Fireplace?? - Page 2 - Montana Owners Club

paulrem · 08-04-2005, 06:15 PM

Model Railroading and RVing. Nice combination. Have been involved for over 30 years. both modeling and chasing the big ones. Now a coffee table with an "n" gauge train in the top, next project. Thanks for the Idea.

scrowba · 08-05-2005, 01:40 AM

The fireplace gives you that "sittin in the den" feeling. Would not get another one without it.

richfaa · 08-05-2005, 03:20 AM

Well .... sometimes we don't even set up our Satellite Dish or use the WIFI and we will even use a "roadmap" instead of the GPS. Even built a fire once without using a railroad flare. Now sitting it front of a fake fire, watching satellite TV, online via WIFI and plotting the next leg of the trip Via GPS... In A/c comfort. with a bag of popcorn popping in the microwave,whatever happened to roughing it... I'm going out and chop some wood..If I only had a axe....

dsprik · 08-05-2005, 03:44 AM

That's funny! In 1966, my parents decided to take a family trip out west. We lived in G.R., MI at the time. My dad was a big believer in tenting. We packed up all of our gear in a 14' boat, tarped it and towed it with a 1964 VW Bug (not bus). My mom & dad with me (15), my brother (13), my sister (12) and other sister (8) set off and stayed in KOAs from IA, MN, SD, WY, MT. We stayed in Yellowstone for a week before heading back to MI via Glacier Nat Park, ND, MN, WI, the UP of MI. How we did that, I have no idea. Stayed one rainy night in a hotel in SD ~ thought we were in heaven.

By the way, Rich ~ I haven't even SEEN an axe in years!

Dustytuu · 08-05-2005, 04:57 AM

Our new Monty didn't have a fireplace but we had one installed before we picked up the Monty. Love it! We have done some cold weather traveling and with the fireplace on the furnace doesn't kick on as much. Saves on propane too. We wouldn't have a unit without one.
We haven't noticed a lack of storage. We have some cabinets empty.

richfaa · 08-05-2005, 05:00 AM

On our latest trip we were tooling down the interstate in the brand new F-350SD CC/LB, Dually, Lariat, Leather seats,Vibrating drivers chair, A/C, CD player/Two cell phones/GPS/ Computer WIFI or Phone connection, Cb radio, reclining seat, Cruise control,,We looked at each other and laughed like crazy...A long way from a beat up Ford pickup with a tent/ backpack and a bunch of Coleman gear loaded in the rear. Yea..we will have the fireplace..because we can....

Parrothead · 08-05-2005, 06:33 AM

richfaa
I so agree. After all the Montana is luxury as far as camping goes so why not have it all. I tent camped for years and this is far different.
Happy trails...................

sreigle · 08-05-2005, 12:42 PM

Dave and Cheryl, the fireplace was an option on ours and I would love to have one. However, since we are fulltiming we had to make some choices. One was the storage space vs the fireplace. Each has its pros and cons. We opted for the storage space. There are cool mornings the fireplace would be nice but we make do with an electric heater (to save propane). My peronal opinion is this is purely a personal choice. There is no wrong answer on this one in my opinion. If you don't need the extra storage then I would opt for the fireplace.

dsprik · 08-05-2005, 04:23 PM

Thanks, everyone! I guess I should sit down with Cheryl and see just how much storage we will need. That will be a tough one, though!

rlwhit · 08-06-2005, 01:44 PM

This ain't camping anymore folks. Am laughing with Rich. This is style and loving it. The 1st of Sept. we leave for 10 days interior of B.C. Canada at a lake I used to camp at 33 years ago. The firplace will make the whole trip, trout ar not.

