Propane Usage - Montana Owners Club

Y-ASK · 11-30-2007, 10:35 AM

Hi to All,

New owner here and pretty much new to RV'ing. We recently purchased our new Montanna Mountaineer in early Sept. We've gone on three trips and during those trips we've run the furnace for about 8-10 hours straight for a total of about 14 nights. Outside temps went down to around 40 degrees. During out last trip at about 12:30 AM on the last night out we ran out of Propane. We only cooked using the camper propane twice since we've owned it. So is 14 days a reasonable amount of time? The dealership tested and said there is nothing wrong with the system. They filled my tanks which I think they said took about 60 gallons. Seems like an awful lot of propane for only 14 night of usage. Does this sound right?

Y-ASK

boylanag · 11-30-2007, 10:48 AM

Welcome to the forum. We use the small electric, ceramic heaters to assist or replace the the furnace. This saves a ton of propane and, when traveling, we have not been charged for electricity. In the 40 degree weather that you talk of, one in the bedroom and one in the living room is enough for us.

pandew · 11-30-2007, 10:49 AM

you probably have to 2-30 pound tanks which is 14 gallons total and you probably were due to run out of propane. With your system you probably have an automatic switch to a full tank once you run out of propane in one. If your switch is pointing toward one of your tanks and their is a little 'red' flag, you have run out of propane in that tank and you are drawing from the other tank. Time to flip your switch toward the other tank and a 'green' flag should come up. Time to get the empty tank filled and you will never run out

Y-ASK · 11-30-2007, 10:56 AM

So 14 nights seems about right? And it's sold by the pound or gallon? The tanks are pretty tall and I've got two of them. I pretty sure they said both of them were empty. I'm going to have the service guys go over the system with me when I go back to pick my camper from getting serviced.

I'll check into those ceramic heaters but is there any type of after market furnace that runs both on electric and propane?

Y-ASK

richfaa · 11-30-2007, 10:56 AM

The 30 LB propane tank takes 7.25 Gallons of propane.. 2 tanks =14.5 gallons..60 gallons is impossible. Using 2 tanks at the temps you mention sounds about normal.These campers do not hold heat all that well. We just had 1 tank filled at a cost of 18.95. maybe they meant they filled 2 30 lbs tanks....not 60 gallons of propane.....

Y-ASK · 11-30-2007, 11:00 AM

That sounds a lot better. The lady I spoke with at the dealership must have been mistake. She was talking 60 gallons of propane at about $3 per gallon. I thought I was looking at a $180 bill just for propane alone. Thanks for the info. and I'll make sure they don't over charge me for propane.

Y-ASK

snfexpress · 11-30-2007, 11:14 AM

We go about 1 week on 1 tank of propane in the weather you are describing. We also use the stove to cook since too cold to use bbq on 2nd tank.

I posted this in another thread. You may find it informative:

stiles watson · 11-30-2007, 11:51 AM

For those who have a fire place, using it to heat the living area will allow you to cut the thermostat back and conserve propane. Those additional ceramic heaters have the same affect.

However if you are going to go below freezing on the outside temperature, you need the furnace to run to keep your pipes thawed. Electrical heaters will not do that for you. They are not part of your basement warming system.

HughM · 11-30-2007, 11:57 AM

That amount of time and temperture for 2 - 30 lb tanks sounds about right. We have 2 digital ceramic heaters (Walmart, Home Depot) Unless its really cold we use just one and its in the bedroom with the door shut.
I get up first and take the heater down to the lower lever and turn on the propane stove (1 - 2 burners) for 10 minutes. Its toasty warm when Pat gets up.
Hugh

Y-ASK · 11-30-2007, 12:23 PM

Concerning Ceramic Heaters; are we talking about the small $30-$50 models or the larger heaters that heat 300 Sq feet ($297 models)? With kids it looks like I need to heat the entire camper when it gets cold. We do not plan to camp during winter but early spring and mid-late fall may very well work into our camping trips. We live in Maryland so it can get pretty cold at night even when the days stay above 70 degrees.

Y-ASK

TLightning · 11-30-2007, 12:40 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by boylanag

Welcome to the forum. We use the small electric, ceramic heaters to assist or replace the the furnace. This saves a ton of propane and, when traveling, we have not been charged for electricity. In the 40 degree weather that you talk of, one in the bedroom and one in the living room is enough for us.

Same here...especially in CGs where they are paying for the electricity.

CountryGuy · 11-30-2007, 01:21 PM

HughM

Burning stove top burners for heat is frowned on, at least that is what they are always saying up here in ole cold Michigan. When it gets bitter cold they are always running stories on the news about NOT doing this.

5 minutes might not be a problem, but I just think it is a bad practice. Now, if you are heating her tea water, that is another thing all together.

Carol at Al's user ID for the evening.

snfexpress · 11-30-2007, 02:43 PM

Just to add to my previous post, the furnace uses a *lot* of propane. Looking at the chart on the previous page, and anecdotally as well, the furnace running at 1 1/2 to 2 hours per night will last about 7 days (assuming 70-80% efficiency for the furnace in our rigs).

The fireplace (1500 watt heater) only costs about 8 to 9 cents per hour to operate and it really heats the living room and kitchen areas nicely!

ols1932 · 11-30-2007, 03:23 PM

Two weeks in that temperature is about right. We had a propane line plumbed in so that we could run an extra heater. We purchased a 20,000 BTU space heater that really keeps us cozy. We only run the furnace at night when the temps drop down into the freezing range. The space heater doesn't run often during the day because we also run one of those electric "Cube" heaters that we purchased at Camping World. Has 700w and 1500w settings.

Orv

clutch · 11-30-2007, 04:13 PM

We use a small electric heater and it heats our trailer well. Electricity is $0.16 a Kw here in Az. and it is cheaper than running the furnace.

Garin1 · 11-30-2007, 04:36 PM

I am not downing the ceramic heaters. I think they work ok. Personally, I use a oil filled radiant heater(no blower) to suppliment the furnace. Been using this setup for years and usually I just turn the furnace on for about 10-15 minutes and the radiant heater maintains the temps.

Steve and Brenda · 11-30-2007, 04:41 PM

Small heaters and the fireplace are the way to go. We've done time on the road @ 25 degrees and the electric heaters did the job. Only used the furnace when the interior dropped below 65 degrees, still think we had it set too high because cooler temps make sleeping wonderful!!!

jretz · 11-30-2007, 05:12 PM

Alittle of question, but before I open up my fireplace to check, is there a blower fan in the fireplace heating assembly. It does not seem that the heat comes out our fireplace as strong as it should. It is hot in front of the metal grates but it takes awhile to heat up the living room area. With an outside temp of 45 degrees and the fireplace on our heater still keeps kicking on fairly often with the thermostat set at 68 degrees.

boylanag · 12-01-2007, 12:58 AM

We use the $30 ceramic heaters. Two are enough for the rig.

Y-ASK · 12-01-2007, 01:03 AM

Excellent information! Thank you all very much. I look forward to getting my camper back so I can try out some of your suggestions. We don't have a fireplace (PHT332) so I guess we'll need to find a couple of small heaters for the different rooms.

Y-ASK

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