Camping below freezing question...

Good suggestions given here so far and bet more good suggestions to come.

We just came back from nine days in Klamath Falls, OR where the temps were in the high teens. Even with a heated enclosed underbelly and running the heater the water pipes froze up. Plus you will go through a lot of propane. Nothing extra was done to our TT to prepare it for the freezing weather which is why I am heading out side to go work on the TT today.

Be careful and listen to the suggestion given on this forum. The people here have a lot of good help to offer.

Bypass your hot water heater and put RV antifreeze in your fresh water tank to flush the toilet with and carry fresh water in jugs in your shower for you to drink and use. Run the pink stuff to all traps that have been used when all is said and done.

Make sure you have plenty of propane for the furnace. Do you have a generator? If so, I would take an electric space heater, too.

Consider going to Lowe's and buying a roll of this - http://www.lowes.com/pd_13358-56291-BP48025_1z0uk7m__?productId=3011906&pl=1 - cut to size and fit into the windows, cover your attic vents as well to avoid heat loss.

And, most of all...HAVE FUN.

Hi sfpcservice - as suggested store your water supply inside in jugs. "Winterize" your plumbing and run your heat before your unit starts to freeze up i.e. before you leave home... don't put fresh water in the water tank or system.

Flush the toilet with rv antifreeze - also run a bit in the drains at bed time.

The bit of antifreeze down the drains will protect the grey and black tanks from freezing damage.

Enjoy your trip

Maybe keep a couple 5gal bottles inside and avoid the water tanks or try the tank heater and see how it works. There are Pit toilets at most of the CGs up there so don't really "need" onboard water. Worst case, go stay at Boulder Creek just south of Lone Pine with full hookups and thaw out if dry camping doesn't work out.

sfpcservice wrote:
I am thinking about heading out to the Alabama Hills in California in late January with my Son. The weather now is in the high teens at night and I assume it will be similar then. Our 5er has an exposed underbelly water tank and water line that heads up inside where the pump is. My tank has a stick on heater, but we will be boondocking so that probably isn't a good option. I was thinking about some of the insulating tape around the water line? Not sure what else can be done. There isn't any edible anti freeze is there? :-)

Sure there's "edible anti freeze"; made by Mr. Beam and Mr. Daniels, among others. Can get mighty expensive, though. :-) Frankly, without an enclosed and heated underbelly, I don't know that even an attached tank heater would do much good unless you're ready to run a genny 24/7 to power it, as well as keep the batteries charged.

Lyle