Community Forums

Giant Jeff · 12-29-2016, 12:12 AM

I've always wanted to try a cold weather winter trip. After lots of thought and planning we head to the mountains Monday (CA Hgwy 120 to Yosemite). I've been watching the weather obsisvly and it's going to be cold. Sunday 3 inches of snow is expected at our destination then travel day 3 more inches. The highs are in the low 40s with night time lows predicted as low as 17 degrees. Now I'm getting nervous. Not to concerned about driving and roads as I've been assured the road is plowed. My concern lies with my holding tanks, dump valves and piping. They are exposed in the underbelly. I planned on draining the tanks each night and adding antifreeze. I will probably just use my fresh water tank rather the hookingbto city watet as the tank is on board under the bed. I've read that rv antifreeze is only effective to around 25 degreees. Should I just relax and enjoy or I'm in running the risk of damage to my tanks and a regretful trip.

Giant Jeff · 12-29-2016, 12:22 AM

Geeshz, wish I would have looked 22 posts below😀. Still looking for some help in judgment though.

georgelesley · 12-29-2016, 04:04 AM

RV anti freeze is good well below zero. In Northern MN it was good to -30 at least. When it snows the temp is at bit warmer than when it is clear because of clouds. What are the exposed pipes made of? Pex is forgiving of short freezes (don't ask me how I know this) I think your coach if it is newer has pex. I would worry about the pipes more than the tanks however. They freeze much faster. Heating the coach may be your biggest problem. Worry about humidity if it gets cold and you do not ventilate well. Good luck.

Badlands Bob · 12-29-2016, 06:36 AM

You could always just use the bathhouse and not put water in the camper. Then you only have to worry about freezing yourself. Or you could put a 50/50 mixture of RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank and only use it to flush the toilet and use the bathhouse for everything else.

Rickndebw · 12-29-2016, 08:06 AM

What can you do about freezing pipes. Were heading down I5 over siskiyou pass and then mmt Shasta before warmer temps. I am a total newbie. You can keep the coach warm on propane and it seems that should protect the interior pipes no? Do you have to do antifreeze even when reroute? Could you put a small heater in the water bay, e.g. 250 watt and another in the basement. Theyd run off 110 power through the inverter right? My own preference is to wait until we have a two or three day stretch of "warmer" weather" but my wife is really pushing to leave.

Woodchopper · 12-29-2016, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giant Jeff

I've read that rv antifreeze is only effective to around 25 degreees. Should I just relax and enjoy or I'm in running the risk of damage to my tanks and a regretful trip.

Giant Jeff
Although RV antifreeze does "freeze"... it doesn't "expand when it freezes",
providing "burst protection" down to -50 degrees F.
See: https://www.jamestowndistributors.co....do?docId=1144

barmcd · 01-03-2017, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Badlands Bob

You could always just use the bathhouse and not put water in the camper. Then you only have to worry about freezing yourself. Or you could put a 50/50 mixture of RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank and only use it to flush the toilet and use the bathhouse for everything else.

That's what we did when we took our RV to relatives for Christmas a few years ago. We winterized it and used the RV park bath house. Saved a lot of worrying about what was going on in the basement when it got cold.