Testing Arctic Package

[Farmhawk]

After delaying leaving for Q for two days waiting for weather to clear in SW Montana and Idaho, we finally got started. It looks like we will be testing the arctic package for the next couple of days. The next two nights are to be 5 to 10 deg below zero with day time highs in the single digits. I put a small heater in the basement and will use a second heater in the coach pointed towards open cabinet doors. That should be enough to keep things from freezing up.

[illapah]

Good Luck!!! Eve of Jan 11 we have about a foot of new snow on the ground and cold coming here in the Salt Lake City area. I would not be traveling if I didn't have to for a few more days.

[BusyCarol]

We are leaving from Billings, MT on Tuesday! We will be testing the arctic package too I guess! We will have to compare notes! Safe travels!

[Rondo]

Well be prepared for some of that cold stuff down here at Q also. We're currently in Tucson and the temps are suppose to drop to the mid 20's tonight and not over mid 40's tomarrow and then the nights will be the same for at least three to four days if not more!The low tonight in Tucson will break a 40 year record low. What am I doing here? I could have gone to Florida!

[Ozz]

quote:Originally posted by Farmhawk

After delaying leaving for Q for two days waiting for weather to clear in SW Montana and Idaho, we finally got started. It looks like we will be testing the arctic package for the next couple of days. The next two nights are to be 5 to 10 deg below zero with day time highs in the single digits. I put a small heater in the basement and will use a second heater in the coach pointed towards open cabinet doors. That should be enough to keep things from freezing up.

You must run the furnace if you want to keep things from freezing. You can run the basement heater, but if the living-space heater gets warm enough to keep the furnace from running, the warm air will not be sent to the under-belly. I run my furnace going down the road, and do not see and reason not to.

It's 28 here this morning about 60 miles from 'Q' (Tonopah Arizona)the water hose if froze, but when the Sun comes out, it will thaw in a couple hrs....if the Sun comes out.. it should.
We just turn on the water pump and use the tank water until it thaws.
Ozz

[DQDick]

We also would only run the furnace on the road or at night when it's that cold. And Rondo, what makes you think the next stop on the arctic airs agenda isn't the gulf coast and then Florida?

[Farmhawk]

I don't think running the heater in the basement had an impact on the furnace running. I did run the furnace inconjunction with the heaters. In the past 24 hrs I have used an entire 30lb tank of propane. I kept the furnace set at 60 today while driving, the average temps for the day was probably 0 deg. Oh, my water is froze somewhere between the tank and where it comes through the floor. Probably won't thaw until we get to Q.

[BusyCarol]

OH NO! Sorry to hear you had an issue with something freezing! 30lb of propane in 24 hours WOW!!! We were kind of wondering how long the propane would last when you are driving through zero degree temps! I guess we will be topping off more frequently. Someone reported that there is a shortage of propane at the Q due to the colder than usual temps so make sure you top off before you arrive.

Safe travels! Thanks for the update on your heating situation because we are going to be following the same route with about the same temps. I guess we won't be putting any water into the system until we get to Cedar City, UT.

[WeBeFulltime]

I too would run the furnace in those temps. "Uniform" for the day here in Gulf Shores, AL area is shorts/tee shirt/flip flops. 72 degrees!

[Farmhawk]

Since this post was titled testing the Arctic Package, I will give my critique. Overall my coach preformed very well, despite the below zero temps for 48, hrs we were never cold in the unit. We did use 1 3/4 tanks of propane in 60 hrs, we kept the trailer at 60 deg while traveling and 70 during the evening, turning down to 60 at night. We did suplement the heat with two heaters, one in the basement and one blowing into the kitchen cabinets. I do have all of the roof vents covered which helped tremendously. Our water line is froze so I will need to figure out why and how to prevent it.

[Ozz]

Sounds good Wayen, do you know where the water line is frozen?

[BusyCarol]

Wayen we put the vent cushions in but we do not have the covers. Are you talking about the vent and AC covers...I know this sounds stupid but the ones that are on the outside? I will have to see if I can get some because Idaho Falls and Cedar City are supposed to get below zero when we are there. Thanks for the info on how much propane you went through. We keep our rig around the same temp so it will give us some good guidelines to watch for.

[BusyCarol]

DUH...I just realized that we put the plastic vent covers over the bathroom and the living room vents when we first got it...early onset dementia I guess! Is there a cloth cover or something for the AC that is recommended? Thanks for tolerating all of my 'blonde questions'!

The one thing I noticed, from loading the trailer during this 9degree weather, is that when I open a drawer (i.e. under the refrig or stove) you can almost feel a breeze. I am assuming this is from the temperature change and the fact that it is a slide out section. I was quite cozy in there yesterday loading her up as long as no one opened the door! There are definite cold spots that I think I am going to try and rectify before next winter with additional insulation BUT overall I am happy so far!

[Farmhawk]

Carol, I only insulated the roof vents with the cushions from CW, I did not cover the AC or cover the AC vent inside. We arrived at the circle this afternoon. We did unthaw on our over night in Vegas in-spite of below freezing overnight temps.
Ozz, I don't know where it had frozen, but I will check into it when I get home in two months.

[BusyCarol]

Thanks Wayen for the info! That is what we have. So I think we should be okay. We leave tomorrow! Glad to hear you made it safe and thawed out! I hope everything is in complete working order! See you Thursday!

[bigskyjimmy]

Whatever you do do NOT put any cushions over the vents in the Bedroom WOW! we did that and had MASSIVE condensation problems in there even with a dehumidifier AND dri-eze, took the cushions off and openened the vent a little and BAM!...ZERO problems

[Bigboomer]

quote:Originally posted by bigskyjimmy

Whatever you do do NOT put any cushions over the vents in the Bedroom WOW! we did that and had MASSIVE condensation problems in there even with a dehumidifier AND dri-eze, took the cushions off and openened the vent a little and BAM!...ZERO problems

We put the cushions in all the vents and have not had any issues yet. We moved our dehumidifier into the bedroom and run it all day and turn it off at night. The indoor humidity stays between 45 and 50%. We have also put the film on the inside of the windows to cut down on the air and moisture infiltration.
We have had a pretty wet fall and winter so far and have not had to many issues.

[bigskyjimmy]

It is just maybee we live in the NW or something ,in the morning when we woke up was the worst from breathing all night and it had nowhere to go, we were getting bad mildew in all the closets and had to wipe down the windows twice a day, the dehumidifier would fill up in 4 days as would the dri -eze, then as soon as we opened up the vent and got rid of the cushion.. almost ZERO.....too bad i was wishing i could keep the cushion in the vent and put 3m film on the windows to keep heat in

[Bigboomer]

Guarantee it is that nice moist air out there! It is a lot drier out on the east coast, well not today as we got about a half a foot of new snow.