FWC Furnace question

[sameguy]

I am looking at purchasing either a new or used FWC and wondering about the furnaces they install. Mainly wondering about the noise level and reliability. I would assume they put out enough heat for the size of the camper.

I have a teardrop which I installed a Propex propane furnace in and I am completely smitten with it. It was easy to install, works fine at altitude and the noise level is low enough that it is not an issue. I have been in older campers with unknown furnaces and they are so loud they wake everyone up when they are running, no bueno.

Thinking of possibly ordering a new shell and installing a Propex myself to keep initial cost down if the furnace they use is not as desirable.

 

[longhorn1]

We love our factory installed furnace. It vents to the outside which is safer, and it reduces interior moisture. My understanding the Mr
Buddy and the propex don't vent to the outside and there is more moisture inside.

 

[Ace!]

My factory installed furnace is not overly loud, in fact it is relatively quiet compared to other campers/trailers I've owned or used. Although I typically wear clothing for the season and don't rely on the furnace as much as some others, when I do need to use it, I find it an absolute joy.

 

[Vic Harder]

Propex vents outside for sure.

Also check out the Truma, combined furnace and water heater!

 

[Wallowa]

My factory installed furnace is not overly loud, in fact it is relatively quiet compared to other campers/trailers I've owned or used. Although I typically wear clothing for the season and don't rely on the furnace as much as some others, when I do need to use it, I find it an absolute joy.

Amen to that...I like to sleep where it is vented and thus often cold...bundle up and at O-Dark-Thirty simply roll over and flip switch on furnace to "on" [thermo set to 55]...in minutes warm and toasty in the Hawk...then comes coffee!

Besides water vapor inside combustion heaters always have incomplete combustion and hence produce nasty gases you really don't want to breath...FWC furnaces do none of that and are safely sealed and vented.

 

[rando]

Having had both a Propex (last camper) and now the current FWC furnace, I would say that the Propex is a better quality heater, but the Atwood/FWC furnace works a little better in this application. The Propex is a little louder (both inside the camper and outside) as ducted hot air and ducted exhaust on the Propex need higher velocity fans. The Atwood power consumption is about the same as the Propex and it is less sensitive to variability in voltage. The installed price from FWC is actually less than just the cost of the HS2000. ]

If you can source a Truma Combi, it seems like that would be the best option of all.

 

[craig333]

Be careful. Mine is fairly loud. I understand the new ones are much much better but I'm not sure exactly what year they switched to the quieter (and more efficient) heater.

 

[sameguy]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I had hoped that the newer units were quieter than the RV heaters from the past that literally roared. I would love to have a Truma Combi but alas, they don't sell direct to customers. There may be some way to get one but my communication with Truma left me at a dead end.

 

[klahanie]

^ Re Truma. Too bad you they won't provide a list of OEMs using their product in the USA. Might have to search around a bit then ask a mfr or dealer to sell a single unit direct.

 

[Deur]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I had hoped that the newer units were quieter than the RV heaters from the past that literally roared. I would love to have a Truma Combi but alas, they don't sell direct to customers. There may be some way to get one but my communication with Truma left me at a dead end.

I think I read somewhere (expedition portal?) that Truma will start selling direct at the end of the year.

 

[sameguy]

I think I read somewhere (expedition portal?) that Truma will start selling direct at the end of the year.

That would be fantastic, I'll have to keep my ear to the ground on that.

 

[thedane]

I love my furnace in my 2011 Fleet. Seems to heat pretty fast, and does not use a lot of propane. It does however use a good chunk of battery.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

After the factory installed atwood furnace nearly blew up the camper, I decided to go to the Propex HS2000 and so far I am very impressed with this little unit. In comparison to the Atwood the build quality is second to none, no sharp edges, uses weather pack connections and only 1.6 amps of power consumption compared to the 4.1 amps of the Atwood.

 

[Wallowa]

After the factory installed atwood furnace nearly blew up the camper, I decided to go to the Propex HS2000 and so far I am very impressed with this little unit. In comparison to the Atwood the build quality is second to none, no sharp edges, uses weather pack connections and only 1.6 amps of power consumption compared to the 4.1 amps of the Atwood.

Have to ask...How did the Atwood furnace "nearly blew up the camper"?

That just might be of interest to the many with the Atwood furnace in a FWC...

Thanks,

Phil

 

[sameguy]

After the factory installed atwood furnace nearly blew up the camper, I decided to go to the Propex HS2000 and so far I am very impressed with this little unit. In comparison to the Atwood the build quality is second to none, no sharp edges, uses weather pack connections and only 1.6 amps of power consumption compared to the 4.1 amps of the Atwood.

So would you say the HS2000 has enough BTU to heat the camper comfortably? Do you camp in cold weather and or have the thermal pack?

 

[rando]

After the factory installed atwood furnace nearly blew up the camper, I decided to go to the Propex HS2000 and so far I am very impressed with this little unit. In comparison to the Atwood the build quality is second to none, no sharp edges, uses weather pack connections and only 1.6 amps of power consumption compared to the 4.1 amps of the Atwood.

Just to be clear - this comparison is to the old Atwood furnace. While the quality of the Propex is still superior to the new Atwood, the new Atwood actually uses LESS power than the Propex. I see about ~1.4A when the furnace is running. The new Atwood is 3.5KW (12000 BTU/h in 'Freedom Units'), so almost twice the output of the HS2000. In single digits (F) with a breeze, my furnace runs about half the time with a thermal pack, so that would probably be about as low as you could go with the HS2000, so if it will be really cold the HS2800 would be a better choice. In any situation, the Atwood will actually end up using much less power, as it will need to run for less time than the Propex to maintain the same temperature.

 

[craig333]

Anyone know the numbers on the Suburban furnace?

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

Have to ask...How did the Atwood furnace "nearly blew up the camper"?

That just might be of interest to the many with the Atwood furnace in a FWC...

Thanks,

Phil

Okay so slight exaggeration, but could have been bad. What happened was the furnace wouldn't light so naturally I pulled it apart had spark but no gas narrowed it down to what I thought was a faulty gas solenoid, replaced with a new one and put it back together. Turned the thermastat to on furnace went through its purge cycle then the ignitor started and 1,2 clicks boom flame shot out from outside of the combustion chamber. Turns out the new solenoid was also faulty and leaked gas out from the vent, on top of that the 16 gauge wire that leads from the circuit board to the ignitor right next to the gas line was not shielded properly allowing the spark to ground out to the metal frame of the furnace which was probably the problem along.

Circled in blue is the ignitor wire

Furnace model info

To note the furnace was ten years old and stored in SoCal two blocks from the ocean and rarely used.

So would you say the HS2000 has enough BTU to heat the camper comfortably? Do you camp in cold weather and or have the thermal pack?

I would say it works exceptional, especially after 10 days in the Yukon Territory with lows hovering in the mid tens. I bought mine from Sure Marine Services in Seattle who also carriers spare parts and services them.

I do not have thermal pack but have gutted a portion of the interior and installed everything from new insulation and sound deadening to a complete rewire.

I have also for the past year and half, have lived out of the camper fulltime and compared to previous winter here in the PNW I can say that I am looking forward to this winter with confidence and excitement.