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Old 11-16-2012, 08:51 AM   #15
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Wal Mart has oil filled heaters that I put in the basement to keep things warm Took the wall out between the basement and crawl space and put a small fan to move heat to the tanks. The oil filled heaters don't get too hot
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Old 11-16-2012, 09:23 AM   #16
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I boondocked here in Arizona for 7 years above 5,000', temperatures would drop below Zero at least twice a year. Here are a few things I learned.

For your personal comfort place a good sleeping bag (opened) on top of your mattress and then your fitted sheets and other coverings. Get an insulated pair of Carhardt coveralls, a good pair of Thinsulate gloves and insulated boots, these are for when the unexpected happens at the worst of times. Since you will be there for a few months get a couple of small electric heaters for the interior, we have one Broan, about $70.00, that works nicely and is very compact.

Have some good heavy throw blankets as there will be times when the heaters will not be enough. One trick we used was to put a 10" terra-cotta planter upside down over a burner on the stove, this will help in the coldest of times. Keep your feet warm, when they are cold the rest of you feels colder.

For the rig, put heat tape on your shore hose and use the foam insulation, not fiberglass, tape up all seams. If the basement is not heated, insulate all piping. Buy a Heat-Gun, it is safer to use than a propane torch, just in case. If your rig has 30 or 50 amp hook-ups you can purchase a connector at any hardware or RV supply store, they are easy to set up or you can have an electrician install it for you. Caulk around any exterior areas where you can see light shining through from the inside.

We use a product called Reflectix to insulate the windows, use self stick velcro so that you can remove it on warmer days and to let some of the outside world in. Keep your tires at the proper infllation and covered. Four screw type jack stands will keep your rig steady, place a piece of 2x6 under each one to protect your SIL's driveway.

I have never used one but from what I read a macerator pump should take care of your waste disposal problems. There should be a clean-out connection somewhere on the exterior of the house, this can be used to dump your tanks. Just be sure to dump the gray water last and the make sure the hose is well drained.

If you are handy you can put skirting around your 5vr this will help a lot when the wind blows.

Good luck,

Rusty
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Old 11-25-2012, 04:17 PM   #17
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i live in ND and when we deer hunt i used my Sportsman 5'er and Laredo..both had underbelly wrap and inslulation...and after two weeks{i know its not 3 months but same} the only problem we had first time was going to station to dump was the pipe for dumping is outside the belly and froze...so next time we wraped with heat tape and insullation and had no problems...and the floor vents in the storage belly we cut and had heat to the places needed....i think if your 5'er has the insulated belly you should be fine with precautions...jeff
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Old 11-29-2012, 04:41 PM   #18
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It is almost over with and it looks like we will survive. My mother-in-law died peacefully Wednesday morning and the funeral is Saturday. We will head south probably Monday.

I am at a Moose Lodge in St. Charles IL (plan B) with 15 amp electric. That was enough to run a small space heater and keep the batteries up. I also bought a Buddy propane heater. We were able to keep quite warm. The only problem we have had so far is when we ran out of propane for the furnace. I had one tank turned off so that it would not switch over automatically and leave me with no propane. My line of thought was I could always switch manually and know I had a full tank and refill the other. The water lines did freeze, but it appears that none burst. The pump runs long enough to build up pressure and then shuts off, like it did before. I have not tried to dump yet, so I do not know if the drain lines are frozen. I am going to wait until Monday, after we have two warm (50's) days and not freezing nights.
I thank every one for the help, concern and advise. I also want every one to know that the Moose in St. Charles are some of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met. I have been impressed with the Moose I have met in all our travels, but this lodge is exceptional. I will advise all fulltimers to join the Moose and use the lodges that allow camping. It is a two way street--you get a cheap place to stay and the lodge gets a little extra income.
Again, thanks to all for the help.
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