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Old 04-10-2016, 10:10 PM   #1
mjammersc
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OK to leave slide partially open?

We just got back from our first outing of the year and mother nature decided we need one more cold snap. Our rig is in its summer storage site and it is supposed to get down to ~29-30 degrees the next couple nights. I was planning on opening one slide ~1 foot to allow the furnace vents to be fully exposed and set the heater to ~45 degrees to keep the belly of the rig warm. I was wondering if it would be an issue only opening the slides just the partial amount and leaving them that way for a couple days. No rain is expected during the time it would be open. I would open it all the way but it might be in the way of other rigs and/or a drive way at the site. Thoughts?
 
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Old 04-11-2016, 02:29 AM   #2
dieselguy
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Use your slide isolator valves and fully open the slide that covers the floor vents. It may be a propane trade-off you are willing to take, but a partially open slide will not seal very well and the furnace will probably run constant.
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Old 04-11-2016, 02:43 AM   #3
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I would think that in addition to not sealing, it would also place a lot of stress on the support mechanism in that when fully extended, the frame is seated against the wall and supports it. I don't think I would leave it partially open, that is my opinion for what it is worth.
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Old 04-11-2016, 02:46 AM   #4
DQDick
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I agree with diesel guy. The air gaps in a partially open slide should be enough to cause the furnace an issue, particularly if there's wind.
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Old 04-11-2016, 04:15 AM   #5
BB_TX
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Are you connected to power? If not, your battery(s) may not last that long.

But I would not worry about 29-30 degrees. It will only be that cold for a oouple hours just before it starts to warm back up for the day. And it would take longer than that for it to cold soak the trailer enough to freeze much of anything.
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Old 04-11-2016, 04:18 AM   #6
rames14
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They are also designed to run with the slides closed. All of our vents are exposed with the slides in.
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Old 04-11-2016, 05:54 AM   #7
Art-n-Marge
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Leave the slide in and don't worry about that vent. The other vents will heat the rig. I'd only worry that the vent being blocked by the floor slide, who knows what the long term affect would be on the underside of the floot covering the vent. Maybe when the slide is out, you can purchase a "low profile vent cover", then the air will be blocked by the cover and not the underside of the slideout's floor.

On the other hand, if you are not living in the unit, don't run anything. It's not like the rig is not supposed to take it. If it were me, I worry more about the furnace running and me not being there to monitor if something goes wrong.
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Old 04-11-2016, 05:54 AM   #8
1retired06
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Not all Floorplans. All our living room vents are covered by the Door Side slide when closed.
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Old 04-11-2016, 06:20 AM   #9
mjammersc
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I was wondering if the slide would seal right if not fully extended - thanks for clarifying.

On our 3160RL, the non door side slide, carpet really, covers about 1/2 of the two vents in the main area. The bedroom one is exposed. I tried the heater yesterday with the slides in before I stored it and the heat on the one I could get to was too hot to put my hand on it and was making the carpet pretty warm and pliable in a couple minutes time which makes me nervous about leaving them partially covered Maybe a vent deflector ( or some quick homemade variant) would work to make it blow out from under the carpet. So if I want to runt he heater, it sounds like my options are to either do the deflectors or the one slide fully extended. I am not worried about the furnace motor or propane use as my battery bank and solar is more than sufficient to keep up with it (did it that way most of this past week on my trip and the amount it would run being set that low is minimal (a few gallons of propane).

The other option is to roll the dice on if it could cold soak it enough to freeze anything in the 3-5 hours it is in the 29-32 degree temp range (assuming the weather station is accurate). Daytime temps are expected in the mid 50s and sunny the next two days (cloudy today). Based upon peoples experience is that a low probability of an issue? I'd prefer, my DW really as she will have to do much of the running to the storage site, would be to let it go assuming it wouldn't have a chance to cold soak enough. If I would have had time and the necessary items on hand Sunday when I got back in town, I would have blown the air lines out and felt much better but schedule and such didn't allow.
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Old 04-11-2016, 10:33 AM   #10
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They are designed to be all the open or all the way closed...JMHO, but I don't think part way open is a good idea.
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Old 04-11-2016, 11:53 AM   #11
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I agree with BB TX a low temp of 29 or 30 degrees for a couple hours will not be enough to freeze a waterline or cause any damage. As long a there is daytime recovery of temperature above freezing it will be fine, IMHO.
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Old 04-11-2016, 12:57 PM   #12
DQDick
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I agree with Darwin and others and if it warms up during the day I'd just leave it. The furnace factory reps at the National Rally in 2012 said never to run the furnace with one or more vents partially covered unless, like us, you've cut another vent or two.
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Old 04-11-2016, 01:59 PM   #13
mjammersc
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Thanks all, I am going to just let it go as the temps will only be at/below freezing for a few hours and the latest forecast is for 30 as the low.
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Old 04-11-2016, 03:02 PM   #14
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We used ours earlier this year and the nighttime temps dropped down similar to what you are expecting. Had no problems with anything and it actually got a bit cooler than what you are expecting. As previously stated I think it would be a long continuos cold streak or an exceptionally cold night that would cause you serious damage.

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Old 04-11-2016, 03:43 PM   #15
chris199
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Agree that those temps for a cpl.hrs should not be an issue.
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