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Old 09-11-2022, 03:15 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by Cummins12V98 View Post
Problem here is we are talking two different animals!!! Motorhomes are NOT the same as a DRV RV 5er that this topic is being posted in.
Yup I now see that ....solly

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Old 09-11-2022, 07:42 AM   #22
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Problem here is we are talking two different animals!!! Motorhomes are NOT the same as a DRV RV 5er that this topic is being posted in.
That’s what I was thinking but not ever owning a motor home I wasn’t sure and I’m up for input from anyone. This thing is way above any travel trailer I have ever owned for insulation and comfort during either cold or hot weather. I’m now in south Florida (average highs upper 90s) and my old travel trailer was 37’ and would be struggling with both AC units trying to keep it cool. The DRV 5er is running one pretty steady and the other might cycle twice an hour for less than 5 minutes.
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Old 09-11-2022, 07:56 AM   #23
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I work on the road and pretty much live in this 5er and it’s as close to a house as I have owned by far. I stayed in a 27’ 97 coachman one winter while hunting in TN and the temp plunged into the single digits. The heat would come on and get toasty but you dreaded when it went off because you could sit there and the temperature would drop like a rock. I went through one 30# bottle a night so I understand some peoples thoughts on the matter.
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Old 09-11-2022, 01:36 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by Caminonut69 View Post
That’s what I was thinking but not ever owning a motor home I wasn’t sure and I’m up for input from anyone. This thing is way above any travel trailer I have ever owned for insulation and comfort during either cold or hot weather. I’m now in south Florida (average highs upper 90s) and my old travel trailer was 37’ and would be struggling with both AC units trying to keep it cool. The DRV 5er is running one pretty steady and the other might cycle twice an hour for less than 5 minutes.
Just wait you WILL be wishing you had three AC's.

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Old 09-11-2022, 02:33 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by Cummins12V98 View Post
NOT TRUE!!! Still WAYYY less expensive than Propane. I have a metered site in CA and exclusively use my Cheap Heat over Propane.
I don't think so, electricity is certainly not WAYY less expensive than propane. Here are some geeky calculations and numbers for pure electric heat vs propane, based on 15 cents per kWh and $4.00 per gallon:

Electric heat is almost 100% efficient as all of the heat enters the living area unlike gas heat. So 100,000 btu delivered to the living area requires 100,000/1000/3.4 = 29 kWh or $4.40.

Propane gas heat loses about 25% in the combustion and heat transfer from flue gas to hot air. So 100,000 btu requires 100,000/.75 = 133,000 btu of gross heating value and at 91,500 btu/gallon this means 133,000/91500 = 1.5 gallons of propane. At $4.00/gallon that costs 1.5*4= $6.00.

So, in summary electricity at $.15/kWh costs $4.40 for 100,000 btu delivered and for the same heating propane costs $6.80. Ratio these numbers for your own power/fuel costs. In my area of NW Connecticut we pay 23 cents per kWh and about $4.00/gal for propane, so my costs are a little higher for electricity than propane. SoCal has about the same electricity costs as NW Ct.

Sure electricity is easier as it is always there if you are plugged in. But it is almost as easy to arrange for a local propane supplier to refill your propane tanks periodically, so you don't have to move.

David
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Old 09-11-2022, 04:32 PM   #26
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My Houston came with 3 AC units. The only time I’ve used all 3 was when I first set it up down here in FL. The 5ver cooled right off and I haven’t used it since.
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Old 09-11-2022, 07:18 PM   #27
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Dan so you would rather lug around the tanks to be filled and pay more for Propane?
No, not a fan of lugging propane tanks to be refilled but in my experience propane had been cheaper than electricity. I guess I need to put a pencil to that equation once again.

When we're on short term stays I ALWAYS use the Cheap Heat (in cold situations), like I said earlier. LOVE the Cheap heat!!!!

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Old 09-12-2022, 12:19 AM   #28
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Just wait you WILL be wishing you had three AC's.

