Using RV in winter, including water

we have lived 7 years full time in our winnebago class a. from 1999 to 2006. all kinds of weather. from 125 in las vegas on blacktop to billings montana at 20 below. it depends on how you and your coach are prepared. i found some 350 watt ceramic heaters for the basement, and an electric blanket for cold nights. we had water all the time. just fill it, and roll up the hose.
there is no way to really stay warm at 20 below without wearing a sweater inside the coach. even the cats were complaining. we didn't stay long in billings, or Cheyenne. after 10 days of dealer visits, we headed south to denver, and albuquerque.
i can tell you that it can be done, and with better heaters, and clothing available today, it could be fun. relatively so.
paul maddox
i work full time for hwh. and travel the lower 48 states, many times encountering extreme cold, blizzards, hailstorms, ice storms, and tornadoes. god has blessed us that we have never been in an accident, or injured in any weather events. we were just spectators, because i have learned when to go and when to stop. being prepared doesn't hurt either.

I have done enough cold weather RV'ing to have some thoughts based on actual deeds. Unless you really really need to...don't use your fresh water. At all. Drain and winterize. (frozen fresh water lines can cause a lot of damage when they thaw) Toss a couple cups of RV anti-freeze into every P trap. Then toss a bunch into each of the two waste tanks. That way, you can use them without the worry of the contents freezing.

It's counter-intuative but keep a couple windows cracked open..one in rear and the other up forward. You need to keep condensation down to a minimum. If you are using a large RV, maybe invest in a dehumidifier. Google humidity in an RV. It is incredible how much moisture we give off just being alive and breathing, never mind cooking and washing.

If you are plugged in? Get a couple ceramic heaters to supplement your furnace. If you aren't on power..how you going to keep your batteries up? Generator works fine but you'll need an honest one..not an el'cheapo. Keep extra fuel on hand.

Good bedding and if it gets to the point your head is cold, put on a toque.


Gary Haupt

years ago we were in Gallup,New Mexico and it got down to 15 and was snowing. We disconnected the water from the hydrant even though it had heat tape on it and just used the water in the tank. No problems. But that was just for one night. The next night we were in Williams ,AZ and it was a balmy 32. I would say it depends on how low the temperature gets,how long it stays cold and if it's windy. The wind blowing through cracks or across water lines can freeze things up quickly.

You can turn just about any decent "3 season" rig into a winter capable unit. You just have to want to.

The vast majourity of RV'er though bring their rigs out at the end May and put them away at the end of October or even Labour Day.

If you have to put a jacket on it's time to put the camper away. Most people are just soft.

B.O. Plenty wrote:

garyemunson wrote:
Depends on whether those are sold s "4-season" campers. Those are fine as long as they are kept heated with the built in furnace. A space heater will not deliver heat to utility bays as the furnace can with dedicated ducts.

Anyone can claim their product is "4 season". Means nothing. There is no industry standard. Might not be anything beyond a decal by the door. Don't get suckered into believing this means you can live in one in the Yukon or Alaska.

B.O.

^^^^^^^^^This! ^^^^^^^^


There are “VERY” few rv’s that are “factory capable” of sustained use at below zero F temperatures without substantial modifications. Most of those capable of serious cold weather use, ceased to exist during the financial crisis of the late 2000’s.

Once upon a time, there were a few manufacturers that had guarantees to a minus 20 F or a bit colder.....without modifications! These are still out there, but are getting difficult to find due to age. memtb

Survival ability comes down to how cold is the ambient temps.
Prolonged temps below 32º can cause issues by prolonged I mean 24-48 hours of sub freezing temps. If it warms to above 32 during the day but is freezing at night your generally oK
. But if it drops below freezing and stays there for days in a row beware!
Canada is not known for its mild winters!

A lot depends on the RV.. I have a class A. enclosed tanks. with the Furnace running they tell me I can go down to 20 degrees outside. I've also added a string of C-9 Incascedant christmas tree lights (The large outdoor ownes) under the tank the C-9s do not get hot enough to melt plastic. a 15 watt lamp will.

And a 100 watt caged bulb in the valve bay on the same thermostat

And just added a temperature sensor on top of the fresh tank.

I've been down to 11 degrees without serious issues (no damage) and -6 with a solid freeze up (Cost me about 10 bucks)

garyemunson wrote:
Depends on whether those are sold s "4-season" campers. Those are fine as long as they are kept heated with the built in furnace. A space heater will not deliver heat to utility bays as the furnace can with dedicated ducts.

Anyone can claim their product is "4 season". Means nothing. There is no industry standard. Might not be anything beyond a decal by the door. Don't get suckered into believing this means you can live in one in the Yukon or Alaska.

B.O.

People live in RVs year around in cold country. You have to learn to make a few adjustments. Look it up if you are unsure.

RV in winter? I'd rent a cabin.
Once had the water pipes freeze during an unexpected cold spell and we had to wait until warmer weather to have running water again.