cold weather travel

[aboeck3]

I recently purchased a 2014 Itasca Meridian 36M. Question is since the fresh water and black/grey tanks appear to be Heated, how low a temp can I safely travel (both furnaces on) and not have freezing issues? Both the dealer and factory give me CYA answers in the mid 20's.

[Two_Jayhawks]

Your tanks are typically not the issue. If you have an issue it will be some section of water supply that runs through a poorly insulated area.

[WyoTraveler]

John S. wrote:
After reading these I love my Foretravel. I have been in sub zero many times. You just have to make sure the heat is on. I have aqua hot and good insulation. When it goes below zero I will help the AH out with some small space heaters underneath. You can also get a remote temp sensors so you know what is going on under there. We have had rallies in CO in the winter.
Here is a small heater and pretty cheap.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/250792483369

Sub zero in Virginia? Didn't think it got below freezing there. In WY we have closure gates. Nobody goes through. Sometimes for a whole week.

[down_home]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Our old Coachmen managed just fine at -2 deg F in southern VA, a couple of weeks ago. The only minor freeze up was a short PEX run that connects to our accumulator tank. We still had water at the faucets, but the pump cycled every time a faucet was opened, just as it would with no accumulator. About 5 minutes with a hair dryer fixed that.

Our refrigerator and probably yours has a heating element in the supply line to the ice maker.
Might be possible to put on in the short run of pex. to the water pump.

[John_S_]

After reading these I love my Foretravel. I have been in sub zero many times. You just have to make sure the heat is on. I have aqua hot and good insulation. When it goes below zero I will help the AH out with some small space heaters underneath. You can also get a remote temp sensors so you know what is going on under there. We have had rallies in CO in the winter.
Here is a small heater and pretty cheap.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/250792483369

[WyoTraveler]

One thing of concern is fuel and propane. If you get in a situation where they shut down the highway you can run out in a few days in cold weather. In WY they have a lot of closure gates. I try to get to a truck stop. I could sit out for weeks if necessary. We keep a few gallon container. We can go inside and fill them with water to wash up and flush with.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I'm a cold weather camper and full time. So long as the thermostat is set high enough to cause the furnace(s) to cycle you should be good to at least -30 c (-15 f).

If it is an on demand water heater--then that needs must be drained and by passed.

The other issue in extreme cold is the fridge. It may be necessary to restrict the air flow and to add a light bulb as a heat source.

There is a great thread on winter camping in the full time forum.

[rr2254545]

aboeck3 wrote:
I recently purchased a 2014 Itasca Meridian 36M. Question is since the fresh water and black/grey tanks appear to be Heated, how low a temp can I safely travel (both furnaces on) and not have freezing issues? Both the dealer and factory give me CYA answers in the mid 20's.

I have done it in my 2012 36M, 20 is probably about right, mine have never frozen and we have camped in the last 3 weeks in the 20's and lots of times last winter in northern Texas

[Dutch_12078]

Our old Coachmen managed just fine at -2 deg F in southern VA, a couple of weeks ago. The only minor freeze up was a short PEX run that connects to our accumulator tank. We still had water at the faucets, but the pump cycled every time a faucet was opened, just as it would with no accumulator. About 5 minutes with a hair dryer fixed that.

[Bob___Ann]

If you have the hot water on demand system you will need to drain it to travel. It is fine while parked as the gas will keep it from freezing. However you cannot travel with it on and it will freeze.

[smlranger]

Extremely cold weather will challenge most any motorhome. General things to consider:

1. If you have already winterized your coach and need to travel into/through cold areas, leave it winterized and use jugs of water for drinking, cooking, flushing your toilet.

2. When you get to warmer areas, filled our fresh water tank and enjoy.

3. If you have not winterized and need to travel into/through cold areas, keep your heat source on. Most class A's will do fine if you keep the heat on for comfort inside the coach. The most vulnerable freeze prone thing is your fresh water pump since most (including Winnebago) mount the pump on/near the floor of a compartment and the floor is generally not insulated. In these cases you may need to use something in that compartment to prevent freezing...a trouble light or a small electric heater.

4. Very cold weather will test your batteries and other systems. Make sure everything is in top shape.

[WyoTraveler]

I try to winterize below 10 degrees. I monitor my wet bay temps. Normally my bays and tanks stay above freezing when the coach temp is kept at 70. However, how fast can you winterize? Most RV parks are closed in cold wx. That leaves truck stops. I like truck stops because you have food, fuel, and many times free wifi. I-80, in WY, got closed down a few days ago. We were stuck in a Flying J for 2 days. We were winterized and flushed with bottled water fortunately they had a dump. In cold wx other problems can come up quickly. We not only had cold, we had over 65 mph cross winds. We hunkered down between 2 big rigs. If you plan on traveling in winter areas where it is cold take it slowly until you build some experience. JMHO.

[down_home]

double post

[down_home]

In 09 or 08. We traveled back from Florida in low twenty degree weather. About 600 miles. We didn't have any problems with freezing tanks.
I am no expert but it would seem, in order, to have a small heater or a heat tape on the pipes in the wet bay. Of course run the generator.
I don't think we have a 120 plug in the wet bay but there is twelve volt but it would over load the circuit for the bay lights. There is 120 on the bay opposite the wet bay on ours so it might not be at all difficult to wire there. A ground fault plug of course.
Another idea is if you have heated tanks or if you didn't a heat pad might be available in the size or altered to fit the three pipes in the wet bay.
Someone here has done something about it I'm sure. I don't hear a lot about cold weather packages on Motorhomes but some do have them. Apparently yours does. Check what they might have done already in the wet bay. Another thing we have at least one drain hole about half an inch in case water get in there. Put a piece of tape over it to keep out some colder air.