Winter use - 2003 Pace Arrow 35G

[jcghost]

We just purchased a 2003 Pace Arrow 35G. We both have 2 3 dashy weekends per month and have strips planned into January 2009.

That said do I need to winterize and de-winteriae after each trip? The coach is parked at our home and plugged into a 30 amp circuit. Is it OK to just leave the furnace on at 60-65 and be OK?

Thanks for your replies.

[jcghost]

We just purchased a 2003 Pace Arrow 35G. We both have 2 3 dashy weekends per month and have strips planned into January 2009.

That said do I need to winterize and de-winteriae after each trip? The coach is parked at our home and plugged into a 30 amp circuit. Is it OK to just leave the furnace on at 60-65 and be OK?

Thanks for your replies.

[Cruzer]

I wouldn't bother. If you are going to use it that often I'd just keep some heat in it. Of course, that depends on where you live. You can go through a lot of propane to run the furnace if you live in Nome, Alaska but no very much at all if you live in Arizona.

Here in Wisconsin it rarely gets below minus 10 degrees. During those times when I anticipate use of the RV I'll leave the furnace on. But, you don't have to crank it that high. If you set it at 45 degrees it'll keep things from freezing. Be sure to keep some cabinet doors open so that the heat can get to the water lines that are in them. Your furnace will heat the water service bay and holding tanks so that's fine too. Just keep the hoses put away and the bay doors closed tight.

If the weather fluctuates quite a bit you won't have to keep the thing heated every day as long as you keep an eye on the weather forecast. We do that and if we see it's going to get down around 35 at night I'll turn the heat on and set it at 45. If it isn't going to get that cold, why waste the propane.

Winterizing and dewinterizing can get to be a pain after a while and if you forget something and it freezes up it'll cost you. It's best to keep that for when you know you'll be parking it for a while.

[holly]

we live wi also if is above 30 at night i don't heat but warms in the daytime to 40 or more it well be ok also the water pump may be away from the heat in the water bay on the 36b it is the bay up by ps wheel i put a light on it to keep it warm

[MrMudstud]

To be sure and safe, put a couple of drop lights with a 60w or 100W on in the water pump and water tank compartments. You will be surprise how much heat the lights give when the temps get to low. They will keep it above freezing point.

[GerryB54]

Personally, I think it would be too expensive a proposition to leave the heat on during non-use times.

Winterizing, once you learn to do it yourself, is a fairly quick (30 minute) process and is relatively inexpensive (maybe $15 in RV antifreeze).

At a minimum, I would recommend (after every trip and during winter non-use w/heat) bypassing and draining the water heater, draining the fresh water tank, opening the low point drains and blowing air through the system.

Opening the low point drains and blowing air through the system is not suggested after every trip, just in winter.

If you don't know what I'm talking about or how to do any of this, take the time to learn how. Ask us questions, we want to help.