Freezing coming but still not done

[RetArmyxtrucker]

We are new owners of our 2511, and the weather forecast in central NC is soon to get below freezing soon, high 20's to 32....so what do I need to do? We are not done camping so really do not want to winterize yet. Do I just drain the fresh water and water heater? Or full on winterize? Which I have not done before but will you tube it. The camper is parked in my drive right now and have not gotten a 30 amp plug wired into my yard yet if that makes a diff.

[5er_tom]

We live in Durham (NC) and just did a full winterize as we have no camping plans until April.
If I were you, to be safe, I would winterize it. Once you get a 30amp connection you might be able to get by with running a heater inside the unit unless the temps get into the mid to low 20’s for an extended period of time, say 5-6 hours or more.

[Oaklevel]

If it just gets to freezing for a short time over night it should not be a problem.

But the easiest thing would be put a space heater in the trailer overnight and open any cabinet doors, until you winterize.

[RetArmyxtrucker]

thanks...5er-Tom we are right up the road from ya a few mins by Falls Lake...was born in Durham.


We are hoping to get at least one more trip or 2 before it has to go to the dealer for stuff they could not get done during purchase. I will have them winterize it if we have not yet. I know we are gonna go to the lake locally or the beach for a few days to get our 11 yr old bull dog used to the camper. He is gonna freak out. LOL

[RetArmyxtrucker]

I forgot to add we have the heated tank switch we can activate but not sure if I need to be on 30 amp or 110 to activate. I will make a call.

[ependydad]

If it were me and didn't have power, I would bypass the water heater, dump out the water through the low point drains, and would blow out the lines. Shouldn't take any more than 20 minutes with a helper and doesn't cost anything. As long as the temps aren't below freezing for long, I probably wouldn't even dump the fresh water or water heater.

If you had power, I'd say put the furnace on 50-60 and run it.

[Campah]

Originally Posted by RetArmyxtrucker

We are new owners of our 2511, and the weather forecast in central NC is soon to get below freezing soon, high 20's to 32....so what do I need to do? We are not done camping so really do not want to winterize yet. Do I just drain the fresh water and water heater? Or full on winterize? Which I have not done before but will you tube it. The camper is parked in my drive right now and have not gotten a 30 amp plug wired into my yard yet if that makes a diff.

Yes it is getting cold in NC! We live in Maine and just got back from a great roadtrip down the Blue Ridge Parkway but it was colder in VA and NC than it was here along the coast of Maine!
In terms of cold weather, I wouldn't go too crazy if you are planning to use it again and I would certainly not use a space heater. Simply turn your heat on (which is propane fired) and set your thermostat to 50 and check on it if gets really cold at night as it probably warms up during the day to the 50's or even 60's. Once it is getting regularly down into the 20's at night, I would make winterizing a priority (which is what I am doing this afternoon as we're done for the season).

[NorSnrub]

I would winterize and carry jugs of water.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by ependydad

If it were me and didn't have power, I would bypass the water heater, dump out the water through the low point drains, and would blow out the lines. Shouldn't take any more than 20 minutes with a helper and doesn't cost anything. As long as the temps aren't below freezing for long, I probably wouldn't even dump the fresh water or water heater.

If you had power, I'd say put the furnace on 50-60 and run it.

I have plans for all winter and freezing weather hit three days ago here.

I drained my Hot Water tank, set bypass valves, blew out lines both through faucets and low points. Removed filter and storing element in zip lock bag, in my house refrigerator. Made sure no water remained in filter canister.

I'm older and slower----------took me 30 minutes but then again, I didn't have a helper

When ready to go I just replace filter element, change valves, and add water.

If short gaps of a week or less I just leave on tank heaters and set furnace to 50. I have 30 amp power at the trailer so no worries about batteries keeping furnace on. As backup, in case furnace fails, a pair of ceramic heaters set to just below furnace setting can kick on. Furnace does a better job of distributing heat as shown by my battery monitor (batteries in storage compartment semi-open to the inside).

[johnlochbuie]

You don't need 30 amp plug just use good extension cord get adapter and plug into regular 120

[rskeans]

In my past life I would empty all tanks including water heater, Pressure the hot water tank and blow out all water lines. Doesn't take long. Then put about a cup of RV antifreeze in the traps. Empty the low point drains. Then you wont have to worry about anything. When you are ready to pack up and go just put some water in the fresh water tank and water heater and go.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by RetArmyxtrucker

We are new owners of our 2511, and the weather forecast in central NC is soon to get below freezing soon, high 20's to 32....so what do I need to do? We are not done camping so really do not want to winterize yet. Do I just drain the fresh water and water heater? Or full on winterize? Which I have not done before but will you tube it. The camper is parked in my drive right now and have not gotten a 30 amp plug wired into my yard yet if that makes a diff.

Originally Posted by RetArmyxtrucker

I forgot to add we have the heated tank switch we can activate but not sure if I need to be on 30 amp or 110 to activate. I will make a call.

I'll touch on a couple things you mentioned above...

If you don't have a way to plug into shore power then you certainly can't be using auxiliary space heaters to provide heat, you are going to have to run the furnace. Furnaces are battery hogs so expect the battery to last a day or two without needing to recharge. If you can even plug into a garage outlet or something nearby (with an adapter to 30a) that would keep the battery(ies) charged.

Your comment about "needing to be on 30a or 110" is confusing since a 30a shore power outlet IS 120v. Maybe you meant something different? In any case the tank heaters really should be used if only if there is something in the tanks. Do you have water/waste in them?

