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Old 01-18-2016, 12:06 PM   #1
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Cold weather detour. Advice?

We're headed off to Arizona soon but are headed up to 5000' for a couple nights where I expect nights to be in the mid-high 20's. Not such a smart thing to do? Anything I can do to mitigate the cold? Important pit stop but not so much that I want to damage my trailer.

I was thinking about draining the fresh and gray tanks before we head up, leaving the water heater on and unhook the water hose at night. Maybe leave my electric floor heater on low?

Greg
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Old 01-18-2016, 01:30 PM   #2
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I have boon docked with overnight temps into the lower 20's with no problems - furnace and water heater operating normally, no extra insulation package.
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Old 01-18-2016, 02:21 PM   #3
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Why not get a heated water hose and leave it on---
http://www.hayneedle.com/product/the...44-133151538-2
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Old 01-18-2016, 02:42 PM   #4
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Drain the grey and black tanks, use a compressor to blow out your water lines, and add about a litre of rv antifreeze into each of your drains and toilet. This only takes about 1/2 hr to do and your trailer will be ready for the cold weather. Make sure that your propane tanks are full and utilize your furnace to keep you warm. Use bottled water. Do not use your drains to the grey tank or your toilet, and if you do use the toilet, flush with bottled water and rv antifreeze. If you do this, everything should be okay for the few days until you get back to warmer temps.
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Old 01-18-2016, 03:11 PM   #5
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Dave, won't have a compressor, all that stays home except for my trustee tire inflator. If I followed Glenn's advice and only went if the temp is forecast close to freezing, think I might be ok?

This cold weather stuff is foreign to me. Heck, lifelong California beach bum. I cancelled a bike ride when it hit the low 50's!
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Old 01-18-2016, 03:45 PM   #6
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Dave, won't have a compressor, all that stays home except for my trustee tire inflator. If I followed Glenn's advice and only went if the temp is forecast close to freezing, think I might be ok?...
I personally would just stop at an RV shop and buy one of these, and then use a compressor at a gas station or tire shop to blow out the lines. Is very simple and fast, and once done there is no risk from freezing temps.
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Old 01-18-2016, 11:37 PM   #7
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This cold weather stuff is foreign to me. Heck, lifelong California beach bum. I cancelled a bike ride when it hit the low 50's!
Okay, this made me really laugh. That is vest weather (not even jacket weather) for us. No coats for me until in the 30s F. My best friend came up from California and had to wear her full-length down coat when it was in the 50s F here. I'm not sure I was even wearing a jacket. It's all about what one is used to with regard to weather. I've camped in the upper 20s F at night and had no problems with my trailer without any precautions. It did get into the upper 30s during the day, however, and the furnace always kept the inside toasty (60F or so at night and high 60s during the day).
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Old 01-19-2016, 04:52 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Greggo View Post
We're headed off to Arizona soon but are headed up to 5000' for a couple nights where I expect nights to be in the mid-high 20's. Not such a smart thing to do? Anything I can do to mitigate the cold? Important pit stop but not so much that I want to damage my trailer.

I was thinking about draining the fresh and gray tanks before we head up, leaving the water heater on and unhook the water hose at night. Maybe leave my electric floor heater on low?

