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  1. #1
    Rolling Along
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    Winter propane use in 310GK

    We towed our 310GK to our daughter's home in Belgrade, MT last Thursday, snow was on the ground and I was hopefully prepared for cold weather. I have spray foamed the frame rails, and was eager to see if there was any improvement. I brought two 100 lb propane bottles and three 30 pound propane bottles for two weeks worth of glamping. We got here a week ago Thursday and I had to leave to return to work last Sunday, but my wife stayed. I got back to Belgrade last night and checked the propane bottles this morning. Still on first 100 lb bottle, but almost empty. I just switched bottles. In my mind, this isn't as bad as it could have been. I did put foil bubble wrap on most of the windows and I am not sure of the benefit. There is a significant draft at the bottom of each window with the foil wrap in place. It appears the cold air just follows the bubble wrap down and out the bottom. Without a seal on the bottom, I don't know if there is a benefit or not. The foil bubble wrap will probably help more with heat rejection because as the hot air that is trying to rise, it is trapped by the valances. The spray foam seems to help, no issues with water lines freezing and the floor seems marginally warmer. With a heat duct blowing into the basement area, I was surprised to see that the compartment temps are only in the upper 30's in the early morning with the furnace running almost non stop over night. I am curious to know if the front wall of the basement area is insulated. If not, it is loosing temp to the generator compartment that isn't heated. The fact that we are staying at an elevation of around 6000 feet also reduces the heater BTU output. In my opinion, a much larger heater would be very beneficial.
    2023 GMC 3500HD CCLB DRW Duramax L5P, Banks Derringer/Idash/CAI 60 gallon fuel transfer tank
    2018 Solitude 310GK with Kodiak disc brakes 4000 lb Dexter springs, frame stiffeners
    RETIRED Maint Supervisor, Certified Welder, ASE Master Tech, Owner tire shop

  2. #2
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nuffsaid View Post
    I did put foil bubble wrap on most of the windows and I am not sure of the benefit. There is a significant draft at the bottom of each window with the foil wrap in place.
    We have dual pane windows, but we still feel a chill emanating from the windows. In our old 5er we had single pane windows, so we put Window Insulation Shrink Wrap over all the windows, in the 376 I only did the big kitchen window. Some of the cold was coming in via the window frame, maybe you can figure out a heat sink for that issue.


    Quote Originally Posted by Nuffsaid View Post
    With a heat duct blowing into the basement area, I was surprised to see that the compartment temps are only in the upper 30's in the early morning with the furnace running almost non stop over night.
    We do a little better, I haven't tested all of the bays when it's really cold. My heater is in the front bay, it stays pretty warm, the back pass through stays around 40 at 6f, so not bad. I had to take the sensor out of there and put it near the Pirit sensor, seems I was blowing enough warm air out the water inlet hole to warm the Pirit sensor enough it shut off. It was under the skirt.


    Quote Originally Posted by Nuffsaid View Post
    The fact that we are staying at an elevation of around 6000 feet also reduces the heater BTU output. In my opinion, a much larger heater would be very beneficial.
    The RV is at 6500, I did not know there was a BTU output reduction at altitude. I wonder what it will be like when we move to Tiger Run near Breckenridge, CO. I think they are at 8000 or 9000 feet.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  3. #3
    Rolling Along
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    D2Reid,

    Going off of memory BTU output is decreased when going up in elevation due to decreased available oxygen. From what I have read, a furnace is derated about 4% for every 1000 feet above sea level. So at 6000 feet, a 24% reduction in output is pretty substantial.
    2023 GMC 3500HD CCLB DRW Duramax L5P, Banks Derringer/Idash/CAI 60 gallon fuel transfer tank
    2018 Solitude 310GK with Kodiak disc brakes 4000 lb Dexter springs, frame stiffeners
    RETIRED Maint Supervisor, Certified Welder, ASE Master Tech, Owner tire shop

  4. #4
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nuffsaid View Post
    a 24% reduction in output is pretty substantial.
    Yes it is. Not being fully educated I do not know. So I just put more gas in and replace the tanks as necessary, it's not like I have a huge choice except to abandon our lifestyle, so I won't for a few more dollars of propane.

