How to camp in the winter?

[gmacklem]

I have a camper that is not setup at all for winter camping. The bottom is not enclosed and I don't have tank heaters. But from what I have read, even with those things there are limits to winter camping. But from what I am seeing on the roads it sure doesn't seem like it. I just drove back to Georgia from Atlanta and saw tons of class A's, class C's, travel trailers and 5vers heading north. And they are heading into some extreme cold tonight.

So are many of these campers truly capable of sub-freezing temps or are they dry camping?

[youroo]

They are (NOT Sub Zero Units),the rest you will have to ask them! Youroo!!

[SKnight]

My old TT wasn't truly extreme cold rated, exposed belly and tanks, not the best wall insulation. I camped in the 20's a few times and didn't experience the tanks freezing, including the hose from the fresh tank, but I killed the LP running the heater trying to keep up. Two full tanks sucked dry in less than a week.

Now with my 5er, I was camping in the mid teens and had no issues keeping the interior 50* or more. There have been a lot of improvements in insulation even in the lower end units so I imagine they'll be OK for the most part.

[ykdave]

the cold weather/arctic packages help, but i wouldnt count on them below -15c/5f in ideal conditions.

if your dry camping, theirs not much to worry about other than winterizing the unit prior

I live in my trailer year round, with just the tank heaters i had no problems down to that -15c ballpark, a little cooler if their was zero wind. below that i would experience freezup of the cold water feed to the hot water tank and the valve for the kitchen grey water tank would freeze.

I couldnt justify the ~$6500 price tag for the custom insulated canvas skirting(though it is really nice!), so i whacked together some 1x2 frames with 2" rigid foam (R10) which was about $300 in material. Its not the prettiest (i didnt even paint it, so sue me) but with a little 600w electric heater under there i havent had a single issue and have seen -42c (-54c windchill)

[mjones12]

Depends on where you are, and Georgia isn't a bad place for winter camping. Here in North Carolina, we camp all winter, often in the teens for a few hours at night but hardly ever do we get sustained temperatures below freezing for days on end. If that happens, we stay home.

On a previous camper we had an open underbelly and no tank heaters. Our mechanics talked us out of buying them, saying that it's no problem for the tank contents to freeze as long as there is room in the tanks for expansion. Of course, you can't dump frozen tanks. But again, we never camp when temps won't be getting above freezing the following day. And we put a lot of warm contents into both tanks in the normal course of things. We're talking hot water from showers and 98.6 for other deposits.

We have had our fresh water hose freeze because we forgot to unhook and drain it on a freezing night. Now we have a heated hose, but that won't keep the campground faucet from freezing. We've almost never had that happen, but I'm sure it does up north.

In many locales, you can enjoy winter camping even if the temps drop into the teens for a few hours overnight as they do in the South sometimes. But with the weather like it is now, it's simply too cold to be outside setting up a camper or taking it down.

We've never had a weather-related problem (other than the temporarily frozen water hose) in 10 years of winter camping in our region, but others may have had different results. The campgrounds down here stay open all year, and we've woke up a couple of times with a few inches of snow on the ground outside the camper. That's always fun as long as you don't have to move. Wait a day, and the snow is usually gone.

As others said, you can burn a lot of propane in cold temps, but that can be supplemented with an electric heater to lower the propane use.

[litgrep]

I was in it last week in the teens. Dry camping and 30amp running two electric heaters, propane intermittently, and electric blanket at night. Kept it in the 60s inside.

[LittlePM]

We just go home earlier today, we went out for the long weekend yesterday was cold, today is very cold, windy and raining. We had the arctic pack on, and the fire place on. We drain all the tanks and blow out the lines, and leave the faucets open.

[greymedic]

We're on the road since Jan 11 from NEPA and have had a few nights in the teens with our 2014 flagstaff 5er, including 8" overnight snow in Ruidoso, NM! Only problem was frozen hose (in Ruidoso). This also is camping......all comfortable and loving it! Tank heaters and aux heater helps (especially when both propane tanks ran out---my bad)!

[mjones12]

Enjoy the adventure!

[bikendan]

We camp in the winter, by living on the West Coast!
in fact, we're 2 weeks into a 6 week camping trip. Currently, it's 80 degrees where we are today.
tomorrow we're starting our coastal 4 week leg of the trip, back to Washington.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[DickiedooFlagman]

You will definitely want to have hookups for electricity. If your camper is 50 amp capable, try to get a campground that will give you 50 amp. You will need electricity to keep your batteries charged as the heater fan will quickly deplete your camper battery especially if dry camping. And, of course, with the darker days and cold outside, you will use more lights and entertainment features. More batteries are better but not necessary as long as you have shore power. Generators are useful for powering your 120v accessories and for battery charging. Purpose-designed battery chargers are faster and more efficient at charging batteries than OEM converters. Locate portable generators where exhaust fumes will not enter the camper and where the generator will be dry. You do not want to be handling wet wires while the generator is operating. Store extra fuel away from the generator in a dry place, and turn the generator off while refueling. Remember to be respectful of your neighbors when operating the generator. Solar panels can be useful when it is sunny but are best for use during longer summer days. Do not count on solar panels for much recharging during the winter due to shorter days, snow cover, and cloudy conditions.

