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Planning first trip in the new MH, weekend, close to home

luberhill
Explorer
Explorer
probably go to a park about an hour away...no hook ups...the furnace is gas but the blower runs off the coach batteries I presume.
Will two one year old deep cycle RV batteries run this all night ?
Or should I bring my Little Buddy heater ? The coach has two smoke detectors and a brand new CO detector
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE
14 REPLIES 14

phillyg
Explorer II
Explorer II
I needed two batteries to keep the furnace going. One only lasted about six hours.
--2005 Ford F350 Lariat Crewcab 6.0, 4x4, 3.73 rear
--2016 Montana 3711FL, 40'
--2014 Wildcat 327CK, 38' SOLD

Boomerweps
Explorer
Explorer
For your maiden voyage, I strongly recommend a full hookup site. That way you can use all your systems to their full capability. You can run your water heater on gas to test, then use electric to save gas. Same for the fridge. You can have nicer showers and no concerns about filling water tanks.
2019 Wolf Pup 16 BHS Limited, axle flipped
2019 F150 4x4 SCrew SB STX 5.0 3.55 factory tow package, 7000#GVWR, 1990 CC Tow mirrors, ITBC, SumoSprings,

tenbear
Explorer
Explorer
IMHO its far better to bundle up at night than try to keep the RV warm. In the morning you can warm up the RV in a pretty short time using the furnace.
Class C, 2004/5 Four Winds Dutchman Express 28A, Chevy chassis
2010 Subaru Impreza Sedan
Camped in 45 states, 7 Provinces and 1 Territory

T18skyguy
Explorer
Explorer
I've never owned an RV that the furnace didn't go on and off every few minutes, especially when it's really cold. Their just not insulated well enough. Plus the furnace is so loud; like a jet engine running. With it's noise, and how much propane it sucks up, I just use electric heaters and run the genny. A really cold night will really kill your propane. Be aware the little buddy heaters do put out carbon monoxide, and propane in the rig makes a lot of moisture, helps to crack a window or two.
Retired Anesthetist. LTP. Pilot with mechanic/inspection ratings. Between rigs right now.. Wife and daughter. Four cats which we must obey.

midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
furnace pulls lot of power , so use it wisely, frig very little ,set up camp as level as the ground will let you. if you use a buddy heater leave a couple windows cracked open. also you could use the buddy till sleep time. P.S a furnace makes a lot of noise.its all a learning thing have fun and laugh off the ruff spots.

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
A very rough rule of thumb, as much as you can have a rule of thumb, is that you get one night per battery if there's not a lot of other major loads involved. Obviously it depends a great deal on how cold it is (and hence how much the furnace needs to run), how warm you have the thermostat set, what sort of battery you have, what sort of furnace you have, and so on and so forth...but I would expect a pair of batteries to be okay for a single night in most any reasonable case.

There are people here who like to be prepared for most any contingency, and that's not necessarily a bad thing at all. There are also some who seem to like to be prepared for any contingency of any contingency, and for any contingency of any contingency of any contingency, and....

SAR_Tracker
Explorer
Explorer
Rather than going to a park with no hookups, stay in your driveway (or street). Especially with a new rig. That way, if you've forgotten anything, or the batteries go down, you have an "out" right at your fingertips.
Rusty & Cheryl
2011 F250 2WD 6.2L Gasser
2008 Weekend Warrior FB2100
"Common sense is in spite of, not the result of, education" - Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
I would not use portable. Battery may last all night. If not start the coach engine and run it for a while. Shut it off and run on batteries.
Yes, I have a set of Hondas and on-board Onan. Boss didn't like genset running under bedroom.
I would never buy another set of Hondas. I would get the Harbor freight units. You could buy two sets there over one set of hondas

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

luberhill
Explorer
Explorer
Yea ive seen the youtube videos on Honda vs Predator...they are quiet. Someone posted here a way to put a T in the onboard gen to fill the portable gas tank.
Not sure if that's a good idea but probably better than carrying a gas can
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE

MDKMDK
Explorer
Explorer
I'm not an expert, but I ran into a guy who had just bought a Predator 2000 at Harbor Freight, had it sitting on the tailgate of his pickup truck at a nearby boondocking location. We were maybe 20 feet away from it, and I could barely hear it running. It wasn't under load which would undoubtedly increase the dB's being produced, but it was quiet for a small portable. I'm thinking Honda-quiet. Think he said it was around $600.
Mike. Comments are anecdotal or personal opinions, and worth what you paid for them.
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????)
2016 Sunstar 26HE, V10, 3V, 6 Speed (sold @ 4600 miles)
2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)

luberhill
Explorer
Explorer
We have a small electric heater and we can always fire up the gen...I am also thinking of buying one of those Honda 2200 invertor gens to have just in case I want real quiet OR I ever run the batteries down so much I cant start the coach.
I know where I can buy a brand new one for 800
2013 Winnebago Sunstar 26HE

MrWizard
Moderator
Moderator
it won't run all night continuous

it will cycle on/off depending on the thermostat setting

(2) good batteries, should be enough

but for a first trip, i would take the buddy heater just for insurance

i have a little heater i carry, just in case.. having a backup is cheap easy way of preventing a problem from ruining a trip
I can explain it to you.
But I Can Not understand it for you !

....

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1997 F53 Bounder 36s

2gypsies1
Explorer
Explorer
Bring the Buddy... just in case โ€ฆ but you should be fine with the batteries for one night. Do you really need to run it all night at this time of year? Have fun!
Full-Timed for 16 Years
.... Back in S&B Again
Traveled 8 yr in a 40' 2004 Newmar Dutch Star Motorhome
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Smoke is one concern...CO2 is more deadly. No buddy heater for me. What AHs do your batteries have? What is your propane heaterโ€™s AH use? Syracuse weather isnโ€™t supposed to drop into the high forties until a week from next Tuesday.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad