Propane Question

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ReAnn

ReAnn

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Posts
15
I'm stuck in TX where it's freezing, the rain coming down in buckets and the wind if whipping up to 40 mph.  So staying put but wondering if I run my heater, how much propane does it consume?  A little, a lot?  I bought a small space heater which works fine (and uses the resorts electric) so just wondering if I'll run out of propane really quickly if I use the heater.

ReAnn
 
You don't say if you are in a 5th wheel, TT, or RV.

I find in an RV that the best stategy is to run the electric cube heater all the time in the front of the coach, where much of the heat is lost through the windscreen.  Then I set the propane to come on if the temp falls below an acceptable level.

The problem with the heat pump, is that it really doesn't work well below 42 degrees or thereabouts.  So if it's cold, you HAVE to use the propane, no matter how much it costs.  Or else buy more cube heaters.

ps 86 degrees down here in Florida

Rankjo
 
I know of many parks that don't like electric heaters.. That said.. I agree with the previous post.. I would use the electric in my coach IF that is, it's included in the RENT
 
ReAnn - that's something you are going to need to develop a 'feel' for after using your rig for a while.  We have a 31 gallon propane tank (holds about 25 gallons) and when it is too cold for the heat pump, we could use up an entire tank of propane in 10-14 days with the air temps staying at or below freezing.

Our first choice for heat is the heat pump using the campground's power.  A portable electric heater is a very good option as well.
 
Even when it's still warm enough to use the heat pumps, we'll run the furnace one or two cycles on those mornings (like today) to warm up the floors, the switch back to the heat pumps.  Although an electric heater will keep you warm even in sub-freezing temperatures, it won't keep the bays and holding tanks above freezing, you need the furnace in most RVs to do that.
 
Like the others, we too rely on electric heat as much as we can.  We are volunteering at a Nature Conservancy in south AZ. and can't get anyone to deliver propane.  We have to unhook, and drive to town for propane.  And yes, it goes fast.  But, if the temps are predicted to go low enough to freeze, we run the furnace to protect the plumbing.
 
The furnace is probably the largest propane consumer in your RV, even more than the water heater on propane.  But it is still going to last for "days" rather than "hours" on a full tank of propane. Obviously it varies depending on how large your propane tank is, how large the furnace is and how cold it is, but you aren't going to run dry in a day.
 
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