    There may become a time when oil/gas expenditures make RV'ing obsolete, till then I will just keep on keeping on.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  5. #5
    Rolling Along
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    I like your lifestyle choice, similar to mine, I like to be able to tow safe, so I added disc brakes, problem solved. Now I just want to be able to stay warm when picking a cold place to camp. If I was plugged into a 50 amp service, I would put a ceramic heater under the kitchen table to warm that area. I need to get creative and figure out how to install an electric grid heat to the kitchen slide out, above the reflective foil! I still think Grand Design should have went with a larger furnace for the Solitude and Momentum trailers. I think Suburban makes a 42k furnace that some other makers use.
    2023 GMC 3500HD CCLB DRW Duramax L5P, Banks Derringer/Idash/CAI 60 gallon fuel transfer tank
    2018 Solitude 310GK with Kodiak disc brakes 4000 lb Dexter springs, frame stiffeners
    RETIRED Maint Supervisor, Certified Welder, ASE Master Tech, Owner tire shop

  6. #6
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    This almost reads like something I was going to post earlier this morning. We have an Imagine 2970RL we are currently staying in in my in-laws driveway, , they have a full house. Got into the camper Monday the 24th, I had to leave yesterday to come back to work. When I left, my right side tank was frosty like we were drawing off of it. So I figured that tank would empty probably last night then switch over to the left side tank. I would then have my nephew go and refill the right side tank which should cover us until Friday when I get back.
    Once the camper warmed up the furnace was running about 10-12 minutes on, 20 minutes off, more off time if I had the fireplace going.

    So my wife calls me this morning and says the furnace fan is running but it's 45 degrees in here. What the!!??? She said the left tank is just a tiny bit frosty but nothing like the right side tank.

    I had the nephew go out and take a look. He said both tanks were in fact empty. What the!!!???

    I kind of think what happened is I left the left side tank valve open for about 3 weeks and it may have leaked. Bought the camper new last February, new tanks came with the camper. Shouldn't leak but I suppose when it gets cold anything can happen. 3 weeks ago I filled both tanks anticipating this week. I'm wondering if something weird is going on with the auto switch over and it's drawing off of both tanks, not sure if that's possible or not.

  7. #7
    Rolling Along
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    Quote Originally Posted by TyeeMan View Post
    This almost reads like something I was going to post earlier this morning. We have an Imagine 2970RL we are currently staying in in my in-laws driveway, , they have a full house. Got into the camper Monday the 24th, I had to leave yesterday to come back to work. When I left, my right side tank was frosty like we were drawing off of it. So I figured that tank would empty probably last night then switch over to the left side tank. I would then have my nephew go and refill the right side tank which should cover us until Friday when I get back.
    Once the camper warmed up the furnace was running about 10-12 minutes on, 20 minutes off, more off time if I had the fireplace going.

    So my wife calls me this morning and says the furnace fan is running but it's 45 degrees in here. What the!!??? She said the left tank is just a tiny bit frosty but nothing like the right side tank.

    I had the nephew go out and take a look. He said both tanks were in fact empty. What the!!!???

    I kind of think what happened is I left the left side tank valve open for about 3 weeks and it may have leaked. Bought the camper new last February, new tanks came with the camper. Shouldn't leak but I suppose when it gets cold anything can happen. 3 weeks ago I filled both tanks anticipating this week. I'm wondering if something weird is going on with the auto switch over and it's drawing off of both tanks, not sure if that's possible or not.
    Maybe you just used that much propane. I used 1 1/2 100 lb bottles or about 37-40 gallons of propane in about two weeks. A 30 lb bottle is only about 7 gallons.
    2023 GMC 3500HD CCLB DRW Duramax L5P, Banks Derringer/Idash/CAI 60 gallon fuel transfer tank
    2018 Solitude 310GK with Kodiak disc brakes 4000 lb Dexter springs, frame stiffeners
    RETIRED Maint Supervisor, Certified Welder, ASE Master Tech, Owner tire shop

  8. #8
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    I suppose that could be. This year is uncharted territory for us. New, larger camper with smaller tanks and extended period of time in high teens - low 20's temps. Oddly enough our previous camper was a 26 footer with no slides and it had two 30 lb cylinders. Go figure.
    This summer I'm upgrading to 30 pounders.

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