05 Arctic Fox Cold weather capabilities?
Thinking ahead to winter time. Just bought the camper this year, owners manual I printed off doesn't say much so figured I go to the experts here. Planning on doing some overnight winter trips snowm...
Forum Discussion
GD , my 05 AF worked ok with water to single digits but did not push it to zero. Keep a hair dryer handy to thaw a dump valve or line.
Wrap the change-over valve to prevent it from freezing, if it does...you loose your heat. The diaphram can freeze and possibly crack.
I had the thermostat up high and it ran 24/7, only to reach an interior warmth of 65F at best.
If you have the slide "out" and it snows, you need to clear it before you close it . Those slideouts have very little insulation if any at all, therefore you'll be warmer keeping it closed at night.
Every tc made can be a little different so i would follow the water lines throughout the tc and make sure none are touching an outside or uninsulated wall, be careful to protect the water pump, if its mounted to an outside wall in an uninsulated cabinet.
There is a bathroom/basement fan modification to pull heated room air down into the basement, it makes the fan more efficient by moving it an inch or so , so it makes a better seal to move air.
MY AF slideout did not seal well on the inside. I noticed it when i pet my dog in the morning. He was sleeping on the floor and his fur was COLD ! (that explains why i got dirty looks from him)
I bent down and looked under the slide bottom (from inside the camper) and i could see a large gap that revealed the underside of the slide. I filled the gap with foam and a towel and that helped a lot. After that i would pull the slide in at night and that helped keep things a bit warmer.
I would use storm windows and also drape the door with an insulated drape panel. Those rv doors leak air. I hang the drape on a rod above my door.
I made an insulated storm window for the emergency window. I made it out of solid foam, two layers with a cut out , to see out. The port hole to see outside was heat shrink insulation used for covering windows. Its just held in place by pressure between the handles.
window insulation mod.
My AF used a lot of gas. 30# gas bottle in 3 days in -25F temps (i camped with it dry,no water).
My personal experience with the AF as i took it apart to make various repairs....they could use some insulation upgrades. To be honest, i was a little shocked to find what i saw.
Here is some VG AF info. by one of our members.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24714539.cfm
Have fun, Bob
Wrap the change-over valve to prevent it from freezing, if it does...you loose your heat. The diaphram can freeze and possibly crack.
I had the thermostat up high and it ran 24/7, only to reach an interior warmth of 65F at best.
If you have the slide "out" and it snows, you need to clear it before you close it . Those slideouts have very little insulation if any at all, therefore you'll be warmer keeping it closed at night.
Every tc made can be a little different so i would follow the water lines throughout the tc and make sure none are touching an outside or uninsulated wall, be careful to protect the water pump, if its mounted to an outside wall in an uninsulated cabinet.
There is a bathroom/basement fan modification to pull heated room air down into the basement, it makes the fan more efficient by moving it an inch or so , so it makes a better seal to move air.
MY AF slideout did not seal well on the inside. I noticed it when i pet my dog in the morning. He was sleeping on the floor and his fur was COLD ! (that explains why i got dirty looks from him)
I bent down and looked under the slide bottom (from inside the camper) and i could see a large gap that revealed the underside of the slide. I filled the gap with foam and a towel and that helped a lot. After that i would pull the slide in at night and that helped keep things a bit warmer.
I would use storm windows and also drape the door with an insulated drape panel. Those rv doors leak air. I hang the drape on a rod above my door.
I made an insulated storm window for the emergency window. I made it out of solid foam, two layers with a cut out , to see out. The port hole to see outside was heat shrink insulation used for covering windows. Its just held in place by pressure between the handles.
window insulation mod.
My AF used a lot of gas. 30# gas bottle in 3 days in -25F temps (i camped with it dry,no water).
My personal experience with the AF as i took it apart to make various repairs....they could use some insulation upgrades. To be honest, i was a little shocked to find what i saw.
Here is some VG AF info. by one of our members.
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24714539.cfm
Have fun, Bob
