Winter camping

[brightday]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Hoping your recovery is brief, there, Brightday............

Thanks, Jim! Hoping to follow your lead in that regard!

[brightday]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

Don't forget the outside shower, if you have it. I could.t find my hose for the connection but you can just push the connector sleeve back and use a pencil or some tool to push the valve back in the connector. That will let the water flow. Turn on the faucets, of course.

Great tip re: the connector sleeve! Health concerns aside, going to your neck of the woods would have done me absolutely no good this time! Glad you were able to winterize and thankful I'll be able to rest easy when it's done tomorrow evening - a real lesson in preparedness!

[richardr]

We are full timing in our trailer just south of Dallas TX in an RV park with full hookups. This up-coming cold weather will be the coldest we have been in while living in the trailer by about 20F. We have a full fresh water tank and empty gray and black tanks (except for 3/4 gal of antifreeze in the black tank and 1/4 gal in the gray tank). We disconnected and drained our water supply hoses. I'm glad we have the bottom insulation and tank heating pads. We will also use reflectix inside the windows and velcro'd under the vent fan. When it gets into the teens (F) and below I will pour some antifreeze into the bathroom trap and we won't use the shower or bathroom sink. Our propane bottles are full and we have a small electric heater for backup. I hope we haven't forgotten something significant.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by richardr

Our propane bottles are full and we have a small electric heater for backup. I hope we haven't forgotten something significant.

Just a tip. The furnace is the biggest propane hog. I'd run the electric heater as much as possible to save on the propane. You may need that propane if the park loses power. Just keep an eye on your batter(ies) if the power goes out. Don't remember... do you have solar? Good luck!

[gbaglo]

Snuggle.

[brightday]

Originally Posted by richardr

We are full timing in our trailer just south of Dallas TX in an RV park with full hookups. This up-coming cold weather will be the coldest we have been in while living in the trailer by about 20F. We have a full fresh water tank and empty gray and black tanks (except for 3/4 gal of antifreeze in the black tank and 1/4 gal in the gray tank). We disconnected and drained our water supply hoses. I'm glad we have the bottom insulation and tank heating pads. We will also use reflectix inside the windows and velcro'd under the vent fan. When it gets into the teens (F) and below I will pour some antifreeze into the bathroom trap and we won't use the shower or bathroom sink. Our propane bottles are full and we have a small electric heater for backup. I hope we haven't forgotten something significant.

Best wishes and prayers that all goes as planned! If we lose power, my daughter and I may end up camping out in the camper as well!

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by richardr

We are full timing in our trailer just south of Dallas TX in an RV park with full hookups. This up-coming cold weather will be the coldest we have been in while living in the trailer by about 20F. We have a full fresh water tank and empty gray and black tanks (except for 3/4 gal of antifreeze in the black tank and 1/4 gal in the gray tank). We disconnected and drained our water supply hoses. I'm glad we have the bottom insulation and tank heating pads. We will also use reflectix inside the windows and velcro'd under the vent fan. When it gets into the teens (F) and below I will pour some antifreeze into the bathroom trap and we won't use the shower or bathroom sink. Our propane bottles are full and we have a small electric heater for backup. I hope we haven't forgotten something significant.

Outside shower? They can easily crack if exposed to below freezing temps. It’s not hard with the winterizing tee (if you have it) to pump antifreeze through the entire water system and then just flush it out with fresh water when it warms up. Just use water in containers that stay warm inside the trailer in the meantime.

[brightday]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Just a tip. The furnace is the biggest propane hog. I'd run the electric heater as much as possible to save on the propane. You may need that propane if the park loses power. Just keep an eye on your batter(ies) if the power goes out. Don't remember... do you have solar? Good luck!

Thanks for the tip, Donna! I followed Dave's instructions for "antifreeze" winterizing but wasn't able to drain the black and gray tanks so I added plenty of antifreeze to each of them. I had planned on running the furnace as an extra precaution but am rethinking that idea, as icing on trees and a long power outage could also have us camping out. Hopefully, the small space heater will suffice.

The stroke mostly compromised what doctors refer to as my "executive functioning" or decision-making abilities. Thanks to you and others who are helping to bridge this gap for me until rehab does its work!

[MyronL]

This morning at 6 AM it currently is at 0°F outside here. Turned my little ceramic heater on yesterday evening. Looks like about 6-8+ inches now out there. Weather reports calling for continuing blizzard warnings (their words) until 11 AM with high winds, more snow, probable road closures due to black ice. We're about a mile away from I-40. Hope nobody is on it, going to or from Texas now, assuming it is even open. The wise traveler would have spent the night in the Walmart parking lot.

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Outside shower? They can easily crack if exposed to below freezing temps. It’s not hard with the winterizing tee (if you have it) to pump antifreeze through the entire water system and then just flush it out with fresh water when it warms up. Just use water in containers that stay warm inside the trailer in the meantime.

The winterizing tee is the greatest. Dirt simple tp pump a-freeze thru the system with it. Just don't forget the outside shower! The hoses for it do not look to be very good.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

Just don't forget the outside shower! The hoses for it do not look to be very good.