mfoss · 08-07-2005, 07:04 AM

We have a 2005 3400RL. We've only used it four nights total and then dropped it off at the dealer's for a few minor things. When we were going over our list with the service manager we asked if there was a fan on the fireplace. He said yes, there should be one. Well, we had tried every button there but we could find nothing. He said he would check it out. Now we have the Monty home and on the service papers it says that the fireplace was checked out and everything was operating normally (or words to that effect). Some friends were here last night who have the same model and we took them out to look at ours as they said they had a fan on theirs. The only different looking thing about our fireplace, they said, was that ours has wood around the outside and theirs is black. They couldn't find any control for a fan on ours either and couldn't really remember where their control was! My question---is there suppose to be a fan or not? The wood gets pretty hot feeling when the unit is on for a long time! We have one of those little 6" ceramic heaters that really heats things up in a hurry so that helps alot. Fan or not I wouldn't part with my fireplace!! Also, I have read on the forum where some will say their unit was made in the first part of the year and others say the second half of the year. Where does it say exactly when it was manufactured and do you think this is something (fan) they either decided to quit or to add? Thanks!

Parrothead · 08-07-2005, 07:34 AM

We have the first half of year 3400. We have wood around our fireplace and there is a fan. There are two toggle switches and 2 knobs. The one toggle switch is really hard to see, it is clear to the right. Ours gets a little warm around the edges also. We had a piece of paper that listed various components installed, serial numbers and such, and listed the date of manufacture. Ours was made in May and we purchased in September 04 but it is an 05. After that there were several changes made in the 05 3400. Some I like, some I don't. I don't think they would have discontinued the fan as long as there is a heater, doesn't make sense. You hardly hear the fan so maybe it is there and you just can't hear it. It is not real strong either.
Happy trails................

TheCoachPotatoes · 08-07-2005, 09:05 AM

We appreciate the comments regarding the fireplace fan. We thought there was no fan on ours so we weren't going to use the heater. Thanks to what we just read, we went out to our 3670 and we were wrong. Our 2005 3670 has two rocker switches. The one on the far right is the on and off for the whole fireplace unit. The one on the far left operates the heater. There is a knob next to this for temperature. The fan is so quiet and not real powerful, so it is hard to hear.
You can find out when your Monty was manufactured by looking at the tag located on outside, driver's side by propane door.

Al and Nita
2005 3670 RL
2003 Chevy Dually

mfoss · 08-07-2005, 09:14 AM

Well I'll be!!! Thanks, Parrothead! We have a fan! The service guy had to have done something because we didn't have it before. As you said it's not all that strong but it will certainly be better than not having one. Our toggles and switches are all black. I also wonder if my hubby left the louvered cover down instead of closed so that the heat was not directed away from the wood-------MUST have been him! Now to check the papers to see when it was manufactured. By the way, our washer/dryer still sits in the garage--the plumber hasn't shown up!

Parrothead · 08-07-2005, 01:27 PM

Marilyn
Did you check DiananColin's pictures out on their w/d hook-up. They vent where we decided we will if we do. Next to the basement door. The door to the Monty will hide it if the door is open but there is room. We parked next to a guy who use to work for Camping World and he gave us a lot of pointers. In the meantime I bought a little box that you can vent into indoors. Collects the lint but the heat will still come into the unit. Will be okay during cold weather - even help heat the Monty. Hot weather may be different. However, when we start traveling again, we do not intend to be anywhere it is hot - we have had enough this summer with triple digit days for days and days. Enjoy the fireplace. Ed has always turned ours on and one week when I was by myself I ran out of propane and he suggested I use the fireplace. I couldn't get it on and was sure it was broken. That is when I found that one of the toggle switches is really had to see.
Happy trails.................

sreigle · 08-08-2005, 01:32 PM

Sue, I'm not an expert but when a stick home dryer vents indoors it adds a lot of humidity to the room. If that's also true of the dryers in RV's, I don't think I'd want to be adding a bunch to the humidity. Just a thought.

Parrothead · 08-08-2005, 06:30 PM

Steve
Our thought was to run the Fantastic Fan and also to continue the use of the Driz It stuff. We got it as an option in case we get a chance to take off before we get the box built and vented properly.
Happy trails.......................

steves · 08-09-2005, 02:58 AM

If you want to better circulate the heat from your fire place run you ceiling fan on low. I started doing this last year because the fireplace fan is not very forceful and the heat was not getting circulated.You'll be surprised on how much heat will be circulated.I learned this trick from my home fireplace

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