Judge's 7-Week Midwest, Plains and National Park Trip Blog

[ador]

Judge, it's sound like you are having a great trip so far. Please post your feedback and review on that Vroom System replacement. Our Class is is a KEEPER. if this replacement is a better option, I am sure a lot of us will be doing the same.

[Third Thor]

We have a new Omni G32 and we are considering taking it to the Cincinnati area for Christmas. I can't find much information about how the Omni will do in winter or what, if anything, we need to do to prepare the rig for potential weather getting into the low 20's and perhaps some snow.

We will use electric heaters so propane shouldn't be an issue (I hope).

If we don't hook up to City water and only use what's in our tank, are we still able to use the water pump for toilet and sinks? We can add some antifreeze to the gray and black holding tanks. Any risk of pipes freezing or what we can do to avoid that?

The problem is, I don't know what I don't know and hate to have to learn the hard way as experience never comes cheap!

Any advice will be appreciated.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Third Thor

We have a new Omni G32 and we are considering taking it to the Cincinnati area for Christmas. I can't find much information about how the Omni will do in winter or what, if anything, we need to do to prepare the rig for potential weather getting into the low 20's and perhaps some snow.

We will use electric heaters so propane shouldn't be an issue (I hope).

If we don't hook up to City water and only use what's in our tank, are we still able to use the water pump for toilet and sinks? We can add some antifreeze to the gray and black holding tanks. Any risk of pipes freezing or what we can do to avoid that?

The problem is, I don't know what I don't know and hate to have to learn the hard way as experience never comes cheap!

Any advice will be appreciated.

Your black and grey tank shoud have heaters you can turn on so that is not going to be an issue.... but you can add some RV antifreeze to the tanks if you like.

The fresh water tank, pump and filter are all under the bed with the electronics so no danger of freezing occuring there. But on my Magnitude SV34, there is plumbing exposed in the wet bay that would likely freeze with temps in the low 20's. I also have the outdoor kitchen so that would also be an issue for me.

The Girard hot water tank does have a sensor to kick on at temps below 35 degrees to prevent the heat exchanger from freezing and bursting the copper.... I'm just not sure I woudl chance it since they are about $800 these days.

These coaches are not well insulated so any plumbing running along the walls and floors where there is not adequate heat could freeze.

Your best bet is to use bottled water for drinking and keeping some gallon jugs for the toilet and winterizing the coach in my opinion if there is any chance of temps being below freezing for more than a few hours.

[Third Thor]

Originally Posted by Judge

Your black and grey tank shoud have heaters you can turn on so that is not going to be an issue.... but you can add some RV antifreeze to the tanks if you like.

The fresh water tank, pump and filter are all under the bed with the electronics so no danger of freezing occuring there. But on my Magnitude SV34, there is plumbing exposed in the wet bay that would likely freeze with temps in the low 20's. I also have the outdoor kitchen so that would also be an issue for me.

The Girard hot water tank does have a sensor to kick on at temps below 35 degrees to prevent the heat exchanger from freezing and bursting the copper.... I'm just not sure I woudl chance it since they are about $800 these days.

These coaches are not well insulated so any plumbing running along the walls and floors where there is not adequate heat could freeze.

Your best bet is to use bottled water for drinking and keeping some gallon jugs for the toilet and winterizing the coach in my opinion if there is any chance of temps being below freezing for more than a few hours.

Thanks Judge.

We have the tankless water heater. Is that the same as the Girard? We were thinking of adding a 12V incubator type heater in the wet bay (I know some people keep a work light lit in there), or perhaps insulation in the wet bay. We don't have an outdoor kitchen.

We would really like to find a solution to the water freeze issue as we are going to be on the road for a week and camping for a week. Two weeks of water jugs is do-able but if we can find another way, we'd like to.

Thanks again.

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Third Thor

Thanks Judge.

We have the tankless water heater. Is that the same as the Girard? We were thinking of adding a 12V incubator type heater in the wet bay (I know some people keep a work light lit in there), or perhaps insulation in the wet bay. We don't have an outdoor kitchen.

We would really like to find a solution to the water freeze issue as we are going to be on the road for a week and camping for a week. Two weeks of water jugs is do-able but if we can find another way, we'd like to.

Thanks again.

The Girard is the tankless water heater. It is completely exposed to the outside temperature. As I said, it has a sensor that monitors the termparatir and will periodically turn on the burner to keep the heat exchanger warm to prevent freezing. I would just be sure to test that it works once temps are below 35.... otherwise it could freeze and the copper piping burst if temps remain in the low 20's for more than a couple hours and the sensor not work properly. It also requires that you have enough propane for the burner to fire.

[Scubawise]

This may help

[Third Thor]

Originally Posted by Judge

The Girard is the tankless water heater. It is completely exposed to the outside temperature. As I said, it has a sensor that monitors the termparatir and will periodically turn on the burner to keep the heat exchanger warm to prevent freezing. I would just be sure to test that it works once temps are below 35.... otherwise it could freeze and the copper piping burst if temps remain in the low 20's for more than a couple hours and the sensor not work properly. It also requires that you have enough propane for the burner to fire.

Thank you again Judge.

We may just end up winterizing the rig and using water jugs.

[Judge]

Just spoke with Brian Vroom..... they are just finishing up putting the silicon sealant around the seals. He said they didn't run into any problems and installing their slide system went as expected. This was a big relieve to hear!

