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Old 01-16-2018, 07:40 PM   #1
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Cold weather camping question

Camping right now and the temp tomorrow night is supposed to drop down to 24. Wonder what precautions I should take in addition to disconnecting the water hose and opening the cabinet doors.
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Old 01-16-2018, 08:32 PM   #2
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If you have tank heaters, and there is water in the tanks you would want to turn them on. Otherwise, hope your propane tanks are full or your electric heater works good.
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Old 01-16-2018, 08:39 PM   #3
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No tank heater in my trailer. Fresh water tank empty, some in the gray water and black water. More concerned about the water pipes.
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Old 01-16-2018, 09:29 PM   #4
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While I don't have a lot of experience at RV life (we began a year ago with a 25ft Prism motorhome ... loving it), I have done a little cold weather camping since. My first surprise experience was Jordan Valley Oregon - November 18, 2016 (I keep a journal). We camped along the highway where at 6:00 PM the temperature was 32 and falling rapidly ... I was really worried, as you are, about freezing plumbing. I heated the water in the hot-water tank, opened all of the cabinet doors and got up several times during the night to check. The outside temperature finally settled at 14. Turns out we survived the night fine. However after that experience, we bought a Mr. Heater (be sure to allow extra ventilation) and an extra propane tank, as well as vent pillows and got a roll of the shinny bubble insulation at Home Depot to make temporary window covers. We moved to southern Idaho a month later and lived in our motorhome through the winter waiting for our new home to finish. The winter was cold, lots of snow, even minus temps a several times ... I learned a lot and survived without damage. We were at a full hook-up park, so we added skirting around the outside and heat-tape and insulation to our water hose and sewer hose.
So with that said ... 24 degrees for a single night while you're living inside your RV should not be a big deal. You and your RV should be fine. I doubt any of your internal plumbing will freeze. However, your standard precautions, until you get to know you house better, are wise. For first time, I'd leave the cabinet doors open and since you disconnected water hoses, I leave the faucets open to accommodate possible expansion. However, if your running a house heater all night (+50) I wouldn't worry about anything.
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Old 01-16-2018, 09:54 PM   #5
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Thank you for the information. Sounds like it should be fine with a little common sense precautions.
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Old 01-17-2018, 02:42 PM   #6
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Let us know the results. Were you Ok or did you have some freezing?
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Old 01-17-2018, 03:07 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by dlwilliams48 View Post
....... Wonder what precautions I should take in addition to disconnecting the water hose and opening the cabinet doors.
trickle(that's more than a drip) your water in the shower the whole time of the freezing temps and you won't need to disconnect the water hose, ... in the shower, because, doing it there, allows you to continue to use the sinks(bath/kitchen) without having to readjust the trickle every time you use water, .... you will also want to leave open the gray tank drain valve, to avoid the possibility of that tank filling and overflowing inside the tt, .... we've used this routine with temps in the hi teen's and never had a problem, .... (we lay the shower head down in the floor of the shower stall)
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Old 01-17-2018, 03:28 PM   #8
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Tonight is the cold night, now going to 23. Not hooked up to sewer so I cannot open the gray tank valve. We also extended our stay here because it snowed a couple of inches back home and we weren’t sure about roads tomorrow.
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Old 01-17-2018, 03:54 PM   #9
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In a pinch I have used rv antifreeze and also windshield washer solvent (good to -50) and have poured a gallon into each tank using the toilet and the bath sink. Depending on how much fluid is in your tanks it should prevent a solid freeze up. It may slush up but most likely won't freeze. I have used the same technique when traveling dry thru the north on our way to warmer climates for flushing the toilet. I have never had any issues.
Our lines though were blown out and treated with rv anti freeze.
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Old 01-17-2018, 04:19 PM   #10
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Where does one get that US map with the ability to color the states you've visited?
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Old 01-17-2018, 06:30 PM   #11
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States visited can be added to your signature line after visiting here and making your map. this is the Good Sams sight:

RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Add a Visited States Map to your signature
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Old 01-17-2018, 06:46 PM   #12
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We're in our second cold snap. At the first one they told me to leave the faucets dripping. That worked but they forgot to tell me to open my grey tanks up. (Senior moment) woke up at 4 in the morning to a trailer full of water. Luckily no damage and I have the cleanest floors in the park. Next morning I simple winterized the system and just used the parks facilities for a couple days. This time I just opened the gray tanks and we're leaving all faucets on a drip because I have zero cold weather options on my trailer and all of my fresh water lines are exposed to the elements. Two days so far and everything is ok. Supposed to be over tomorrow and back in the 70s by the weekend. Good luck
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:41 PM   #13
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We arrived in north Tx on Sunday and have been treated to some cold weather. It was 6* last night but calm. The really cold night was Monday and that was 17* with a wind, of 20 gusting 32.
We have a winter package but do not have tank heaters, just the vents into the tank area. We also put a small ceramic heater in the garage. No trouble with pipes or frozen tanks but our new hose wrapped with heat tape froze and broke a fitting at the filters which are mounted inside a cooler. We heard water running at 3:00 AM and I got dressed went out and shut off the water. Still do not not know the extent of the damage to the filters as we are waiting for a warm day to hook it back up. So yesterday we went and purchased a heated hose which worked last night with no problems. This is our first outing other than a couple nights on the way home from the dealer. It’s a learning experience but we have faced some pretty extreme contions and we feel pretty good about what this trailer will withstand.
By the way it is a Wildcat 29RLX 5r.
Good luck and stay warm!
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Old 01-17-2018, 08:11 PM   #14
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Where does one get that US map with the ability to color the states you've visited?
Don't tell the rest of the site team that I joined in on the high-jack of a thread... but you should study this thread [ http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ure-81451.html ] and all of its children threads to add a "states visited" [that's a good term to use in searches here] map to your Signature. These instructions will allow you to post such a map in your signature here on ForestRiverForums instead of in RV.net.
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Old 01-17-2018, 10:15 PM   #15
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Plan on using 10#+- a day propane
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Old 01-18-2018, 09:46 AM   #16
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Got down to 21, but so far looks like we survived. I have reconnected the water and everything is flowing. Only going to 28 tonight, and tomorrow the roads back home should be clear enough for us to leave. Have to anyway as the site is reserved by someone else tomorrow night.
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Old 01-18-2018, 11:19 AM   #17
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I just bought one from Camping World not cheap l think it was about 25 bucks
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