Setting up for long term stays (years)

The_Stuff · 09-22-2010, 11:31 AM

So I finally got a lot to put my trailer on!!!

I am going to put 16" blocking under the trailer, probably about 5 sets or more (40 ft trailer), remove the wheels, and take the front V hitch off (4 1" bolts and it comes off).

So, I want to move the water and power hookups from the side wall to have them go through the floor of the trailer. I plan to leave the slides out permanently and skirt the whole trailer with plywood, foam board and siding. That is to ensure that it will not be an ice cube in the winter lol! Has anyone ever re-routed the water and power? anything I should be cautious of? floor joists/paneling etc?

Also Sewer!! My trailer has the black tank just over the front axle, and the tube comes out and over the axles with a valve there, then goes to the back and meets in a V with the grey water with another valve there for each. My question is if the black and grey water pipes are just normal black PVC pipe? I would like to shut off the sewer and drain the grey water then re-plumb them to the sewer hookup that will be firmly under the trailer and in the skirted shelter and I am going to run heat tapes along the pipes and under the tanks to. self regulating kind i think so that it only heats where it need to heat.

any thoughts or opinions?

LadyWindrider · 09-22-2010, 11:47 AM

Hello, can't help with much but no need to heat the sewer pipes. As long as they run downhill, they will never have any water in them anyway. Depending on the trailer, most of the drain lines are standard size. Good luck with the rest.

The_Stuff · 09-22-2010, 11:50 AM

hmm true. never thought of that. I might heat a trap if i put one in for the black water.

VTX Al · 09-22-2010, 03:50 PM

Something to check up on .... If your "permanent" site is part of an organized RV resort (even if you own the lot), there may be bylaws that prohibit the removal of the wheels and hitch. This is the case with at least some of the resorts in our area here in the Pacific Northwest (BC and Washington state). Not sure of the reason for this but may have something to do with fire regulations.

...VTX-AL

The_Stuff · 09-22-2010, 03:51 PM

its a requirement of the place actually for the wheels and hitch to be removed. more so the hitch. the wheels are usually hidden by skirting.

The_Stuff · 10-04-2010, 02:05 PM

Well got it moved into place last night. Got the 2' 4x4 blocks into place and got it initially leveled. Next is skirting and then a fence for the yard to keep the neighbourhood kids out >

16 12' 4x4's

all cut to 2' lengths and toe screwed together and 21" tall

And in place. of course after the sun is long gone lol

gonna just make my skirting cover the connections box and make it all insulated and so forth.

The_Stuff · 10-19-2010, 11:09 PM

Well first problem so far. The black water tank is filling up and plugging and not draining.. guess its time to clean it out and take it out. I guess it wont work for my purposes...

Also for heat I have a plumber coming to switch the suburban p-40 furnace to natural gas. It will be nice to have good heat on demand rather then ration 60lbs of propane.

As for skirting I am going to go with wooden framed 2x2 structure with rigid foam insulation behind plywood. Hope to make it look neat and tidy with some matching grey tin on it either this fall or next spring.

LadyWindrider · 10-20-2010, 10:15 AM

On removing the black tank..... I know you can remove it, and connect your toilet straight to the sewer. This will cause some smell when you flush. If you put a trap in, I would think that the trap would fill with solids and paper very quickly and become a problem. As for the tank filling up and plugging, are you closing the valve and waiting for the tank to become full before you dump it? You should NEVER leave the black tank valve open all the time. Remember water is your friend, and on a permanent site, use plenty when you flush. And then use some more. Just a thought, and I may not know what I'm talking about, your results could vary.

The_Stuff · 10-20-2010, 10:27 AM

I am waiting till its full but thats the problem. pulled the plug and not everything went down... i think im gonna try to find a flush king and work it that way..

The_Stuff · 10-21-2010, 09:18 PM

saw this today. think its gonna be a good inspiration for me. something to get thought of winter and patio doors out of my mind lol

The_Stuff · 10-28-2010, 12:46 PM

So, got the sewer problem fixed. just filled, dumped, filled, dumped untill it went and then cleaned it out.

now with the first snowfall in the trailer some interesting things have came up...

first since it is not skirted it was cold, and of course the water line to the trailer froze up. no biggie, got it thawed out etc and got water to work. Well last night (oct 27 2010) it got down to -18C windchill. So of course the water line froze again. Well we put a heat tape on it, still froze, insulated it and got it going. used boiler line fiberglass insulated pipe sections.

now the problem i have is the way the trailer is plumbed... water comes in left side, goes under trailer, comes up right side under the tub, runs under the sink, meets up with the line from the 12v water pump, goes through the water filter, then feeds the kitchen, bathroom stuff and goes back under to the hot water heater side. now i think it froze underneath because the hot water does not work. I used a lazer thermometer and everything reads above 10c, well above freezing. so I guess i gotta get on that skirting and get some insulation down there. wouldnt doubt its apart or something..

The_Stuff · 11-06-2010, 11:06 PM

been doing the plastic wrap on the windows. had to take the hard decorative window covers off, then take the blinds down, do the windows, then put it back together!

taking them off

Then back up. looks okay right? lol

The_Stuff · 11-06-2010, 11:07 PM

Also in the back of the slideout there was this panel. well curiosity got to me.. and im not happy with whats back there. some sort of fuse thing and i could see daylight..

The_Stuff · 11-17-2010, 11:08 AM

well it hit -14c last night with windchill. no water this morning... skirting is supposed to be going on either today or tomorrow. gotta get some insulation for around the bottom of the water line. It is insulated but we stopped at the water line in the pit which is now dry and probably where im frozen.

The_Stuff · 11-18-2010, 11:14 AM

of course on the coldest day of the year...

The_Stuff · 11-18-2010, 11:28 PM

its getting there!!

Goomph · 11-19-2010, 09:14 AM

Are you putting blue insulation foam over the framing ? And then will cover the whole thing with siding or whatever ? It is going to look nice !

The_Stuff · 11-19-2010, 10:24 PM

yup. going to do metal siding because its winter now lol.

had a scare today to. one of the helpers put a sheet of panel board (windbreakers lol) up against the trailer and covered the furnace exhaust!! lucky it was blocking the intake and the furnace shut down! could have been disastrous!!

btw it was -16c today with a -33c windchill! (3f with a -25f windchill)

The_Stuff · 11-20-2010, 04:05 PM

second day of it. helpers dont work weekends apparently lol

The_Stuff · 11-21-2010, 10:39 PM

got my dehumidifier today. almost 300 bucks... its a whirlpool

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