Forum Discussion

profdant139's avatar
profdant139
Explorer II
Feb 12, 2018

Avoiding freeze-ups while towing in very cold weather?

(I am posting this in the Alaska/Canada forum because this is not a DIY question -- it is "What do real Arctic RVers do?")

So that is the question -- when you are towing in very cold weather, do you run the furnace in your trailer? Do you run the heat tape off of the inverter? I know that when I am parked and I have hookups, I will be ok. (Actually, once I install my underbelly package I will be ok.) But when I am traveling during the day in mid-winter, what to do? What is the source of heat while rolling?

I understand that some folks travel with no liquids on board at all -- so there is nothing to freeze. And if I have to do that, I will. But it means that I'd have to refill my jerry cans every night and dump gray and black every morning, I guess.

Thanks in advance for your guidance! I am really trying to "Arctic proof" my little three-season trailer so we can travel at least to the Yukon, if not beyond, during the late fall, if not the dead of winter.

By the way, I have opted for "the Yukon," based on a survey of the residents of Yukon. ;)

The? Yukon
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Feb 12, 2018
    If the vents are clear you can run the furnace in transit.

    www.ultraheat.com Combo pads work on 12v or 120v. Install is easier before the cover goes on.

    My thread on circulating hot water.
    Newest update: Connected a relay so when the furnace cycles on so does the pump. Manual switch also if desired.

    For a real expedition I would also carry a third propane cylinder.
  • almcc's avatar
    almcc
    Explorer
    Feb 12, 2018
    Just a comment.

    We have been up in the Yukon at the end of the summer, just before Labour Day and the RV camp grounds and the stores that were adjacent to them (for example in Watson Lake) were preparing to close for the season, offering sales on their canned goods etc.

    You may want to check availability.
  • profdant139's avatar
    profdant139
    Explorer II
    Feb 12, 2018
    almcc, you are right that there are many fewer campgrounds. But some do stay open all year, with at least electric hookups. Gotta go see those Northern Lights!
  • profdant139's avatar
    profdant139
    Explorer II
    Feb 12, 2018
    time2roll, that was a great link to your recirculator project! Unfortunately, some of the photos have died, probably when photobucket kicked the bucket.

    And I see some folks addressing you as smk -- I won't use your full name. But I did not realize until now that you are the same person who used to be known as smk!

    If I could engineer a way to use my water heater as a heat source for my pipes and tanks while in transit, that would be much more efficient than running my furnace and heating the entire cabin.
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    Feb 12, 2018
    time2roll wrote:
    If the vents are clear you can run the furnace in transit.

    www.ultraheat.com Combo pads work on 12v or 120v. Install is easier before the cover goes on.

    My thread on circulating hot water.
    Newest update: Connected a relay so when the furnace cycles on so does the pump. Manual switch also if desired.

    For a real expedition I would also carry a third propane cylinder.


    Ditto on all of this. Been there, done that; Northern Michigan to Death Valley, mid December through mid January.

    Furnace on, all the time. Water heater on all the time. Burns a lot of propane YEP, battling mother nature is not cheap.

    I have 240 watts of 12v heating pads on the holding tanks and a lesser wattage of AC heat Trace on the sewer pipes, valves and pump water line. A 100 watt bulb on a thermocube lives in the pump bay.

    With temperatures in the teens and below, the generator runs almost 24x7 in the truck bed. Temps in the 20s and 30s I let the battery bank and inverter run everything, charging as needed.

    Circulating hot water is a must have for very cold towing in my humble opinion. My system is computer controlled and comes on as needed based on water temp, outdoor temp and forecast temp.
  • Lwiddis's avatar
    Lwiddis
    Explorer II
    Feb 12, 2018
    “sales on their canned goods”

    Nothing like a good canned goods sale. I’m in!

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