furnace on while driving?

brendan ross · Nov 28, 2014

hey just picked up a new trails west rpm burandt 28' enclosed and i know there was issues with leaving the furnace on while driving with the old models but mine has the newer furnace and all that but anyway who runs with there furnace on while driving like i wanna fire it up like 30 mins or an hour before i arrive in the parking lot so its toasty when i go to change then again for the ride home so every things thawed out. also does anyone leave the heater on all day so its warm when the get back i was thinking of bringing a generator with me so i can

whats the point of having the heater if i can't use it all the time is my thought?:help:

4GR8X · Nov 28, 2014

Greetings Brendan,

Congratulations on your new trailer!

Yes, on running the heater in our snowmobile while traveling. Never had any issues. A nice benefit to have a warm trailer for suiting up.

Assuming, your new trailer has batteries on board and your not relying on your truck battery to run your trailer furnace. Consider, replacing your original wall thermostat with a DC powered programmable thermostat. You could then select an appropriate start time for your furnace for your return trip to your trailer.

Nothing wrong with the generator idea you could always chain the generator to your trailer for security reasons, assuming you don't have a built in on board generator. You would have to way the benefits of consuming gasoline all day running your generator and maybe consuming additional propane, as well.

Have fun, Craig.

brendan ross said:
hey just picked up a new trails west rpm burandt 28' enclosed and i know there was issues with leaving the furnace on while driving with the old models but mine has the newer furnace and all that but anyway who runs with there furnace on while driving like i wanna fire it up like 30 mins or an hour before i arrive in the parking lot so its toasty when i go to change then again for the ride home so every things thawed out. also does anyone leave the heater on all day so its warm when the get back i was thinking of bringing a generator with me so i can

whats the point of having the heater if i can't use it all the time is my thought?:help:

brendan ross · Nov 29, 2014

yea it does have an internal battery i just figured bringing the generator so i doesnt kill the truck or trailer

and the thermostat thats a good idea ill have to look into that it does have a timer on it now but that just keeps it on for a period instead of have a start up time

MT boondocker · Nov 29, 2014

Your trailer battery shouldn't be pulling power from your truck battery if the truck isn't running. Most vehicles only have power going to the trailer battery if the vehicle is running. You may want to check yours to be sure so you don't end up with a dead battery in your vehicle.

richracer1 · Nov 29, 2014

MT boondocker said:
Your trailer battery shouldn't be pulling power from your truck battery if the truck isn't running. Most vehicles only have power going to the trailer battery if the vehicle is running. You may want to check yours to be sure so you don't end up with a dead battery in your vehicle.

Not necessarily, most tow vehicles have an auxillary battery that also supplies power for a trailer. It's isolated from the tow vehicle's main battery, but still gets charged by the alternator.

My first enclosed trailer's lights ONLY worked when it was plugged into the truck whether it was running or not.

brendan ross · Nov 29, 2014

yea the trailer has its own battery and everything can run without being hooked to the truck but it does charge of the truck not sure if it only does while the truck is running or not though

MT boondocker · Nov 30, 2014

Do know that my vehicle is wired so that there is only power going to the trailer battery if the vehicle is running.

M8 Rider · Nov 30, 2014

Heater On While Trailering

Sounds like a great idea as long as a fuel container doesn't leak fuel that you don't know about. Just a thought :light:

Butta · Dec 1, 2014

M8 Rider said:
Sounds like a great idea as long as a fuel container doesn't leak fuel that you don't know about. Just a thought :light:

That's the entire reason for a forced vent furnace, RV style. The combustion air comes from the exterior of the trailer, and vents back to the exterior. Therefore keeping the interior air heated by blowing air over the enclosed combustion tubes, and not only keeping the flame separate from the inside air but also not depleting the oxygen inside either.

Still a chance for a mechanical failure, but in normal and correct operation, the forced vent furnace should mitigate any fire risk to inside.

BikerPepe` · Dec 1, 2014

Suburban, the largest RV heater manufacturer in the business recommends that you do NOT run the heater while moving down the road. In addition, many states have laws against running the propane on, while traveling down the road.

A lot of guys don't care or say... Burandt said it was fine in the sales video, so it must be. That's bull****. Look it up for yourself... both with the manufacturer and the local state laws.

Everyone will ignore me and think I'm just being a downer on this but it's your money... both in sleds and the trailer. If you don't mind taking the risk that it may burn to the ground or endangering other drivers using the same road, that's your call.