He said I could pick it up in an hour or in the morning. They close at 3:00 so I didn't want anyone to hang around late and me and the DW are planning to go out for dinner at El Corral for some prime rib or steak so I told him I would come by in the morning at 7:30AM and check it out and pick her up.

That will give me a good idea of when will hit the road back east so I can start planning our route and stops.

I'll let you all know how the slide looks and works once I get a chance....

[Judge]

So we are coming down to the end of the trip so just a couple more posts.....

On Monday this week we hit Saguaro National Park east and west. We have been there before but I find it had a beauty all its own. The DW and I prefer the beach sand, palm trees and the Gulf in Florida but the desert is not bad either.

Just as an FYI..... Old Tucson is closed down. They shut down for the pandemic back in May 2020 and they went out of business in September 2020 with no revenue coming in. There was a recent article saying Pima County will be announing a buyer soon and they hope to reopen in the future.

[Judge]

We got a bonus sightseeing stop in as we started to head back to Pittsburgh from Tucson after getting the Vroom Slide System installed.

First..... I'm going to just post pictures first to see if anyone can guess where we were.

[cupajoe147]

White Sands (near Alamogordo, NM)

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Judge

So we are coming down to the end of the trip so just a couple more posts.....

On Monday this week we hit Saguaro National Park east and west. We have been there before but I find it had a beauty all its own. The DW and I prefer the beach sand, palm trees and the Gulf in Florida but the desert is not bad either.

Just as an FYI..... Old Tucson is closed down. They shut down for the pandemic back in May 2020 and they went out of business in September 2020 with no revenue coming in. There was a recent article saying Pima County will be announing a buyer soon and they hope to reopen in the future.

Thx will be in Tucson February

[Judge]

Originally Posted by cupajoe147

White Sands (near Alamogordo, NM)

We have a winner!

[Scubawise]

We are going to White Sands in February

[Judge]

White Sands is a beautiful place in a place where you wouldn't expected. You might want to check before going because I read they sometimes shut down the park during missle tests since it is connected to the Missle Range out there.

We took the Magnitude with toad in tow on the drive through the scenic road. I got a little concerned when I saw a sign that suddenly said "Pavement Ends" about halfway through the drive. But then I saw a Class A coming at me so I knew it would be ok... and I wouldn't need to lock in the hubs for the 4WD.

Once the pavement ends, the road looked like it was a sheet of ice. It remined me coming through the Teton Pass when the roads are covered in ice and they just cut grooves in the ice for some traction.

It really looked like you were in the mountains with fresh powder snow. I sent pictures to a bunch of poeple and they thought we were in the mountains in snow.

[Scubawise]

So a Vegas with 4wd would be ok on the road?

[Judge]

Originally Posted by Scubawise

So a Vegas with 4wd would be ok on the road?

You should be fine in 2WD if you take it easy. The road is packed down very hard. If anything it is a bit slick..... and of course there were idots driving far faster than theys should have been.

[Scubawise]

Noted thx the Scuba

[MichFigs]

Originally Posted by Judge

White Sands is a beautiful place in a place where you wouldn't expected. You might want to check before going because I read they sometimes shut down the park during missle tests since it is connected to the Missle Range out there.

We took the Magnitude with toad in tow on the drive through the scenic road. I got a little concerned when I saw a sign that suddenly said "Pavement Ends" about halfway through the drive. But then I saw a Class A coming at me so I knew it would be ok... and I wouldn't need to lock in the hubs for the 4WD.

Once the pavement ends, the road looked like it was a sheet of ice. It remined me coming through the Teton Pass when the roads are covered in ice and they just cut grooves in the ice for some traction.

It really looked like you were in the mountains with fresh powder snow. I sent pictures to a bunch of poeple and they thought we were in the mountains in snow.

Finally caught up on your posts and updates on your 7 week trip, have enjoyed reading your posts! We are still traveling (currently in Colorado at Mueller State Park near Divide - beautifully maintained) in our 8th week out west and probably not return until mid-November.
Thanks again for your enjoyable pics and posts!

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Judge

White Sands is a beautiful place in a place where you wouldn't expected. You might want to check before going because I read they sometimes shut down the park during missle tests since it is connected to the Missle Range out there.

We took the Magnitude with toad in tow on the drive through the scenic road. I got a little concerned when I saw a sign that suddenly said "Pavement Ends" about halfway through the drive. But then I saw a Class A coming at me so I knew it would be ok... and I wouldn't need to lock in the hubs for the 4WD.

Once the pavement ends, the road looked like it was a sheet of ice. It remined me coming through the Teton Pass when the roads are covered in ice and they just cut grooves in the ice for some traction.

It really looked like you were in the mountains with fresh powder snow. I sent pictures to a bunch of poeple and they thought we were in the mountains in snow.

During my 3rd Cavalry Days in the 70’s I spent many days and nights under the stars in West Texas and around the White Sands, Alamogordo NM area. Jack Rabbits as tall as baby Kangaroos and Rattlesnakes by the hundreds. That was one of the best assignments of my career. When we went back for school in 93 the whole area from El Paso to Alamagordo, North of US 54 was on fire. Campers/hikers overnighting around the museum off trans mountain left their camp sight with a fire unattended. Texas scrub brush burns for a long time.