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Should I run my heater?

BassinDmax
Explorer
Explorer
I live in the central valley of California where we experience relatively mild winters. Usually down to the low 40's high 30's is the coldest we'll get. I didn't winterize our trailer, but did drain all tanks and lines. My question is we were in the high 20's last night and its supposed to get colder tonight, should I run the heater on a low setting to insure no issues or not worry about it? The trailer is stored on the side of our house plugged in to keep the batteries charged.
Tim & Mary

22 REPLIES 22

paulm999
Explorer
Explorer
Use space heaters, or 2 on low (750w)set to 55F. Open the cabinet doors where water lines are. Put one heater near the bathroom, and the other in the kitchen area. Let the faucet in the bathroom drip if your not going to disconnect the water hose. Hose and bib outside will freeze at 28F/sustained for 4+ hours even with the drip. If it freezes, don't touch it. Just let the hose thaw out by itself during the day. I go thru this where I'm at, every winter, for about 5-10 nights below 28F.

PS: Waste of time "winterizing" in California places that go down to 25-30 some nights, and become sunny at 70 during the day.

Ron3rd
Explorer III
Explorer III
Run your heater. We were in Anza Barrego a few years back and the temps dipped in the low 20's at night. We certainly run our heater in those temps. My fresh water hose froze, but no damage.

We noticed a gentleman across from us with an older motorhome and he had the hatch to his water heater off with several folks looking at it. I walked over and noticed his water heater tank had split open. We ran our heater at night; he did not. He commented that he new something was up when he got up in the morning and the water in his coffee pot was frozen.
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D___M
Explorer
Explorer
skipnchar wrote:
You can try that but it would be a LOT safer to invest the half hours time and winterize the RV.

x2
Dave
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Dave_H_M
Explorer II
Explorer II
skipnchar wrote:
You can try that but it would be a LOT safer to invest the half hours time and winterize the RV.

Space heaters are inherently dangerous but if you decide to use one, electric is safer than a fueled heater. Might be a better option to just turn on your furnace if you don't have time to winterize.

Good luck / Skip


Same here. Two jugs of the pink stuff and a half hour and I would be kicked back. Also i would never have something like that powered up just to charge batts. I disconnect the batt and hook a tender up to it if I get the urge. Just my thoughts.

skipnchar
Explorer
Explorer
You can try that but it would be a LOT safer to invest the half hours time and winterize the RV.

Space heaters are inherently dangerous but if you decide to use one, electric is safer than a fueled heater. Might be a better option to just turn on your furnace if you don't have time to winterize.

Good luck / Skip
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calamus
Explorer
Explorer
Our Camper Froze and broke the shower head, bath faucet and kitchen faucet nothing else thankfully,it Only dipped into the upper 20s. I keep a little $30 electric heater in there now and plug it in in the fall as we camp till the end of OCT. and Sometimes it freezes that early in Nebraska. I keep it about set at around 50 and have not had any further issues. good luck
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CloudDriver
Explorer
Explorer
Run the heat with cabinet doors open and you won't have to worry about it.
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pianotuna
Nomad III
Nomad III
Hi,

Yes.
Regards, Don
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