outside to a normal outlet inside. I can connect a regular heavy-duty extension cord between the 20-amp outlet on the pedestal and the reverse outlet on the LD.WxToad Posted by: chorst_2000 Date: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:58 pm ((PST))Also, if you have hookups and it's really cold, generally there is a 15 or 20 amp outlet on the electric pedestal where the 30 and 50 amp outlets are. You can run a heavy extension cord from the 20 amp outlet through a window (seal it with towels) and run a second space heater without having to worry about tripping the LD's breakers. Chris
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #6 – November 19, 2014, 10:46:10 am Yahoo Message Number: 149616Welcome to the world of RV adventures and happy traveling.The LD furnace does make a lot of racket. If a catalytic heater doesn't meet your needs there are cheap decent available electric space heaters at Walmart. I use a $15 model that has a thermostat. 3 heat ranges. Works well and easy to move around.I hear you on the cold in the PNW. I am in OR. getting ready to leave for warmer climbs in NV. and SoCal.Bob
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #7 – November 19, 2014, 11:03:35 am Yahoo Message Number: 149617Something that we use on our sailboat to take the chill out of the cabin is a Coleman tent catalytic heater, the use disposable propane canisters and last all night on high,(5K BTU), and longer on low, which is about 3K BTU's. We installed a carbon monoxide detector in the boat and have never had an issue. Don
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #8 – November 19, 2014, 11:50:27 am Yahoo Message Number: 149619"Something that we use on our sailboat to take the chill out of the cabin is a Coleman tent catalytic heater"Older Coleman, and other brands, of catalytic heater have a different catalysts than the newer generation of cat heaters. Older models produced large amounts of carbon monoxide and caused the death of many campers running them on cold night in tight quarters. I almost passed out one night due to using a Coleman cat heater in a truck camper, sitting around on a cold winter night. It was thrown the next day.Newer cat heaters do not produce very much carbon monoxide and are used inside of tents and campers, with adequate ventilation to replace the consumed oxygen. New cat heaters contain oxygen sensor that will shut the heater off if the O2 levels drop below a set point.The various owner's manuals, for different cat heaters, tell not to run them when sleeping, so beware. You will find many here who will not sleep with a cat heater on, self included. Is this an over reaction? Maybe, I but would rather throw on an extra quilt at night instead of taking a slight chance of not waking up. That is going to happen soon enough.Larry
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #9 – November 20, 2014, 07:53:09 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149631Debra,Nice to hear you had a good shake down trip. Wishing you many more!Our LD is new and the heater is a little loud at first, but then it quiets down. We used the heater a lot on our trip last month to the eastern Sierras. Temps got down into the 30s by early morning - brrr. It's very frugal on propane, as is the water heater and frig, so maybe they are making them more efficient.Diana
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #10 – November 21, 2014, 12:06:41 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149632Thanks, Diana. Now we wish we'd bought it in the Spring so we could use it more! The furnace did quiet down about 30 seconds to a minute after the fan started so it's just probably just the way it works.Debra
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #11 – November 21, 2014, 12:25:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149633Like others I block off the cab from the house. I use two Thermarest camp pads left over from out tent days. They insulate well and stack almost to the bunk. The inch or two that is left along the top I use an old sleeping bag to fill. This works very well in the cold and the heat. On 100 deg days the AC will actually cycle off for a while because the room is cool.
