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Home Storage

Knewsham
Explorer
Explorer
1st timer here. I parked in the yard on plywood; covered the wheels; emptied all tanks,new cover arrives tomorrow, all food removed and it's on household current shore cord. My question is this: Can I keep a small infrared heater running to keep it from freezing up and not putting RV antifreeze in the system? I intend to do some inside work this winter (Michigan) and run the genset weekly and move it 1/2 wheel rotation monthly. Suggestions are welcome.
19 REPLIES 19

drsteve
Explorer
Explorer
You live in West Branch. Winterize.
2006 Silverado 1500HD Crew Cab 2WD 6.0L 3.73 8600 GVWR
2018 Coachmen Catalina Legacy Edition 223RBS
1991 Palomino Filly PUP

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
We have a 4 season fifth wheel, rated for use to zero degrees. At least 50% of the heat from the furnace blows under the floor to keep things from freezing... only if the furnace is left on.

I run the RV antifreeze pink stuff once temps reach and stay at 32F. We use the camper every day in our driveway and sleep in it every night. Once propane usage (furnace) runs out one-thirty pound tank every other day, we navigate back into the house.

Our 5er is 40 feet long with 4 slides. If we run the electric fire place, the heat pump, and 2 electric ceramic heaters, the trailer still does not stay comfortabley warm enough to stay in once temps near 15-20 degrees. It's just too much space to heat. The furnace has to be running if we stay in the camper when temps are that cold.

Also, I found an exposed water line, no insulation, not in the underbelly, and in the clear open. It's under the slide and that line runs to the refrigerator ice maker. It would be the first thing to freeze up and possibly burst the line. So, winterizing the water lines, regardless of the claim to being a 4 season, zero degree usability camper is really not true.

I doubt very much electric heaters by themselves will add very little, except as stated above - an increase electric bill, and provide no protection against your water lines. Winterize the water system and if you need water in the camper, keep a milk gallon jug of water in it you can use, and do not dump anything down any drains or toilet. WE use a port-a-potty in the bathroom and dump it directly into our septic tank or directly into the toilet in the house every day, once the lines are winterized. This way we do not have to run in the house for potty in the middle of the night. (burr...)... Then we continue using the camper until propane gets too expensive.

Edit: Agree with the above posters about turning the wheels. Your plan is definately a waste of time. If you really want to exercise your tires, hitch up and go for a 30 minute drive a couple times over the freeze months. We normally travel to Florida and back again over the week of Christmas, and then to South Carolina in early March. This "exercises" our tires just fine. Never had a problem and never had flat spots.

Everything else you've done is good!

We don't have an on-board generator, I can't respond to that one. We do have a stand alone generator, and I fire it up once a month in the garage and let it run a while. Had it for over 15 years now, still working great. It was a free-bee we got with a new trailer purchase some time ago. The company was going out of business and giving them away to new RV sales and the next door RV dealership. We got one. It was a cheap-o-make and model, and had absolutely horrible bad reviews on the internet at that time. But, it's been running like a champ all this time and comes in really handy when we have power outages at the house. We never use it camping.

edbehnke
Explorer
Explorer
waste of time on turning wheels.

if you want to work on the trailer, and have no anti freeze in system, BLOW OUT ALL OF THE WATER---including the pipes.
If you just use a 'heater' it won't work and you will have one hell of an electric bill.

I am from Michigan, Up North, and I would never NOT put anti freeze into the system.
eddie and sandie
3402 Montana 2013
Ford F350 2015

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
Put a description of the RV in your profile. We don't know what type/make/model you are talking about.

Generally, running a small heater inside the RV will not keep the pipes from freezing.
You should blow out the water lines and/or pump RV ANTIFREEZE through the system. Also, pour some into the traps on the shower and sinks.
Make sure it RV Antifreeze for water systems. Don't use the antifreeze for engines.

Trackrig
Explorer II
Explorer II
The heater will not keep piping or water in the walls or in the floor from freezing. You need to either blow it all out or use RV anti-freeze.

Rotating the tires a half turn is not worth doing.

Starting the generator, if hard to do in the cold, it is not worth doing. Trying to start a cold generator once a month can do more harm than good. If you do start it, run it under a good load for half an hour, don't just let it idle.

Bill
Nodwell RN110 out moose hunting. 4-53 Detroit, Clark 5 spd, 40" wide tracks, 10:00x20 tires, 16,000# capacity, 22,000# weight. You know the mud is getting deep when it's coming in the doors.