Cold weather snap coming

[Rixey & Jeff]

We are full-timers on the road for a few months in our 2022 38' 3231 CK. We are headed to Willis TX, where there will be two nights with temps in the upper teens early next week, and 30s during the day. With our rig's insulation, tank heaters, using the propane furnace, etc will our water lines be OK? Any additional steps that we should take? Staying here in New Orleans for a few extra days might be an option also. Thanks in advance.

[Daryles]

You will be fine using your furnace.
IF you have time, take down the basement walls and look for a Furnace air duct laying on the floor. Take it and put it down the plumbing hole and wedged the end of it between the tanks as far back as it will go. Angle it down and aft to blow towards the valves. This will help keep them from freezing.
Also buy 4" Gorilla tape. Go around underneath your rig and close up all the holes (air gaps). This will keep drafts out and help keep you warmer. Clean the surface first, then wipe it with alcohol and wipe dry. This will help the tape stay on better.
Picture of furnace duct in basement.
Picture is upside down, sorry...

[brycesteiner]

thanks for the info!

[Rixey & Jeff]

Thank you, that's very helpful. There are vents on the stair risers leading into the underbelly of the rig; I guess they are letting warm air into this area. Also, is it safe to put a small space heater in the pass-thru storage area on the coldest nights?

[newowneroldmontana]

Thank you for the good info, Daryles. Taping the underbelly is something I've never done, but should.

About using a space heater in the pass-through storage area: I've done it, and Ithink it's safe. Most space heaters these days have a tip-over switch that turns them off if they fall over. I would say just make sure the area around the heater is clear, with nothing close enough to touch the heater and eventually ignite.

They sell little "personal" space heaters various places which only use about 250 watts or so of power, so don't really get very hot on the outside, but put out enough heat to make a difference.

(I'm in Alabama, and will be part of the cold snap, too--though I think a little colder than Texas. Brrrr!)

[Daryles]

I bought a 75W ZeroStart battery warmer (local auto parts store) and put one standing up edgeways (air flow) along the front floor of the battery compartment. Helps keep the batteries warm. I did the same in the basement to help keep the pipes warm.

[RMcNeal]

Originally Posted by Rixey & Jeff

Thank you, that's very helpful. There are vents on the stair risers leading into the underbelly of the rig; I guess they are letting warm air into this area. Also, is it safe to put a small space heater in the pass-thru storage area on the coldest nights?

Depends on what heater you use. An oil filled heater is very safe and that is what I use in the basement. Been in the mountains of northern WV in below zero temps and never had a problem. As stated, when it gets that cold, you do need to run the furnace from time to time also.
If you will be camping in weather like this, it might be worth getting wireless temp sensors and placing some in the basement and underbelly.
I bought these from Amazon for around $30.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These aren't available anymore, but there are newer models that are similar.

[DutchmenSport]

Your Montana is rated to zero degrees. Keep the furnace running, unhook your water hose and drain it (use your fresh water tank on board and water pump).

If you have a water line under your slide out for an ice maker in your refrigerator, you can shut the water off to that line (usually under the kitchen sink), and open the low point drain for that line (usually right under the sink under the trailer also), and drain the water line going to the ice maker. Once the freeze is over, turn that water line back on.

On mine, you can see the water line running under the floor on the outside of the slide. It's a flexible hose.



On mine, here's one of two cut off valves for the water line running to the refrigerator. It's under the sink and T's off the water line running to the kitchen sink:



And directly under the kitchen sink area, outside, under the trailer, is a low-point drain JUST for the ice maker line.



Even if ALL the water does not get drained from this line, removing the pressure from it and draining is down will give enough room in the pipe, that if freezing still occurs, there is room for the ice to expand and the line won't get hurt at all.

That is really the ONLY thing you need to be concerned about. Other than that one water line, your camper will do just fine to about zero degrees provided you keep your furnace running. It HAS to stay running to blow air in the underbelly.

Just an FYI.... if you have the ice maker, you'll also have a second shut off valve. It's the small line that actually attaches to the refrigerator. These are located in different places in every camper. Some are inside cabinets, and some are more easy to access. But that second valve is inside the camper. You want the one under the sink shut off and drained from there.

[Rixey & Jeff]

I bought a thermometer with remote sensor yesterday; great tip!