Greg
Greg,
We spent two consecutive nights at 19F in New Mexico with no problems. Just unhooked and drained the fresh water hose each time. (Jim likes his heated hose, but haven't done that.) Can't speak to anything colder than that, yet. We have the foam insulation underneath, thermal windows etc. We had hookups, so we ran electric cube heater, and possibly propane while parked.
Sitting still at night is one thing, driving with temps in the 20s is also a concern, but we had no problems. I don't think we ran propane heat while driving, but I know some have talked about doing that.
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Old 01-19-2016, 08:00 AM   #9
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I personally would just stop at an RV shop and buy one of these, and then use a compressor at a gas station or tire shop to blow out the lines. Is very simple and fast, and once done there is no risk from freezing temps.
I would be very careful using a compressor at a gas station or a tire shop as you do not know what might be in the lines, and the pressures used to blow out the trailers plumbing must be kept to 35 or 40 psi or you might "blow out" your plumbing in an unintended way.
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Old 01-19-2016, 11:02 AM   #10
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I would be very careful using a compressor at a gas station or a tire shop as you do not know what might be in the lines, and the pressures used to blow out the trailers plumbing must be kept to 35 or 40 psi or you might "blow out" your plumbing in an unintended way.
You are correct about the air pressure. I always stay under the limiting maximum pressure that Escape recommends be used during blowing out the water lines for winterizing. You can find that value in your owner's manual.
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Old 01-19-2016, 11:14 AM   #11
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Okay, this made me really laugh. That is vest weather (not even jacket weather) for us. No coats for me until in the 30s F. My best friend came up from California and had to wear her full-length down coat when it was in the 50s F here. I'm not sure I was even wearing a jacket. It's all about what one is used to with regard to weather. I've camped in the upper 20s F at night and had no problems with my trailer without any precautions. It did get into the upper 30s during the day, however, and the furnace always kept the inside toasty (60F or so at night and high 60s during the day).
It was 21 below F this morning when we drove to town . The 50's are a distant dream . We have camped in our Casita at temps as low as -17 F .The upper 20's is not much of a concern in my book.
Drain the tanks , turn on the heat ,open the cabinet doors and go for it.
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Old 01-19-2016, 12:34 PM   #12
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Doing a quick winterizing prep might be great idea but isn't practical. Probably easy enough to do but to undue for us would be a problem. I could get in all sorts of grief by trying to flush out the fresh tanks afterward in a public campground. Antifreeze is a killer and I'd be afraid I didn't flush it all of my my fresh tank.

Think I'm going to watch the forecast and go with empty tanks and bottled water if the low is around 28-32. Otherwise, I found a campground 50 miles away at a lower elevation and I'll drive in to do what I have to do. Last thing I need is cracked plumbing!
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Old 01-19-2016, 12:48 PM   #13
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Doing a quick winterizing prep might be great idea but isn't practical. Probably easy enough to do but to undue for us would be a problem. I could get in all sorts of grief by trying to flush out the fresh tanks afterward in a public campground. Antifreeze is a killer and I'd be afraid I didn't flush it all of my my fresh tank.

Think I'm going to watch the forecast and go with empty tanks and bottled water if the low is around 28-32. Otherwise, I found a campground 50 miles away at a lower elevation and I'll drive in to do what I have to do. Last thing I need is cracked plumbing!
RV antifreeze is non toxic .I believe you are confusing RV antifreeze with automotive antifreeze. We have made several trips south with our trailer being winterized and have never experienced any problems flushing out our water system when we got to a warmer climate . With the use of pex tubing in trailer's , cracked water lines are no longer as big of an issue.
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Old 01-19-2016, 01:27 PM   #14
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Air pressure

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You are correct about the air pressure. I always stay under the limiting maximum pressure that Escape recommends be used during blowing out the water lines for winterizing. You can find that value in your owner's manual.
I would not trust any compressor that does not have a regulator that I can see and/ or adjust.
I bought a little 6 gallon Bostitch pancake compressor for my son for Christmas, fully adjustable with both gauges for about $100 American. I wouldn't be without a compressor, although I don't winterize with one, I am very picky about tire pressures, and use mine every week for something. Don't forget to blow it down periodically to keep moisture out of the tank. I check my vehicle tire pressures, oil level, cooling fluid and washer fluid every Satuday morning. Have for years. I check Escape tires every time out and on the road. You get your $100 back by extending the life of eight tires and occasionally spot a problem ( something in a tire tread) before a flat on the road. Doesn't take up much room.
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Old 01-19-2016, 02:51 PM   #15
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I don't put RV anti-freeze in my fresh water tank. I just drain it. I use a hand pump to pump RV anti-freeze through the lines ( after bypassing the water heater).
I bought an oil-less 6- gal. compressor, which suggests to me that the one at your gas station may not be oil-less.
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Old 01-19-2016, 03:30 PM   #16
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I would be very careful using a compressor at a gas station or a tire shop as you do not know what might be in the lines, and the pressures used to blow out the trailers plumbing must be kept to 35 or 40 psi or you might "blow out" your plumbing in an unintended way.

You can use the same inline pressure regulator that you're probably using with your water hose.
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