Hi all..hitting the road in 2 weeks.

[forhumanservice]

Hi all,

we are a family of 4 getting ready to hit the road cross country in a
couple of weeks. We have a 2002 Forest River Sierra 5th Wheel 27'
We are pulling with a 2014 Ram 2500 Big Horn.
Have just 1 question here to start
#1) We need to have a portable freezer along with us that needs to be larger then the small one in the rv (for medicine) it will be about a 94 qt 12V that also has a 120v plug as well. I know it will not be a problem while we are driving, but if we ever stop for the night at a Walmart, or.. can it run off the charged batteries until the morning?
Any experienced RV folks..can you tell us what you would do in this situation to make it work?

Thanks a bunch,
Dan

[forhumanservice]

Redterpos3 wrote:

forhumanservices wrote:
campgrounds in NY and PA .

What campground?

I've heard others recommend keeping cabinets open to your space so the heat can get inside to the pipes running inside the cabinets. If you have tank heaters that would help also. Probably once you are in VA and NC you should be Ok at this time of year.

Thats a great idea too. We just decided to hotel it in NY too...just to be safe. I purchased a Lasco 200watt ceramic for the storage where most of the water lines are...
Getting excited now. Should leave Madawaska on Saturday or Sunday.

Really a big help joining this group. I hope I will be able to give some helpful guidance to others here in the future too...

[Redterpos3]

forhumanservices wrote:
campgrounds in NY and PA .

What campground?

I've heard others recommend keeping cabinets open to your space so the heat can get inside to the pipes running inside the cabinets. If you have tank heaters that would help also. Probably once you are in VA and NC you should be Ok at this time of year.

[bikendan]

forhumanservices wrote:

Redterpos3 wrote:

I
We are just starting to go below freezing here in Central PA (the new Amish country) at nights and we are getting a number in a row for the first time this coming weekend. Are you in a 4 season rig?

We are in a 2004 Forest River 27' Sierra. I have no idea if it is considered a 4-seasons rv.

it definitely is not a 4 season rig. FR doesn't make any 4 season trailers.

[forhumanservice]

rekoj71 wrote:
I would definitely think that if those 6 batteries were fully charged you could easily last a couple of days if it's just operating the little freezer. 200w solar kit is a little low for 6 batteries but could be enough to keep them topped off if you aren't draining them down real low. If you are using the furnace on the batteries, the blower will help drain them too but 6 topped off batteries is quite a bit more than most people have when they boondock for a night.

Thanks Rekoj71
We will be plugged in at the campgrounds in NY and PA but then will have some possible boon docking in VA and NC...the hole where 1000 trails does not have any campgrounds...just to keep on the economical side. We will keep going south from there and then west...

[rekoj71]

I would definitely think that if those 6 batteries were fully charged you could easily last a couple of days if it's just operating the little freezer. 200w solar kit is a little low for 6 batteries but could be enough to keep them topped off if you aren't draining them down real low. If you are using the furnace on the batteries, the blower will help drain them too but 6 topped off batteries is quite a bit more than most people have when they boondock for a night.

[forhumanservice]

Redterpos3 wrote:

I
We are just starting to go below freezing here in Central PA (the new Amish country) at nights and we are getting a number in a row for the first time this coming weekend. Are you in a 4 season rig?

We are in a 2004 Forest River 27' Sierra. I have no idea if it is considered a 4-seasons rv, but it will become one....Just added a good off grid system in it today. I will have to make it work...
We will be in Lancaster PA for 2 nights...

[Redterpos3]

forhumanservices wrote:

I figure we can get a couple of plug in tank heaters to use when we are connected to services. Maybe some heat tape for pipes. Does that sound like the best way to go? We will be staying in hotels for the first few nights until we hit our first campground on the club we joined ....roundout in Accord NY...then Thanksgiving in PA. in Amish land. I currently still have the RV antifreeze in the tanks and drains. Was planning to wait until we get south a bit before I flush it all out. It has been dipping down to 25-30deg these last few days...

We are just starting to go below freezing here in Central PA (the new Amish country) at nights and we are getting a number in a row for the first time this coming weekend. Are you in a 4 season rig?

[forhumanservice]

True Redterpos3, caution is #1. We are sure not in a hurry and plan to watch the weather couple times a day. I need to dial in how to keep the pipes thawed and to prevent frozen holding tanks like Grit dog said.
I figure we can get a couple of plug in tank heaters to use when we are connected to services. Maybe some heat tape for pipes. Does that sound like the best way to go? We will be staying in hotels for the first few nights until we hit our first campground on the club we joined ....roundout in Accord NY...then Thanksgiving in PA. in Amish land. I currently still have the RV antifreeze in the tanks and drains. Was planning to wait until we get south a bit before I flush it all out. It has been dipping down to 25-30deg these last few days...

[Redterpos3]

Coming from Madawaska I'm sure you know the snow. DW and I spent 3 yrs in Presque Isle 25 hrs ago and enjoyed travel to Madawaska. The snow down south though is a bit different, more icy and at times more dangerous lots of times because of the volume of traffic and the crazy drivers who freak out in the snow!

[forhumanservice]

Thanks to all the kind folks in here. Your advice has been amazing and very helpful.
Tomorrow we have a Solar tech coming to install our home system into the RV with
6-6v Trojan T105 batteries, inverter, solar controller, remote, and panels to total 200
watts. I think this is really going to help us when it comes to boon docking. Kind of confused on how to make it all connect so that the 110 outlets work in there as well, but I would think the tech will know. I watched a video of a guy that used one of the vent tubes to run the wires down. Thought that was a great idea.

[Grit_dog]

It's winter time. Throw a $100 chest freezer in the back of the truck. Put a hasp and lock on it. Plug it in as needed. Everything from Maine to the backside of the Rockies will be cold unless u take he southern rout. Even then it won't be hot out.
Worry more about keeping your pipes thawed than freezer frozen.

[Allworth]

Absolutely wrong, Oz!

Having worked with heavy equipment recovery teams in both Montana and BC, I worry about people who may be biting off more than they know how to chew. I didn't say I wouldn't do it. I said they should be careful.

[forhumanservice]

Not so worried about the snow...we live in Northern Maine where it can get
-40 plus wind chill... I guess we might need to get a couple of thermo controlled 12v heating pads for the tanks in case we hit below freezing. We are going south and west asap once we leave..

[Ozlander]

Allworth wrote:
I would be more concerned about towing from Maine to California and back this time of year than the freezer.

There is a foot plus of snow in the high country. It was snowing in Ohio Yesterday. Blizzard warnings are out in the mid-states.

Freezers, solar, and batteries will not do any good if the trailer is in a ditch somewhere.

Be very careful, particularly if you don't have a lot of experience with this exact combination in severe weather. Watch the forecasts twice a day. Be prepared to wait out bad weather.

Good luck and enjoy your adventure.

One of those people that sees a snow flake and the world is coming to the end.