propane question

[ron halverson]

I have a 1995 coleman utah i purchased used it has a hydrofllame furnace .I have never had a furnace before was wondering how much propane it uses or how long will the propane tank run the furnace approximately . thanks planning a trip to gatlinburg in dec want to make sure i have enough propane

[haroldPE]

Welcome to popups!

Liq Propane contains 21500 BTU's per pound.  
Our furnace is 17,000 BTU's - not sure what your's is, but probably similar.
You will ususally get around 18 lbs in your tank.

So 18 * 21500 / 17000 = 20 hours or so.*
*Less any other usage: grill, stove, etc.

Back when we used it, the furnace might take 1/4 tank per night.  Depends on temperature, your comfort level, etc.

We now use 120v ceramic heaters at electric-supplied campsites, so a single propane tank will last us over 40 nights camping.

Good luck!

[ron halverson]

that would be if it ran continuosly correct

[sacrawf]

The propane useage will vary considerably upon the outside temperature, wind speed, how high you set the thermostat and whether you are supplementing with electric heat.  As I only have a single tank on the camper, to make sure I don't run out, I just keep a full extra propane tank setting on the ground next to the camper hitch.  If I run out, I can quickly run outside and switch the hose to the extra tank in the night.  Then, the next day the empty can be refilled or exchanged.  I transport the extra tank in the truck bed secured with a rubber transport "foot" and secured with bungee cords.

I have a 1995 coleman utah i purchased used it has a hydrofllame furnace .I have never had a furnace before was wondering how much propane it uses or how long will the propane tank run the furnace approximately . thanks planning a trip to gatlinburg in dec want to make sure i have enough propane

[AustinBoston]

that would be if it ran continuosly correct

Yes, that would be 20 hours continuous.  Unless it were really, really cold, or you set your thermostat to 80

[tlhdoc]

Like the others have said, it depends on the environment and your settings.  If you will have electric hookups I recommend using/supplementing the furnace with an electric heater.  

[ScouterMom]

It's also nice to have those electric mattress pad on your beds - I just picked two double bed ones up for use in our camper at $19 each!  They are not the ones that COME with the newer campers, but ones intended for home use. But they work the same way - basically and electric blanket in a mattress pad UNDER you, instead of in a blanket OVER you. With electric blankets, you have to be careful not to fold them or tuck them in - hard to do in a camper. Electric Mattress pads are meant to have people weight on them,  (the wires don't break as easily) and they don't get quite as hot as the blankets do. They are also 'zoned' - more heat at your feet and less at your head.

I've had one on my bed at home for 3yrs now, and they are GREAT! I have taken it OFF my bed at home and taken it camping with us (in tents) at electrical sites a couple of times, and it kept us toasty warm at night in the tents on an air mattress on the ground. these trips were in November and October in middle to northern WI.  Night temps at or below freezing.

I used to have a small PUP that did not have a furnace, and I used a small electric heater.  it kept us toasty warm in the camper - especially nice when getting dressed, or having meals - or when sitting at the table playing board games...

But the heat did not always reach to the outside edges of the fold-out beds.  We have always been avid tent campers and because of winter scout camping, have good quality Winter sleeping bags, so this was not a problem for us. But if you only have regular sleeping bags, or if it gets really cold, those bunks can be chilly around the edges!  

If your family is not used to cold weather camping, and you are just starting them camping, I'd do whatever possible to keep them toasty so they don't get 'turned off' by getting cold while camping.

Also - no matter how tired you (or especialy the kids!) are, or how cool the PUP is when you get back to it after a day of activities,  - take off ALL your clothes before you go to bed and put on clean, DRY clothes to sleep in.  This is a lesson learned the hard way thru scouting by MANY of my young scouts.  You may FEEL dry - but as soon as that temp drops about 2 am, the tiny bit of sweat in your socks and clothes will make you MISERABLY clammy and chilled for the rest of the night.

My current camper has a furnace, which I haven't yet had a chance to test! We have used my portable 'mr Buddy' heater in it, and it worked great.  But I also prefer to take the electric mattress pads - and then my furnace probably won't be needed at night.  

I also recommend getting a CO2 detector. I've had Carbon Dioxide poisoning, and it isn't fun!  In College, my fiance and his roomate lived in a house trailer off campus .  We ALL got some kind of flu we just couldn't shake. I could push my fiance, Mike, to come over to my dorm for some real meals sometimes, but his roomate, Rick, never wanted to leave his bed, he felt so bad. I wasn't as sick as the guys were, & I figured out that my headache would get BETTER when I was away from the trailer. So I went to the infirmary, thinking it was something in their food (Their kitchen was disgusting!)  - they figured out it was CO2 poisoning.  The school called the gas co to check the trailer, and the furnace had a crack in the heat exchanger! they got them temp housing and the landlord installed a new furnace.  It almost killed Rick - he was in the infirmary for a few days - he'd had the most exposure as he almost never left the trailer.

 PUP's aren't exactly airtight, and you'd probably be fine, But I'd rather be safe - esp with kids and pets along!



Laura

[AustinBoston]

I also recommend getting a CO2 detector. I've had Carbon Dioxide poisoning, and it isn't fun!  In College, my fiance and his roomate lived in a house trailer off campus .  We ALL got some kind of flu we just couldn't shake. I could push my fiance, Mike, to come over to my dorm for some real meals sometimes, but his roomate, Rick, never wanted to leave his bed, he felt so bad. I wasn't as sick as the guys were, & I figured out that my headache would get BETTER when I was away from the trailer. So I went to the infirmary, thinking it was something in their food (Their kitchen was disgusting!)  - they figured out it was CO2 poisoning.  The school called the gas co to check the trailer, and the furnace had a crack in the heat exchanger! they got them temp housing and the landlord installed a new furnace.  It almost killed Rick - he was in the infirmary for a few days - he'd had the most exposure as he almost never left the trailer.

Just a technical point - that was carbon MONoxide (CO), not carbon DIoxide (CO2).  It's a very easy mistake to make, and the only way I know to avoid making it is to memorize it.  While carbon dioxide can be fatal, the symptoms are much more like suffocation than flu, which is why it seldom does - carbon dioxide poisoning is immediately and obviously a problem with the air, while traces of CO make you think you have the flu and larger quantities will just put you to sleep forever.

Austin

[TroutBum]

Our furnace barely uses any propane at all.  We leave it off at night, and DW kicks me out of my sleeping bag to go and turn it on in the AM before she gets up.  

(the linoleum is very cold in the morning) :frosty:

btw... where will you be camping in Gatlinburg?