Super loud heater

[CampNBrew2]

Working in the HVAC trade, I have often thought of ways to recover the excessive waste heat blowing out the side of the trailer.
I even drew up a small fan coil unit with a tiny pump and pressure tank based on the water heater to prevent running the main heater.
In the end, too much work, hassle and liability. Just go camping and fill your propane tanks

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by CampNBrew2

Working in the HVAC trade, I have often thought of ways to recover the excessive waste heat blowing out the side of the trailer.
I even drew up a small fan coil unit with a tiny pump and pressure tank based on the water heater to prevent running the main heater.
In the end, too much work, hassle and liability. Just go camping and fill your propane tanks

The biggist issue with doing anything to the furnace exhaust is the sensetivity of the units to any exhaust flow restriction. There have been several reports of folks adding mud dauber/insect screens that resulted in furnace issues.

[JRTJH]

This is a "wild, out there example" but think of an RV furnace as a "inside campfire"... We all sit around a campfire, burning in front and freezing in back as most of the heat goes straight up, wasted along with the annoying smoke we try to avoid....

Fast forward to an RV furnace, it's "warm at the vents, hotter than hell at the exhaust and most of the heat is wasted as it goes "outside with the fumes"...

I'd have guessed that over the years, RV furnaces would have improved in efficiency along with home furnaces, but apparently there's been little (if any) work on efficiency. In fact, more heat was delivered to the trailer cabin by our old 16K BTU gravity heater that didn't even have a blower or even a battery connection than what comes out of the floor vents on our "modern, state of the art Suburban 35K BTU forced air furnace"..... Plus this one uses twice as much propane to provide that reduced heat output.....

Times, they are not necessarily for "improving"...

[CampNBrew2]

True John!
I was shocked to see recently a factory hot water return line (back to the FW tank) from a shower faucet, so you don't waste the water while waiting for hot water.
If I ever get into the wall and my valve, I'll add a 3 way valve for this also.
There are so many ways RVs could be built better and operate more efficiently. Unfortunately this also means much more $$$.

[pdaniel]

Atwood furnaces are very noisy.
I had a neighbor in my host campsite with a 2021 Cougar was as loud as my former 2017 Cougar was.
Now I have a 5th wheel with a Suburban furnace that is very quiet in comparison.

[pdaniel]

Originally Posted by flybouy

The biggist issue with doing anything to the furnace exhaust is the sensetivity of the units to any exhaust flow restriction. There have been several reports of folks adding mud dauber/insect screens that resulted in furnace issues.

Suburban does not recommend screens on the furnace intake or exhaust due to restriction caused by the screens.

[rlh1957]

Yup our fifth wheel has furnace exhaust port at the rear and from outside it does sound like jet or rocket exhaust exit.
It’s normal.

You hear it and know that it’s drinking that propane.