Winter Berkshire Use

[Joker]

Hello all! I hope everybody had a good Christmas. I am planning on taking my Berk south from southern Colorado for a couple weeks, but I will be in sub-freezing temps at night for the first few nights and the likely for a couple nights as I return home. So does anyone have any experience or recommendations for winter driving/use?

Should I stay winterized until my destination is reached? Should I run the tank heater while in transit? If so, do I need to run the generator?

Of course I will be paying VERY close attention to the weather.

[NO3putt]

Being from CO also, usually leave it winterize until we reach warm weather, drain the tanks etc. Currently in FL but will be heading home late JAN. Will winterize somewhere along the way home. A couple of frozen lines is not worth not having water a few days. It's eat out, use campground restrooms for a couple of days. Safe travels.

[silver]

I picked mine up in Dec in Ohio with a temp of 4 degree F. Drove 1500 miles along the east cost to reach home. I carried a 5 gallon jug of water so I could use the toilet at night. Bought gas at Flying J & Truch Stop of America. They have great showers as well as food. You can also stay the night. Make sure your propane is full as my tank only lasted a week in the extreem clod, Stopped off at the mother-in-laws in Rochester NY. When you arrive at your destination take a hose and wash off the under belly of the coach to get as much of the road salt off as possible. I have a lot of corrosion under my coach I have had to take care of. It was ether not undercoated properly at the factory or a result of the first trip home when I picked it up.

My 2 cents

[beipers]

We just reached Huntington Beach, CA yesterday from IA. Came across Oklahoma through NM & AZ trying to avoid the snow in western Colorado. Though we missed the snow, we did not miss the cold temperatures! It was 6 degrees the first night in SW Iowa and 12 in Oklahoma with below 0 with wind chill. This is the first long trip on the Berk, less than 5,000 miles on her. This isn't our first experience with cold weather. We left with full a full tank of water, the heating pads turned on and ready to add more heat if needed. I've added a 120v electric heater to the water tank compartment on every coach I've owned. Unfortunately the weather in Iowa kept me from getting the outlet added to the Berk before we left this year. As such, I cheated and ran an extension cord from the front external outlet to the RH door and plugged the heater in. I run it about 30 minutes every 2 hours. We had water all of the way across. We did find that you also have to remove the inside door to the water heater compartment, or else the hot water pipes on a 390bh don't get enough heat to keep from freezing. For us, traveling dry with the kids is not an option. However, as stated by others if you don't add more heat than the MH is designed with, my experience (even with the Berk), you'll freeze the pipes when traveling below about 20.

[klucas]

Originally Posted by beipers

We just reached Huntington Beach, CA yesterday from IA. Came across Oklahoma through NM & AZ trying to avoid the snow in western Colorado. Though we missed the snow, we did not miss the cold temperatures! It was 6 degrees the first night in SW Iowa and 12 in Oklahoma with below 0 with wind chill. This is the first long trip on the Berk, less than 5,000 miles on her. This isn't our first experience with cold weather. We left with full a full tank of water, the heating pads turned on and ready to add more heat if needed. I've added a 120v electric heater to the water tank compartment on every coach I've owned. Unfortunately the weather in Iowa kept me from getting the outlet added to the Berk before we left this year. As such, I cheated and ran an extension cord from the front external outlet to the RH door and plugged the heater in. I run it about 30 minutes every 2 hours. We had water all of the way across. We did find that you also have to remove the inside door to the water heater compartment, or else the hot water pipes on a 390bh don't get enough heat to keep from freezing. For us, traveling dry with the kids is not an option. However, as stated by others if you don't add more heat than the MH is designed with, my experience (even with the Berk), you'll freeze the pipes when traveling below about 20.

Did you add the heater to the area where the water tank is. Or just the adjacent basement area? Also the inside door? Is that the door in the bed room you are talking about? I too will be going shortly in cold weather in the berk. I turned the water off to the ice maker and will do the heat pads for the tanks. I like the idea of the heater. I would assume you have a electronic timer connected to have it switch on every few hours. Lastly does it keep it warm enough to the manifold area at the driver side hatch/tank dump area? Thanks ken

[beipers]

Ken,

I placed the heater on the right side of the tank compartment just ahead of the water pump. It is simply a small 1500W heater fan I picked up at wal-mart. It circulates enough hot air it keeps the pipes thawed in the manifold area also. To get by on this trip, I ran an extension cord from the front compartment to the tank compartment by squeezeing the seals and then setting it above the latch strikers and inside the bottom door skin, so it isn't exposed. I have it plugged in and on all the time so it runs whenever the generator runs. I just ran the generator at least 30 minutes every 2 hours.

The door to the water heater is inside the bedroom under the cabinet for the washer/dryer.

Have a safe trip.

Brian

[klucas]

Originally Posted by beipers

Ken,

I placed the heater on the right side of the tank compartment just ahead of the water pump. It is simply a small 1500W heater fan I picked up at wal-mart. It circulates enough hot air it keeps the pipes thawed in the manifold area also. To get by on this trip, I ran an extension cord from the front compartment to the tank compartment by squeezeing the seals and then setting it above the latch strikers and inside the bottom door skin, so it isn't exposed. I have it plugged in and on all the time so it runs whenever the generator runs. I just ran the generator at least 30 minutes every 2 hours.

The door to the water heater is inside the bedroom under the cabinet for the washer/dryer.

Have a safe trip.

Brian

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely be using this idea.

[Joker]

I, too, like that idea. Just make sure the heater is fixed in place so that the intake and outflow are not obstructed if it shifts in transit!

[klucas]

Originally Posted by Joker

I, too, like that idea. Just make sure the heater is fixed in place so that the intake and outflow are not obstructed if it shifts in transit!

Maybe a bit of Velcro could make it easy on easy off. Then It wouldn't slide around and be a fire hazard. Also wonder of there is a place to add a outlet to the basement area. I noticed a junction box near the propane quick connect. Wonder if that would be a place to jump a outlet from.