Winter living

[Rvwarrior2019]

Hey everyone I’m looking to “not” winterize my Thor Hurricane 34J and continue using it through the winter. I see a lot on winterizing but not much on winter camping. I have the RV up in New Jersey outside my shop fully hooked up when not using. That being said I am not a novice and I’ve already been advised that these coaches are not designed for winter use. Although for almost the price of a house you’d think they should all have winter packages as standard not just as an option on the big diesel pushers! Anyway, I’m just looking to see what creative people like yourselves have come up with besides “ drive it to Florida where it’s warm and you don’t have to winterize it!” Lol
Any advise or experience is much appreciated
Thanks

[DavidEM]

I don't know your coach specifically, but these are the things I would do to use it throughout the winter in NJ where the overnight temps can get down to single digits:

1. Install a skirt, either made of painter's drop cloth and taped to the sides hanging down or for much more $$ install specially made inflatable skirts by Airskirts. If the former hook up a portable heater on low underneath to keep it above freezing.

2. Alternatively install heating pads on your grey and black water tanks as well as heat tape on the lines to the dump valves to keep them from freezing up. The skirt has the advantage of lowering inside heat losses though.

3. Fill your water tank periodically and use that rather than keep water hooked up. Drain the hose for the next fill-up.

4. Most MHs have their freshwater system inside, but often in a compartment where it can get cold. If some lines freeze up, either open doors or drawers to let heat in or install heat tape on the lines that freeze.

5. With power you can hopefully keep the inside warm with portable heaters. If not, you will probably empty your propane tank after a while running the furnace. Hopefully you have an external propane quick connect that you can hook up portable 20# tanks and get them refilled when they are empty so you don't have to break camp and drive. If you don't install skirts, you can probably just run down to a propane fill station every week or so.

So, it can be done, but it isn't easy as you can see from the foregoing.

David

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by Rvwarrior2019

Hey everyone I’m looking to “not” winterize my Thor Hurricane 34J and continue using it through the winter. I see a lot on winterizing but not much on winter camping. I have the RV up in New Jersey outside my shop fully hooked up when not using. That being said I am not a novice and I’ve already been advised that these coaches are not designed for winter use. Although for almost the price of a house you’d think they should all have winter packages as standard not just as an option on the big diesel pushers! Anyway, I’m just looking to see what creative people like yourselves have come up with besides “ drive it to Florida where it’s warm and you don’t have to winterize it!” Lol
Any advise or experience is much appreciated
Thanks

You could do like DavidEM said and blow all the water from your lines and leave every faucet open so if there is a little spot of water and it freezes it won't create over 2,000 pounds of pressure in the line causing it to break at the weakest point. Using 55 pounds of air should be fine because that is what the water pump puts out. I have a 60 gallon compressor and I set it at 55 and start pumping, many people do this instead of antifreeze

[Rvwarrior2019]

Thank you, everyone. this is all helpful Info.
we get wind up here like nothing else in the area so a skirt was my first thought. I am a custom cabinet maker by trade and was going to start some upgrades to the coach's millwork anyway just because I can but that will be a different thread. lol
I see this as very doable myself but if anyone else has any insight please feel free to jump in.

Thanks again All

[Mousemate]

So a few years ago I did some insulating on the bottom of my rig (wet bays and outside kitchen) and installation of a outlet in the wet bay (for a small heater) so I could take my rig out ...we have been in 10 degrees with no issues as long as I have electric ...
The outlet runs on a separate circuit with a dedicated cord that my second ac also runs on for the summer.
hope this helps.

[Bill Johnson]

Great idea

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Rvwarrior2019

Hey everyone I’m looking to “not” winterize my Thor Hurricane 34J and continue using it through the winter. I see a lot on winterizing but not much on winter camping. I have the RV up in New Jersey outside my shop fully hooked up when not using. That being said I am not a novice and I’ve already been advised that these coaches are not designed for winter use. Although for almost the price of a house you’d think they should all have winter packages as standard not just as an option on the big diesel pushers! Anyway, I’m just looking to see what creative people like yourselves have come up with besides “ drive it to Florida where it’s warm and you don’t have to winterize it!” Lol
Any advise or experience is much appreciated
Thanks

Two big problems with winter camping - single pane windows and windshield plus no insulation and around under the slides. There is moisture everywhere if you don't have a dehumidifier. Insulated skirting is a must if the ambient goes below 10 degrees.

[happy]

I failed to winterize the San T Flush.. Have not tried it yet. Hoping it is mostly gravity self draining. Live and learn.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by happy

I failed to winterize the San T Flush.. Have not tried it yet. Hoping it is mostly gravity self draining. Live and learn.

I did that once and it works fine, but mine all the water runs out when I disconnect the the water