Propane VS Fireplace

[Asroc777]

Here you go electricians. Is it more economical to heat your coach using the Fireplace or the Propane???

[AZ Traveler]

It depends on how much you are paying for each. If you are staying in a park where electricity is included in the rate then the fireplace is clearly less expensive. If you are paying $.30 or more per KW then propane is likely less expensive.

Also remember if you are in a cold climate and concerned about tanks or pipes, the fireplace does not heat the underbelly like the furnace does.

[DQDick]

It also depends on your rig and where you are. The fireplace can't evenly heat the whole rig as well as the furnace. If one spouse has cold toes it could be worth paying for propane.

[rohrmann]

The 1500 watt heater in the fireplace is only good for 5100 BTU's of heat where the furnace is rated 35,000 BTU's and even if not all of those BTU's actually make interior heat, it is still quite a bit more heat than the fireplace can produce. The only thing the fireplace can really do in cold weather is take the chill off in the immediate area where the fireplace is located, where the furnace can heat the entire trailer including adding some heat to the belly area to prevent frozen plumbing.

[speedster100]

From actual experience over the past 3 winters in Florida, the fireplace with another small micro furnace keep the 42ft 5wheel warm and it costs us about $100 bucks a mnth for the one month or so total that heat is required spread out over 5 months. Usually 2-4 days of cold weather down to almost freezing followed by warm days were heat isn't required etc. A 30lb Propane bottle lasts about 3 days and costs $20 bucks to fill each time so IMHO the electric heating is far more economical for us at least in Tampa Florida area ....

[Asroc777]

So if the fireplace is rated at 1500 and the price of electricity is 15 cents per kWh how much is one hour of use?

[Asroc777]

Thanks

[richfaa]

We are never in real cold weather however the fireplace alone will not warm the entire RV. We really do not care which is cheaper . The thermometer is on auto heat 71 degrees and A/C at 77 degrees which is our comport zones. It comes on when it comes on. We do use the fireplace at times when still in the living area. We would never leave it on all night or when we are not in the RV. Last months electric bill here in Florida with everything on electric was 105.00.It was a chilly Florida month

[mhs4771]

It's just much easier to pay the electric bill than to pull out our 40 Lb Propane tank to get it refilled, which weighs approx 75 Lbs once full.

[lightsout]

IF you want to really conserve energy use small space heaters and only heat the area you are in at any given time. Same applies for your stick/brick home

[Jrstout2022]

Originally Posted by Asroc777

So if the fireplace is rated at 1500 and the price of electricity is 15 cents per kWh how much is one hour of use?

I'd say $0.22 to $0.23 if it ran constant for that hour.

[steiny93]

electric vs propane is nothing more than a math problem

1 Gallon of Propane = 27 kWh (Kilowatt Hours) of electricity - This means that one gallon of propane contains the same amount of usable energy as 27 Kilowatt Hours. Or we can say that 27 kWh equals approximately 91,500 BTU.

factor in the efficiency lost during propane heat (say 20% loss)

so...
If propane is $2 per gallon and you get 80% efficiency you get .8 * 91500 = 73,200 BTU for $2.

If you pay 10 cents per kWH it costs $2.16 for 73,200 BTU of heat. (gotta use the 80% amount to compare apples to apples due to propane efficiency loss)

So, $2 propane is less then 10 cent electricity assuming 80% efficiency.

[goodellj]

We have found the fireplace will heat the trailer adequately down to about 50 degrees outside, and then the furnace may cycle on if you have the thermostat set. We set the fireplace thermostat to 68 and leave it, and it will run all night. When we get up in the morning we would turn up the thermostat to about 68, and as the temperature outside warms up and maybe the sun rises, the fireplace will again heat the trailer adequately and keep us comfy without the furnace having to run. And maybe the fireplace shuts down as the day warms up some more. Besides being cheaper than propane it is also a lot more convenient than having to refill the propane tanks.
PS: Nice job on the math, but I think 80% efficiency on the propane is too optimistic. Wouldn't electric be pretty much 100% efficient because it is not exhausting hot air into the outdoors?

[speedster100]

All great math and all but the reality is the propane is heating areas that are not needed to be heated and are notorious for losing heat due to no insulation or little such as the storage area & the whole area under the floors where the plumbing and tanks reside...

Real life experience is the 30lb propane tank lasts about 3 days, the cost to fill at about $20 bucks... a week of cold weather is almost 3 tanks of propane ($60) while running the fireplace and small portable heater run about $45 bucks extra on our power bill a month when heat is required. I don't need to load a tank and take it somewhere to get it filled etc so for us electricity is a far better alternative than using propane.

[Rebel702]

Also, remember most newer Montanas have a heat pump function in the living room A/C unit. The airflow will circulate through the ceiling vents. Does not heat the storage area though. Efficient down to 40 degrees.

[JRogers]

Electric is free, propane you have to go get filled and cost money.

[JamesD]

This depends on where you are.

When I was renting a bulk propane tank, that was cheapest, at around $100 for 90 gallons, but that place doesn't support RVs anymore.
I've been driving 20 miles (one way) to buy propane in my 40 lbs tanks at around $30 per tank (10 lbs)... plus gas to drive there.
Until I get an alternate bulk propane source, electric is cheaper.
My electricity is from the city, so I pay a higher rate than if I was outside of town, where I'd buy directly from the utility company.
So, where you are is going to determine what's cheapest.

FWIW, to help make up for running the furnace less, I have a fan blowing air down through the ductwork from the bedroom. It works down to the low teens, then I have to run the furnace, but that's when the electric can't keep up anyway.

[Meauwataka]

Here is the formula that you can use on anything electric. Amps X Volts = Watts. Watts X number of hours in use = watt hours.. watt hours divided by 1,000 = kilowatthours (which is how utilities bill). Kilowatthours X cost = cost to operate that appliance for that length of time. For your question, 1500 watts X 1 hour= 1500 watt hours divided by 1000= 1.5 kWh X $.15= 22 cents an hour to operate it.

[footz1941]

Does anyone know the efficiency rating of Atwood furnaces used in most RVs? I know a lot of the heat produced is expelled out the vent. I am doubting if they are over 60% efficient.

[mazboy]

"efficiency rating of Atwood furnaces?" really? their rating is somewhere around, 'it sucks.'





I try to avoid using the furance because of the noise they are not quiet things in a trailer.