How to stay warm in cold weather.

[Mayor30]

We have often camped in cold weather including during snow storms. We have a 26ft TT with front bedroom,rear kitchen and walk through bath. The heater in the trailer works ok,but as soon as the blower stops,the temperature drops quickly. We bought one of those small cube heaters and place that on the floor in the bathroom aimed towards the living room. This way the trailer stays warm between the furnace running. The other thing we do,which can be done even if you don't have electric,is put a 1 gallon pot filled about 3/4 full on the stove top and turn it on high.Once it starts boiling, turn it back to simmer. By adding humidity,it quickly warms up the trailer. We have camped in temperatures as low as 17 below zero and these things work well.

[Grit_dog]

Caveman Charlie wrote:
I've never done it but a small Chinese version of a Webesto Diesel Heater would be a nice addition in the winter time. It is safe (vents and draws combustion air from the outside) and doesn't use much electric. I bought one a few years back just in case I ever want to mount it.

That is one of those things I wish I had a “need” for!

[Caveman_Charlie]

I've never done it but a small Chinese version of a Webesto Diesel Heater would be a nice addition in the winter time. It is safe (vents and draws combustion air from the outside) and doesn't use much electric. I bought one a few years back just in case I ever want to mount it.

[afidel]

RVER wrote:
well made rigs actually have triple pane glass all around, remember your vents loose a lot of heat so put vent pillows in the vent, if on electric a ceramic heater helps a lot. There are ways of making heat with ceramic pots but would not entertain that thought due to fire hazards. Put bubble wrap on windows or better is the foil bubble wrap. Make sure all seals are good to keep heat in and cold out. Some rigs have insulated basements and covered bottoms so air infiltration is low.

One thing I've noticed is that the snow melts fastest where the AC vents are. I've been meaning to buy some insulated vent plugs, I've already got pillows for the 14x14 air vents an Reflectix for the windows which helps a ton.

[valhalla360]

TurnThePage wrote:
My son has been living in our smallish trailer (24ft) in our back yard for a few months now. I winterized it to safeguard the plumbing. A cube heater keeps that entire trailer roasty toasty. We've had temps down in the single digits and have pretty much been below freezing for over a month now. He has yet to turn the heater on higher than the halfway point. Interestingly, no humidity issues at all.

To a large degree it's a matter of time and number of people.

If he's only in it at night and comes into the house for dinner and bathroom business, that's a lot less humidity added than a couple of people spending 18-20hr per day, taking showers and cooking.

But yes, a small trailer (particularly if no slide outs), doesn't take a lot to keep warm and an electric heater doesn't add any moisture to the air...unlike boiling pots of water.

[RVER]

well made rigs actually have triple pane glass all around, remember your vents loose a lot of heat so put vent pillows in the vent, if on electric a ceramic heater helps a lot. There are ways of making heat with ceramic pots but would not entertain that thought due to fire hazards. Put bubble wrap on windows or better is the foil bubble wrap. Make sure all seals are good to keep heat in and cold out. Some rigs have insulated basements and covered bottoms so air infiltration is low.

[goducks10]

What trailer do you have? Some are built really cheap with thin walls and hardly any insulation.
Interesting story, we were at an RV park for a 2 night stay for a football game out of town. A 'Lite' version TT was next to us. Single pane windows were soaking wet. Our Dual pane windows were dry as a bone.
Windows play a big part in keeping an RV warm or cool.

[theoldwizard1]

The best electric heaters are the oil filled ones. They typically have no fan but they give a nice constant heat.

[time2roll]

My single pain windows are already sweating fiercely at zero. Not sure that added humidity stays in the air long.

I use a radiator style electric when temps get close to or below freezing. Works well, saves propane.

At -17 I would be looking for a 3rd propane cylinder as an emergency reserve.

That is a well built trailer if there are no water system freeze ups going that low.

[Grit_dog]

There’s definitely some misleading info wrt humidity here.
But great discovery that the furnace and supplemental electric heat can heat a camper in the winter.

[TurnThePage]

My son has been living in our smallish trailer (24ft) in our back yard for a few months now. I winterized it to safeguard the plumbing. A cube heater keeps that entire trailer roasty toasty. We've had temps down in the single digits and have pretty much been below freezing for over a month now. He has yet to turn the heater on higher than the halfway point. Interestingly, no humidity issues at all.

[midnightsadie]

camp in tempe AZ will fix the problem.

[valhalla360]

Humidity is way too much of an issue to be boiling a pots of water in cold weather. Keeping condensation under control is already an issue in cold weather.

Electric heater is a good option if you have power. Doesn't add any humidity and tends to run more continuously.

[pianotuna]

See the sticky on winter camping!