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #12 – November 21, 2014, 12:36:39 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149634Great idea, John. Our Thermarests are still around, too. One is in permanent use as a bed mattress, but the other is available. We use a "T"-shaped piece of Reflectix to fit between the front seats and behind the cat heater (2005 RB), but putting the extra Thermarest above the tops of the seats might provide some extra blockage.I've been thinking about, but have not executed, a scheme wherein I will put one of these filmy "tinfoil" tarps between two comforters for ultimate drop-down blockage. Currently we use a down comforter that works pretty well. If it gets REALLY cold, we add an old, very dense, wool blanket. Combined with the down, this does a pretty good job.Virtual hugs,Judie http://dorrieanne.wordpress.com
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #13 – December 13, 2014, 03:20:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149902"Older Coleman, and other brands, of catalytic heater have a different catalysts than the newer generation of cat heaters. Older models produced large amounts of carbon monoxide and caused the death of many campers..."Larry, do you have a way to tell the difference between "older" and "newer"? I have a friend who has a couple of heaters, including a Coleman Black Cat, and it would be nice to be able to tell.In other words, where's the dividing line between "old" and "new"? What characteristics do you look for? Is there a visible difference between the old catalysts and the new ones?Andy BairdTravels with Andy
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #14 – December 14, 2014, 11:53:02 am Yahoo Message Number: 149912"do you have a way to tell the difference between "older" and "newer"? In other words, where's the dividing line between "old" and "new"? "AndyI remember reading about the new generation of catalysts 25 years ago or so, that significantly reduced the co output. but, after a half hour searching Google, little shows up other than reports of deaths from CO poisoning. I could find very little information about catalyst recipes,Reading a Wave 3 owner's manual, it has no mention not using it while sleeping, while Coleman instructions specifically instruct not to leave it on while sleeping. http://www.coleman.com/product/2000004165#.VI3Nfrl0x9A It is a indications of a difference or a CYA act on Colemans behalf?. Coleman may not cut itself of when O2 levels drop. Maybe a CO detector can be used, inside a sealed RV, to test the Coleman heaters for excessive CO. While not a accurate way of measuring CO, it would indicate a gross polluter. Some home models have a digital readout of CO levelsBack in my working day, I would have used a portable gas analyzer to measure the CO, in a confined area. I carried one of these whenever working in confined spaces, subject to gas build up or low oxygen levels (such as in sealed pipe tunnels where rusting drops the O2 levels). http://www.gassniffer.com/bw-honeywell-gas-alert-quattro-four-gas-monitor.html?gclid=CMLwo_aGxsICFRJcfgodlqEAGQ A very useful device that isn't very practical for private ownership due to its frequent recalibration requirements.Larry
Re: Shakedown Report Reply #15 – December 14, 2014, 02:02:35 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149915Just wondering... According to its "press", the Olympian Wave series has a platinum "infused" catalytic pad that offers highly efficient combustion and fewer "pollutants" as a result. I didn't find similar "platinum pad" content claims for the Coleman or the Mr. Heater products; although these *may* have the same pad composition s the Wave series, I didn't see it in the (sketchy) specs.Might the pad content of the Wave series be a reason that it is labeled as OK to be used while sleeping? (Still with adequate ventilation, obviously!)Joan
Re: catalytic heaters Reply #16 – December 14, 2014, 02:13:25 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149916Thanks for the clarification, Larry. Since my friend's heaters are only a few years old, it sounds as if they should be safe when used with adequate ventilation.Andy BairdTravels with Andy
Re: catalytic heaters Reply #17 – December 14, 2014, 04:39:51 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149917Thanks for the clarification, Larry. Since my friend's heaters are only a few years old, it sounds as if they should be safe when used with adequate ventilation.Andy Baird 2 or 3 years ago I was looking at some of the cat heaters and in there directions they did not recommend using them at an altitude above 8000 feet. It is to long ago to remember which one. All though most of our people that are snowmobiling with MH use the cat heaters and that is in the CO high countryGeorgeRetired Plumber
Re: catalytic heaters Reply #18 – December 14, 2014, 05:32:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 149918"they did not recommend using them at an altitude above 8000 feet." Most portable propane heaters have oxygen (O2) sensors that shut them down when levels drop below a certain threshold. This is to prevent the heater from creating a potentially lethal oxygen-starved environment when operated in an enclosed space, and also to reduce the likelihood of carbon monoxide emissions. At higher altitudes there's less oxygen in each cubic foot of air, so the O2 sensor may shut the heater down to protect its users.Andy BairdTravels with Andy
Topic: Shakedown Report (Read 15 times)
previous topic - next topic
Topic: Shakedown Report (Read 15 times)
previous topic - next topic