Full timing my trailer (need winter advice)

[TexasZ71]

Ok i have a 18 salem 27dbk trailer its 32’ long (i dont think it included heated under belly but it did mention its covered up gonna double check.

Location-texas it gets below 32 during the winter.

My thoughts, is to buy them insulation strips and put on the under belly, we did that at my grandmas house she had a box outside of the house that we put insulation in and it has held up without needing a electric heater.

[SeaDog]

Not sure I understand what insulation strips are? You may find that putting skirting around the trailer will greatly help to keep things warm.

[RSchleder]

We had a class B motorhome with the belly being "open" to the weather. While snow-birding near Dallas, we had broken water pipes twice when the temp hit 18 degrees for a 48 hour period. We did have a well heated hose and dripped the water slowly during the night time and they still froze. Just a heads up as broken water pipes are not a desirable thing, believe me!!!!!

[TexasZ71]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Not sure I understand what insulation strips are? You may find that putting skirting around the trailer will greatly help to keep things warm.

This stuff. I been reading and adding coroplast will help and last longer then plywood. And adding insulation should help tremendously. Downside to covering the whole underside makes it hard to get to my dump valves (galley tank is the hardest one since it’s underneath the trailer.)

[TexasZ71]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

We had a class B motorhome with the belly being "open" to the weather. While snow-birding near Dallas, we had broken water pipes twice when the temp hit 18 degrees for a 48 hour period. We did have a well heated hose and dripped the water slowly during the night time and they still froze. Just a heads up as broken water pipes are not a desirable thing, believe me!!!!!

Ya i am trying to prevent that problem and i am in central texas seen it get to 26* once or twice in the past.

[TonyShope]

Have you considered Heat tape? Low Voltage works well.

[TexasZ71]

Originally Posted by TonyShope

Have you considered Heat tape? Low Voltage works well.

No i guess that will be useful on my water hose?

[TonyShope]

Originally Posted by TexasZ71

No i guess that will be useful on my water hose?

You can put it around water hose and also plumbing lines and tanks. Eother access from outside or inside the trailer.

Although my unit is very winterized by model. I run a 6ft heat tape (Dual electric connected (AC/DC for power failure) around the water heater, the water reservoir (when not on city line) Around the incoming city water line then I use 1 inch (ID) foam outside the tape and also from the base on the city feeder to the top and around the handle of the pump. Also one additional from the sinks and tubs feeder lines. They are so low voltage you can connect the multiples to the 120V podium connection. All of mine are a triple redundancy but are in place to prevent an accident.

Again I have a winter unit But I have learned to expect problems and do my best to negate anything that could go wrong.

Hope this was of some help. God Bless and safe travels.

[kayo]

Leave the water run, not drip. As stem but a steady flow. We have be full timing for 5 years and the only time I have had a freeze p is when I forgot to turn the damn water on!

[TonyShope]

Originally Posted by kayo

Leave the water run, not drip. As stem but a steady flow. We have be full timing for 5 years and the only time I have had a freeze p is when I forgot to turn the damn water on!

110% agree with this. I am often in the winter away from the camper hunting in the woods 12-24 hours stalking etc.

That is the only reason I created the redundancy. Also I did fail to mention heat tape on the drain line. But again I am in the true north and a full running faucet will freeze at -2 to - 30 or below.

[TexasZ71]

Thank you, texas never gets that cold, but i am going to start getting things next month or so.

So just so I understand i dont need to enclose the whole under belly and add R-30 insulation or will that still be a good idea(just gonna be a lot of coin)? As long as i use the heater tape on the pipes and leave the water running? I should be ok? For the temps i will see?

I was gonna mention that I guess adding some every 4ft or so would help?

Thank you i am new to owning a travel trailer. But so far enjoying it.

Update:
Found this https://m.acehardware.com/product/in...ductId=3036395 its 15’ for pipes

https://m.acehardware.com/product/in...ductId=1292306 30’ for pipes?

https://m.acehardware.com/product/in...ductId=1292305 application tape?

I still havent gotten under my trailer yet but going this route should be cheaper on my wallet, vs what i had planned? And i can still access my drains? (I keep all 3 closed off so bugs dont come through my sewer line)

[trees]

Your trailer is close to mine. We camp in winter temperatures, but with no pump water or pressure water. Draining and winterizing is not that difficult. We use 5g bottled water inside trailer for cooking, washing, flushing, and simple wash cloth bathing. We keep dish water pan in sink to capture grey water. We use this water for flushing toilet.

I've not had any problem with black water freezing. It's an open tank, so no problem if it did freeze. The plastic drain pipe may be a problem? I never froze it and think waste black water is not so easy to freeze or at least to the point of causing damage. Grey water would definitely be a bigger problem. Add RV antifreeze to drains to prevent problems.

[TexasZ71]

Originally Posted by trees

Your trailer is close to mine. We camp in winter temperatures, but with no pump water or pressure water. Draining and winterizing is not that difficult. We use 5g bottled water inside trailer for cooking, washing, flushing, and simple wash cloth bathing. We keep dish water pan in sink to capture grey water. We use this water for flushing toilet.



I've not had any problem with black water freezing. It's an open tank, so no problem if it did freeze. The plastic drain pipe may be a problem? I never froze it and think waste black water is not so easy to freeze or at least to the point of causing damage. Grey water would definitely be a bigger problem. Add RV antifreeze to drains to prevent problems.

I honestly wouldn’t want to go this route, i know it can be done and its just me, but i just don’t like that idea.

From my understanding the tanks should be ok? Since they are big enough to expand if freezing does occur? I drain tanks currently at 2/3s full unless i am going away for a couple of days. So i guess winter the only major tank that needs dumping is black water. I can leave the other 2 open since the bugs shouldn’t be active that much?

[johnruff]

you may want to be careful about running water. If the CG finds out, many of them will ask you to leave. I camped for 2 1/2 years in Bloomington, IL and never left the water running. Had a frozen pipe a couple of times but they thawed out during the day and were okay - never had both hot and cold freeze at the same time. Finally dropped the underbelly and put foam insulation on the pipes and did not have any more problems. Keeping the wind out was a must and by insulating them I could keep the wind off of them. I had a skirt around the entire trailer, including slide outs but the wind can get through any minor opening and at 20 below it does its thing quickly. They make skirting that you can attach to your trailer or fiver and use it over and over now - it slides into channels and should work very well. Where you are, if you can keep the air from flowing underneath, you should be okay. Put heat tape on the water supply line or hose and then insulate that with the foam pipe wrap and duct tape to hold it. CG I stayed at in GA made it mandatory for people staying there beyond Oct 15 or you were asked to leave. You also need to leave enough heat tape to help out with the connections on both ends so it stays warm there - trailer and water source. Be careful leaving your tank valves open, if it is very cold, the drainage can freeze and then you will have a different problem. I just drained mine weekly or when needed to prevent any backup from frozen matter. This is not a problem unless you are in an area where it stays well below freezing for days which it did in IL -could not even see the lines and hoses due to the snow covering them. Good luck and make it an adventure for you with a challenge to make it all work.

[TexasZ71]

Thank you for that info. I will post later what i find underneath my trailer.

Coldest its gotten with windchill is low teens. And that was a rare moment for us..