Community Forums

Midmug87 · 07-30-2013, 10:59 AM

Hello all, I was wondering if y'all can give me any ideas or reccemadtions on what kind of trailer I should be looking to purchase next
I want it to be a bunkhouse at least 35ft 5thwheel and also has to be suitable for freezing tempature a as my family and I will be living full time on trailer in Colorado? So it's needs to be one that has tank heaters and very well insulated any information will help
Thanks butch

RickO · 07-30-2013, 02:24 PM

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I have moved your post here to its own thread to avoid hijacking the thread it was posted in.

Best of luck.

Rick

**CLIFFTALL** · 07-30-2013, 02:28 PM

Welcome to irv2. You'll get some good advice here.

Cliff

hjsdds · 08-01-2013, 07:51 PM

Fulltiming in a fifth in freezing temperatures is a really bad idea. Veteran fulltimers move around to avoid freezing temperatures. Travel trailers are not built like houses (they cannot be) therefore they cannot be insulated the same way as houses. There are many brands that claim that they are insulated for "cold" fulltiming, baloney. Have people done it and are people doing it, sure. How? They go through propane like crazy. In cold February you will go through a 30# bottle in a day and half, two days tops. First thing those fulltimers do is to put a 100# bottle next to the rig, second, maybe a second 100 pounder. Third, they will skirt the rig all around to stop wind whipping under the floor and help with plumbing temperatures.
Next thing to check is whether you have winter fulltiming campgrounds where you you want to stay. Most of them will drain the water and plumbing lines in the fall and tell you to come back in the spring. To set up a campground infrastructure to operate in freezing weather is very expensive. Also repair of busted frozen lines can be a lot more costly than what they would make renting the spot for the winter months.
I know of one campground in Massachusetts set up for winter camping, I know of another in state of New Hampshire. All the others are fair weather only. Might be cheaper to rent a small house for the winter months.

hjs

tuffr2 · 08-01-2013, 08:34 PM

I would start with Excel 5th wheels by Perterson Ind. Followed by DRV. These are probably two of the best insulated trailers. Maybe the new Presidential by Holiday Rambler. (Excel 5ers are advertised to be ok to minus 10 degrees).
I would not want to test it.

You will want to do all things mentioned in the previous post. I have a 5er with a 4 season package. I agree it is balony. You can help keep warm with electric heaters and electric fireplace.

Good luck.

caissiel · 08-01-2013, 09:22 PM

With more then one person in an RV I would be afraid of running out of oxygen.
I spend a winter alone in a 33 ft unit and did quite well. I was working all day and spend lots of time away at nights. Dumped when weather warmed up and opened a window often. Same winter 2 brothers perished in a camper around where I lived due lack of oxygen. There is a man here living alone in an RV for the past 40 years and he has no interest in a house. But again he lives alone.

Rowanova · 08-04-2013, 07:52 PM

There are people who do live full time in their RVs through cold weather winters. Many things have been mentioned above, so I'll not repeat them. But other brands you may want to consider are Arctic Fox, Teton, and Alpenlite. Note that Teton and Alpenlite no longer make new units, but good used units are available for sale at times.

It's not that hard to locate people online who do some winter RVing and/or full timing. A very quality unit is number one. Taking all necessary preparations is equally important. I could give the name of a couple of sites you could visit for more info but not sure if its allowed on this forum. PM me for this info if you like.

You mention you and your family will be living in this RV, how many people is that? You'll have that many people confined inside of the limited confines of the RV you choose. I'd also be concerned about the oxygen levels.

TXiceman · 08-04-2013, 08:04 PM

DRV Mobile Suites is about the best insulated RV you will find. As for running out of oxygen, I have never seen an RV built that tight. In any case, you need to keep a top vent cracked open about 1/4 to 3/8" to aid in moisture control. Moisture built up must be managed as you will be condensing a lot of moisture on the inside of the windows and frames.

I'd also insist on dual pane windows. But in any case, you will go through a lot of propane in short order. You do have to run the furnace in order to keep the holding tanks warm enough to prevent freezing.

I would not try full-timing in Colorado in an RV and we have lived long term in sub-freezing weather..17 degF was the lowest we have been in a 4-seasons full-time trailer.

glennwest · 08-04-2013, 08:09 PM

DRV has 3" wool insulation in walls. Best I know of. I might be going to upper North Dakota to spend winter, working, and I'll can let u know then just how good it is. lol. Has wool in ceiling and floor also. Has 15" stacked tube steel for chassis and has that area full of insulation also. Be forewarned units like this are pricey and heavy.