Can I run the furnace if the coach is unlevel?

[AxialFlux]

I'm temporarily parking the RV in our driveway, which is not level enough to use the levelling jacks. We plan on extending the driveway this Spring, and making a level pad just for the RV, but until then, I am wondering if running the furnace is wise? I know we can't use the slideouts, or run the fridge, but I am not sure about the furnace. Starting to get cold, and we are still cleaning/working on the inside of the RV, so it would be nice to have heat!

[Bob Denman]

As long as it's not on it's side...

[Pete'sMH]

Yes it can run fine off level.

[AxialFlux]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

As long as it's not on it's side...

I was gonna say "Yup, the rubber side is down", but since I have a rubber roof...

[AxialFlux]

Originally Posted by Pete'sMH

Yes it can run fine off level.

Thanks!

[ducksface]

I bet it would run on its side.

There are other considerations.
1 the furnace is 12v and will eat up a standard battery in less than half a day so you'll have to recharge daily or more.
2 if you can run an extension cord to a little milk house heater you'll be way ahead over running propane and battery AND the cord will charge the house battery through your converter allowing you to run the furnace without battery worries.

[AxialFlux]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I bet it would run on its side.

There are other considerations.
1 the furnace is 12v and will eat up a standard battery in less than half a day so you'll have to recharge daily or more.
2 if you can run an extension cord to a little milk house heater you'll be way ahead over running propane and battery AND the cord will charge the house battery through your converter allowing you to run the furnace without battery worries.

I do have the RV plugged into power, and have a little ceramic heater that I have been using, however, it doesn't do much.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by AxialFlux

I do have the RV plugged into power, and have a little ceramic heater that I have been using, however, it doesn't do much.

We have a tall-ish one that rotates a bit.
It does OK if you leave it on, but it too never really catches back up to exisitng cold.
The v10 only uses 67/100ths gallon an hour if you want to boost using the dash air.

If you're plugged in you're doing all you can do.

The furnace really will run at stupidly steep angles, probably truly sidewayways.
You can run it while driving any road at any angle with no worries.

[Bob Denman]

You just need to remember that it'll use propane almost as fast as your elected representatives use your money.

[DavidEM]

If you are just turning on the furnace to warm the MH for a few hours so you can do some work, then fine. I bet leaving on a 1,500 watt ceramic heater 24/7 will also warm it up to a nice level unless it is freezing outside. Oh, I see you are in W Virginia so maybe it is freezing.

A 20,000 btu/hr furnace which would be typical for a MH like yours will use 1.5 lbs per hour or about 3/8 of a gallon per hour.

David

[IDguy]

On very cold nights close blinds and slides, too. I run generator a couple hours before bed to ensure fan power.Made 21 degree night Thursday. Uses about 3 gal propane per night.

[Fordste]

I use an Oil Filled heater inside the MH. I just see them safer from causing a fire. I have 2 of them that I put in there and only run them at 50% when it gets down into the 20's, I put the furnace at 40 deg just as a backup.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by AxialFlux

I'm temporarily parking the RV in our driveway, which is not level enough to use the levelling jacks. We plan on extending the driveway this Spring, and making a level pad just for the RV, but until then, I am wondering if running the furnace is wise? I know we can't use the slideouts, or run the fridge, but I am not sure about the furnace. Starting to get cold, and we are still cleaning/working on the inside of the RV, so it would be nice to have heat!

Plug in a ceramic heater if you have electric. That propane furnace will suck propane at any temp below 40.

[CHRIS1u]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

You just need to remember that it'll use propane almost as fast as your elected representatives use your money.

Just camping in moderate cold I was amazed at how fast the propane went. I now am using two small electric heaters...no more than about 15 amps total. I use them when there is an electric hookup in a park and when stored at home. Works fine. The outlets in the RV are on a separate circuit, so I haven't kicked the breaker so far. I do believe adding the propane heater could be necessary in very cold weather, in which case I doubt that the propane would alone be sufficient.

[cavie]

Why can't you use 12 x 12 x 2" wooden blocks and use your leveling jacks??? 1000-s of people do it. cut down 2" X 12" X 8' pt BOARDS.

[Bob Denman]

Cavie is right...
Use boards to build things up to where you have a workable incline.

[nosticks]

To the original poster, yes you can run the furnace but some model RVs block the registers with the slides in.

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I bet it would run on its side.

There are other considerations.
1 the furnace is 12v and will eat up a standard battery in less than half a day so you'll have to recharge daily or more.
2 if you can run an extension cord to a little milk house heater you'll be way ahead over running propane and battery AND the cord will charge the house battery through your converter allowing you to run the furnace without battery worries.

That is a great idea. If it's at your home, just an extension cord with an adapter to plug into the 30 amp connection and your good to go. I'd set the electric heater to a low setting and let the furnace kick on when it gets below 40 degrees or so! Bob Trice

[Down South]

I keep my motorhome stored at the house hooked to to 30 amp service. I use a 1500 watt ceramic heater to keep things from freezing. It keeps up pretty well if the MH has already been heated.
But, we don't have that much freezing weather so I can't say how well it would do if the temps dropped down into the teens.

If it got that cold, I'd run an extension cord from another circuit and run two heaters. As mentioned several times, that furnace will go through a lot of propane.

[paulwadley]

I just returned from Utah where the nights dropped to 16 and the days were 32. We slept in the motor home and I used a small electric heater to supplement the furnace. I kept it on while we were out set at 65 on the furnace. I was plugged into a 110 house outlet the entire time. I ended up using 10 gallons of propane for 8 nights. I also used a small electric blanket.

Paul