one more trip

[kirkp]

Hoping to get one more trip in this coming weekend. My concern is that the temps lately have been cooler than normal. Days are in the 40s to 50s but nights are dipping to below 32 and projected to hit 27 one night. Think that with those temps I have anything to worry about with the water lines? My trailer is a Rockwood 2604 and my friend has a Rockwood Roo which isn't insulated as well as mine. My thinking is that I should be okay as long as daytime temps are above freezing.

Thoughts?
Kirk

[KyDan]

It's a gamble. I'm in a similar boat..... We want to camp one more weekend
also and I'm holding off winterizing the water lines as long as possible.

Lot's of variables-- If you run your water heater once a day it should
not be a problem. I'm gonna make sure my holding tanks are empty in
the mean time but plan to use them when we get to the CG. I may blow
out the city water inlet just because it's sorta hanging out there on
the wall exposed. I'd hate for the check valve to freeze and break.
When we camp we won't be on city water so the water tank inside my
pass thru storage should be ok for now.

27 degrees can freeze pipes if they are exposed....

Another option is "dry camping". Go ahead and winterize the water
system.
We have 2 blue water jugs. Use those
for teeth brushing and washing hands and dishes if necessary. Use paper plates and
avoid dirty dishes as much as possible. Put a couple milk jugs of water in
the shower or bathtub and use those to flush the potty.
If I'm really worried and it's gonna be several degrees below freezing, we use the CG toilets (even if they are flushless vault
toilets ) If there is any middle of the night trips to the trailer bathroom
or gray water from washing or brushing-
I can empty the holding tank into a bucket and dump that down a vault
toilet sometime during the day.

This dry camping is not our favorite but if the weather is dry and sunny and
crisp we enjoy hiking and campfires in the woods! My methods above are
easier for us because there's just 2 of us. If you've got a trailer load of kids it gets more
complicated!

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by kirkp

Hoping to get one more trip in this coming weekend. My concern is that the temps lately have been cooler than normal. Days are in the 40s to 50s but nights are dipping to below 32 and projected to hit 27 one night. Think that with those temps I have anything to worry about with the water lines? My trailer is a Rockwood 2604 and my friend has a Rockwood Roo which isn't insulated as well as mine. My thinking is that I should be okay as long as daytime temps are above freezing.

Thoughts?
Kirk

We camp all winter in temperatures that often get down to 15 at night. Never a problem. As long as we're heating the interior of the camper, our water lines don't freeze. We simply unhook and drain the city water hose and hook it back up the next morning after the outside temp goes up. We have done this for many years without a single problem.

I've never worried about the holding tanks as long as they are not full. The problem with freezing is when there is not room for the contents to expand. Or when you're going to need to dump before things thaw.

Perhaps others have had different experiences, but we've never seen the need to worry about freezing temps as long as a few precautions are taken. We've even camped a couple of times in snow, which was great fun. Winter camping is our favorite.

[kirkp]

Thanks for the replies. I just wouldn't think that a short venture below freezing would freeze anything solid though. If we had water sitting out it might get some skim ice on top but that would disappear as soon as it warmed up. in addition, with an enclosed under belly, the furnace would probably keep things okay. i'm more worried about my friend and his Roo which isn't enclosed.
Kirk