Is my basement area heated?

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I tried the Thermo Cube first and found it left the light on in warm weather.  Then I got the programmable Lux and found it works much better.
 
>I tried the Thermo Cube first and found it left the light on in warm weather<<

I've used  two of them in my coach for almost ten years with no problems.
 
John

>Hi Terry - last I saw you guys was Haines I think...<<

Yes ...it was that park overlooking the water, terrible weather as usual.<G>
 
Had a friend that used a Thermo Cube when ever they left the house for awhile in the winter. He had a lamp in the window plugged into it. He got one of those buttons that you put under a light bulb when you screw it in to make it flash. He let the neighbors know that if they saw the lamp flashing in the window to call him.

That told him that something was wrong with the heat in the house and he could call a friend to go over and check it out.
 
We have a 1996 34RQ and the main furnace duct runs almost the intire length of the coach in the basement area. We have  had no problems with temps so far down to 6 above zero. The only thing I do is turn on a 60 watt bulb in the dump bay when temps get below 25 or so as I have had problems with the water in the bathroom, it runs through that bay which is not sealed off from the outside world like the rest are. Right now its 15 outside and the dump bay is 45 degrees. The major downside is the 90 pounds od propane we burn per week. I guess you could melt the north pole is you threw enough propane at it.
 
In freezing weather, our furnace was running at a 50% duty cycle (30 minutes out of every hour) for about 72 degrees room temp and our propane would last about 10-14 days.
 
I just wanted to respond back to my original post and say that I seriously doubt that my holding tank area and the water pump area (in different areas....on opposite sides of the coach) are heated.   ::)

I used an electric heaters set on the 600 watt level to warm both areas, as I didn't trust my trouble light scenario or setup.

The temps encountered were single digits all 5 nights, and the holding areas were steady at mid 30s with the heaters at those outside ambient temperatures.  ::)

If Winnie had an "insulation" upgrade, I believe there would be LOTS of interest in a true 3/4 season motorhome, as it is my opinion that our unit is a 2 Season unit at best.

EDIT:  HEADS UP FRANKO!!  (has the same unit as I do)
 
Mark - sounds like you accommodated single-digit weather quite well  8)

We toured the Travel Supreme factory a couple of summers ago (RIP) and I was amazed at the amount of insulation they could put in as an option - the units I looked at literally looked like a stick built house with wood studs for the inside bulkheads and thick batts under the floor.  TS told me most of the units they produced were custom ordered - very few were for dealer stock.  A TS with optional insulation would be a cold weather rig!

Winnie seems to be very reticent about having complex options - I would like to see an insulation upgrade option, an upgrade for Flexsteel pilot/copilot seats, a 'boondocker' option with two or three hundred watts of solar, etc.  I think Winnie tries to walk a fine line of offering a product line that appeals to a majority of buyers while keeping the profit margins healthy.  I believe the more choices a buyer is offered, the thinner the ultimate profit margin becomes.
 
John....Yes, Winnebago has cornered the market (in my opinion) with the mass produced assembly line motorhomes, with one of the strongest roof structures in the market.  They are definately known in the industry as having "weak" insulation R-values, although they're structurally solid.

They offer dual pane windows, they should also offer a "Winter" package. Winnebago upgraded the basement air to a larger capacity for 2009 to offset the low R-values, so they could at least offer (as an option at least) a Winter package.

My 2001 HR Vacationer had 8 layers of various insulation in the roof, and 4 in the sidewalls....STANDARD.

Just a thought! (hint!)
 
Mark,
Thanks for the followup. I have put on my spring upgrade list to run outlets to the water service bays, adding a thermostat type plug adapter and
a small ceramic heater to each. We are heading to Alaska come June so I want to be prepared for abnormal weather conditions.
Guess I am showing my Boy Scout training.
Frank O.
BTW -- Did you have sub-zero nights. We had some cold nights (single digits)  on the front range but nothing notable.
 
Frank, we ran an extension cord directly from the hookup post to the 600 watt (low setting) of one of the basement space heaters, and just plugged in the curb side basement heater in the outside motorhome plug next to the entertainement center.

To run small space heaters INSIDE, I used the washer and dryer plug for one of the 1500 watt space heaters, and the Microwave plug for the other 1500 watt heaters. 

REMEMBER:  all the plug recepticals of your motorhome are on ONE 15 AMP CIRCUIT, and it will trip all night if you have heaters in both basement areas AND a heater inside...because they would ALL be on the same circuit.

Im going to install a receptical in both my basement areas and run a SEPARATE wire to a NEW breaker.....this summer!

PS...took an extra hour going home was we had to go over Hoosier Pass during almost white out conditions...towing our toad!  It might have gotten down to near  zero one or two nights.....I was cautious about only the "trouble light" heating method, hence the space heaters on LOW setting.
 
Mark, If I can figure out how to snake the wires to the Power Center then I too will add a new circuit breaker for the added outlets which will be GFI. Inside Space Heaters will only be run in the morning upon wake up. We like it cool in the MH at night so I doubt that I will be running the heat but then again if the weather is
really cold then all bets are off.
Thanks for the info as it is very helpful to discuss issues/solutions with someone who has the same FloorPlan and setup. Given that we live and camp in the same area sharing info is invaluable.
Frank O.
 
I went through the same thought process, thinking I would need to add a new breaker.  Instead I tapped into the outlet in the entertainment center on the passenger side and added an outlet in the water compartment.  I have found that running a 60 watt light bulb is more than sufficient, assuming you have the gaps around the water and sewer hoses filled.  And, the 60 watt bulb does not cause the breaker to trip, unlike a space heater.
 
LK23, If you fill the gaps around the sewer/water lines don't you run the risk of insulating not only from the cold but also the heat you are trying to apply to the lines?
Frank O.
 
In freezing weather, I disconnect my water line and leave the sewer hose in place.  I use foam insulation to seal the gaps around the sewer hose and fill the water hose exit hole.

If you leave the water hose connected it will definitely freeze.  No amount of heat from the water compartment will keep it from freezing.
 
FrontrangeRVer said:
I want to add that I have insulated both compartment insides with that aluminum faced bubble wrap stuff, and hang trouble lights in both compartments when the temps are below 25 degrees or so.

I just can't trust that the furnace heats those areas!  ???
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I think I would try using Super Tuff-R insulation for the compartment. It's a closed cell polyisocyancurate foam core insulation with heavy foil backing. It comes in 1/2" to 1/" thickness with r-values of 3.3 to 6.5 . You can use a contact cement made for this foam or stick pins. We use both when reinsulating comm. airhandeling equipment. Then lock down the seams with a good comm. grade foil tape (2" to 3" wide). This will give you a durable surface that can be cleaned and or sanatized in case of mold etc..   
 
LK23 said:
I tried the Thermo Cube first and found it left the light on in warm weather.  Then I got the programmable Lux and found it works much better.

One comment on the Lux Win100 Programmable Outlet Thermostat mentioned above: it is a nice unit, but be aware that it can only be set in the 45? - 90? F range. I was counting on having it turn on a lightbulb or mini-heater in a basement compartment at around 32? or so, and then shut it off at maybe 35?. It won't do that, because you cannot set temperatures in the low 30s. I didn't find this out until I cut it out of its packaging and actually started programming it. This info is not on the selling website, the outside of the package, or even the instruction sheet within!  It is a great product in the living area, however, if you plug your favorite electric room heater into it and program it for 4 time periods through the day, including setback at night.

So I am trying the Thermo Cube TC-3 in my basement now, which turns on at 35 and off at 45.  I haven't had it in operation long enough to comment on its accuracy or reliability, yet.
 
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