Forced Air Furnaces?

[BigDogRob]

This may be a dumb question to some, but do you need to crack a window with these units? My wife is a worrier and the darn thing has a CO2 detector in it. Are they like a fresh air unit? Just kind of wondering since a friend bought a different kind and said his didn't need an open window. I don't know much about furnaces so I just wanted to know if someone knows.

Thank you!

[dougger222]

Having a cracked window is never a bad idea with any fish house furnace.

My brother used to run a sun flower heater in his camper turned fish house and slept in it several nights and he's still around... Of course this is not a good idea but given the amount of drafts there was fresh air in always.

A forced air furnace will give off a lot of heat but I wouldn't want one for a fish house. You have to have batteries or run a generator. Used to run a 30K BTU Suburban forced air furnace in my camper turned fish house and the only way to run through the night was with the generator.

[BigDogRob]

I used mine during deer hunting and I also have a small generator. If I didn't use it with lights all day it would last 3 days during nov weather, and yes I realize it's not -10, but I would think that with it banked I wouldn't worry. It's also a gel cell battery which is better than a standard deep cycle. I also plan on piggybacking two together. Besides, if I plan on watching the news or dvd's for the youngin' then the generator will be good. I am just wondering more on the furnace with the gas part. I never opened the windows for Deer camp, and was just wondering if it will matter in the winter? I am just wondering since I will have the little one with...

[dougger222]

I know in one brand of fish houses that strickly run forced air the stickers on the window state to open a crack...

More than likely this is to avoid a lawsuit.

[minnbowhunter]

I have an Atwood forced air furance in my house and hardly ever crack a window. I do have a carbon monoxide detector that is really close to the floor and it has never made a sound. My son has a ceramic vent free furance in his house and after about an hour my eyes are burning.

[crappiekid]

i have the atwood forced air. Wife and two daughters come all the time. These are as safe as your home furnace. (actually the same in principal ) I have CO2 just in case. These also have abuilt in LP detector.

[usmcjsy]

Forced air is the way to go. It pulls air from the outside to burn and exhausts outside. So its not using the air in your house for burning and its not giving off any waste gas as its exhausted outside. Plus they run off a thermostat so your not running it very long at a time. I get 3 days in the dead of winter with a 75AH interstate deep cycle battery. Plus the nice thing with forced air is it distributes the heat evenly and keeps the floor nice and dry, as well as keep the holes open. I will never go back to ventless or non forced air heat.

[Tom7227]

This may be a dumb question to some, but do you need to crack a window with these units? Thank you!

Does it have a pipe that exhausts the fumes outside? Do you have a stack that sits above the house roof at all? Yes X 2 and I think you're pretty safe. Yes X 1 or 0 then I think you better post some pics or give details about make/model of the unit.

[BigDogRob]

It's the 8'x17' RV edition by Ice Castle ant it has the vent set up like a camper out the side of the unit. The only thing I know is that it's a 20k BTU unit with the forced air direct from the dealer I know there was a sticker that says to always crack a window, but it seem like it would be an issue if it vents the exhaust outside, unless they think it is due to using up all the oxygen by not opening a window and breathing heavy all night...lol I mean from snoring by the way. Since mine will sleep 5 or 6 people. I guess I could always open the hood vent by the stovetop that should provide the same general idea right? just prop it open at night.

[minnbowhunter]

BigDog, I will give you this advice if you buy the unit, make sure that you plug the cold air intake tube during the off season so critters don't crawl in and take up housekeeping. I learned the hard way, it's not pretty.

[BigDogRob]

By that I am thinking you are talking about where the heat comes out of the house? I was going to put some steel wool in it.

[minnbowhunter]

Yep, thats where the buggers got in, It wouldnt lite properly and I had to take the litte panel that holds the electrode off and pick out a huge nest with a long hemostat. It took a few hours, and after it would lite the smell was pretty bad. Now I just put a Ice Cream pail over the whole intake/exhaust and prop it up with a short 2x4. I pack it with steel wool too. Never want to clean it out again.

[usmcjsy]

Minnbowhunter, they sell a screen that you can put on there. It costs like $20 for the little screen that goes over the vents. Ya your right though otherwise make sure to put something in there to prevents wasps or anything else from building a nest in there.

[minnbowhunter]

Thanks, I'll look for a screen. BigDog, did'nt mean to hijack your thread, I really like my forced air furnace, it keeps the holes open real well and no other heater gives the even heat that it does. If you are a real light sleeper it might wake you up when it cycles if you bunk is close to the unit.

[BigDogRob]

lol, yeah it woke me up the first few nights from the back bed. I think it will wake me less than the cracking of the ice though. I'm sure looking forward to spending a few nights out on the ice with it! I used it during deer hunting and we had a 14" snowfall where we were at the 3rd weekend. I couldn't believe how much that insulated that thing! once the wind couldn't blow under the house it really warmed and stayed warm with few furnace kick-ins. I do have steel wool in it now... I also found that my battery box holder had a hole in the bottom of it directly open to the outside, which I think is in case the battery explodes or cracks? Gonna silicone that shut also. The new gel cell battery from Milaca unclaimed freight is awesome for holding power also! Kind of spendy, but I think it is worth the price.

[rbs]

How much was the big gel cell battery?

[BigDogRob]

Mine was thrown in woth the price of the house, but the sticker said $119. I am planning on going and picking up another one and piggyback it with the other one in the house. Just incase we get one of these real MN cold stretches where the generator all of a suddon decides to say, "No Thanks!"

I know a person can always throw it inside to warm up for a few minutes to start it, but sometimes we also want the quiet time for fishing hours.

[randallt]

I have never opened a window, however a few years ago a couple guys died on LOW. Report I heard was wind was blowing into the exhaust port and forcing CO back into the house. Never heard if they had a dectector or not. Make sure you have one and check batteries often!

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

And better than just a plain CO detector, get one with a digital readout of CO levels. It takes elevated levels of CO over a certain period of time to set them off, but if you have the digital readout, you'll hopefully be able to see that there is a problem before it becomes one. I think I paid around $20 for one on the book selling HSOforum.

[BigDogRob]

good idea on the CO2 detector with digital read-out. The house has one wired directly to run off the 12 volt system, which I am kind of skeptical since if the battery dies off then won't the gas keep pumping in? Maybe there is some kind of relay that takes care of that? I think I will add another digital one to be on the safe side. I am just thinking that the forced air is the way to go after sitting in one. the air movement when it kicks in seems to be much better with even heat... I did buy a 12 volt fan to bring along, but I don't think I am going to need it.

Thanks for all the input from everyone!

[minnbowhunter]

BigDog, the way the furnace cycles, if the battery is dead the furnace shuts down, the fan starts at the start of the cycle to clear out any fumes if they exist. After the purge cycle the gas comes on and the igniter fires, if the thermocouple does not detect heat it shuts off the flow of gas. Bottom line is, no power, no gas.

[BigDogRob]

Thanks Bow, that is the best description for me to get it! That explains that I will not need to crack a window, just make sure my detectors are working! I am hoping to get my house out and onto Red next weekend! Sounds like a go for pulling it out there with a truck now just hope the fish will still be biting! Maiden ice voyage for the house!