Are you referrring to the flexible connection hoses on the interior that Escape is now using? If these are flimsy it might be an easy swap to a stainless steel braided hose.

[brightday]

Originally Posted by MyronL

This morning at 6 AM it currently is at 0°F outside here. Turned my little ceramic heater on yesterday evening. Looks like about 6-8+ inches now out there. Weather reports calling for continuing blizzard warnings (their words) until 11 AM with high winds, more snow, probable road closures due to black ice. We're about a mile away from I-40. Hope nobody is on it, going to or from Texas now, assuming it is even open. The wise traveler would have spent the night in the Walmart parking lot.

Praying that you and all others safely weather this storm!

[Danno]

Kavim, I'm wondering how this all worked out for you. I am currently in southern Louisiana with record temps for next couple days expected in teens and twenties. I am in my 21 ft in cg with full hookups.

For heat I am using furnace with newish sail switch, and supplementing with small electric ceramic heater. For water, I was hoping to mostly rely on leaving faucet on more-than-a-slight drip. Hopefully that would work keep outside hose from freezing. I will try to put antifreeze in black tank. Can I just leave grey tank valve open?

I was going to keep the indoor storage access doors open...under bed and bench seats. To control condensation, I am pulling mattress from wall, opening all upper cabinets and cracking a window open, with maxfan vent open, but exhaust fan probably off.

I can't get anywhere to buy anything new on this short notice. Is there more I can do? I have foam underneath but no heat pads. I would rather not abandon site, and would probably have to drive 4 hours to get out of the risk zone, anyhow. A few folks are leaving, but some of us intrepid (foolish) folks want to stay on.

Anyone's thoughts/suggestions?

[cpaharley2008]

In every Escape I have owned, at least 4, I installed a small electric heater, to operate while camping with electric hookups, which is a given in winter camping. Even at 750 watts it is enough to keep it warm inside.

[MyronL]

Me and Bernie have decided there is no way we are ever going to touch a snow shovel again.

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Are you referrring to the flexible connection hoses on the interior that Escape is now using? If these are flimsy it might be an easy swap to a stainless steel braided hose.

Those are the hoses I was referring. to. I don't use the shower but If I did I would consider replacing them. I recall seeing a discussion on them somewhere here a while back.

[richardr]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Just a tip. The furnace is the biggest propane hog. I'd run the electric heater as much as possible to save on the propane. You may need that propane if the park loses power. Just keep an eye on your batter(ies) if the power goes out. Don't remember... do you have solar? Good luck!

Thanks for the recommendation. I am using our small cube heater for base heat. It's on low so it's not too hot and burns our cat.
It is 8F (-11C?) this morning. The water lines to the sink froze, even with the under trailer insulation. I have anti-freeze in the bathroom drain trap, so we have a bowl in the bathroom sink to catch the water there and dump it in the kitchen sink. We were comfortable last night with the trailer at 56F. I warmed it up to 60F this morning, which is our normal winter inside temperature. I'm sitting at the dinette in my pjs with our cat on my lap to keep it toasty. Temperature should get up close to 20F today but tonight is supposed to be a couple of degrees colder.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by richardr

The water lines to the sink froze, even with the under trailer insulation.

I was going to mention that this was likely to happen. The good news is PEX is pretty forgiving when it comes to freezing. Here's hoping that everything thaws out and you have no issues to contend with buried under the foam. Stay warm!

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

Are you referrring to the flexible connection hoses on the interior that Escape is now using? If these are flimsy it might be an easy swap to a stainless steel braided hose.

I thinking of adding two shut off valves to the outside shower. That way I can camp in below freezing nights with out worrying about the shower freezing . the valves have a lot of exposure . I think this would be the first point to freeze in a cold night.

[richardr]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

I thinking of adding two shut off valves to the outside shower. That way I can camp in below freezing nights with out worrying about the shower freezing . the valves have a lot of exposure . I think this would be the first point to freeze in a cold night.

I removed the outside shower hose and put some refletix under the shower connection cover. In our 21 the outside shower connection is right by the hot water heater, so I hope that keeps the insides from freezing.
This cold weather has been a learning experience for me. I have always wondered how the trailer would do in temperatures under 20F. Now I'm finding out. This morning the low was 8F, today's high was 21F.
We have both under trailer insulation and heating pads on the gray and fresh water tanks. So I didn't expect our fresh water line from the tank to the pump to freeze this morning. I tried a lot of things to thaw it, including a heater under the trailer. The thing I think that worked was removing the panel from the front of the cabinet under the fridge. I don't know about all 21s, but ours has a panel that is held on by 4 screws and a 4"x4" hole through the wall behind it into the void where the freshwater hoses run. I inserted a hair dryer through the hole and after about an hour the water started running. Tonight's low is supposed to be 4F, so I plan to keep the hair dryer blowing all night.
Here is a question: I've wondered if my heating pads are actually working, but can't figure out how to tell. I thought of taking a resistance reading, but that would only work when switch to energize them is shut. Any ideas?