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Shoot!!...gettin COLD tomorrow night!...got to winterize!

RV_daytrader
Explorer
Explorer
tomorrow night is supposed to get down to 27 degrees!...only tomorrow night and then nights will be mid thirties again. Dont want to chance it!
YODA...our lil Toyota!
1989 Toyota Seabreeze
17 REPLIES 17

Us_out_West
Explorer
Explorer
ontheroad101 wrote:
On a lighter side to this topic, we go south to winterize. SORRY just couldn't resist.


I'm with ya but unfortunately this year won't be able to do that until after the 1st of the year. Once we do head out it will be for 3+ months.

We are at 4,400' here in Reno and there is already a little snow up in the Sierra's so we have the 'pink stuff' in hand to do the inevitable but still will get out locally for as long as possible.
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pkunk
Explorer
Explorer
My urine probably freezes in the low 20°s to the high teens. :E
mowermech wrote:
mockturtle wrote:
mowermech wrote:
Also, keep in mind that contaminated water freezes at a much lower temperature than relatively pure water. The dirty water in your waste tanks may become slushy at upper 20s temps, but it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
And, depending on osmolality, urine freezes at a lower temperature than water.


Actually, urine is 95% (+ or -) water.
"Normal" urine freezes at 28 - 30 degrees F.
But, again, at temperatures in the mid 20s, it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
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mowermech
Explorer
Explorer
mockturtle wrote:
mowermech wrote:
Also, keep in mind that contaminated water freezes at a much lower temperature than relatively pure water. The dirty water in your waste tanks may become slushy at upper 20s temps, but it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
And, depending on osmolality, urine freezes at a lower temperature than water.


Actually, urine is 95% (+ or -) water.
"Normal" urine freezes at 28 - 30 degrees F.
But, again, at temperatures in the mid 20s, it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
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msmith1199
Explorer II
Explorer II
RV daytrader wrote:
My worry is the 3" and 1.5" drain lines under the RV...and the fresh water drain line is exposed underneath also...I may just dump the tanks and not worry about the inside stuff. May leave heat on lowest setting as someone posted.


No way is 27 degrees going to freeze a 3" line or even a 1.5" line. With temps like that the only danger would be the real small lines but even then there is no issue. In California 27 is about as low as we get all winter and I never winterize and never have a problem. About every 10 years or so we'll get a real cold front come through where temps get down to maybe 15 for a long period, then lots of people have problems because nobody winterizes anything here.

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mockturtle
Explorer II
Explorer II
mowermech wrote:
Also, keep in mind that contaminated water freezes at a much lower temperature than relatively pure water. The dirty water in your waste tanks may become slushy at upper 20s temps, but it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
And, depending on osmolality, urine freezes at a lower temperature than water.
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Chevy 3500HD, 6L V8

mowermech
Explorer
Explorer
Also, keep in mind that contaminated water freezes at a much lower temperature than relatively pure water. The dirty water in your waste tanks may become slushy at upper 20s temps, but it will not freeze hard enough to damage anything.
CM1, USN (RET)
2017 Jayco TT
Daily Driver: '14 Subaru Outback
1998 Dodge QC LWB, Cummins, 5 speed, 4X2
2 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 ATVs.
Pride Raptor 3 wheeled off-road capable mobility scooter
"When seconds count, help is only minutes away!"

ontheroad101
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Explorer
On a lighter side to this topic, we go south to winterize. SORRY just couldn't resist.
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(Blazer & Lilly's ashes on board)
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motorcycle_jack
Explorer II
Explorer II
The easiest way to combat cold in your situation is to go to Lowes or Home Depot, get some foam board insulation 1" thick. Then cut a box out of it that goes from the ground up to the bottom of the trailer making sure the outlets and line are inside the box. The heat from the ground and the trailer will protect the lines for a week or two of 20 degree weather. Nice thing is you can use this so you don't need to run antifreeze until you put the unit away - some time in November, huh? I use this trick even though I full time. We stayed in some 0 to 10 degree weather for a month and it kept me from having to move to warmer climes until we wanted to. I measured the temp inside the box at 10 degrees outside and it stayed at 50. Granted the trailer was heated to 70 inside so the carry over to the inside of the box kept it warm but you will get enough form the earth to keep above freezing.
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crimmps49
Explorer
Explorer
It has been down to 30 degrees and slightly under here in WI already and we did not winterize as during the day everything warms up again. We aren't quite ready to put our rig away for the winter. It takes more than one night after a warm day to freeze the lines, etc. If you are worried though, drain them and get a good nights rest.

pkunk
Explorer
Explorer
I had 28° the other night and no head in the MH - no problem.
1999 Coachman Mirada 34 ft.V10-F53 chassis
12ft.LR slide-2 gp31 AGM 12V @220AH

mockturtle
Explorer II
Explorer II
You could throw some pink stuff into your holding tanks. Also, run a heater and open the lower cabinets.

I usually winterize in mid-October but I'm hoping to get one more short trip in around that time. Always so sad, winterizing.
2015 Tiger Bengal TX 4X4
Chevy 3500HD, 6L V8

RV_daytrader
Explorer
Explorer
My worry is the 3" and 1.5" drain lines under the RV...and the fresh water drain line is exposed underneath also...I may just dump the tanks and not worry about the inside stuff. May leave heat on lowest setting as someone posted.
YODA...our lil Toyota!
1989 Toyota Seabreeze

lbrjet
Explorer
Explorer
Agree that it is not a cause for great concern. My trailer has had many below freezing nights until we winterize when the campground closes at the end of October. Doesn't mean I don't worry every time though.
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mguay
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Explorer
We've seen the high 20s a couple of times now. As long as it isn't for more than a night at a time I don't worry. Still some good weekends left!
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