Propane Usage

cmlong · 03-02-2011, 01:11 PM

We have just purchased a Cougar 327. Last night the temperature was in the mid to low thirties and we had the thermostat set for 65 degrees. During the night we used thirteen pounds of propane. That seems high compared to the usage in our cougar 276.

Firecapt · 03-02-2011, 08:07 PM

This seems like a tremendous amount of propane to use in one night. We stayed in a campground where the temps were in the low to high 30's every night and didn't use anywhere close to that much. Can't say what may be wrong but that seems excessive.

Try insulating skylights and vents with a piece of foam, make sure the furnace flame output is adjusted for optimum output, make sure the over-the-stove vent is closed. Many folks use an electric adjunct heater to take advantage of the parks electrical without using on-board propane.

bruno4 · 03-02-2011, 08:22 PM

If you have an electrical site, you can bring along ceramic heaters. We have two, one for the upper front bedroom, one for the lower living room. We also use an electric blanket. No need to burn gas this way.

ktmracer · 03-03-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmlong

We have just purchased a Cougar 327. Last night the temperature was in the mid to low thirties and we had the thermostat set for 65 degrees. During the night we used thirteen pounds of propane. That seems high compared to the usage in our cougar 276.

What size is your furnace?? Propane energy content is about 30KBTU/lb. so a typical 30KBTU furnace should use 1lb for every hour it runs. So even if it ran 100% for 8 hours that's only 8lbs. And I doubt your furnace is over 40K BTU, so that does seem like lots of propane for one night!

We were at the oregon coast a few weeks ago, 50's in the day, low 30's at night. It took us 6 days to use 30lbs, and that included cooking, heat at night and some propane for the WH. During the day we ran a ceramic heater, but the furnace still cycled on/off some. But, at night we set the thermostat to 45F and it comes on a 7am to warm the trailer to 68F.

jje1960 · 03-03-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktmracer

What size is your furnace?? Propane energy content is about 30KBTU/lb. so a typical 30KBTU furnace should use 1lb for every hour it runs. So even if it ran 100% for 8 hours that's only 8lbs. And I doubt your furnace is over 40K BTU, so that does seem like lots of propane for one night!

Must agree. I'd be either looking for a leak, or questioning if the tank was full in the first place if it ran out. How do you know what what was used exactly? I've been messing around bought every weekend since November in ours this winter, have not expended the first tank yet. This does not sound normal.

mobile42 · 03-04-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmlong

We have just purchased a Cougar 327. Last night the temperature was in the mid to low thirties and we had the thermostat set for 65 degrees. During the night we used thirteen pounds of propane. That seems high compared to the usage in our cougar 276.

CMLong, I too have a new 327RES and I did use a lot of propane during the minus degree weather here in New Mexico last Month (February) but my therary is this trailer has a lot higher ceiling (especially in the kitchen) and it's bigger and longer (with 3 slides) compare to my 2007 264BHS Keystone Sprinter I use to have. I replace that Dometic Thermostat and replaced it with a Hunter Digital Thermo from Walmart ($20). It really helps to maintain that constant temperature in the winter and summer.

mikell · 03-05-2011, 08:36 AM

Our Alpine 3640 rl uses a 100lb tank every 2 weeks in the coldest of the winter here in Michigan. Were 40 feet long and have a heater in the living room.The last tank went 3 weeks so it must be spring

Wolfwalker · 03-05-2011, 07:05 PM

just after christmas the heater kicked on and didn't shut off for two days, even with the electric heaters!!!!!! We used up a 100# bottle in 4 days (30-40 below zero though)! Finally got the the 5'ver skirted and now we use about 80 gallons in about 5 weeks!!! Of course we are in Wyoming, we use vent pillows, have every hole and draft sealed, plastic on the windows the coach fully skirted..

dmax · 03-06-2011, 04:58 AM

If your is like my Keystone, they do a bad job of insulating and sealing holes. Next time you are camping in the cold, walk around and look for condensation on the walls and feel the walls for cold. See RV.net https://rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fusea...3289411.cfmfor and you will see the things I incountered. So much for the Polar package!!

Tim

mobile42 · 03-07-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmax

If your is like my Keystone, they do a bad job of insulating and sealing holes. Next time you are camping in the cold, walk around and look for condensation on the walls and feel the walls for cold. See RV.net https://rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fusea...3289411.cfmfor and you will see the things I incountered. So much for the Polar package!!

Tim

> Topic Not Found

chuck&gail · 03-08-2011, 07:03 PM

If you have an enclosed underbelly, with waste tanks heated by furnace, be careful using an electric heater. Our first trip out last fall we hit 20 degree nights. Since we always used an electric heater in our last TT, we fired it up in our new TT. Fortunartely I noticed that although we were nice and warm, the furnace never came on. Ooops, no heat to waste tanks. We turned off electric heater, and turned furnace way up for a bit. Luckily I noticed before we went to bed, so no harm done. Now we only run the electric heater during the day. Do NOT want to deal with frozen/broken tanks or plumbing.

So if furnace heats tanks, be CAREFUL using an electric heater.

albertr · 03-08-2011, 07:12 PM

What would happen if you were to run the furnace fan with the electric heater blowing into the furnace intake? Al

jje1960 · 03-09-2011, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albertr

What would happen if you were to run the furnace fan with the electric heater blowing into the furnace intake? Al

Considering the intake for the furnace is pulling in the warm air, this should assist. This past weekend, we burned plenty of propane, however it was so cold we also had a small porcelain heater going in the main storage compartment as well, it was set very low, did not come on unless it was like 40 deg down there, which was not that often considering the furnace was on so much. From what we can tell, we have no problems. We do not cold camp like that very much, so burning the 30ib tank in the long weekend was expected and alright. We did go over-board, left it at like 68 deg then entire time. The mess came on the way home through PN.... the roads were still full of salty slush, which were thrown all over the 5ver for like 75miles with the trucks

took an hour of power washing to get it off in the driveway.... Still had fun though!

dmax · 03-13-2011, 06:11 AM

Here is the post. I don't know wht RV.net doesn't have it.

Tim

Posted: 10/12/09 11:40am Link | Print | Notify Moderator

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While camping in cold weather(Below freezing), I noticed condensation running down the bedroom front wall. The wall was very cold to the touch which lead me to believe their wasn't much insulation in the front. I researched this on this forum and another person with a similar Cougar had the same issue. He had a cubby in the head board which he removed and found little insulation. He filled it with new insulation and all was better. Mine doesn't have a cubby so I removed the cabinet over the bed and used a cutout tool (used for electrical boxes)to cut out a 12" section the entire width of the trailer. This revealed that some of the R13 insulation had fallen down. The aluminum framing for the front has about (6) 15" X 38" rectangles that I fitted 3/4" hard foam boards into. After that, I inserted R19 Comfort Touch (Plastic incased) Owens fiberglass insulation on top of the Foam using 3M 77 spray on adhesive. I used the little bit of old insulation to fill the bottom of the Cap area (Horizontally). This should give me about R24 in the front cap and hopefully eliminate the wet wall. Next step to insulate the basement with the blue or pink closed cell foam.

Tim

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dmax · 03-13-2011, 06:18 AM

I've also noted a cold spot causing condensation and bubbles on the wall in the bunkhouse while camping last November. My plan is to pull the window and see if the insulations has fallen or was never inserted in this area. I thought it may be a roof leak causing the bubbles under the wall paper but have checked after many different rain events and found no moisture.

Tim

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