Blows my mind that so many of you guys are all about safety when it comes to so many other things (avy gear, etc.) but when it comes to this one... everyone wants to pretend that somehow the facts are flexible.

Don't say nobody warned you.

carlc · Dec 1, 2014

I think if a trailer mfr really thought it was dangerous they would lock it out from running while it's moving. Personally i have used over a dozen trailers with heaters going down the road, including two trails west, with zero problems.

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BikerPepe` · Dec 1, 2014

carlc said:
I think if a trailer mfr really thought it was dangerous they would lock it out from running while it's moving.

Thinking like this is the reason we have government over-regulation.
Do you really think the corporation that manufacturers your trailer has your safety at the top of their priority list? Plausible deniability is all they need to worry about. Trailer manufacturers don't make the furnace. They buy it from Suburban (or whomever) and slap it in and call it a day. Suburban has no control once the unit leaves their factory. End up in court... trailer manuf. says, "We don't make the furnace so it's not our problem." Suburban says "We clearly state that our furnaces are not to be used while the vehicle is in motion. We're covered, not our problem." Who's that leave hangin'? You!

In the very least... check the furnace manufacturer and then verify with them. Also... check local state laws. It's been a big enough problem for RV'ers over the years to warrant a law in many states.

Seat-belts, DUI's... there are many things that aren't a problem, until they are! It only takes one time.

Your ***, your call. Good luck with that. Have a nice day. :face-icon-small-dis

meathooker · Dec 2, 2014

carlc said:
I think if a trailer mfr really thought it was dangerous they would lock it out from running while it's moving. Personally i have used over a dozen trailers with heaters going down the road, including two trails west, with zero problems.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TW sent me a certified letter saying not to use mine while driving. i left it on everytime i went and it never had a problem.

i leave mine all going up so its warm when unloading. this year i put a programmable tstat so i can set it to come on before we get back to the truck. we raced out of mine this summer and one a cold race we ran the heater, lights, and stereo at least 6 hours and the batteries never seemed phased. its a dual 6 volt setup.

volcano buster · Dec 2, 2014

What do you suppose an insurance company would say if there was a claim for trailer and sled replacements if a moving trailer burnt to the ground (and possibly the tow rig) if it was determined the furnace was on while moving?

FlyingW · Dec 2, 2014

I don't have a furnace in my trailer so not sure what I would do. I do know of one guy in the area who did lose his trailer and contents with the furnace on going down the road and the side skin area caught on fire and took it down. He got unhooked I understand but everything else was lost. Maybe some of these rough roads may have shook the furnace lose and insulation in the wall in the area may have been flammable?

I know a lot of people have done it successfully but I also know it hasn't been 100 percent successful so choose your risk level.

brendan ross · Dec 7, 2014

i ran it for the first to time this weekend left the heater on from when i left town until around 4-5 hours after i got home and never had any issues i left the roof vent open and never carried and fuel containers in the trailer other than the sleds themselves seemed to be ok i don't believe theres any laws about running it canada i have seen trailers burn because of it but they where running the open flame heaters that you just set in the trailer in them..

BikerPepe` · Dec 7, 2014

Canadian Propane Association: http://www.propane.ca/en/about-propane/safety

In most provinces, it's law that all appliances and pilot lights must be turned off and cylinder valves closed while traveling.

Pol72 · Dec 26, 2014

I have run mine for 5 hours at 120km/hr no issues. Beer didn't freeze haha. Leave it on all night with a floor drying style fan and everything including gear and sleds and floor are dry. Just need to keep the air moving. 30lb tank last 4 nights approx 8-10 hours a night with thermostat set to 25. Generator or plug into hotel all good. Can't put a price tag on having everything dry and all heated to start the day off.

Jaynelson · Dec 29, 2014

It's not that it won't work....it's that if you crash the thing, now there's a good chance propane is leaking out everywhere.

Hillside · Dec 29, 2014

Enjoy the **** out of it

mine last year had issues while driving but this new model in 2015 they worked out all the bugs. Being able to drive with it on makes it worth buying. If I couldn't like last year I would sell it but it is nice to get back from vail pass and have a dry machine and trailer. Enjoy the **** out of it and stay warm. I'm adding a satalite tv, 40" screen and will be able to watch the superbowl then go ride at halftime. cheers

furnace on while driving?

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