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Old 12-09-2018, 03:15 PM   #1
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Run furnace while driving?

Is it safe to run your furnace while traveling down the road. The same for the refrigerator.
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Old 12-09-2018, 03:19 PM   #2
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Yes . . . As long as you turn them off when fueling up at a gas station.
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Old 12-09-2018, 03:31 PM   #3
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Same goes for anything else such as the HWH (propane off when fueling), AC, generator, water pump, you name it. A motorhome is a self-contained unit and can be used anywhere anytime.
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Old 12-10-2018, 06:18 AM   #4
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Same goes for anything else such as the HWH (propane off when fueling), AC, generator, water pump, you name it. A motorhome is a self-contained unit and can be used anywhere anytime.
Wondering why anyone would run the propane water heater full time, especially while driving. We turn ours on when we start cooking and off when the dishes are done.
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Old 12-10-2018, 10:17 AM   #5
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Wondering why anyone would run the propane water heater full time, especially while driving. We turn ours on when we start cooking and off when the dishes are done.
I find this depends on the particular water heater and the options it has. If it warms off engine heat, I would not leave it on while driving but if it is only propane and I'm setting in a campground for a week, I may leave it on, just because I like to take a shower or have hot water to wash my hands. But that also varies with what else is going on. In cold weather, I want a hot shower, while in warm weather I may not.
One big thing to learn about RV camping is that it does require a more "flexible" attitude to adjust to the changing situation.
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Old 12-11-2018, 07:32 PM   #6
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Looks like we had a little lateral drift. Original question was concerning running the furnace while driving.

We agree with WinnieView and Ranger Smith. Run it if you desire and shut it down while fueling.

As far as the water heater, many of us have engine assist heating. We have no need to fire it up while driving. However, sister does not, so fires up their water heater 30 min or so prior to arrival to have hot water ready. When boon docking, we fire ours up on arrival. Both of us shut it down after showers when boondocking. Both of us switch to electric if connected to shore power (and take long hollywoods).

Ain't options grand!

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Old 12-16-2018, 07:03 PM   #7
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Yes it is safe and a must for Winter Driving

My Class A Vista 29VE has a heated underbelly. If I don't leave the heater on while driving in sub 20s winter driving the wet compartment will get below 32 degrees. I left heater on and never got below 40 even with outside temps at 9 degrees. See my post on Vista 29VE winter driving
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Old 12-16-2018, 09:23 PM   #8
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Running Furnace While Driving

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Originally Posted by jcl071441 View Post
Is it safe to run your furnace while traveling down the road. The same for the refrigerator.
Running our furnace while driving in my Itasca Sunova 33C would be a monumental waste of expensive propane for us. My engine heater and the heat exchanger in our rear bedroom (which also uses engine heat) keeps our coach toasty warm while we're on the road.
When we're stopped and have a 50-amp hookup, we use two Lasko electric ceramic heaters which are capable of maintaining our coach temperature in the low seventies even in the coldest weather. We use our furnace ONLY when dry camping in cold weather because it consumes propane so quickly.
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Old 12-16-2018, 10:10 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by WinnieView View Post
Same goes for anything else such as the HWH (propane off when fueling), AC, generator, water pump, you name it. A motorhome is a self-contained unit and can be used anywhere anytime.
HWH manufacturers leveling systems. You don't need to heat hot water.
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Old 12-30-2018, 04:39 AM   #10
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We just drove through an all day heavy rain. The suburban furnace was on. Now it will not fire. Just the blower to vent for 20 seconds. Aparrently water got in air intake tube. Can furnace dry out and restart?
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Old 12-30-2018, 06:54 AM   #11
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We just drove through an all day heavy rain. The suburban furnace was on. Now it will not fire. Just the blower to vent for 20 seconds. Aparrently water got in air intake tube. Can furnace dry out and restart?
If you have tried unsuccessfully to start the furnace 3 times, it will go into lock down mode and need to be reset. You do that by turning the furnace power off and back on again.
1) Have someone turn on the thermostat inside while you stand outside next to the furnace. After the blower starts, can you hear the electrode clicking and trying to fire? If no, then the problem is with the electrode or control board.
2) If the electrode is clicking, the problem is with propane flow. You mention heavy rain and it could be that moisture got into the propane regulator. That may or may not affect the operation of other appliances as, according to the service manual, the furnace is more sensitive to moisture in the regulator. But for example, if the fridge also does not fire on propane, that is likely the issue.
I would also suggest that you download the Suburban service manual from their website and go through the troubleshooting checklist.
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Old 12-30-2018, 09:00 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by jcl071441 View Post
Is it safe to run your furnace while traveling down the road. The same for the refrigerator.
A better, and less expensive solution, would be to run your basement air heat pump in heat mode off your generator. This would also work in A/C mode. There is some interplay between it and the LPG furnace depending on the differential between the set and room temps. The LPG furnace will kick in until this differential is less than something like four or five degrees.

This also works in cooling mode.

Personally, I haven't done this for an extended length of time but, from what I've read, the additional gasoline usage is minimal.

You could also run an electric space heater off your generator. I like the oil-filled radiator type.
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Old 01-14-2019, 08:32 AM   #13
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A simple patch in for a underbelly heat from the engine/radiator would be the best move to stay optimized as to fuel and pollution etc. Yes some times when the weather is bitter bitter cold, one may need to block the radiator opening to allow the engine to function and leave enough extra heat for the inside but if its that cold why not just stop and relax instead of taking a risk of sliding off the road. Understood some times one has to do what one does not prefer for those times a VENTED heater (combustion air to air or combustion air to water) would be a great thing. Webasto, espar are two names that come to mind off the top of me thinning haired head! It is sad how many RV folks use unvented combustion heaters to heat their rigs in winter, to them I just want to say, when ever you burn something even as fully as possible there are traces of harmful gasses which may accumulate and to top it off there is a ton of moisture being generated. All that is seeping into the walls and damaging your rig as well. So use VENTED if its not electrically or mechanically generated heat being added to the living quarters.
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Old 01-14-2019, 08:36 AM   #14
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PS. Air cooled VW is a whole another ball of wax but there as well, vented is the way to go! No Kerosun heater on a very very cold day will just make you scrape the inside of the windshield while you are trying to drive! BTW the fix there is an oil pump and an oil cooler! Can you say toasty warm.
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