Heating coach when stored in freezing temps

[scrowell52]

We have a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler which has a roof told A/C with electric heat strip heating. Should we keep the inside of the coach temp above freezing when stored and is the rooftop unit a good option for this or should we use a portable heater. Is the minimum setting of 40 degrees an appropriate temp? The coach has been winterized by blowing out the water lines and adding antifreeze to the traps and water pump.

[palehorse89]

Originally Posted by SteveCrowell

We have a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler which has a roof told A/C with electric heat strip heating. Should we keep the inside of the coach temp above freezing when stored and is the rooftop unit a good option for this or should we use a portable heater. Is the minimum setting of 40 degrees an appropriate temp? The coach has been winterized by blowing out the water lines and adding antifreeze to the traps and water pump.

Hello and Welcome Steve
If it has been winterized and you are not going to use it, no need to heat it..........just let it sleep like a bear in hibernation, till needed.
Keep it plugged into shore power to keep the batteries topped off.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by palehorse89

Hello and Welcome Steve
If it has been winterized and you are not going to use it, no need to heat it..........just let it sleep like a bear in hibernation, till needed.
Keep it plugged into shore power to keep the batteries topped off.

[biggcrisp]

Good question and one that I asked myself.

The answer I gave myself was to not use any heat. Couple of reasons: moisture might be a concern - thought it would stay drier without heat. Big electric bill - if I was going to spend time out there in it occasionally then maybe. Fact is it's just too dang cold. So, it's in cold storage for now.

If the cold ruins the linoleum -- I would have a good excuse to upgrade it! I don't know that the cold can damage much else.

Maybe others have different opinions.

[select55]

Originally Posted by SteveCrowell

We have a Newmar Canyon Star toy hauler which has a roof told A/C with electric heat strip heating. Should we keep the inside of the coach temp above freezing when stored and is the rooftop unit a good option for this or should we use a portable heater. Is the minimum setting of 40 degrees an appropriate temp? The coach has been winterized by blowing out the water lines and adding antifreeze to the traps and water pump.

really don't need heat but if u don't mind paying the power bill run a decent 1500 watt heater set on super low .
I personally would not be using the old heat strip roof ac unit
one thing about keeping some warmth in it will keep flooring and cabinets etc from extreme temperature swings which I believe are very beneficial
to the over well being of a RV
BUT certainly one does not have to

[macnut]

I leave a small heater inside the RV and inside the wet bay. The inside heater is set to 40, and the wet bay heater is attached to a plug that turns on a 35. We usually only have a few days in a row of that kind of weather, but it keeps the lines from freezing and makes it easy to still use the RV in the winter.

[Melmoses]

Heat pumps on the AC are only effective down to about 40 so they do no good in freezing weather. It depends on how cold it gets and how long the temp will stay below freezing on how I approach things. Batteries can freeze so think about removing them to a garage or somewhere if it's that cold. Before removing batteries if you do, take lots of pictures of the setup from top and side so you don't mess up when you reinstall in the spring.

[scrowell52]

@Select55
Why wouldn't you use the rooftop unit?

[City Boy]

I leave my batteries on my coach with a trickle charger hooked up to them. I keep the battery compartment warm using a trouble light with a 60 watt bulb in it. Keeps the batteries from freezing and I stop by every month and a half to put in a new bulb. Works great and I don't have to break my back unloading and reloading the batteries.

[rumrunnerxx]

Originally Posted by Melmoses

... Batteries can freeze so think about removing them to a garage or somewhere if it's that cold. Before removing batteries if you do, take lots of pictures of the setup from top and side so you don't mess up when you reinstall in the spring.

Batteries should not freeze if they are fully charged.

Taking a picture of the connections is however a very good idea. Don't ask me how I know.

[select55]

Originally Posted by City Boy

I leave my batteries on my coach with a trickle charger hooked up to them. I keep the battery compartment warm using a trouble light with a 60 watt bulb in it. Keeps the batteries from freezing and I stop by every month and a half to put in a new bulb. Works great and I don't have to break my back unloading and reloading the batteries.

your wasting your time;; batterys only freeze if they lose their charge as long as there charged up no matter the temerature;;they don't freeze
my boat batterys sit disconnected for a year and there still 7/8 charged
and it gets way below freezing many many days where its at

[select55]

Originally Posted by SteveCrowell

@Select55
Why wouldn't you use the rooftop unit?

I think heat strips are old school; not very efficient and power hogs plus why run the roof unit and put unneeded hours on it when a 50$ wallmart heater will do the job and cost far less to run

[scrowell52]

As the consensus is overwhelming that I should not heat the inside of my coach, I have turned the heat off and tucked the baby in for the winter. It has been winterized, is plugged into shore power and has a trickle charger on the chassis battery. Don't know what I can do except wait for spring...now hurry up and get here. Thanks for the feedback ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°*