Traveling in Cold Temps

[jjeffri3]

Getting ready to travel, final destination will be Florida. Will be traveling and staying where some areas will be at or below freezing (32 degrees). Any tips on water and holding tank usage while in transit? I don't have tank heaters but will be running the furnace (when needed) which has some venting near the tanks. Thanks -

[Pete'sMH]

If you’re winterized leave it that way until you get to warm places. Bring bottled water to drink and flush with water and antifreeze(alternating flushes). If the coldest you’re going to encounter is 32 degrees don’t worry about it.

[jjeffri3]

Thanks Pete. Dropping to 32 degrees is questionable but better be safe. I'll plan on de-winterizing the coach once we get to Florida.

[DocP]

Originally Posted by jjeffri3

Thanks Pete. Dropping to 32 degrees is questionable but better be safe. I'll plan on de-winterizing the coach once we get to Florida.

That's what we did last month. Stayed at a KOA in Wytheville VA for a night, and used their facilities. I brought bottled water to make coffee, and used the microwave to warm food up along the way. Safe travels, and enjoy the weather in Florida!

[Dan-sr@perra-us.net]

Originally Posted by jjeffri3

Getting ready to travel, final destination will be Florida. Will be traveling and staying where some areas will be at or below freezing (32 degrees). Any tips on water and holding tank usage while in transit? I don't have tank heaters but will be running the furnace (when needed) which has some venting near the tanks. Thanks -

I have been doing my shake down trip with my new to me ACE 30.3. Furnace has ducts into the bays under the fresh, gray and black tanks. At first, I was concerned about the wet bay with the dump valves and water pump, so I got a very small ceramic space heater to keep that bay warm. I also got a digital thermometer with remote sensors to monitor the temperature in the fresh and dump bays. It turns out I really did not need the extra heat in the dump bay for regular use the heated bays more than kept the tanks warm even with temps in the upper teens. But I still needed it to keep things warm for a week-long trip interruption caused a truck tire tread that ripped my tailpipe off the hangers and pulled it under the rear tire and into the drive shaft bending the drive shaft.

However, while traveling in cold weather do the following.

1. stop at campgrounds with electric hookups for your overnight stops.

2. Carry enough fresh water to get you out to the warm place without filling. The more water you carry, the harder it will be to freeze the tank.

3. Do not hook up your Dump hose or fresh water in freezing weather at your overnight stops.

4. Create as little wastewater as possible until you get to warmer temps. I cannot think of anything that would be more miserable than having to dump your tanks in freezing weather.

5. Keep your propane topped off. You will burn through a lot of propane in sub-freezing weather. Google maps is very good for finding propane suppliers because you can use satellite and street view to verify you will be able to pull up to the propane pump and that they actually have a pump, not just a tank exchange. Sometimes campgrounds have propane to sell as well.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by DocP

That's what we did last month. Stayed at a KOA in Wytheville VA for a night, and used their facilities. I brought bottled water to make coffee, and used the microwave to warm food up along the way. Safe travels, and enjoy the weather in Florida!

You can also flush the toilets with RV antifreeze and not have to use public toilets. Once you get to your warm destination, watching pink turds flow through the hose is a nice alternative.

[RVwife]

Was in your shoes nearly this time last year, heading from Traverse City, MI to the Outer Banks. You will be fine if you follow the suggestions above.
We left in sub-freezing temps and the forecast down to central Ohio was for freezing or below. We just left the rig winterized and brought plenty of water for drinking, washing, toilet that we kept inside the rig. It is easy to store it in those 64 oz rectangular juice bottles or in milk jugs. Keep them contained in plastic milk crates and store in the shower (in case of accidental leakage).

Holding tanks already had some antifreeze in them from winterizing and lines were all blown out.

Also used paper plates & compostable utensils for a few days of meals so we didn't need to do dishes.

Can't remember if we cooked spaghetti or anything that had some "drainage" water, but save that to use for toilet flushes.

By the time we hit southern Ohio the forecast looked warm enough that we filled our H2O tank at a campground down there before we left in the morning. No problems for the duration of the trip.

It won't take that many days to get south/warm enough to dewinterize. Enjoy the trip and the sun.

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

You can also flush the toilets with RV antifreeze and not have to use public toilets. Once you get to your warm destination, watching pink turds flow through the hose is a nice alternative.

Watching turds - of ANY color or description - seems unappealing to me….!

[The Gritz Carlton]

It's a "management position" we must all fill.

[knucklehead]

Originally Posted by Dan-sr@perra-us.net

I have been doing my shake down trip with my new to me ACE 30.3. Furnace has ducts into the bays under the fresh, gray and black tanks. At first, I was concerned about the wet bay with the dump valves and water pump, so I got a very small ceramic space heater to keep that bay warm. I also got a digital thermometer with remote sensors to monitor the temperature in the fresh and dump bays. It turns out I really did not need the extra heat in the dump bay for regular use the heated bays more than kept the tanks warm even with temps in the upper teens. But I still needed it to keep things warm for a week-long trip interruption caused a truck tire tread that ripped my tailpipe off the hangers and pulled it under the rear tire and into the drive shaft bending the drive shaft.

However, while traveling in cold weather do the following.

1. stop at campgrounds with electric hookups for your overnight stops.

2. Carry enough fresh water to get you out to the warm place without filling. The more water you carry, the harder it will be to freeze the tank.

3. Do not hook up your Dump hose or fresh water in freezing weather at your overnight stops.

4. Create as little wastewater as possible until you get to warmer temps. I cannot think of anything that would be more miserable than having to dump your tanks in freezing weather.

5. Keep your propane topped off. You will burn through a lot of propane in sub-freezing weather. Google maps is very good for finding propane suppliers because you can use satellite and street view to verify you will be able to pull up to the propane pump and that they actually have a pump, not just a tank exchange. Sometimes campgrounds have propane to sell as well.

WOW!!! Thats a lot of damage from a tire failure. A drive shaft is very rugged. Glad no one was hurt!!!

[Dan-sr@perra-us.net]

Originally Posted by knucklehead

WOW!!! Thats a lot of damage from a tire failure. A drive shaft is very rugged. Glad no one was hurt!!!

Was not a tire failure on my rig. Caused by a big chunk of truck tire retread laying across the road.