Furnace Propane Furnace

After reading posts from Michael and the mighty mini I am rethinking adding a furnace for my 560. I had planned on putting the REI Alcove and a small roll up type table in that particular storage area. Can anybody tell me how much room does the furnace take up? Any pros or cons to adding the furnace would be helpfull. I plan on mostly warm weather type camping to begin with but high mountains and desert nights sound pretty cold. When I reach retirement we will probably do more all weather outings.
MDP
Mike & Denita

 

You won't be sorry. In the 550 the furnace takes up half of the lower part of the forward storage box, because the storage box is smaller on the 560 it takes up a little more than half I believe,

Michael

 

Thanks Michael, I guess it depends on how much off grid camping we do. Your posts have me wanting to go west (although I'm not a young man) Also want to avoid "RV" style camping as in parking next to motor homes. I know yours is new but have you had any problems with ignition or leaks? How much propane does it use? Do you leave it on all night in very cold weather or just to warm things up a bit. Again I enjoy your posts I'm taking notes!
MDP
Mike & Denita

 

Mike and Denita,

The REI alcove was not going to fit in the front storage anyhow. I am thinking the roll up table would have been a tight squeeze.

On a 560 the furnace eats up most of the lower storage compartment. About all it leaves room for are the included wheel chocks. That is the big downside to the furnace option on the 560.

Propane usage will be very tied to ambient temperatures. Most just run it 10 minutes to warm the cabin before they retire for the evening. This type of usage really is so small that we have not seen a measurable amount. So, typical usage fuel use is negligible to non measurable. Would be really good to hear Michael's fuel usage report.

Now, lets throw in serious usage like seen by our favorite Bear. Bear likes to camp in cold weather full time some winters. He reported to us some fuel usages in 20-30 below weather using his 550 up in northern MN one winter. With a 20lb tank on the tongue he was going through a tank every week to week and a half. This would be the far end of the spectrum.

Maybe we can get Bear to pop in and comment on that. He is the cold weather teardropping guru for sure.

Cary

 

The temps on the SoCal coast have been warm, so low fuel consumption even in winter. When we were in Texas with overnights in the 20s and lower we would set the furnace thermostat to about 55 and the furnace would cycle on and off and keep us warm all night. I would jump out and make breakfast as fast as I could then back in the tear for breakfast in bed with the heat tuned up to warm up. We'd typically heat up the cabin as well before turning in then back down to 55 for the overnight. Even with 15 degree temps at Big Bend NP we never consumed more than a pound of fuel for heat and cooking per day.

Michael

 

Thanks Cary and Michael great info. Where is Bear anyway? I have read post about tank freeze ups and the owners manual thread but have not seen anything from him lately. I was reading his post like a novel.
MDP
Mike & Denita

 

Another comment from Susan about the furnace, she doesn't think we could do this trip without it. It's the difference between being comfortable or miserable. There you go.

Michael

 

Regarding the loss of storage space to the furnace:

With the furnace there is still more than enough room for all the things you need, but there has never been a teardrop large enough to fit all the things you don't need.

 

Whole lotta truth right there!

 

Ok I'm sold. I was overrating the space there anyway. But that now brings up another question or two. How does the heat move into the cabin? Vents? is there a blower? Where is the thermostat located? Do windows need to be cracked opened when running? Extra condensation considerations? I guess thats more than a couple of questions so I'll throw in one more. What is the door opening size on the 560 lower front storage bin? Thanks for any input.
MDP
Mike & Denita

 

Wow, Evan you so nailed it with that one for sure!

Mike. The furnace is a conventional RV furnace with a DC powered blower. On a 560 there are two exhaust vents, one on either side of the sofa. Cold air return is behind the sofa, so no throwing a blanket over the sofa back when running the furnace. Thermostat is mounted next to the cabin electrical outlets. Vents should be open when sleeping in a teardrop irregardless of furnace use for condensation purposes.

Front storage door opening is 9" x 9". Keep in mind that it is only a few inches deep on a furnace equipped 560. Kind of like one of those movies where they open a door and there is a brick wall behind it.

Cary

 

I can't fit my chocks in there (we don't have the ones people get with the Camp-Inns, but the orange plastic ones from a big box store...they are cheap but work). I do keep all of my locks (except my wheel lock) in there and I have a level mounted inside to help with leveling the trailer when I am setting up camp. It is the perfect amount of space for that. I keep the chairs and tents in the back of the truck, or if it is a long trip and I have the roof box, I might put things up there. I can't imagine what I would have put in that storage area, but I am sure I would have filled it up with stuff, so it is probably good I don't have that space!

 

Thanks everybody, I think in the trade of space for heat the furnace wins even if only used occasionally I'm sure we will be glad it is there. In the wait for our CI (down to 5 months) we have been collecting "stuff" which we just know we will have to have. Part of the the fun is fiquring a place for everything. Someone said they spent six months collecting "stuff" and four years getting rid of it. I kind of think most everyone has done the same but again part of the fun.
MDP
Mike & Denita

 

All good questions, I can try to answer a few. Yes there is a vent that blows hot air into the cabin in the center above the head of the bed. When we 1st started using the heater I thought you gotta be kidding me, it's loud but after a while you don't notice as much, maybe something like getting used to trains going by or waves crashing on the beach. We got the trains and the waves at Refugio Beach. It's a good idea to open both windows and fan vent a half inch to try to vent the vapor from your breath before it condenses. We found that you almost always get some condensation so we prop up the mattress and open up the trailer during the day. There is oodles of info on condensation issues in the forum. I have to chuckle a little about your trying to figure out where all the gear will be stowed cuz I did the same thing, but the truth is you won't know until you hit the road and spend a few nights in your new teardrop. The things you thought would stow in the tear may be more appropriately stowed in the TV and vice versa, I wouldn't sweat it, everything is gonna find a home. My personal 2 cents is go simple, don't try to take everything try to take nothing, if you can do that then you'll have plenty of room for everything.

Michael

 

Just to compare, I don't have the furnace, and this is what lives there:
wheel chocks , extension cord, power adapter, tablecloth, wheel lock, bungees, fire gloves, small broom, a few solar lights, and the all important pink flamingo. Can all of that go elsewhere? of course.

Perhaps, just perhaps I don't really need the pink flamingo... Nah, there is room.

 

Perhaps the Pink Flamingo needs you.

 

Yes Sherry there is always room for the pink flamingo and the Cinzano sunbrella, a pair of Ronjon surf shop surf board shaped rugs for under the doors,
teardrop trailer Christmas lights, one, maybe two Jimmy Buffett Margaritaville blenders just to be safe, a neon palm tree... wait a minute I may need a bigger TV, just a minute, gonna have to think through this one ...

Michael, rethinking the journey.

 

Oh I wish there had been no mention of pink flamingos. Will have to keep my wife away from this post.
MDP

 

One lonely pink flamingo all by itself is a serious animal welfare issue. To me, it's a flock or it's nothing.

 

Pink flamingos have a habit of multiplying.

Just saying.