Heating Modifications

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Hanr3

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 5, 2012
Posts
392
Location
Central Illinois
Hello All,

Last November during deer hunting camp I got to test out the Heating system on the camper. We had 30 degree temps most of the week and a couple of inches of snow and blowing winds. My camper comes with the Artic package, which basically a heated and enclosed underbelly. While giving the camper a once over prior to the hunting trip I discovered that the basement floor isn't insulated, and neither is the front wall of the basement. There is also no insulation between the basement and floor/bedroom. There are two vents in the bedroom, however they wont do much if the floor is cold.
My initial plan was to insulate the bedroom floor and run a heating duct under the bed. Then I realized my water lines run through the basement and if its not insulated they could freeze. So I needed to insulate the basement. I added a layer of 1" foil backed foam board under the camper basement floor between the I-beams and between the I-Beams and outside walls. Then added a layer of the 1" foam to the inside of the front wall. Sorry no pictures of that install.
I knew from a previous cold weather camping trip that the living room floor was cold too.
I wanted to add heat to under the bed and heat the living room floor. The bed mostly rests in the nose section of the 5er and getting a heating duct in the storage space under it was proving difficult. there is metal frame work in the way and I'm not cutting the trailer frame to run heat.

That doesn't leave me with many options.
I finally decided to place a heat duct under the living room to bedroom step and to run a heat duct into the basement. Heating the basement will keep the water lines from freezing, heat the bedroom floor and heat at least some of the bed area.

first picture was my original heating set-up. One duct running into the two vents in the bedroom floor is visible. What isn't visible is the one vent running under the floor into the living area. It runs over the fresh water tank. I think that is the "heated" underbelly. Well that leaves at least two open spots for more heat lines. Perfect, one for the living room floor and one for the basement.

In the basement area there was a wall that ran the length of the basement and hide the vent line and plumbing lines. I removed that wall and the second pictures show the lines exposed. I boxed in the plumbing lines and boxed in the heat vent line, then added the basement vent and added the step vent.
 

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The set-up got my wife's seal of approval. She is the reason for the camper. I don't mind a tent, even in the winter. However I do have to say the camper is nice and expedites setting up and breaking camp.

We took the camper in January for some warranty repair work and the temps were in the 40's. The heat blowing across the living room floor was nice. Kept the toes nice and toasty while seated on the couch. Plus the heated basement kept the bedroom floor warm and more importantly the bed warm. I had to get up 4 times throughout the night to turn the thermostat down.

This summer I will do something with the exposed tank drain lines. Not sure if I want to build a box around them, or just use heat tape? I have two gray tanks, rear kitchen, and one black tank drain line. the advantage of boxing the lines is protection from a tire blow out. the downside, boxing adds weight. I'd rather not add weight.
 
Hanr3 said:
The set-up got my wife's seal of approval.

Sometimes that's the hardest part of the job ;D ;D

The added vents should help.

Now about those wires laying on the heater....Have you secured them? I would not want wires just laying across a Gas fired heater.
 
Gizmo100 said:
Sometimes that's the hardest part of the job ;D ;D

The added vents should help.

Now about those wires laying on the heater....Have you secured them? I would not want wires just laying across a Gas fired heater.

Great observation. I never thought about the wiring. Thanks!!!
 
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