Winter camping and furnace size

[thewwkayaker]

I've searched on the site for info on furnaces and winter camping and gained some good info. However I'm trying to decide what furnace to get. There is a good set of instructions that a member gave for installing the Propex HS2000 furnace but that seems to be rated at just over 6,000 btu while the furnace used by FWC is rated at 12,000 btu. I'm not sure if FWC still uses Atwood now Dometic furnaces but the depth is 20" while the utility box on my FWC is 17/19 (the depth is variable due to fridge I think). I could fit the Propex HS2000 furnace (just under 17" depth) using the utility box but will it be warm enough to use in the winter? (I backcountry ski - so I would be way up a pass - biggest pass would be 1755m or 5758 feet here in BC Canada, temps assume -17C or 0F or even colder).

Anyone have experience with the HS2000 in extremely cold weather? Is it warm enough?

Anyone install the furnace now installed in FWC but on an older FWC (I have an 2006 Eagle)?

Thanx in advance

 

[Edgewood]

I have a 2009 Eagle, origanal Atwood furnace, and backcountry ski. The Atwood has always been fine for keeping the camper warm. The Eagle is such a small space that it takes little to warm it up ( for me warm can be 55-60 F). I use a winter liner along with reflex-tex on all windows. On a 20 degree night the furnace might cycle on ten times.

 

[thewwkayaker]

Thanx Edgewood. You have the Atwood as you said and I don't think I can fit it in without major modifications as my outside utility box on the camper isn't deep enough. I'm hoping that a furance with half the btu could still work (6000btu vs 12000btu of the Atwood). I plan to make a winter liner as well.

 

[Edgewood]

I say go for it. Sure the heater might run longer. Okay maybe you keep your down vest on inside. Nothing wrong with a three dog night!

A note on propane use... I go many days (app twenty or more before I need to re-fill my five gallon tank. Even then it might be half full .

Even though I love a backcountry camping trip, It's pretty sweet on those dark at five nights, to be in the Eagle with heater on, dinner cooking, skins drying and dog farting.

 

[Chrish]

I bc ski as well and used a fan driven propane heater in the past on a '87 dodge explorer camper van, but it used way too much power and was loud.

The used Grandy I recently purchased came with a wave 3 catalytic heater so I'm looking forward to trying that out.

The biggest problem with cold weather camping is condensation and from what understand, catalytic heaters contribute to that more than powered furnaces.



I'm looking at the Ryobi propane generator that will run a 600 watt electric heater for drying out a bit.

 

[Chrish]

Also, I wonder if the propane propex water heater, filled with propylene glycol solution for radiant heat applications could be routed to a wall mount radiator. Need to add a small 12 volt pump.

That way the water heater could serve double duty in warm and cold weather. No added weight, no noise and the combustion occurs outside of the camper environment.

 

[Wallowa]

You can always "layer up' but the limiter in my estimation for BC skiing trips [which I take] will be the freezing of the water systems. There are some work arounds but at zero or below things can go sideways. And I do like having water on-board.

Phil

'16 Hawk with most of the do-das.

 

[longhorn1]

I say go for it. Sure the heater might run longer. Okay maybe you keep your down vest on inside. Nothing wrong with a three dog night!

A note on propane use... I go many days (app twenty or more before I need to re-fill my five gallon tank. Even then it might be half full .

Even though I love a backcountry camping trip, It's pretty sweet on those dark at five nights, to be in the Eagle with heater on, dinner cooking, skins drying and dog farting.

A real mountain man amongst us[emoji41]

 

[Wallowa]

A real mountain man amongst us[emoji41]

Ah, the dog gave it away!!!

 

[camsf]

Greetings...related to this topic about Winter camping. My Eagle has the 4WC heater installed and I am planning on a lot of Winter camping including overnight for 3-4 days at a time near ski resorts that I'll be visiting. Rig came standard with 1 battery. I'll be adding a second but the concern is charging the batteries during this time of year and how much power the heater is going to pull. I'm considering solar but frankly don't really need a ton of additional power during the Summer. I'm going to max the insulation on the camper. Thinking that a Yamaha 2000 generator might be a better setup for me than Solar.

Also I've heard from others about the water freezing. I'm keeping my rig dry and tossing water bottles in a soft ice chest. Definitely low-fi but again....just don't seem to use "that" much water.

 

[sameguy]

I have a Propex HS2211 heater that I installed in my Teardop. IT is very similar to the HS2000 you mentioned above, with the added benefit of being able to be mounted underneath (wound up not doing) and mounted vertically. (did do this) Install was simple and operation is flawless, even at high altitude. 6500BTU is WAY more than I need in my little teardrop, not sure how it would fair in the larger space of an FWC. I would probably hedge my bets and get the larger Propex HS2800 that puts out 9700BTU. Propex heaters pull 1.9 amps when running which is very little and use propane very efficiently.

 

[kestrel69]

Greetings...related to this topic about Winter camping. My Eagle has the 4WC heater installed and I am planning on a lot of Winter camping including overnight for 3-4 days at a time near ski resorts that I'll be visiting. Rig came standard with 1 battery. I'll be adding a second but the concern is charging the batteries during this time of year and how much power the heater is going to pull. I'm considering solar but frankly don't really need a ton of additional power during the Summer. I'm going to max the insulation on the camper. Thinking that a Yamaha 2000 generator might be a better setup for me than Solar.