Condensation and ventilation will be your two biggest chores. Thermopane windows are a great addition and help minimize condensation, but if you don't already have them, consider them next time as they not only will minimize condensation, but also retain heat and reduce outside sound levels. You want to minimize condensation as it can get into some insulation and destroy its insulating value. Excess moisture gives mold a chance to start and this is never a good thing. Try to prepare meals that do not require boiling water as that creates moisture in the air. Make reservations and go out to eat. Heat pot pies or frozen meals in the oven. When cooking, especially when you can see vapor being produced, use the exhaust fan and crack a window in the bedroom or back of the camper. Use paper plates and disposable cutlery as washing dishes uses lots of water and creates moisture. When taking a shower, always run the roof vent fan and open a window for ventilation. You will use more heat but will also minimize condensation. When showering, do your first dry off with a chamois - like the synthetic ones Wal-Mart has in the auto department - wring it out and watch all the water go down the drain that would be otherwise be condensation from drying a towel. Keep your mattress an inch or so from the outside wall of the camper otherwise you will get condensation and frost in that area and a wet mattress. On a sunny, not windy day, consider opening the door and all the windows for a while and give the camper a chance to air out.

Make sure you do run your furnace enough to heat the storage compartment and holding tanks. Use a 60-watt light bulb in the storage compartment. That will help keep things warmer there.

Heating: Do not use the stovetop or oven as a primary source of heat. Burning fuel creates carbon monoxide (CO), which is deadly. It is OK to do normal cooking. Consider cooking a meatloaf, casserole, or frozen convenience dinner rather than boiling pasta (moisture). Keep your heat on enough to be comfortable AND to keep the basement areas from freezing. Wear a sweater or vest if chilly. If watching TV or just sitting, consider using an afghan, throw, or fleece blanket for comfort. If you are “follically challenged”, as I am, and chilly on top when sleeping, consider a night cap. Consider locating a remote reading thermometer (or one with a sensing unit at the end of a 5’-6’ wire) in the basement area(s) to keep tabs on the temperatures there if you are going to be sub-freezing for some time. Locate the camper to get sun during the day, and position it so the prevailing winds do not force themselves into the camper door when you open it. Make sure your CG has propane or it is locally available. Check your propane tanks daily – you don’t want to run out. For long stays consider installing a Marshall Brass “Extend-a Stay” fitting on your camper propane tank and renting a 100# tank. marshallbrass.com Consider using one or two small cube electric space heaters to augment the main heater. We use one or two depending on our CG power source, and usually keep them both on low. Split their use to two different 120v circuits. Use caution with portable heaters especially if you have pets or small children. Consider purchasing the insulating foam plugs available at Camping World that can be inserted into the roof vents to stop heat loss. If you are going to be stationary for a long time, install skirting to prevent wind getting underneath the camper.

Water: fill your water tank and use water from it, refilling as needed. Do not leave the city water hose hooked up. Otherwise your hose will freeze, and leaving water in the CG plumbing may cause it to freeze as well. CG water supplies usually have the shutoff in the ground below the freeze line that is activated by an above ground handle. Do leave your dump hose connected as it will be brittle and difficult to handle when cold. Do not leave the dump valves open. Only drain the tanks when they are approaching full, and close the dump valves after dumping. Dump black water first as usual, and ‘rinse’ with the gray water. Ensure your dump hose has drained after use.

Depending on your slide configuration, consider keeping one or more slides in. This reduces the volume of interior space to be heated. We sometimes slide in the night before departing a CG, and it is amazing how much less heat is needed.

Put something under the tires to make sure they don't get frozen to the ground.

Use your awning with extreme caution. Winters are windy. Snow and ice will be too heavy for the awning and would make it very difficult to retract. With snow and ice, slide toppers might become damaged and difficult to retract.

Before you run your slide all the way out slip an extension cord (heavy duty) through the opening into your rig. Then plug the extension cord into the 20-amp CG plug and run an electric heater on the extension cord. You don't even go through the electrical system in your camper this way.

Consider operating a dehumidifier to control humidity / condensation. The dehumidifier keeps the humidity in check and allows you to keep trailer warmer. It's much harder to heat humid air than dry air.

Take along a few old throw rugs, towels, or rags. Place one inside the entry door on rainy days to catch any dirt and moisture. When dirty enough, just toss it in the trash and replace it with another.

The above thoughts were generated in 2007 by forum members of the Titanium Owners Group.

[DRiveWell]

Great post Dickiedoo; a wealth of good advice. I have been camping in FL for about a month and now must work my way back north (to MN). While I have good knowledge about winterizing the TT, I have never "transitioned" from warm (?? here in northern FL) to cold with an operating frig. I would like to use the frig as long as possible, but don't know what to do with defrosting of the frig, as once we hit sub-freezing the TT won't see a thaw until spring. Is converting to a cooler prior to freezing conditions the best alternative? Any other advice from anyone out there? Thanks.

[KMP44]

We had to get out and do some "camping" so we went to one of our favorite campgrounds in the Adirondack mountains in northern NY. Left the camper home though, and went for a cabin. There were about 20 trailers and motorhomes that were setup for the winter season. You have to be pretty determined or pretty crazy, or both. Talked to a couple that have been doing this for 10 years and they love it. The cg shuts off the water, so its just electric available. The plus to that is they only heat the trailer when they are there on the weekends.

[DickiedooFlagman]

Originally Posted by DRiveWell

Great post Dickiedoo; a wealth of good advice. I have been camping in FL for about a month and now must work my way back north (to MN). While I have good knowledge about winterizing the TT, I have never "transitioned" from warm (?? here in northern FL) to cold with an operating frig. I would like to use the frig as long as possible, but don't know what to do with defrosting of the frig, as once we hit sub-freezing the TT won't see a thaw until spring. Is converting to a cooler prior to freezing conditions the best alternative? Any other advice from anyone out there? Thanks.

I think I would use a cooler, defrost the refer, and dry the inside before cold inside the trailer prevents defrosting. Remember to leave both refer doors open just a bit for air circulation. You should not need much if any ice in the cooler. Maybe a jug of water kept warm in the TV during travel time, then put into the cooler to keep it from freezing at night. Depending on where you keep the cooler while moving.