Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Fleet | Keystone RV Models > Fifth Wheels
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-16-2018, 09:55 AM   #1
Midsouth
Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: League City
Posts: 31
Heated Basement?

We are in our first cold weather in our new rig. Was wondering, which source heats the basement? Is it the "furnace (propane)" or the "heat pump (electric)"? Also does anyone know which source heats the grey/fresh/black tanks? I am wondering b/c the floors in the kitchen are really cold and I thought the heated underbelly would keep the floors warm. Thanks for any input!
__________________
2016 RAM 3500 SRW Lonestar 4x4
2018 Alpine 3701FL
Midsouth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 10:50 AM   #2
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
On our Cougar, and in most Keystone products, the "underbelly" is heated by two means. First is a 2" ducted air source that is routed from the furnace plenum. The second is "radiant heat" that is "lost" from the ductwork as the hot air is pushed from the furnace plenum to the registers. All of that ductwork is "un-insulated" and "meanders through the underbelly" losing heat to warm the tanks and plumbing located in the underbelly.

As for the basement storage area, some trailers have a "ducted hot air source", some position the furnace return air under the stairs and that area is "open to the basement storage" which is "partially blocked" by a removable luan wall. In our Cougar, the basement storage area is heated (warmed not really heated) by radiant heat transferred through the thin aluminum square ducting that also supplies warm air to the bath/bedroom registers.

To the best of my knowledge, the "overhead heat pumps" provide no heat to the basement or to the underbelly. All of the ducting which is attached to the rooftop heat pumps is located in the ceiling/attic space with no "forced air" connection to anything below the ceiling.

If you're not operating the furnace, you're not getting any "underbelly/basement storage" heat. That would explain why the floors are cold. On our Cougar, even with the furnace operating, the floors are cool (not cold). I don't think you'll find very many travel trailers in which you can walk around "barefoot with comfort" in sub freezing outside temperatures.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 11:44 AM   #3
Midsouth
Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: League City
Posts: 31
Really appreciate your detailed response JRTJH. One night this week it got below 30 and the kitchen floor was freezing. I turned on the tank heaters before bed time b/c of the freeze and the next morning the temp was at 31 and the kitchen floor was warm...must have been the tank heaters working off of propane. Thanks again for solving the mystery
__________________
2016 RAM 3500 SRW Lonestar 4x4
2018 Alpine 3701FL
Midsouth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 12:14 PM   #4
chuckster57
Site Team
 
chuckster57's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,237
Tank heaters are usually 12V heating pads that are glued to the bottom of he holding tank.
__________________

2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.

Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
chuckster57 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2018, 05:05 AM   #5
Frederick
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Sergeant Bluff IA
Posts: 71
My Alpine is heated by the propane furnace I added an extra duct to the one that it cae with
Frederick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2020, 11:47 AM   #6
Javi
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,456
Quote:
Originally Posted by Midsouth View Post
Really appreciate your detailed response JRTJH. One night this week it got below 30 and the kitchen floor was freezing. I turned on the tank heaters before bed time b/c of the freeze and the next morning the temp was at 31 and the kitchen floor was warm...must have been the tank heaters working off of propane. Thanks again for solving the mystery
The Alpine should have a heating duct in the basement, it comes directly from the furnace. I know my Avalanche does..
__________________
2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
Javi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-26-2020, 01:37 PM   #7
wiredgeorge
Senior Member
 
wiredgeorge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi View Post
The Alpine should have a heating duct in the basement, it comes directly from the furnace. I know my Avalanche does..

Midsouth hasn't been on the forum since June and the thread is over two years old.
__________________
wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
wiredgeorge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2020, 01:54 AM   #8
Javi
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Waco, Tx
Posts: 5,456
Quote:
Originally Posted by wiredgeorge View Post
Midsouth hasn't been on the forum since June and the thread is over two years old.
And yet it popped up in my NEW posts...
__________________
2015 Ford F350 DRW 6.7 Diesel XL
2020 Avalanche 313 RS
Javi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-27-2020, 02:57 AM   #9
flybouy
Site Team
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
Quote:
Originally Posted by Javi View Post
And yet it popped up in my NEW posts...
That's because a spammer responded to the post. That triggered the "new post". That response was deleted by a site team member before you saw it.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
flybouy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2020, 07:11 PM   #10
mkellyroswell
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Roswell
Posts: 3
Anyone tried putting a ceramic heater inline to keep the basement warm and push air through the entire length of the camper?
mkellyroswell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2020, 08:01 AM   #11
LewisB
Senior Member
 
LewisB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson
Posts: 822
Quote:
Originally Posted by flybouy View Post
That's because a spammer responded to the post. That triggered the "new post". That response was deleted by a site team member before you saw it.
Interesting info and good catch by George...

