Anyone sleep in their camper with top down and run the heater?

[Prybry]

I'm thinking I might want to try sleeping in my pop up camper without putting the top up... can I run the furnace too?

Can you run your furnace with the top down without issues?

Prybry

 

[driller]

I do it all the time, especially in the winter.

 

[BillTex]

For some reason that scares me...

 

[driller]

The heater doesn't care if the top is up or down. combustion chamber vents to outside and only recycle the air already in the camper. I just crack the roof vent to control condensation.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I probably would not do that if you're using a catalytic heater.

But if you're using a typical forced air furnace, it shouldn't really matter too much.

Most customers will crack a window or a vent just so they have a little fresh air.

I've slept in the four wheel Grandby with the top down many nights with the furnace on.

I didn't have any worries or problems at all.

 

[craig333]

Top down means you'll probably be right in front of the heater, might get a bit warm. Other than that no issues.

 

[pappawheely]

I probably would not do that if you're using a catalytic heater.

But if you're using a typical forced air furnace, it shouldn't really matter too much.

Most customers will crack a window or a vent just so they have a little fresh air.

I've slept in the four wheel Grandby with the top down many nights with the furnace on.

I didn't have any worries or problems at all.

Why not with a catalytic heater Stan?

 

[schunkb]

Catalytic heaters use oxygen from the cabin for combustion as well as exhaust into the cabin as well. Operating with the top down reduces the volume of available Oxygen as well as the capacity to dissipate combustion gas. It's just a matter of volume reduction. It could be done as long as you ensured enough ventilation to cycle fresh air, but it just increases the risk of oxygen use/displacement.

 

[camper101]

Stan could tell you better than I, but you also need sufficient clearance above the catalytic. When I had a Wave 3 I tested it in stealth mode and never really got comfortable with it. My heater was mounted on the wall (not sitting on the floor - I'm not sure where it'd fit on the floor in stealth mode anyway) so I tried a fan moving the hot air away from wherever it's gathering right above the heater. That worked to keep the ceiling/canvas from getting hot, but I just wasn't comfortable with the cramped quarters - even set up a little "cage" to keep my sleeping bag from hitting the heater, which was probably overkill. Ultimately I figured I'd never get any sleep worrying about the heater, and we switched to a furnace anyway.

Plus what schunkb said...

 

[pugslyyy]

Truck camper here (no popup) I tend to switch the heat off when heading to bed, and sleep under a huge amount of covers. I always like sleeping with it cold.

Also did the same when it was in tent/RTT using one of the catalytics.