Not new to Full Time, but still have questions - RV-Dreams Community Forum

firstcirce · RV-Dreams Community Member

Not new to Full Time, but still have questions

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

How much trouble is it for you to get propane (I assume that is what you mean by 'gas' furnace). to me that is one factor that always is overlooked. Rule of thumb is that if the cost/gallon of propane is less than 20X cost/KWH go with propane, if more, go with electric; but that doesn't include how difficult is it to refill. We have a heat pump, which is even cheaper to run than space heaters down to about 36-38°, but will use a space heater for just one area (on the low setting) at times. We spend the winter in AZ and don't need that much heat. Actually last year the coldest was in June in Everett with all of the rain, really felt damp and used the furnace more than we had the two previous years.

LarryW21 · RV-Dreams Family Member

The cost differences in a moderate climate don't seem that great to me but I do prefer electric heat when I have the option and don't need heat to the tanks...but needing to heat tanks is not "moderate" to this SoCal boy.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

If your Monaco has 15K heat pumps, they should work down to 30 degrees or so. They will be a bit less efficient below 38 degrees, but still better than a space heater. A 15K heat pump should put out about 11,000 BTUs of heat on 15AMPs above 38 degrees, while a space heater will put out about 5,000 BTUs. At that rate, propane will have to be really cheap to compete. In Mesa AZ, where Barb and I are, most nights are over 40 degrees. We mostly go from Washington State to Arizona and mostly encounter below freezing temperatures on our trips back and forth, where electricity is included in the daily and weekly rates. If we find ourselves in the 30s and low 40s on 30AMP electric, we might need to run the gas heat since one heat pump will not handle our 40'.

For very local heating, like just your feet, multiple companies make small 200-250 watt space heaters, with Lasko's MyHeat and Honeywell's Heat Bud both available from Amazon and many Wal-Marts have another brand. These might "solve" your needing to be warmer than your husband.

We have been down to the mid-20s at night without putting heat into the basement and not had a problem. In our motorhome we have to turn on a switch to run gas heat into the basement and I haven't used the switch in over 5 years.