Bob C Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 My wife and I camped in the Big Horn, Yellowstone NP, Glacier NP and other high elevation spots during early June last summer. We frequently had below freezing temps and got to 10 degrees on 2 nights. We ran the cab heat while driving and turned on the furnace when we pulled into our camp site. The thermostat was set for 60 degrees and the furnace ran some. When we went to bed, we turned the furnace off because we did not need it to stay comfortable in the upper bunk with a couple of blankets and a quilt. Our kids were with us camping in a pop-up camper and stayed very comfortable with GOOD QUALITY sleeping bags. I cooked supper and breakfast in the RV while they set up their pop-up and we ate inside the RV. We spent the evening around a camp fire. The kids ran the furnace in the pop-up for about 15 minutes before going to bed to warm up the inside and when I woke them up in the they would run it for 15 minutes to warm up to get dressed. On the 10 degree nights, they set the thermostat at 40 degrees and the furnace ran some but they stayed very comfy. Since we camped with tents when we were younger, the pop-up and RV seem like 5 star hotels. You will be as comfortable as you think you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totem Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I want to know where I can get a thermostat that goes to 40. It will come in handy in July Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 I had an old Honeywell mercury bulb thermostat in the garage. The thermostat has a dial that you turn to change the temp. If you turn it all the way counter-clockwise until just before it turns off, it will cycle just above 40 degrees. I pulled the cover ring off to look at the contacts to get it as close as possible to the turn off point. The thermostat has printed temps down to 50 degrees but I turned it beyond that to get the lower temp. The lowest temp in my RV is 55 degrees if my memory is correct. It is in storage so I can't look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 All cheap mechanical thermostats I can think off work by gravity. Weight dangling on a bi-metal spring. I.e. to turn "on" and "off" at the temps shown on the dial, it MUST be level. All that needs to be done to make work at any temp is to mount it off-level. Very easy to take a thermostat with a lowest setting of 50 degrees and make it work at 35 degrees just by rotating it a bit off level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new86horizon Posted February 21, 2015 Author Share Posted February 21, 2015 All cheap mechanical thermostats I can think off work by gravity. Weight dangling on a bi-metal spring. I.e. to turn "on" and "off" at the temps shown on the dial, it MUST be level. All that needs to be done to make work at any temp is to mount it off-level. Very easy to take a thermostat with a lowest setting of 50 degrees and make it work at 35 degrees just by rotating it a bit off level. I like this trick! does it matter which way you make it off level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 Depends on which way the spring is would. On rotary type thermostats - if you rotate the dial clockwise to raise the temp - then turning the entire assembly counter-clockwise does the same thing. Many RV thermstats are square instead of round and then it all depends on how the spring is wound. With either, you can tilt off-level either way and make the thermostat do whatever you want. I've got the Honeywell thermostats in my house in NY set at 35 degrees (but mounting off-level). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Toyota Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 there is also most of the time an anticipator adjustment screw in the thermostat if I am right it changes somewhat the furnace cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanman Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 It's called "Hystersis", see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteresis . I just looked at the one in my house and the screw increases/ decreases friction on the unattached end of the U shaped body. Nice to know it's adjustable. There was so much dust and dirt on the thing I gave it a good cleaning with a can of Dust Off. Will see if that changes anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 It's called "Hystersis", see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteresis . I think if you used that word with the average furnace repair-guy, he'd think you were referring to part of the female anatomy in a Freudian way. "Hysterectomy" was Freud's great idea on how to cure mental disorders in women. "Heat anticipator' is what I've always heard that adjustment called, IF the thermostat has it. Not all of them do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new86horizon Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Just want to update I made it back just fine. Drive it from Missouri to PA then back to AZ via southern route due to storming. I did a mixture of sleeping in the RV and used couchsurfing.com a few nights. I ended up using a wool military blanket over the cab and it did a pretty good job. Fantastic trip in all! Put about 3500 miles on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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