Forget the 3 AC units I want that garage Cummins
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Old 09-12-2022, 12:37 AM   #29
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Propane has typically sold for less than $1 per gallon in the Midwest in 100 gallon or more deliveries, cheaper if contracted

Now that has changed in the past year with Propane pushing 3 bucks

So far only abut 15% increase in electric in our area, two increases, one being the Texas disaster

Natural gas here is approximately double per therm

So now electric is very close to Propane if on 240v resistance

Heat pumps are the way to go for split units however rv units are only good to about freezing
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Old 09-12-2022, 02:00 AM   #30
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FYI, that pic Cummins posted is from when his DRV was being set up by Rolling Retreats in Elk City OK.

Wouldn't we all want a garage like that?

Dan
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Old 09-12-2022, 03:59 PM   #31
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FYI, that pic Cummins posted is from when his DRV was being set up by Rolling Retreats in Elk City OK.

Wouldn't we all want a garage like that?

Dan

YES I wish I had that shop with a 12k two post lift and room for the DRV besides.
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Old 09-14-2022, 06:08 PM   #32
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Metro Detroiter here...

As a life long Metro Detroiter, I can tell you that January can be brutal, with below zero temps and always the chance of feet, not inches, of snow.

I have not been RVing for that long, but the thought of being in anything closely resembling an RV in January around here gives me the chills... no pun intended.

Just my $.02
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Old 03-19-2023, 07:27 PM   #33
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A little late posting but I just spent all of this winter in Wyoming and I'm impressed with how my DRV faired. I didn't have time to skirt it but parked a few trailers around it to block the wind. I did use some electric heaters to help offset propane use that worked great, but realized that you need propane heat to keep the belly worm enough to prevent freezing. For those who are hatter's then you have never stayed in a DRV unit. I hooked into a propane tank with just over 200 gallons in it and I'm still using it, but waiting any day now for it to run dry. I wouldn't expect the cheap heat unit to use anymore power then the electric heaters I've already been using , so I'm not sure why one poster is hateful, I guess he wasn't loved and expects that everyone else should feel his hate? This site is for open exchange of thoughts and ideas. If you are full of hate then you need to get help from a professional. Just saying!
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Old 03-19-2023, 07:43 PM   #34
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I should add that, yes there were days it was a little uncomfortable. Those were the days when the heat pumps were providing all the heat and the floor would get cold.
I needed to remind myself that the settlers that came west did it in covered wagon's and they did it when it was winter. Trappers stayed in log cabins in the mountains through their lives. I guess being a little uncomfortable in a luxury RV is the least of my worries. ��
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Old 03-20-2023, 04:02 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by 2cowboy@duck.com View Post
A little late posting but I just spent all of this winter in Wyoming and I'm impressed with how my DRV faired. I didn't have time to skirt it but parked a few trailers around it to block the wind. I did use some electric heaters to help offset propane use that worked great, but realized that you need propane heat to keep the belly worm enough to prevent freezing. For those who are hatter's then you have never stayed in a DRV unit. I hooked into a propane tank with just over 200 gallons in it and I'm still using it, but waiting any day now for it to run dry. I wouldn't expect the cheap heat unit to use anymore power then the electric heaters I've already been using , so I'm not sure why one poster is hateful, I guess he wasn't loved and expects that everyone else should feel his hate? This site is for open exchange of thoughts and ideas. If you are full of hate then you need to get help from a professional. Just saying!
What you might be noticing is that people chime in with answers and do not realize that they are posting in a DRV section. As they look at new posts and do not look at the details as to what they are posting about. RVs are not all the same. Heck, not all 5th wheels are the same. Certain year, make and models can have certain corks about them. This is the point of subgroups, it keeps related information in one place. You are new here, welcome, but this has been going on for a while and is frustrating having other people trying to be helpful, but it inserts incorrect information. It’s like you’re an Orange posting about apples.
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Old 03-22-2023, 01:09 PM   #36
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That's why I posted here lol.

