RV plugged in Year Round?

[Neun]

Forest River-2801QS

I'm new to the RV world and have a question about leaving my RV plugged in year round, verses winterizing. We plan on taking our RV out in the winter this year to Miami and I'd like to avoid winterizing if at all possible. We live in the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and it does have the potential to get cold for sure.

Are there any similar campers in my situation who leave their rig plugged in all year, and if so, do you have any advice for a newbie? I've done some google searches for advice and have a basic understanding of the pros and cons, but wanted feedback if at all possible.

We purchased our 2018 RV with basically no manuals from an estate settlement where the owner had some health issues, and we were lucky to get what we got with the purchase. I'm not sure about the heating system, but it shows a heat pump and I know that during really cold weather this will not suffice in keeping the unit warm. Do I need to keep an additional heater in the unit? I wouldn't want to go propane. Will keeping the unit warm topside prevent freeze ups underneath, should I wrap the pipes....Stuff like that.


Thank you in advance,

Neun

[Bama Rambler]

Looks like the temps only get a little below freezing a few days, so by draining the water lines and running the furnace when it's going to be freezing you should be fine. Leave the cabinet doors open so that the heat will distribute to all the closed areas.

Keep a good watch on the propane to make sure it doesn't run out unexpectedly.

[eric1514]

Leaving your RV plugged in may not negate the need for winterizing. If you have water lines or a freshwater tank outside the RV, it will freeze if the temps outside drop below freezing regardless.

I leave mine plugged in at home to keep the batteries in shape but I know how my converter/charger works and I know it will not boil the batteries dry. And although my fresh water tank and all lines are inside the coach, I winterize the unit by blowing out the system because I don't want to pay to keep it warm inside.

[Neun]

I can blow out the lines no problem. Do you go the extra step of using the anti-freeze purge as well?

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Neun

I can blow out the lines no problem. Do you go the extra step of using the anti-freeze purge as well?

I do if I’m really done for the season but in all honesty, I think it’s unnecessary if you do a thorough job of blowing things out.

[Neun]

Thanks everyone for your help on this. Eric, I will blow the lines out and if the temps drop significantly I will keep some heat going with cabinet doors open as suggested by Bama.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Neun

I can blow out the lines no problem. Do you go the extra step of using the anti-freeze purge as well?

I like to blow the water lines out long enough there is no mist coming from the faucets and then let the system sit for a few hours. Close all the faucets and blow out again only this time with only the low point drains open.

Water heater tank needs to be drained separately.

As for using anti-freeze, with a good blow down with compressed air Antifreeze is really only needed in the sink and shower drain traps.


Very important to make sure the toilet water line is blown out. Hold the foot pedal down long enough to make sure all the water is out and none is left to settle back in the valve.

That said, if the weather isn't going into Hard Freeze territory I'd just drain the FW Tank, run the furnace on low, perhaps add a small space heater in cooler areas, and leave water heater electric element is turned on (make sure it's full of water).

Of course it will all depend on how cold it is supposed to get before you take your trip South.

[DougW]

Originally Posted by Neun

Thanks everyone for your help on this. Eric, I will blow the lines out and if the temps drop significantly I will keep some heat going with cabinet doors open as suggested by Bama.

For your area, this sounds like a good plan. If it is going to get below freezing for several hours you might want to put a small heat source in the wet bay just in case. A 75 watt incandescent light bulb will put out plenty of heat for an area that size.

[sherman12]

A 60 watt light bulb left on in your wet bay can provide enough heat to prevent your dump valves freezing. Also, blowing out the lines work for everything as mentioned except the water pump. Don't forget the outside shower too.

[Witch Doctor]

Okay I live in Virginia off of 58 , in over 15 years I have never winterized and never had a problem , I just drain my lines and also the W//H , I add about 3 or 4 gals to the gray tank, black tank and fresh water. I turn on the thermostat tank heaters and leave it on. I set my furnace stat to 40 degrees and plug in a space heater set to low, I open all my plumbing cabinet doors and pour a cup of pink crap in the toilet. I don’t have pee traps if you do pour some in each. Check your level of water in your battery monthly. I have never had a problem and your only 150 miles from me. If my electrical go’s out the propane will kick on. If you have access panels to any connections take them off to. If you have an outdoor shower insulate that area and close it. Best advice I can give but still never a problem in all these years. Do what makes you comfortable.

