First Winter Trip to New Mexico, How to prepare?

Under normal NM winter weather, you should be pretty well protected due to the new/quality of your 5th wheel. Ask at check-in about their winter water policy. Most parks will tell you to go to tank water if there's a freeze chance. The inside warm will keep the interior pipes safe and any fluid in the tanks shouldn't freeze unless it's a catastrophic event. In rare cases, leave the hook-ups attached and trickle the water thru the pipes, tanks and out the sewer hose. Heat pumps will not work below the high 30's, so you'll have the furnace floor ducting to help the pipes too. Fluid will slosh in the tanks while moving. Eagles Nest is in a valley, so windchill could be worse at other locations.

Eubank may be your best expert for what to plan for.

Check this document:

http://monteverderv.com/WinterworthyRVs.pdf

Lynn

mastercraftka wrote:
I have been told to have all the tanks empty and then when i get there fill the fresh water tank then unhook and fill as needed.

That would be best for sure.

mastercraftka wrote:
What about grey and black tank disposal. Any worries about freezing while during dumping? I shouldn't have to winterize the hose for that short period? Or more importantly will I need to wrap the dump valves?

It depends. My dump valves are in the warm zone of the basement. If yours are exposed, you could have problems. Be sure to drain the hose after dumping if its routing will trap any liquids while dumping (e.g., running uphill to the campsite connection, which is fairly common.)

Rusty

Yes it will be pretty cold at night probably in the teens, and 40's during the day unless we get a storm while we are there. I have been told to have all the tanks empty and then when i get there fill the fresh water tank then unhook and fill as needed.
I honestly don't think i have tank heaters and the propane will be full for sure. I will have power charging from the truck at we take the 800 mile trip.

What about grey and black tank disposal. Any worries about freezing while during dumping? I shouldn't have to winterize the hose for that short period? Or more importantly will I need to wrap the dump valves?

If you're going to be traveling in temperatures below freezing, either (1) winterize the 5th wheel with RV anti-freeze (food grade propylene glycol), (2) blow out all the water lines with air and pour RV anti-freeze in the p-traps, or (3) plan on running the furnace while traveling to keep the interior and basement above freezing. Be sure your propane tanks are full before leaving. If you're going to be carrying anything in the holding tanks, be sure your tank heaters are turned on. All the above assumes that you will have 12VDC feeding your rig through pin #4 of your tow vehicle's 7-pin Pollak connector to keep the coach batteries from discharging.

Rusty