Pic by Don Bobbitt

As I have mentioned before, we often camped in the Tampa area of Florida, and even there, during the Winter it can actually get quite cold.

And, all campers know that when you are traveling in your camper and the cold does hit, you can often end up looking for multiple ways to keep yourself warm.

By the Way!  I have another Blog article on How to Keep Warm in your RV.  So check it out for a nice collection of very useful tips for the RVer.

AS is often the case, when you purchase a newer or even NEW RV you have to go through a learning curve to pick up on all of the Rigs newer and different features.This one pleasantly surprised me.

Several years ago I traded for a new 2008 HR Neptune XL in January 2009, and the following winter was my coldest and longest winter period in that particular rig.

Well, at the time one of the things that I specifically had on my “Dream RV Checklist” was that my AC units be Heat Pump AC’s and not the old standard design of Air Conditioner. One reason is that a Heat Pump can also heat pretty efficiently until the outside temperatures get down to around 40F, and they can even function adequately down close to freezing as a general rule.

So, rather than run my Propane Furnace in the evenings and during cold days, I decided to use the Heat Pumps and be much more comfortable, and at a lower cost when I stay at a Campground where the electricity is supplied as part of the rent price.

Well, that first cold night, I went to bed with the Heat Pump set to 52F, turned on my Electric Blanket and settled down to a comfortable night in my RV.

I’m a light sleeper, and tend to be sensitive to changes in my surroundings.  So, when I woke up at 3:27 that first morning, I instinctively knew something had changed.  I listened for a while and realized that my Propane Furnace in the Living area was running and not the Heat Pump.

I checked my outside temperature gauge, and it showed that the outside temp was at a chilly 27F.

I knew that Heat Pumps do not function at this low a temperature. So, I went in to the Living area, and checked the master Control Panel, and sure enough, the electronic control system had done a great thing for me.
At some point, the system had sensed the lower temperature, and had switched the Heat Pump OFF and switched the Propane Furnace over to my preset temperature of 52F.

So, being one of those males that rarely reads the book, like so many of us, I guess, I had discovered, by chance, a function that I now admire greatly.

I will have to read more on this, as soon as I can find where I put my owners manual!

Have a great Day!

Don