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MartiniSCP's avatar
MartiniSCP
Explorer
Sep 28, 2013

TT winter dry or almost dry camping

Hello All.

When we were shopping for our TT we had a salesperson advise that we could camp in the winter if we created some sort of sludge mixture of water and salt (and perhaps some other ingredients that I don't remember) in the gray and/or black water tank.

In our TT the fresh water tank is under the bed and could be kept from freezing by the furnace that warms the interior anyway. Ditto for the plumbing hoses to the various sinks or the tub.

So, afaik, the only liquid that would be subject to the cold of winter and not heated in any way (short of an electric tank heater) would be the gray and black water tanks.

Is there any way to keep that water from freezing?
I could see just antifreeze in the gray water tank.
Would antifreeze in the black water tank interfere with the chemicals that go in there to break down waste?

Thanks, in advance, and
Happy Camping!

13 Replies

  • If your grey and black tank are out in the open with no heat they can freeze. If the drain for the grey and black tank are n the open they can freeze. The valves and lines can freeze and bust. Even the tanks can freeze and bust. If your tanks are enclosed and heated you could camp down to 10 degrees approx. However any valves in the open can still be damaged. Normally a 4 season type RV will have valves inside the heated area with a shaft extending out of that area to open them.

    I camped in a Jayco 19RD down to 10 degrees. below that I kept the fresh water tank empty. I used the toilet but flushed using RV anti-freeze one time water the next. I carried bottled water and used the grey tank but putting RV anti-freeze in it depening how much water I used. I think the salesperson was not totally truthful. Plus I wouldn't use saltwater in my grey and black tank. If your tanks and valves are in the open with no heat it is a summer TT and should be winterized before any freezing weather to protect it. If your plan was to camp in any freezing weather the Jayco with the thermal package would work but better choice probably the Artic Fox.
  • Well, for clarity sake, we are done shopping.
    Our black and gray water tanks are exposed under the vehicle.

    What would be wrong with a small layer of ice in the bottom of those tanks?
    If the aren't full and the water/ice can expand, it shouldn't rupture anything right?
    One could wait until it warmed up to empty?

    Just a thought.
    Set me straight someone, if I'm out to lunch on this one.
    :-P
  • Well, since you are still in shopping mode, I suggest restricting your search to those with a heated underbelly. This will help a lot.

    I have been there done that with camping in sub zero temperatures. I have had the lower end of my grey and black tanks freeze.

    Trying to dump when your waste pipe is frozen solid behind the gate valves is no fun at all.

    I remember laying under the dump pipe with a heat gun for a long time trying to thaw the thing out so I could dump. Not one of my more memorable trips for sure.

    Yeah, heated underbelly is the way to go if you are going to be out there in freezing weather. It won't eliminate frozen tanks and pipes but it will sure reduce it.