[Rixey & Jeff]

Thanks for that; I would never have thought about the icemaker drain line. We have a center kitchen with an island; we will have to look to see where that cutoff is. As an aside, we delayed our arrival in Texas until the coldest nights are passed. Were staying in New Orleans a while longer, so life is good!

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by Rixey & Jeff

.... Were staying in New Orleans a while longer, so life is good!

I'm currently at the Audubon State Historic Site near St. Francisville, LA. I'm probably about 100 miles North of you and "they" are calling for below freezing weather Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Last night (Friday night - Saturday morning) the outside temp was 33 degrees. The cold is suppose to hit New Orleans too.

I'm draining the water from the refrigerator line in just a little bit, as it's expected to get below freezing tonight.

Looks like you are staying in the low 40's at night for the next few days, so maybe you'll be dodging this bullet. Good luck!

[brycesteiner]

it was cold here in northern Ohio. This morning it was minus 3. I was outside working this afternoon on making some posts and when I came inside I pulled my water bottle out of my jacket pocket and it was froze.

[DutchmenSport]

Weather update: My home in central Indiana (this morning at 7:48 am on Jan 15 ... it was -6 and wind chill -18 (F)....

In St. Francisville, LA, (where I am located at the moment) it was 33 and felt like (wind chill) 17 (F).

THAT is the reason we came "South" this year! It makes it all worth it now!

(I did drain the water line for the refrigerator yesterday, just in case).

[DavidG425]

We have been in below freezing temps for the past week. All I have ever done when it gets this cold is drain the water line to the ice maker. I rigged up some PVC pipe and fittings so I don't have to crawl underneath every time it freezes. No need for space heater in the basement as long as the furnace is running. And never had to do anything with a duct hose coming out of the furnace...mine are apparently where they are suppose to be and keep the underbelly warm enough.

[bowlesj]

Forget about the space heater in an enclosed area, could depend on type though. When you get to Willis, if at Sunset Shores, ask about the rig that just burned to the ground 2 days ago from doing just that.

No one was injured, they all got out.

The biggest problem at the 2 Willis parks is the hose bibs aren't well insulated and they will freeze. So drip the faucets as needed.


John
2021 Airstream

[mlh]

We woke up this morning to 9 degrees. Our mini split was putting out 124 degree air. By midday the temperature had risen to about 20 degrees and the air from our mini split had dropped to 114 degrees. They only put out air hot enough to warm your house.

If you are considering a new furnace the federal government has sponsored companies to develop better heat pumps that will heat to lower temperatures than older units. Bosch has one that I read about today that will put out its full rated capacity to -15 degrees and still be heating down to -25 without a heat coil all the while running more efficiently than older units. Might be worth looking into.
Lynwood

[Thudly]

We had 4 below in Nashville last night, I had an issue for a few minutes in that the Hot water line to the kit sink froze. I turned off the fireplace and an electric heater we had going. This forced the furnace to run full time. We are in a 2020 High Country 372 RD. I do have a heater in the basement, it keeps the floor warm in the bedroom!

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by Rixey & Jeff

We are full-timers on the road for a few months in our 2022 38' 3231 CK. We are headed to Willis TX, where there will be two nights with temps in the upper teens early next week, and 30s during the day. With our rig's insulation, tank heaters, using the propane furnace, etc will our water lines be OK? Any additional steps that we should take? Staying here in New Orleans for a few extra days might be an option also. Thanks in advance.

You are probably through the freeze by now but in the future I would fill your fresh tank, drain your hose and put it in your pass through. Turn on your tank heaters and get some drinking water from the store. Use your water in your tank for everything but drinking water. You can always refill your tank as long as your water outlet doesn’t freeze. You might want to drip the water supply to keep it from freezing. My cousin camps in freezing weather quite a bit and has a whole system for freezing weather. He uses a heated water hose and wraps the water supply with heat tape and wraps some pipe insulation around it. If it gets to around 0 or below he stores the heated water hose and just uses the water in his fresh tank, refilling when needed. He does a lot more with heat tape etc. but you are just trying to get through a few days. I carry an extra propane tank if I will be camping in cold weather and run the furnace full time. We use a small space heater in the “cold spots” in the rv. Electric blanket is perfect at night. Stay warm!

[Cat320]

I have about 14 drop lights with 60 watt old style bulbs (that get hot). I scatter them around...2 each in/around the washer, refer, toilet, water heater, water pump, etc. Sometime I pump A/F through the system...some times I do both.