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Old 11-01-2019, 02:13 AM   #1
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Help! - possible freezing temperature issues

I find myself in a situation that I need to go into a below freezing temperature for several days and while living in our RV. Currently in southern CA and have to go to IN within next few weeks. Will experience some temps at night below 32 deg F. Have been told that my particular RV will heat the pipes in basement areas if I have furnace on at 60 deg or higher. I will drain all holding tanks before nightfall and will have furnace on at 60 deg F, but (other than not do it) is there any other suggestions to do while driving or get through the night?? Hope all the Thor expertise out there can assist. Thank you in advance.

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Old 11-01-2019, 02:41 AM   #2
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Your unit should have heated storage compartments which should keep you plumbing warm. My suggestions, and these are only suggestions from someone who has done a few trips below freezing.

Use your furnace and do not use a space heater. A space heater will warm the inside of the coach and keep the furnace from firing up. No running furnace, no heated storage compartments, frozen pipes will happen.

Make sure you have enough water in your fresh water tank to last until temps get above freezing. Some RV parks will turn off the water to sites if temps get below freezing so you may have to use what you have in your tank.

Disconnect your water hose at night and store it in the coach (storage compartment). Extremely cold or frozen water hoses are hard to work with until they thaw.

Open cabinet doors for areas that house plumbing. This allows warm air to get to the plumbing easier that if the cabinets are closed.

I am sure other folks will have suggestions as well. Be prepared and cold weather RV'ing can be fun.
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Old 11-01-2019, 10:15 AM   #3
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We have camped several times (in a 5th wheel) in below freezing temps. We just kept the furnace on and used a heated water hose. Never had an issue. You might want to drain your water lines if you are driving in those temps, don't forget the outside shower if equipped. Do you have heated tanks? If so leave those on.
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Old 11-01-2019, 12:14 PM   #4
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If it's warming up above freezing during the say: you should be just fine...
I would get nervous if the temperatures are dropping into the mid-twenties or less, for more than six hours at a time.
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Old 11-01-2019, 01:02 PM   #5
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Definitely use furnace rather than space heaters. The added benefit of using the furnace is that the heat ducts for the furnace are usually routed through the RV in the same places as the water lines. The space heater would warm the air in the RV living areas; however, the areas where the water lines are run would not benefit from that warm air.
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Old 11-01-2019, 01:06 PM   #6
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Be prepared to be using propane like crazy!
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Old 11-01-2019, 03:02 PM   #7
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Thank ALL for the suggestions. Glad there are those out there with your experiences and knowledge. Hope to enjoy the trip, albeit COLD.
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Old 11-16-2019, 07:32 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Rcstroll View Post
I find myself in a situation that I need to go into a below freezing temperature for several days and while living in our RV. Currently in southern CA and have to go to IN within next few weeks. Will experience some temps at night below 32 deg F. Have been told that my particular RV will heat the pipes in basement areas if I have furnace on at 60 deg or higher. I will drain all holding tanks before nightfall and will have furnace on at 60 deg F, but (other than not do it) is there any other suggestions to do while driving or get through the night?? Hope all the Thor expertise out there can assist. Thank you in advance.
We had overnight temps dip to 28 for a couple of hours below freezing in Gulf Shores! We have a class A & just let the kitchen sink faucet drip slowly... we know it drains for sure to the grey tank which was open. It would take a longer colder night for the black tank to freeze! You can get a heated hose for fresh water if necessary but we just cover the faucet & let it drip slightly.
Good Luck!
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Old 11-16-2019, 10:00 PM   #9
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Thank you!!!! Excellent recommendation..��
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Old 11-16-2019, 10:30 PM   #10
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Be prepared to be using propane like crazy!
This is absolutely correct so my advice to you is to install and extend-a-stay (or similar brand). Why? If old man winter wakes you in the middle of the night because you inadvertently forgot to check your levels, couldn't find propane and/or cannot locate propane in middle of the night, the extend-a-stay will let you burn a 20# external tank until you can pull yourself together. I full time and take this a step further and that's just my preference.

I reserve my on-board tank exclusively for travel. Few reasons for this:

1) I hate locating a place that will fill an on-board propane tank. Frankly it's a PITA and as the RV industry is supposedly exploding, places that accommodate them is shrinking. The northeast is the worst.

2) It runs the fridge when I travel and the cost of propane more than offsets the cost of replacing my food store should I have a long run to make in desert heat.

3) a quick stop on the side of the road that might require the range top is also served up by the on-board tank.

I encounter the PITA once in a while, but not as often as those who don't employ the method. The 20# is sooo much easier to get refilled. Take that a step further and you can do the Blue Rhino thing. Those seem to be everywhere - even Wally's.
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Old 11-16-2019, 11:18 PM   #11
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Thank ALL for the suggestions. Glad there are those out there with your experiences and knowledge. Hope to enjoy the trip, albeit COLD.
Pack along some brandy, and your sweetheart...
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Old 11-17-2019, 01:20 AM   #12
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We camp in Colorado during October and November. Sometimes the temps get into the single digits. When temps are predicted to drop below freezing we disconnect the city water (required by the camp). I keep around 50 gallons in the fresh water tank, where one of the furnace outlets is located. However, it does not keep the water control compartment from freezing. I bought a small ceramic space heater and set it up close to the pump.
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Old 11-17-2019, 01:50 AM   #13
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To the OP where are you going in In? We live in NW In the next couple weeks we will be running high 30’s low 40’s during the day and high 20’s at night.
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Old 11-17-2019, 06:35 AM   #14
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Talking freezing temps

Hi Bob...I like your advice and suggestion about the brandy and sweetheart but I think my bride would be pissed as Brandy was an old sweetheart years ago and if I did that a shot would be heard from the Hudson River to the Saint Lawrence and over to the falls...and that's when the fight would start!
Maybe the bride of 44 years and a bottle of Jamison would be fine...babababy it's getting cold out so put on some tea and I'll grab old Jamison , just wake me by 10 am!
himself... Piper K9
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Old 11-17-2019, 07:03 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by Piper K9 View Post
Hi Bob...I like your advice and suggestion about the brandy and sweetheart but I think my bride would be pissed as Brandy was an old sweetheart years ago and if I did that a shot would be heard from the Hudson River to the Saint Lawrence and over to the falls...and that's when the fight would start!
Maybe the bride of 44 years and a bottle of Jamison would be fine...babababy it's getting cold out so put on some tea and I'll grab old Jamison , just wake me by 10 am!
himself... Piper K9
That's good. You're nuts but that's good...

Would that be the shot heard round the world?
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Old 11-17-2019, 01:52 PM   #16
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Piper...
It's a good thing I didn't mention Jack Daniels and Jim Beam!
Otherwise: you'd be singing this...

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