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vesh1717's avatar
vesh1717
Explorer
Jan 11, 2016

Using travel trailer in winter

I have google'd this topic of course, and I have found that an RV can indeed be used in winter - with special considerations.

But my question is a little bit more specific.  

Would I be able to use my TT as a "warm-up" spot during winter? We have a seasonal spot, and our TT will be staying there year round.  It's also a close drive, and a great place for snowmobiling.  Which we love to do.  We live in Northern Ontario, so temps would likely be -5 to -15 Celsius on the days we would go. 

What I am thinking, is because I have small kids, I would like to use the TT as a spot to hang out, grab a snack, and warm-up.  I WOULD NOT USE water, plumbing, or the fridge.  The main thing I would be doing is using it as a place to warm up via the furnace and/or block (ceramic) heaters.  I MAY consider using the cooktop to cook if we were there for the entire day.  We would NOT BE SLEEPING in it.  I am talking about for 4-8 hours, for the day.

Am I missing anything here?  What problems may I encounter? Or am I good to go?  Clearly I would need a generator, I am aware of that.  Please clarify.  Thanks.
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  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    Jan 11, 2016
    You should generally be good to go. You should take care to ensure that the battery gets properly recharged when you're done using it, either by running the generator or by having a solar setup (or both). Depending on the converter/charger you have, it may take a very long time to recharge the battery via the generator; a good standalone battery charger or an upgraded converter could make hours of difference in generator runtime, particularly if what you have is a single-stage converter. (I'm assuming you do not have a shore power connection available, or you would not have mentioned the generator in the first place.)

    Take care that the generator exhaust cannot get into the RV--don't put the generator under the travel trailer, for example. It would also not hurt to ask around and make sure that whatever kind of generator you get is one that will not be too hard to get started in freezing temperatures.
  • GordonThree's avatar
    GordonThree
    Explorer
    Jan 11, 2016
    if your plan is to have a group of people in there defrosting after playing in the snow, might want to invest in a 70-90 pint dehumidifier.

    some folks get by "cracking" a window and a vent, but that's never worked for me. without a dehumidifier, condensation starts building fast and I'm just one guy.
  • bid_time's avatar
    bid_time
    Nomad II
    Jan 11, 2016
    There is no problem using it in the winter. You won't be using water so no issues. No problem with using the stove, refrigerator or furnace (as long as you have propane). No problem with sleeping in it either.

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