Winter boondocking in a Class C

[WesternHorizon]

My class C is winterized about 4 months out of the year, but I use it year-round. A few notes.

I always use paper plates and bowls, so dishwashing is never an issue.

For metal cutlery, I have a tupperware filled with rubbing alcohol. As I drive the cutlery soaks in the alcohol. Take it out, dry it off, use it.

Water is carried in a dozen 1 gallon jugs. They never seem to freeze. Refills at WaterMill or Glacier water stands, which can be found at Wal-Marts and Dollar stores.

For number 1, a heavy gallon jug with cap. For those of the female configuration, a “feminine funnel” is helpful. Avoid confusing this special jug with beverage containers.

For number 2, two plastic garbage bags in the toilet with the seat holding them in place.

For cleanup and sponge baths, baby wipes work great. I just buy a case of Costco baby wipes.

I use a winter sleeping bag, and set the thermostat to 50 degrees. Otherwise it takes a long time to warm up the RV in the morning, and condensation on the windows can be a problem.

The windows in the cabover area leak cold air. I’ve covered these with a plastic storm window kit, the kind with adhesive tape.

Between trips, I have a BatteryMINDer Charger/Maintainer/Desulfater Model# 2012 on the house battery and another on the chassis battery. These are expensive chargers but they have temperature compensation and they desulfate the batteries.

Compared to winter tent camping, even a winterized RV is luxurious. Not sure I would do this in the northern reaches of the US or in Canada where it gets seriously cold but it has been working great for me down into the teens overnight.

Other winter boondocking experiences and tips?

(Finally got this post to work on 2/5/16. Sorry for the delay.)

[Snowman9000]

I think I'd want some kitty litter in that bag, though.

[WesternHorizon]

Landfills accept diapers and pet waste, so this seems compatible with how those materials are handled. I look for large covered trash cans at:

- Fuel islands where I buy gas
- Highway rest stops
- Public parks where pets are walked
- Public lands like campgrounds and picnic areas

The key is to be considerate of others. For example I never add to a full can.

[2oldman]

What do you do with plastic bags of poop?

[wbwood]

We usually don't boondock in there winter, but we have camped without de-winterizing our RV. We normally will go to a park with hookups, but only hookup the electric. We park near a bathhouse and use it for all our plumbing (toilet/shower) needs. We take an electric space heater and use it to warm the coach. We will set the furnace down on low in case the electric heater can't keep up. We use paper products and disposable cutlery. We have a couple Deer Park jugs that we reuse. We normally fill them up at home and take with us. We also may take some bottled water for drinking. If we have a pot or pan to wash, we will get water from the spigot outside and heat up on the stove. We have a couple of dishpans n the cupboard that we pull out to wash dishes in, if we need to. We dump the dirty dish washer down the sewer hole outside.

I saw on the Roadtreking youtube channel where one of the service techs mentioned flushing the toilet with antifreeze. We've never done it, but for those that boondocks, it might be something feasible.

[Snowman9000]

Ron, you might be right. We had a B+ with an entertainment center and there was no insulation behind it. I was able to do some improving of it though.

On our C, I do think the whole cabover is insulated. At some point I'll do those windows. I think you have to chase a lot of leaks to tighten up these RVs.

One thing not mentioned is the entry door. Pianotuna has a cover for his. I took the inside trim off and say a huge gap all the way around. I could see the ground at the bottom. I foamed it all up. It is not bad at all now. There are similar gaps in all of the window installations. I have not bothered with those yet.

[ronfisherman]

Snowman9000 wrote:
I don't see the need for any negativity. OP is just describing what works for him.

Re the cabover windows:

We have been winter camping for the past 4 weeks in AZ. Lows in the 20s and 30s. I have noticed that it seems like a crazy amount of cold is coming from the two side windows up there. Are they any worse than the other windows? They seem to be. If so, why? All of our windows are single pane. They are definitely the weak link. Well, along with the roof vents and shower skylight. We have pillows in the roof vents. Nothing in the skylight, and that bathroom gets good and cold overnight.

We have an insulated blanket blocking off the lower part of the cab.

Maybe I should go to the hardware store today and get a window kit for those bunk windows.

Not sure you are going to solve all the cold from overhead with insulating side windows. My MH has no side windows (Entertainment Center). I did put some insulation behind entertainment center cabinets. That did help some. But there is a lot of area on all sides exposed to outside air.

[WesternHorizon]

Yes, the cabover windows leak air impressively and that is saying something for an older C 😉

I never open them, so the storm window kit seems like a good solution.

[Snowman9000]

I don't see the need for any negativity. OP is just describing what works for him.

Re the cabover windows:

We have been winter camping for the past 4 weeks in AZ. Lows in the 20s and 30s. I have noticed that it seems like a crazy amount of cold is coming from the two side windows up there. Are they any worse than the other windows? They seem to be. If so, why? All of our windows are single pane. They are definitely the weak link. Well, along with the roof vents and shower skylight. We have pillows in the roof vents. Nothing in the skylight, and that bathroom gets good and cold overnight.

We have an insulated blanket blocking off the lower part of the cab.

Maybe I should go to the hardware store today and get a window kit for those bunk windows.

[WesternHorizon]

> A four seasons RV with enclosed heated tanks and valves

Well, I don't have that. Instead I have a gallon jug and trash bags. Works great.

[WesternHorizon]

I did a complete EPDM recoat last fall. The cover above is to reduce UV exposure.

[rockhillmanor]

Have you fixed the roof yet?! I know you where really doing a complete remodel. Looks like quite a project. :C

[Harvard]

It very much depends on where you plan to boon dock. S CA and NM have very different winters.

[navegator]

We do it all the time, I put some antifreeze, the one used for the potable system in my grey and black tanks since they are out side this keeps the discharge valves and goodies from completely freezing, that way I can transfer the goods with the blue tote to the dump station, have one AGM marine battery and a solar panel, we also use oil lamps at night they provide light and some heat, this saves the battery for the furnace blower, and I have installed small LED lamps in the over head of the cabinets and in the kitchen and bathroom, also out side and on the steps, they are more than enough out in the boonies, give it a try we have been totally alone in National and State parks for days.

navegator

[pianotuna]

A four seasons RV with enclosed heated tanks and valves.

You will need lots of propane, a large battery bank, and a way to recharge quickly. A temperature compensated charge controller would be good, too.