Northern MN in 385BH Full Time!

[Earth Station]

Originally Posted by hotrodj125

I opened up the basement door one morning and it was about 15* warmer down there than it was up in the bedroon-- looked at duct work and noticed the end at the front wall was WIDE open and most of the heat was going right into the basement. I went to Menards and got a roll of heating duct tape and sealed up the end- now I get airflow in bedroom vent and a lot warmer up there and more reasonable in the basement..................

I put this on a list of things to get done to the ES next year. Right now it is at the dealer getting some warranty work done and the dreaded pink juice!!!!! Looking forward to 2013 Camping Season..... I wonder where it will take us!!!

[GypsyFamily]

Pics of our winter set up. Under the rig we insulated all the dump lines and have 3 lights set up for heat, plus a little propane heater for emergent frozen lines. And I insulated those pesky low point drains.

Outside the rig is lined with extruded poly panels and covered with plastic to knock down the wind. We flushed the rear black tank, filled it, and added 2 gallons of rv antifreeze to shut it down for the winter. We did this to try to remove one source of freezing for the winter. again I wish I could bypass, drain, and winterize the aft bathroom all together, but I don't think I can.

Anyway this is our set up for now, we'll see how long it lasts. given it's going to be 50deg F today and close to 60 next week, we may need to uncover the ACs!

- Sam.

[GypsyFamily]

More Pics

[GypsyFamily]

Our power consumption...and inside the wub club (Ice Castle).

[joelek]

I don't think the guys on the Red Green show could even do that good of a job. Have fun up there and mother nature IS being nice to MN this weekend.

[youroo]

What is the Ice Castle rated at for COLD? Youroo!!

[GlacierGus]

Now we just need a good winter with plenty of snow!

[GypsyFamily]

Originally Posted by youroo

What is the Ice Castle rated at for COLD? Youroo!!

One of the guys I work with takes his every year out and leaves it on the lake. Said he was in his in 2008 when it was -35 before wind chill and it was 60 deg inside the ice castle.

They are MUCH warmer than anything else we've ever been in. We'll be selling it in 2016 when we head back to Colorado, because Colorado doesn't get cold enough...

In the summer it's a sweat box though. we're getting an AC for it and that should help.

[GypsyFamily]

Originally Posted by joelek

I don't think the guys on the Red Green show could even do that good of a job. Have fun up there and mother nature IS being nice to MN this weekend.

That's high praise. Red Green was my hero growing up!

[GypsyFamily]

Originally Posted by GlacierGus

Now we just need a good winter with plenty of snow!

I'll take the snow, but I'd prefer to keep it above -10 this year...

[joelek]

Originally Posted by GypsyFamily

That's high praise. Red Green was my hero growing up!

Your Columbus and Ice Castle gig is reminding me of Possum Lodge.
Save this link for when it gets cold and the nites are long.
Official Red Green Channel - YouTube

[GypsyFamily]

So we've been doing fine for the past while. The rig has survived perfectly with the only problem coming up as this persistent error coming from the control box for the 6pt leveling system complete with unending annoying "beep".

We've tried everything from the manufacturer yesterday to no avail, but as this is my nights turn we're going to have to wait until Monday for a fix. As I had to hit the rack.

There is one annoying problem we're running into. The door latch seems to be taking more and more effort to close. We either have to really slam the door or ensure we dead bolt the door to ensure it doesn't open in the wind. Yes, we've greased the door latch.

We've had a good stretch of weather lately, but this week we'll see sustained 0 to -15 deg with wind chills in the -30range. I'm not the least bit concerned. These rigs are really excellent, minor annoyances aside.

[essness]

Great thread. I've enjoyed reading through the tips and tricks for surviving the cold up there.
I only recently saw my first Ice Castle. Over Thanks Giving we were in Minneapolis area visiting family and a buddy of my BIL has the Mille Lacs model. Oddly enough, he uses it on Mille Lacs and Leech Lake. Pretty slick set up if you're an ice fisherman

Stay warm Gypsy!

[Earth Station]

Originally Posted by GypsyFamily

So we've been doing fine for the past while. The rig has survived perfectly with the only problem coming up as this persistent error coming from the control box for the 6pt leveling system complete with unending annoying "beep".

We've tried everything from the manufacturer yesterday to no avail, but as this is my nights turn we're going to have to wait until Monday for a fix. As I had to hit the rack.

There is one annoying problem we're running into. The door latch seems to be taking more and more effort to close. We either have to really slam the door or ensure we dead bolt the door to ensure it doesn't open in the wind. Yes, we've greased the door latch.

We've had a good stretch of weather lately, but this week we'll see sustained 0 to -15 deg with wind chills in the -30range. I'm not the least bit concerned. These rigs are really excellent, minor annoyances aside.

not sure if it is the same issue...... our door needing adjusting because it also would come open while hauling..... When it happened the first time I thought I had lost my mind and didn't shut and lock it! THEN it happened a second and third time.... started putting on the dead bolt but wasn't happy having to do that. It was in for some warranty work and we told them about it and they adjusted the door itself.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by Earth Station

not sure if it is the same issue...... our door needing adjusting because it also would come open while hauling..... When it happened the first time I thought I had lost my mind and didn't shut and lock it! THEN it happened a second and third time.... started putting on the dead bolt but wasn't happy having to do that. It was in for some warranty work and we told them about it and they adjusted the door itself.

So you think it is sad having to use the dead bolt on your door while going down the road? Just depend on the little angular piece of pot metal latch to retain a entrance door,that has a moving frame going down the road,or even while setting up at campsite! The dead bolt isnt just to keep (Bad Guys) out! Youroo!!

[prairiecamper]

interesting post, I didn't think it could be done all year, you could very well prove me wrong, all the best!! TIP your potable water source from CG to prevent freezing if you let a little trickle overboard on the ground away from the trailer 24/7 should prevent freezing!

[GlacierGus]

Gypsy- we had about 10-12" of snow in south central Mn. Looks like most of it went south of you. Did you get much? How is this cold stretch going for you?

[annamarie]

Originally Posted by Christopher Columbus

Insulation in the floor.
Block foam in main floor you walk on.
2 layers of spun Fiberglas insulation in underbelly
Bubble / alum foil insulation below
Heater from furnace vents into basement
Electric heater pad on each tank in basement
Chris

We are thinking about purchasing one of these units. The main reason was, we thought it was a four season coach. Am I wrong about this?

[joelek]

Originally Posted by annamarie

We are thinking about purchasing one of these units. The main reason was, we thought it was a four season coach. Am I wrong about this?

They are not designed to be used in a Minnesota winter!. Gypsy is going through extra measures, changes, etc. to make his work for him. Anything below 20 degrees and I would worry about pipes freezing up. You will go through propane 20 pound tanks fast in a couple of days when the furnace keeps coming on.

If you compare the R factor in the walls and ceiling of Columbus rigs vs. other brands that have "winter package" you will find those have higher R factor ratings.

Soooo to sum it up yes the Columbus is a 4 seaon rig, just not Minnesota's 4 seasons. Anything about 1,000 miles south of MN you should be just fine. It's why we are called snow birds!!! When the snow hits, the RVs fly south.

[Earth Station]

Originally Posted by joelek

Soooo to sum it up yes the Columbus is a 4 seaon rig, just not Minnesota's 4 seasons. Anything about 1,000 miles south of MN you should be just fine. It's why we are called snow birds!!! When the snow hits, the RVs fly south.

We want to be a snow bird that flys south..... Right now We have to put the dreaded pink juice in our water lines....... and stay put. One day we will be snow birds in the winter and hummingbirds (that fly north) in the summer!