I posted here to get some real world advice from a DRV owner. I know that it won't be as comfortable as a home but I've stayed in some pretty cold weather with it so far. Not Wyoming cold but down in the upper single digits. Thanks for the reply from Wyoming which gets pretty cold.
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Old 03-24-2023, 06:40 AM   #37
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Cold weather usage

Spent this winter in Colorado in our DRV. Not as bad as Michigan or Wyoming but still gets cold. The DRV is way nicer in cold weather (or very hot weather) than our previous Heartland. We rented a 100 lb propane cylinder to keep from having to constantly fill tanks. The heat pumps are pretty useless once it gets much below freezing. Space heaters & electric fireplace will keep the space warm but nowhere near as comfortable as running the furnace. Having the furnace ducts just below the floor helps keep the floor warm and the space feels much more comfortable and less drafty. Also, running the furnace keeps the pipes from freezing.

After reading all reviews and doing my research on CheapHeat, I’m definitely going to install CheapHeat on my furnace before next winter. We’ve stayed and worked in some small towns where the only places with hookups are small mom & pop type parks and propane is not always available nearby. I want to have the option to run my furnace all electric if I choose.
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Old 03-24-2023, 12:37 PM   #38
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We've been in Mesa for the last two months and have been using the Cheap Heat practically ever night here! It's been "unusually cool' here this year, the nights get into the mid 40's a lot of nights! LOVE that Cheap Heat!!!

Dan
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Old 03-30-2023, 12:08 AM   #39
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Ken talked me into getting the cheap heat when I bought my Houston from RVs for less. That’s been my best investment on this rv. I use very little propane. The Truma water heater uses most of it and when I cook. I can tell the biggest difference between this one and my last travel trailer when I forget to turn the heat on when I go to bed. It stays warm a lot longer than my other one. Also I just found out it has the automatic feature in the thermostat so I just keep it on a set temp all the time.
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Old 04-01-2023, 09:22 PM   #40
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Looks like I will be going to south Detroit Michigan in January for work. I hate motel rooms and thought about taking the RV as I have a place to park it. I would like to know if anyone is using theirs for cold weather camping and any pointers you might have.

The wife and I have been living full-time in our 2010 Mobile Suites TKSB3 now for almost 12 years. When we ordered ours, we specified that we wanted two 15K A/C units with heat pumps and what was then called the "Canadian Package." That package has two 30,000 btu furnaces instead of just one 40-some thousand BTU furnace.


After retirement, we traveled for about 4 years, but we stayed in one place or another for months. In each place, we leased a larger LPG tank so that I didn't have to shuffle 40# cylinders, and as an added bonus, the leased tanks all had gauges to tell how much LPG we had. In those 12 years, we have experienced temperatures ranging from 115 degrees and down to -16 degrees and have been comfortable inside. To clarify a bit, 115 degrees saw me sitting in a pair of shorts with no shirt on to be really comfortable. At about zero degrees, the hot water line from the water manifold to the kitchen sink tends to freeze, but because of it being PEX line, no breakage or leaks. At the -16 degrees, we did have to shut off water because the outside lines froze, so we moved into our son's house for a few days.


We have never skirted our DRV, although we are now going to be living in the RV park where we are now for a long time. We don't plan on traveling again with the RV. We do supplement with the fireplace heat and stand-alone Lasko electric heaters during the day and then rely on LP furnace heat at night. With the Canadian Package, the living room furnace leaves us comfortable at night and keeps the underbelly warm. I use a wireless thermometer system and have never seen the underbelly get much below 40 degrees.


Now, have written all of that, I guess a lot depends on how long you will be up there. For most LPG tank leases, they want a lease for 1 year, which we pay $99 for and then purchase the LPG. Living in Oklahoma, we generally only have to refill the 250 gallon tank twice a year.


So, that is most of our experience with living through the winters in Colorado, SW Oregon, southern Utah, and central Oklahoma. If you are going to rely on 40# cylinders, I also suggest a Truma Propane Level Check device.


Truma Propane LevelCheck


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