Too bad there isn't some way to alerting the reader to time/date...

I looked at advanced search parameters and you CAN sort by date and limit results to a more recent time frame, but it only works if you enter in other search terms or tags. I couldn't find anything that would apply a general filter for only messages like "from the last year" or something like that.

Nice work by the site team! Thanks for your efforts for all of us users.
__________________
Brad & Penny (50 years!)
2017 F350 DRW CC 4x4 Payload=5560
2018 Raptor 353TS
2019 Can Am Maverick Sport XRC - the "Blue Goose"

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc...yZ_w7jyofaPLVQ
LewisB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2020, 08:34 AM   #12
rhagfo
Senior Member
 
rhagfo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,180
Well the OP may no longer use the forum, and the post is two years old it is still relevant.
Our 2005 Copper Canyon has tank heaters, and I enclosed the belly we have been down to the high teens without issue. I also have a temperature sensor in the basement storage area. currently outside temp is 32 and the storage area is at 50 degrees.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
rhagfo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2021, 06:59 AM   #13
Papa of 7
Senior Member
 
Papa of 7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Carthage, TN
Posts: 110
Looking for the same... I am not going to winterize my Montana High Country, we will be going back out in a couple of weeks. Instead of running the propane, heatpump, or fireplace, I want to just heat the underbelly. If you find anything, let me know please...
__________________
Joey and Jan
Ford F350 6.7 Powerstroke 6.75 bed.
Montana High Country 331rl
GooseBox on a B&W turnoverball
Papa of 7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 01:33 PM   #14
BigBobIa
Senior Member
 
BigBobIa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Des Moines
Posts: 149
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
Tank heaters are usually 12V heating pads that are glued to the bottom of he holding tank.


Just bought a 2018 Carbon 357. Sitting in a 5’ snow drift (winterized) so I cannot play and learn. I don’t know if I have tank heaters or not. Where would the power switches be located?
__________________
2021 Keystone Montana High Country 383th
2021 Ram 3500 long bed
BigBobIa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 02:19 PM   #15
Papa of 7
Senior Member
 
Papa of 7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Carthage, TN
Posts: 110
Mine is a 2021 331rl but all of mine are in the control panel area, 3 rocker switches on the top left of everything. I suppose Google may help unless someone here has the same camper. Good luck
__________________
Joey and Jan
Ford F350 6.7 Powerstroke 6.75 bed.
Montana High Country 331rl
GooseBox on a B&W turnoverball
Papa of 7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2021, 10:00 PM   #16
gruehle
Junior Member
 
gruehle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Texas
Posts: 24
We have a Cougar 327res fifth wheel and are now living in it full-time. The return for our furnace is positioned under the stairs leading to the bathroom/bedroom. We put a digital weather station thermometer in the basement to check the temp. On our coldest night so far of 19 degrees, the basement stayed at 40 degrees.
gruehle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2021, 05:14 AM   #17
Papa of 7
Senior Member
 
Papa of 7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Carthage, TN
Posts: 110
Quote:
Originally Posted by gruehle View Post
We have a Cougar 327res fifth wheel and are now living in it full-time. The return for our furnace is positioned under the stairs leading to the bathroom/bedroom. We put a digital weather station thermometer in the basement to check the temp. On our coldest night so far of 19 degrees, the basement stayed at 40 degrees.
That is were my return is also. When we are camping it is not a problem, it stays warm. But now at home waiting on the next trip in about 2 weeks, without using any propane, this system with the heater and fans are working. If we happen to get down to single digits, I will turn on the propane heat to be safe.
Papa of 7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2021, 05:36 AM   #18
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
Quote:
Originally Posted by Papa of 7 View Post
That is were my return is also. When we are camping it is not a problem, it stays warm. But now at home waiting on the next trip in about 2 weeks, without using any propane, this system with the heater and fans are working. If we happen to get down to single digits, I will turn on the propane heat to be safe.
What system with the heater and the fans? Are you using a small heater in the storage compartment?
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2021, 05:38 AM   #19
Papa of 7
Senior Member
 
Papa of 7's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Carthage, TN
Posts: 110
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1 View Post
What system with the heater and the fans? Are you using a small heater in the storage compartment?
Yes, look at my first post with pictures.
Papa of 7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2021, 05:41 AM   #20
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
What post are you talking about? What pictures? Do you want me to search your post history? Maybe just a little sentence to keep this post in context .. it’s just confusing trying to follow along..thanks
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
heat

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:50 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.