Winter Camping Question

[Dwill3332]

We are planning to camp over the MLK Week-end in East Central Alabama (Lake Eufaula Campground.) One night the low is predicted to be 30 degrees. Should I be concerned about pipes freezing? I currently have the camper winterized and plan to re-winterize it when we return home.

[5picker]

If the low (for a few hours) is to only be 30°F then you shouldn't have any issues. Things don't freeze solid the minute it hits 32°.

We recently spent a week in Savannah on our way to FL and experienced several nights around 28°. We had no issues. On night it got to 24° and I turned on the tank heaters, disconnected the hose and used out of the fresh tank that night.

[Dwill3332]

I appreciate your input. I felt that there would not be a problem, but wanted to get verification.

I am not aware of tank heaters in my rig. I have a 2019 FR Surveyor Luxury TT. I have not seen any place to turn any tank heaters.

Thanks again.

[IchLiebeBier]

We've been in the camper now for over a month. When it gets down below freezing, I've been running the furnace to heat the underbelly. If it's over freezing, I've been using the fireplace and a tower heater fan.

Last week I got a couple of outdoor thermometers with wire sensors. I dropped them into the underbelly through the floor holes where the pipes run. I've noticed that it seems to stay around 7 to 8 degrees warmer than outside air temp, without the furnace. I assume the temperature conduction is enough to do it. If you have an enclosed underbelly and are heating the trailer, you should be plenty good at those temps.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Dwill3332

I appreciate your input. I felt that there would not be a problem, but wanted to get verification.

I am not aware of tank heaters in my rig. I have a 2019 FR Surveyor Luxury TT. I have not seen any place to turn any tank heaters.

Thanks again.

Didn't your dealer go over the heated underbelly?
Took me 5 seconds to find the 2019 Surveyor Luxury brochure that clearly shows the heated underbelly. It diverts some furnace heat into the underbelly to keep the tanks from freezing.

[Dwill3332]

That is news to me! The dealer did not go over much at our delivery. We picked up the rig on a Saturday and I think he was annoyed at having to do that on Saturday. (BTW - the salesman is no longer with the company - go figure.) There are several things they did not cover that I have had to ask about on this forum.

From your comment, I take it that the diversion of heat to the tanks is "automatic" and not something that I need to control. Given that, I am not worried about the pipes freezing.

Thanks.

[LittleBill]

Originally Posted by Dwill3332

That is news to me! The dealer did not go over much at our delivery. We picked up the rig on a Saturday and I think he was annoyed at having to do that on Saturday. (BTW - the salesman is no longer with the company - go figure.) There are several things they did not cover that I have had to ask about on this forum.

From your comment, I take it that the diversion of heat to the tanks is "automatic" and not something that I need to control. Given that, I am not worried about the pipes freezing.

Thanks.

Tank heaters doesn't mean a heated underbelly. Tank heaters are 12v pads that are taped normally to the bottom of each tank. There is most likely is a lighted switch alongside your other switches (water, gas, lights etc) in/around where your control panel is.

In my 5th there is only one lighted switch for the four tanks in my rig. Make sure that you have some liquid in them before turning them on. Also even with the switch activated the heaters normally won't heat above 40 degrees.

Good luck and be safe.

[Dwill3332]

Thanks for the clarification. I do not have a switch in the rig so I must not have tank heaters. Hopefully the heated underbelly will be enough.

[Scrapper]

Leaving the cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks open could help, too.

[Dwill3332]

Thanks for the info.