Camping in freezing weather

[Cason61]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

I agree avoid it if you are just going for recreation, the tent wont freeze up

We have been in quite a few temps down to zero or a bit lower and the diesel burner runs full time plus we usually use the fireplace in the morning to get up to 70 or so.

Going to cost a lot for heat and is it worth it? You can easily go through a couple small tanks of propane a day and if you have windy conditions you arn't going to have fun

Remember a long time ago staying in a trailer in Yuma, Az. and the propane heater for the RV was not working. Ok, I had a fur blanket and I used a one burner camp stove to turn on at night and to turn it on again when I woke up. If it would have gotten colder I would have stayed inside the blanket until noon.

[Soldier Girl]

Originally Posted by Cason61

Remember a long time ago staying in a trailer in Yuma, Az. and the propane heater for the RV was not working. Ok, I had a fur blanket and I used a one burner camp stove to turn on at night and to turn it on again when I woke up. If it would have gotten colder I would have stayed inside the blanket until noon.

I've had to stay under piles of goose down covers for days at a time this winter, eapecially during my 1st week of rv'ing. Even my service dog approves of smothering under blankets when it gets that cold[emoji190] [emoji39]

[Cason61]

Originally Posted by Soldier Girl

I've had to stay under piles of goose down covers for days at a time this winter, eapecially during my 1st week of rv'ing. Even my service dog approves of smothering under blankets when it gets that cold[emoji190] [emoji39]

Yeah, those little coleman one burner heaters, cook stoves and lanterns all provide heat. Just need lots of the little propane bottles. I suppose with so much fire in a close space you ought to cracked a window for oxygen though. I carry some extra water in plastic bottles cause the tank water and camp water will taste different in the coffee. Guess if you add some brandy to the cup.... Oh yeah, you remember about adding distilled water to the batteries in the old days? Well you got to do that too. Buy a turkey baster and use it for adding water. And changing batteries has been talked about on here. They are a pain.

[Soldier Girl]

Originally Posted by Cason61

Yeah, those little coleman one burner heaters, cook stoves and lanterns all provide heat. Just need lots of the little propane bottles. I suppose with so much fire in a close space you ought to cracked a window for oxygen though. I carry some extra water in plastic bottles cause the tank water and camp water will taste different in the coffee. Guess if you add some brandy to the cup.... Oh yeah, you remember about adding distilled water to the batteries in the old days? Well you got to do that too. Buy a turkey baster and use it for adding water. And changing batteries has been talked about on here. They are a pain.

I just changed the batteries that came w/mine after a very frozen 1st week of rv'ing where the temps remained in the teens. Didn't want to ever have a sitrep like that again where my batteries were dead before the sun rose. I picked up to 6v agm's (don't recall the brand) & haven't had any trouble with them during a number of similar frozen nights (though thankfully not another full week) of temps hovering in he teens. My nearly 2 months of rv life has been focussed on how not to become a human popsicle, lol![emoji300] [emoji6]

[Bob Denman]

So far: so good...

[Cason61]

Originally Posted by Soldier Girl

I just changed the batteries that came w/mine after a very frozen 1st week of rv'ing where the temps remained in the teens. Didn't want to ever have a sitrep like that again where my batteries were dead before the sun rose. I picked up to 6v agm's (don't recall the brand) & haven't had any trouble with them during a number of similar frozen nights (though thankfully not another full week) of temps hovering in he teens. My nearly 2 months of rv life has been focussed on how not to become a human popsicle, lol![emoji300] [emoji6]

Those propane 'anything that puts out heat' are a last resort to stay warm. Keep like 10 bottles handy.

[Soldier Girl]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

So far: so good...

Yep, no frostbite!

[Soldier Girl]

Originally Posted by Cason61

Those propane 'anything that puts out heat' are a last resort to stay warm. Keep like 10 bottles handy.

Thanks

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Soldier Girl

Yep, no frostbite!

