Need some winter camping advice

[LarryGodby]

I spoke with a gentleman on the phone today, Jim, that needs our help.

He is leaving FL to come out to CO to go skiing and will be out here for 4 to 6 weeks with his rig. Don't start Virg!

We need all your expert advice to help him set up his rig to minimize his problems of camping in cold weather. His rig is 1 1/2 yrs old with thermo pane windows.

I told him some stuff as I lived in SOB while up in ID over a winter but I will admit I don't know everything. Some other people may make that claim but I don't.

Please post your answers here but if you need some clarifying information his address is jnibs at verizon dot net

[Still Working "NOT"]

Ok Larry, what did you tell him? I may have a few to add and don't want to repeat what you said.

[LarryGodby]

1. Light or heater in the basement
2. Run off of the water tank only
3. Fill tank and disconnect hose.
4. Dump the tanks and disconnect hose
5. Don't turn the heat down to much at night
6. Make sure to have the hi pressure regulator on the roadside tank
7. Put the insulation pillows in the roof vents
8. We run electric heaters during the day to conserve propane
9. I think he will be using a 100 lb bottle anyway
10. He heard to run a small lightbulb in the back of the fridge
11. He was going to skirt the rig with the Styrofoam panels
12. We did discuss wrapping the slides and I pointed him to boogeyman's post about the -35 time in Montana so there is some other areas to check
13. He has thermo pane windows


I think that is it.

[BookIIRoadtrash]

Larry, I think you have a very good list. I have never been in you country in the winter but in the Heartland I would want my door facing south and or east away from the prevailing winds. Book2

[Still Working "NOT"]

Looks like you hit all the points I would do. I'd be careful with the electric heaters during the day, as the furnance also heats the basement. I wouldn't run them unless I'd be there.

[DAN L]

i am using 3 inside-outside wired temperature gauges to monitor the temp in the water pump compartment, middle fresh water tank compartment, and aft water service- black and gray tank compartments. i got them from walmart and harbor freight for about $6 each.
i read in this forum that some folks use a multi channel wireless temp gauge. that is more expensive, but you don't have to run wires.
my water pump compartment is heated by the electric or propane water heater and does not require any extra heat.
i heat the other 2 compartments with 2 drop cord lights, one in each compartment, with a 100 watt light bulb in each one.
i have not seen temperatures below 20 deg f. yet.
i use 3 small 750-1500 w. electric heaters inside the moho. they have fans, overheat shutoffs and turnover shutoffs in them.
i do not leave them on hi setting or where my 2 cats can get to them when i am not inside the moho.

[MakinSmoke]

Would you worry about the sewer hose cracking? Going from 8ml to 18ml vinyl may help. Or perhaps one of those RhinoFlex hoses may be better. I've seem old vinyl crack like chapped lips in cold weather.

[wrongway]

One item to be of concern is the holding tanks. We have had some wonderful temps around here this winter (Iowa), staying in the 0 to teen range and this am was -30 Below... (story on below to follow). Did have one gentleman that was from Texas up here working and staying in his rig... Was using the fifth(SOB) just like if it was summer.. Left his tank values open... Had one long line of Ice going up to into the tanks and down some of his drain lines into the tanks. What a mess. So a opinion would be to leave your tank valves closed and drain accordingly.

Story: Was going thru the airport the other day and some folks from California were next to us in line... They asked about the cold temps... Explained to them that it somewhat cold the other day when the temps got to -6 Below... They responded "Below What?"

Have a good day.

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally posted by wrongway: Story: Was going thru the airport the other day and some folks from California were next to us in line... They asked about the cold temps... Explained to them that it somewhat cold the other day when the temps got to -6 Below... They responded "Below What?" Have a good day.

I can vouch for the Californians....they don't seem no brighter about temps than us ol' Texans!!! Thanks for sharing Tom...you're a riot! rockin'

[LarryGodby]

Quote:

Originally posted by MakinSmoke: I've seem old vinyl crack like chapped lips in cold weather.

Excuse me Virg,
We are talking REAL cold weather, not 40 degrees overnight. I know you start to shiver at 60 but some of us consider 40 and above to be shorts and t-shirt weather.

[Boogeyman]

Hello Larry. Your list is a good one. here are some extra suggestions:

1. If he is putting up the styrofoam panels for skirting, I would put plywood around that as well. Keep the elements off the styrofoam. He could also spend the money on a really good insulated vinyl skirting (about $3,000.00).

2. Put an electric heater under the trailer. This will eliminate the risk of freezing the tanks, especially if they are enclosed and heated like our units.

3. Is the compartment with the outside shower heated? This spot could be an issue.

4. Even with the thermopane windows, there is still a lot of heat loss from them. He should insulate the windows that he won't need, ie. bedroom.

5. Buy a really good dehumidifier. The excess moisture from winter camping can be brutal.

6. I can't speek to the temperatures in CO, but if you are in the negatives there, then a 100 lb tank isn't big enough. He could be filling a couple times a week. North of the border, all winter camping units run off of a 600 lb bottle.

7. Don't leave the vinyl hoses out. If you put up the skirting, and heat the underside of the trailer, then you can run the hoses inside the skirting to where the sewer is, then use PVC piping outside the skirting as Book2 has mentioned. I have also heard of another type of Flex sewer piping that works well, but I have never seen it personally. I will ask someone I know about it, as that is what they use, and I may pick some up myself.

8. If you don't want to string out and pack up the water hose all the time, buy some really good electric heat tracing from an electrical supply shop. Don't use the hardware store variety. String the heat tracing along the underside of the water hose and wrap with duct tape. Then wrap the hose in foam piping insulation, and again wrap this really good with duct tape. The foam insulation you get is typically what one would buy to wrap the copper hot water pipes with in your house.

9. With cold temperatures and lots of snow, it is a very good idea to wrap the slides. As well as some brands insulate the slides, it still isn't that great for winter camping. Wraping and taping off with vapor barrier tape will also seal off the seals between the slides and the sidewalls. This takes care of cold drafts as well.

I think this about covers it. Hope it helps.

[skigramp]

Jack pads are liable to freeze to the ground when you stay in one spot ... so I suggest that he put something disposable (blocks of wood, etc) underneath his jack pads so that he can retract the pads ... most often you can kick the blocks of wood free after you move the rig ... but sometimes they stay there until the spring thaw

I always fill my fresh water tank and then stow the hose when camping in cold weather ... water hoses that freeze are plain downright ugly

Been there ... done that

[MakinSmoke]

I'll have you know it was near freezing here in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve this morning! The am low was 43.2 and I've been cold all day long.
In fact when I went to the Post Office in Everglades City this morning, it was so cold I took the Explorer instead of the scooter.

[LarryGodby]

Quote:

Originally posted by MakinSmoke: I'll have you know it was near freezing here in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve this morning! The am low was 43.2 and I've been cold all day long. In fact when I went to the Post Office in Everglades City this morning, it was so cold I took the Explorer instead of the scooter.

Virg,

Are you willing to embarrass yourself in front of Still, I mean I can understand doing it in front of Tommy Boy but not Still. 43.2 baby, it's still shorts weather. You probably had the heat on in the Explorer and a coat, mittens and hat on, mercy.