Also I've heard from others about the water freezing. I'm keeping my rig dry and tossing water bottles in a soft ice chest. Definitely low-fi but again....just don't seem to use "that" much water.

I'm curious what things you are doing to max the insulation on the camper? Getting ready to start the winter camping season here in the PNW and it will be my first year in the FWC.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

I'm curious what things you are doing to max the insulation on the camper? Getting ready to start the winter camping season here in the PNW and it will be my first year in the FWC.

After spending last winter in the camper fulltime over in the Cascades here are my five things I learned the hard way.

1- Ventilate, the moisture build up in these campers is ridiculous. I sleep with my lower side window open and roof vent(If its not raining).

2- Wipe down any moisture inside every morning especially under the cab over mattress as that is how I ruined mine.

3- If snow is in the forecast I raise only one side of the roof to allow the snow to slide off easier. (Less build up)

4- Refletix insulation sold at home repair stores works exceptionally well to insulate the soft vinyl sides and windows.

5- The access hatches on the sides for the tie downs are the least insulated, insulation foam board helps.

 

[Roaming_Eagle]

Greetings...related to this topic about Winter camping. My Eagle has the 4WC heater installed and I am planning on a lot of Winter camping including overnight for 3-4 days at a time near ski resorts that I'll be visiting. Rig came standard with 1 battery. I'll be adding a second but the concern is charging the batteries during this time of year and how much power the heater is going to pull. I'm considering solar but frankly don't really need a ton of additional power during the Summer. I'm going to max the insulation on the camper. Thinking that a Yamaha 2000 generator might be a better setup for me than Solar.

Also I've heard from others about the water freezing. I'm keeping my rig dry and tossing water bottles in a soft ice chest. Definitely low-fi but again....just don't seem to use "that" much water.

You'll be fine with a second battery, I was able to go 4 days with a single battery before electronics quit functioning. The furnace doesn't pull more than 4 amps and as long as you monitor and are sparing with your usage you should have no issues with 3-4 days.

 

[Wallowa]

After spending last winter in the camper fulltime over in the Cascades here are my five things I learned the hard way.

1- Ventilate, the moisture build up in these campers is ridiculous. I sleep with my lower side window open and roof vent(If its not raining).

2- Wipe down any moisture inside every morning especially under the cab over mattress as that is how I ruined mine.

3- If snow is in the forecast I raise only one side of the roof to allow the snow to slide off easier. (Less build up)

4- Refletix insulation sold at home repair stores works exceptionally well to insulate the soft vinyl sides and windows.

5- The access hatches on the sides for the tie downs are the least insulated, insulation foam board helps.


Couple of questions since we have not had any visible condensation [except on windows when curtains drawn and that is slight] in our '16 Hawk [two Fantastic Fan vents..vents and window open above stove when cooking] FWC Atwood heater...

What do you think is the source of moisture in your camper? Do you keep the camper heated when outside temps are low?

Thanks...

 

[River_Rat]

Snip:

What do you think is the source of moisture in your camper?

Thanks...

From the occupants lungs.

 

[Wallowa]

From the occupants lungs.

Doubtful...the two of us were breathing all night also...more probably it was from cooking or not heating interior when outside temps dropped into the teens and interior humidity was high...the furnace not only heats but circulates air/water vapor out of the camper..assuming vents are open over sleeping area and just a side window...

 

[klahanie]

Guys, bare in mind some of us are wet exhalers, others dry breathers ...

---

After spending last winter in the camper fulltime over in the Cascades here are my five things I learned the hard way.

2- Wipe down any moisture inside every morning especially under the cab over mattress as that is how I ruined mine.

Don't know if you've put reflextix (?) under the mattress, it helped us a bit. But the big change has been using a more robust insulator in the form of backpacking type, self inflating air pads. We use three, pushed closely together side by side. I think for many users, these campers could really benefit from an insulated overcab floor.

 

[Ramblinman]

Just got home from a week of camping in -10 Celsius. If I leave the furnace running all night it uses about 2/3rds of a 10lb propane bottle for heating and cooking. I used a Honda Generator when running the furnace all night. Other nights I just turned it off and on when needed. My Hawk is a 2010 and the furnace is stock - not sure of the brand. It runs most of the night at a low setting. I prefer to keep the batteries topped off in that weather hence the generator. I have 2 AGM batteries.

I have used the camper in -22 Celsius - I find that the cold is hard on the camper. At that temp I sustained a crack in the plastic windows so be careful. I try to heat the camper before opening and closing to make the pop up material more flexible.

 

[iowahiker]

The Propex and the Atwood count heat flow differently. Atwood measures heat based on how much propane is consumed, heat into the furnace or heat consumed, also could be called "gross" heat. Propex measures heat output into the camper or "net" heat since some propane heat is lost out of the exhaust. So... the Propex is still not as large as the Atwood but the difference is smaller than your numbers show. The larger Propex 2800 is a more common alternative to the Atwood.

The Propex would have longer blower runs which is nice in the evening (if you spend the long dark hours inside) since you do not feel a chill while the blower is going. The Atwood would heat the camper faster in the morning if you sleep with the furnace off (and so remove the deep chill quicker). Check the Propex installation manual for minimum duct specifications which may have space consequences (see the Propex web site).