You need to adopt an extra dog or two...
Where you do thing the phrase, "Thee dog night" finds it's origins?

[Cason61]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

You need to adopt an extra dog or two...
Where you do thing the phrase, "Thee dog night" finds it's origins?

Trouble is ... an I like pets too, is they gotta go, same as us, but outside. We got a Dacshund now that she won't go outside if it's wet or cold. Think she's a 'pedigree' and we have to change the weather somehow.

[Ragegame]

Originally Posted by jabrabu

I have a Chateau 31E class C, and here is my experience camping in very cold weather. It wasn't -20F, but it was close to zero.

I was not winterized, figuring that if the coach was kept at a comfortable temperature for humans then the plumbing would not freeze, and I had no problems with the interior plumbing. The external drain line for the freshwater tank froze, so de-winterizing after the trip was a huge pain.


I have heated holding tanks inside a compartment, so they were fine. However, the drain piping downstream of the tanks froze so I was unable to dump the tanks. Putting some anti-freeze in the tanks might prevent this, but I'm not positive.


The RV got covered with road salt during the trip, and I couldn't wash it well until the weather warmed up, and this resulted in a lot of corrosion under the chassis, corroded compartment door locks, etc.

I’ve got a quantum with similar build and features. I’m planning to full time in Indiana after what’s turning into a mess of a divorce. Last winter was long - and the low temps were about -15 F and - 45 factoring windchill. That only happened once for a few days. Otherwise the temps were in the teens. Planning on additional electric heat, adding a heat pump to the masters bedroom, and an external propane source. Planning on buying hay bales for skirting.

Did the low water release break when it froze? Think I’ll be ok with this?

[EVMIII]

I thought that's why motorhomes had wheels. Head South. If I camp in freezing it's because I didn't plan very well. Good luck to those who do.

[DMorg]

Not the foam. This thread was excellent, thank every darn one of you for the laughs. Great info as we prepare to leave AZ and head back to CT in friggin' January. Shopping list: plenty of antifreeze, lots of water, gin. Get quotes for arctic upgrade. Thanks again. M@tt, if you're still alive, your apparent fan club would like to hear from you.

[ducksface]

I didn't read the posts because we have a good hand on the cold weather camping.

We use electric bla'nkets and have set them up to use amazon echo devices.
'Alexa, turn on beds'
OK.

[JamieGeek]

Some people make the choice to camp in winter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrCiD-OV2Mg

[Jimbo56]

And I have done the AT in NC in April, but I won’t even consider camping in anything at -20. I wouldn’t even drive a 4WD truck to a hotel in -20. Yes, wheels are meant for southward motion at those temps.

[DMorg]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Some people make the choice to camp in winter:

Some people are cray.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

You need to adopt an extra dog or two...
Where you do thing the phrase, "Thee dog night" finds it's origins?

Yep! We go with 3 mini schnauzers. Never a dull moment. Changed out the jackknife sofa for 2 recliners just so they would be more comfortable and have something to fight over

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by dmorg

some people are cray.

lmao!

[Travelin' Texans]

Originally Posted by Ragegame

I’ve got a quantum with similar build and features. I’m planning to full time in Indiana after what’s turning into a mess of a divorce. Last winter was long - and the low temps were about -15 F and - 45 factoring windchill. That only happened once for a few days. Otherwise the temps were in the teens. Planning on additional electric heat, adding a heat pump to the masters bedroom, and an external propane source. Planning on buying hay bales for skirting.

Did the low water release break when it froze? Think I’ll be ok with this?

I would highly recommend any type of foam board or canvas/vinyl skirting other than hay bales. The hay is like lighting the VACANCY sign to all sorts of critters the join you in your warm rv.
Also those that are using Coleman stoves/lanterns or any lp or Coleman fuel fired devices indoors for heat you better open a vent & crack a couple windows or the cold won't be your biggest concern, waking up will be due to carbon monoxide.