Keep in mind (as I've posted many times before) things don't freeze solid the instant it gets to 32ºF. It takes a long time for the mass of your R/V to get down to the point where things will freeze solid enough to do damage.

If you are just going to have temperatures below freezing for several hours overnight but daytime temps above freezing then you really needn't worry. If the temps stay below freezing for 24 hours or more then yes.

None the less, opening the low point drains (along with ALL faucets to allow air into the system) and draining the water heater separately is easy and doesn't take long at all. If you are uneasy about the weather, at least do that.

If you really do have access to plug in your R/V, (using an adapter) run the furnace and open any cabinetry where pipes/plumbing are located. Set the furnace to 50º or so and you'll be fine.

The two places where water will freeze the quickest in non protected instances are the outside shower and the low point drains.

[Herk7769]

Our camper is in the driveway and we are heading to Charleston in December and are putting up family in it over the holidays. It is plugged into a true 20 amp circuit as the only item on it.

I drained the hot water heater and blew out the lines with compressed air.
I have a "chill chaser" in the bedroom on and set at 50 and the furnace set at 54. So far neither has run during the day and may have run at night. There is antifreeze in the drain traps and in the holding tank (fresh water is empty at the moment).

The tank heater is "OFF" (for now). While they won't come on until the tank contents drop to 44 degrees and shut off at 65 degrees, they are not designed to monitor dry tanks (fresh water now), nor be used above freezing temps.

[4ester]

I lived in Texas for quite a few years. We didn't winterize unless a "Blue Norther" was coming. In that case, we just blew out our lines with compressed air. Never used antifreeze in drains or lines. I refer to low temps in the 20's, and for no more than 1-3 nights. I suggest you open the low-point drains, and blow out. Don't forget the toilet. Live in PA now, so winterizing is much more serious business.

[NXR]

This small heater requires 120 VAC but it has a High (250 watts) and Low (unspecified) setting, a Honeywell Heat Bud: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HCE...2637494&sr=8-1

I used it for the first time last night in my wet bay in a motorhome. On Low it kept the wet bay in the high 50's when it was 35 outside. The temperature was measured with a remote temp sensor on the bottom of the compartment at the opposite end, about 30" away from the heater.

Tonight I'm running it through this Thermocube, on at 35 and off at 45: https://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovato.../dp/B0006U2HD2

Ray

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by NXR

This small heater requires 120 VAC but it has a High (250 watts) and Low (unspecified) setting, a Honeywell Heat Bud: https://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HCE...2637494&sr=8-1

I like that. I think I might pickup one each for our camper bathrooms. Should be perfect for the small space and might not trip the breaker when it's on the same circuit as the bigger space heater in the kitchen/living room area.

[DRM796]

Originally Posted by ependydad

If it were me and didn't have power, I would bypass the water heater, dump out the water through the low point drains, and would blow out the lines. Shouldn't take any more than 20 minutes with a helper and doesn't cost anything. As long as the temps aren't below freezing for long, I probably wouldn't even dump the fresh water or water heater.

If you had power, I'd say put the furnace on 50-60 and run it.

What ependydad said. There are a lot of good suggestions here but as he says takes about 20 minutes and you will be fine. Done this many times as on occasion the temps get below freezing here before we are done for the season.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by RetArmyxtrucker

We are new owners of our 2511, and the weather forecast in central NC is soon to get below freezing soon, high 20's to 32....so what do I need to do? We are not done camping so really do not want to winterize yet. Do I just drain the fresh water and water heater? Or full on winterize? Which I have not done before but will you tube it. The camper is parked in my drive right now and have not gotten a 30 amp plug wired into my yard yet if that makes a diff.

you will be fine, I live in southern Virginia above Durham NC , there is no hard freeze coming in our area at all, I’m not sure we’re your getting your weather from , you will be fine according to accuweather it’s not even getting below 32 here , if it does it will take days below 32 before something will freeze , it is still warming up to the 60s daily . Don’t lose sleep over it you will be fine. Just set your thermostats to 40 degrees, and I’ll still bet it will not come on. Lived here 15 years and never winterized except 1 year. If you can just run a extension cord to the unit and hook up a space heater. You won’t have a solid freeze , tonight from 4 am to 9 am it will be in the low 30s only after the next 2 days all nights are about 40, for weeks, so plenty of time yet.

[Tapex]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

you will be fine, I live in southern Virginia above Durham NC , there is no hard freeze coming in our area at all, I’m not sure we’re your getting your weather from , you will be fine according to accuweather it’s not even getting below 32 here , if it does it will take days below 32 before something will freeze , it is still warming up to the 60s daily . Don’t lose sleep over it you will be fine. Just set your thermostats to 40 degrees, and I’ll still bet it will not come on. Lived here 15 years and never winterized except 1 year. If you can just run a extension cord to the unit and hook up a space heater. You won’t have a solid freeze , tonight from 4 am to 9 am it will be in the low 30s only after the next 2 days all nights are about 40, for weeks, so plenty of time yet.

X2
I've lived here all my life, right smack dab in the middle of NC on south western corner of Randolph county. I've owned our camper for going on 4 yrs, and I still have just drained low points and blow out till the month of January then start the antifreeze process. Carolina weather is somewhat different in the winter, and I believe there maybe others who could agree.

[RetArmyxtrucker]

I just saw the weather for Durham NC and yall are right, lowest is 35 this week. My phone has the Weather Channel and it was calling for cooler. The wife bought a 30 to 15 dogbone and I will run a heavy drop cord to it tomorrow. Just in case LOL.