[RookieRV]

I'm in Alabama so it doesn't get as cold as the northern climates. I keep my TT plugged in year round, blow out the lines, drain the water heater, and plug in a 1500 watt heater to run when the temp goes below 60 degrees. I also will open the cabinet doors under the kitchen and bathroom sink and my cabinet where the water filter/pump is located.

[PDuB-IA2MI]

I'm reading this and it is really helpful. But not much has been said on the impact to the batteries. My sister leaves her winterized trailer in MI plugged into a 30A to 15A Dogbone for 4 straight months in the winter. She has SLA batteries, any issue there?

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

Okay I live in Virginia off of 58 , in over 15 years I have never winterized and never had a problem , I just drain my lines and also the W//H , I add about 3 or 4 gals to the gray tank, black tank and fresh water. I turn on the thermostat tank heaters and leave it on. I set my furnace stat to 40 degrees and plug in a space heater set to low, I open all my plumbing cabinet doors and pour a cup of pink crap in the toilet. I don’t have pee traps if you do pour some in each. Check your level of water in your battery monthly. I have never had a problem and your only 150 miles from me. If my electrical go’s out the propane will kick on. If you have access panels to any connections take them off to. If you have an outdoor shower insulate that area and close it. Best advice I can give but still never a problem in all these years. Do what makes you comfortable.

Our Cherokee 38P destination trailer is in Ivor, Va, maybe 35 miles inland on US 460 from Virginia Beach.

We use it off-and-on all year. We don't heat at all when we're not there. We winterize sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving. After that, we use refilled water jugs for drinking water, coffee, hand washing, and teeth-brushing. We also run a dehumidifier year round, sitting in the shower and draining directly into the gray tank.

Our first year, we let the water drain into the gray tank, not realizing that the first flow goes through the tank and fills the piping to the drain valve. The tank is robust HDPE and was fine, but the fragile ABS piping split up the side. After replacing it, realized that the correct procedure is to connect the sewage tote and open the gray drain valve. No problems since then.

[rsdata]

But not much has been said on the impact to the batteries. My sister leaves her winterized trailer in MI plugged into a 30A to 15A Dogbone for 4 straight months in the winter.

Well I leave mine plugged in the same way whenever I am not camping. Check the water level in the battery(s) every 2-3 months... they will tend to get a low level as the battery continues to charge. Add distilled water ONLY to bring the liquid level up to the bottom of the ring in the battery cells.

[sherman12]

My rig stays plugged in all winter into a standard 15 Amp garage plug. I have four GC6 6 volt batteries. Prior to this rig, same with the last rig with two standard deep cycle batteries.

[Neun]

Some excellent information everyone. Thanks so much.

[DouglasReid]

First of all, congratulations on your purchase.

Secondly, look at all the appliances and record their Model and Serial numbers. All of them have owners manuals available for download online, most will have them on this very site, so take some time to do that and learn about what you have.

Next, do you own a compressor? If so, blowing out the water lines is easy and can be done by one person, alone. It is Fast, Easy and Cheap. No need to fear the winterizing.

A few minutes spent blowing them out will save a lot of grief if one of the lines or fittings breaks. This from experience when on a Saturday afternoon I went looking for a toilet flush valve immediately after I connected the water.

Fortunately I found one, now I carry a spare.

I have learned not to count on heat inside the camper to protect from freezing even inside, let alone outside the living area and under the camper, You have water lines where no heat will penetrate.

Just my .02, ...........do what you will and learn from your mistakes

[Daniel.mullins4]

One post said to leave water heater electric element on, you ever heat water on the stove, it does evaporate, no water on heating element will burn out

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by rsdata

Well I leave mine plugged in the same way whenever I am not camping. Check the water level in the battery(s) every 2-3 months... they will tend to get a low level as the battery continues to charge. Add distilled water ONLY to bring the liquid level up to the bottom of the ring in the battery cells.

x2!

[Ron.danahy]

Originally Posted by Daniel.mullins4

One post said to leave water heater electric element on, you ever heat water on the stove, it does evaporate, no water on heating element will burn out

I agree its much better to drain the water heater but I don't believe you need to worry about evaporation in the water heater it is a totally enclosed system so nothing can escape through evaporation as long as you leave all the water valves closed