Heated Basement?

[Midsouth]

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!

[JRTJH]

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.

[Midsouth]

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

[chuckster57]

Tank heaters are usually 12V heating pads that are glued to the bottom of he holding tank.

[Frederick]

My Alpine is heated by the propane furnace I added an extra duct to the one that it cae with

[Javi]

Originally Posted by Midsouth

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..

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Javi

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.

[Javi]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

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...

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Javi

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.

[mkellyroswell]

Anyone tried putting a ceramic heater inline to keep the basement warm and push air through the entire length of the camper?

[LewisB]

Originally Posted by flybouy

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.

[rhagfo]

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.

[Papa of 7]

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...