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Old 09-29-2016, 10:25 AM   #1
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Cold Weather Camping and Traveling

An option on some new TT units include a cold weather package which basically puts heating pads under the FW, BW & GW tanks.

My question; How do you protect the exposed plumbing?

I have a feeling this is just another sales item that sounds good until you think about using it. My gut feeling is that you have to be totally winterized when traveling north to south or south to north in the dead of winter. Thoughts?
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Old 09-29-2016, 10:33 AM   #2
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An option on some new TT units include a cold weather package which basically puts heating pads under the FW, BW & GW tanks.

My question; How do you protect the exposed plumbing?

I have a feeling this is just another sales item that sounds good until you think about using it. My gut feeling is that you have to be totally winterized when traveling north to south or south to north in the dead of winter. Thoughts?
I always thought that those add ons were for staying in the trailer during cold weather, not for hauling the trailer in it. My dealer told me I should drain my trailer when I pull it to Florida and then put water in it when the temps rise on the way down. He said the increased air infiltration from hauling at speed will cause more freezing problems.

I stay in my trailers in winter for work sometimes so I need an enclosed underbelly that's heated. I leave the furnace on when gone to work. I might ram a piece of fiberglass on top of the outside shower but the only other thing I do is wrap my water supply hose with tin foil, then a heating cable, and then slide 3/4 inch armaflex over that. I use the shortest hose I can get by with for the campsite I'm at.
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Old 09-29-2016, 10:35 AM   #3
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I guess I should have added that I'll not buy a trailer without an arctic package, or cold weather package, or whatever the manufacturer calls their specific package.

These packages also include extra insulation too.
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Old 09-29-2016, 11:04 AM   #4
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Pretty simple answer really.. Leave the heat on all the time and make double sure your bottles are full and /or carry a spare bottle, just in case.

I cold weather camped (with snowmobiles) regularly in bitter conditions and never had issue one. My tanks were heated too. The interior plumbing was never an issue (because the coach was heated) and I kept the interior temp at 70.

I also disabled the outside shower (filled with propolyene glycol) and valved it out of the system in the winter. My biggest issue was dumping the BW and GW tanks. Things like to freeze up close to the knife valves which are a ways from the heat pads.

If you are using it, fine but keep it shore powered all the times and keep an electric heater inside and use that too. I ran on generator when parked, snowmobiling. Your furnace will eat your house batteries pretty quick.

Don't use a catalytic type heater at all. Those heaters make a lot of moisture during combustion, moisture is BAD in cold weather/

Finally, when inside, keep the roof vents open and your power vent fan on low. You'll build condensation from the occupants quickly. It will condense on the windows and interior walls and freeze. Ventilation at all times is paramount. I know you are heating it and it's going outside (via the vents) but you have to keep the air inside moving at the expense of using a lot of propane.

Always had a good time and few issues so long as I adhered to getting the moisture out and keeping the interior warm.
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Old 09-29-2016, 02:40 PM   #5
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An ounce of prevention is worth it ! We are snowbirds hauling from Ontario to Texas. When we leave to go south our rig is winterized and we don't dump the antifreeze until we hit the warm south. On our way north in March / April we wait until we hit freezing temps them on goes the antifreeze. Maybe overkill on the way back north. But a gallon of antifreeze is cheap insurance. Never had a problem on the last six years.
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Old 09-29-2016, 02:42 PM   #6
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Ps. always get the atric package More insulation.
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Old 09-29-2016, 02:59 PM   #7
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An ounce of prevention is worth it ! We are snowbirds hauling from Ontario to Texas. When we leave to go south our rig is winterized and we don't dump the antifreeze until we hit the warm south. On our way north in March / April we wait until we hit freezing temps them on goes the antifreeze. Maybe overkill on the way back north. But a gallon of antifreeze is cheap insurance. Never had a problem on the last six years.
I always thought Canadians like the cold..... eh?
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