Siberian Icebox |
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RoadToad
Groupie Joined: 18 Nov 2015 Location: Ninilchik Online Status: Offline Posts: 46 |
Topic: Siberian Icebox Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 2:00pm |
Driving south from Alaska to Texas. We’re in Toad River, BC. Last nite it was -20°F, our propane furnace would run 10-15 minutes- then shut off before reaching thermostatic setting. Anybody know why this might occur? 2015 R179. We’d like a little warmth tonite while passing thru this Siberian Icebox called northern BC. RoadToad <corax50@gmail.com>
No service here- I’ll check mail in a few hours at another wifi hotspot down road. PS- THANX! In advance to whomever may help us. |
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2015 RP179
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WillThrill
Senior Member Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 298 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 3:42pm |
It could be an issue with the thermostat, and it could be an issue with the furnace itself. Something in the furnace may be overheating and causing it to shut down prematurely. I wouldn't have the skills needed to test it; you will likely need to take it to an RV repair shop.
Unless you can get it fixed, I would highly recommend that you get a small propane heater that can be run from 1 lb. bottles, 20 lb. tanks, or both. Mr. Buddy has several models that do this very well and safely. Just crack open the vent in the bathroom while running it. You should be able to find this type of heater at any many stores, especially hardware stores.
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"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien
2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 07 Apr 2016 Location: Greenbrier, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 3419 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 4:58pm |
+1 - have a backup plan to your on board systems, heat especially. Furnace is a stand alone system, Mr. Buddy with one pound tanks ensures you have heat until you can determine furnace issues. Even minimal heat is good.
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Mike Carter
2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
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voisj
Senior Member Joined: 19 Jul 2016 Location: San Luis Obispo Online Status: Offline Posts: 471 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 5:30pm |
I had my furnace run off and on all night every 10 minutes while boondocking in 12 degree weather. It was a long night. The pod is just not insulated well enough to warm it up and hold it in these temps (-20) for more than 10 minutes. I finally just turned on the generator at 4am and plugged in my ceramic heater. I bought a small propane heater just in case for next time. Are your tanks all empty or frozen?
cheers John
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Keith-N-Dar
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 03 Apr 2011 Location: Mayville, WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 7:01pm |
I haven't studied the onboard heater in Pods, so this may not be accurate. Home systems that I have worked with have a bonnet switch to sense the air temp in the plenum leaving the furnace. If it gets to hot the furnace shuts down until the temp returns to normal. The fan runs during this short cycling. It can happen if the output or return air vents are partially or fully blocked. In our Pod the heat comes from the furnace and is vented into the Pod from a space under the bed. This happens to also be a great place to store things. We have laundry baskets that fit into this space that we use to store our clean clothes. We make sure that the baskets are removed before we run the furnace.
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Keith-N-Dar
Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 8:34pm |
For our 179, I purchased a fan that could be run on a 12V adapter or on batteries. O2-cool is one brand. I had originally purchased a similar RoadPro model that had 3 blades. I found an O2-cool one at my local Staples at a very reasonable price. While it technically runs on 9V (6 D-cell batteries), the 12V adapter I used with my RoadPro works with it and it just runs faster and a little louder. On the D-cell batteries, it is very quiet. I set the fan up at the opening of the recess where the heater is. I put it near the drawers. It pulls the hot air out from under the bed. I have not had any problem with the heater short-cycling.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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WillThrill
Senior Member Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 298 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 9:03pm |
I too suspect that a lack of ventilation and/or a faulty internal thermostat in the furnace is the culprit.
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"Not all those who wander are lost." Tolkien
2014 Hood River 177 2005 GMC Envoy XL |
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SteveA
Groupie Joined: 19 Jul 2017 Location: Sandpoint Id Online Status: Offline Posts: 56 |
Posted: 03 Dec 2017 at 10:59pm |
Bought this years ago for our Dynamax 36' XL as we boon docked a good deal of the time. Was plenty enough to keep it warm at night down to 30 degrees, haven't used it yet in the Pod but have to believe it will be more than plenty. I plumbed it into the stove feed on our 179. Very quite and extremely efficient. |
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Iceworm
Newbie Joined: 13 Dec 2016 Online Status: Offline Posts: 7 |
Posted: 04 Dec 2017 at 11:59pm |
Roadtoad, good luck with your adventure. You are brave. Last year we towed our 179 up the Alcan in November and it was brutal. About 3000 miles of ice roads from Washington. Temps were a little warmer than what you are experiencing. Very few places to tuck into for the evening. We had retroflexed the windows while in Idaho, but condensation was still an issue. The heater would take a couple hours to get up to temp but then stay fairly comfortable. Heater seemed to run about twice as long as the off cycle. This November we left it and the tow vehicle in Penna. and flew back to Delta Junction Alaska and will fly outside and bring it back in April. Again good luck, and the Lord be with you.
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 09 Dec 2017 at 3:57pm |
At -20F, you don't have enough surface area in a 5 gallon tank to evaporate fast enough to maintain gas flow.
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