RVing in freezing temps.... things I didn't know - Montana Owners Club

Starchmill · 11-26-2005, 03:15 AM

Well, I went up to Maine for 3 nights with the Mountaineer. The temps were predicted to be hi-30's, low's-16. I put water in the rig and brought antifreeze along to rewinterize before I towed it home. There was a campground open year-round up there and I had made reservations. Actually, the Mountaineer performed GREAT in these cold conditions and I had no problem with the water system in the cold. Friday morning it was only 11 degrees outside, but I was toasty all night and took a hot shower in the morning. Before I put water in the rig on Tuesday, I had trapped antifreeze in the low point drains on both water lines and also the fresh water tank. That ended up working great and even though these lines were exposed to the outside air for the 4 days, they never froze and I was able to just take the caps off to drain the system. BUT, there were a few things I didn't plan on that I thought I would share with those of you who might take the rig out in the winter. First of all, we ended up driving up thru Franconia Notch and they had had a storm the day before and the roads up there were still snow covered and slippery/slushy. The driving was a bit tricky, but the worse part was the fact that all the slush/ice from the road ended up all over the rig and froze up all the outside locks and the front stabilizers. We pulled into our destination and I realized that I couldnt' get into the outside hatches because all the locks were frozen up. At this point, it was getting dark, we were in a one horse town that were noplace was open to buy lock deicer, ect. So we had to make do. I couldn't even unhitch the truck from the TT cause the bar to take the dualcam's off was in the underbelly storage that was frozen shut. SO luckily, the folks we were having Thanksgiving with, had room next to the house to park the rig. I was able to park it there and leave it hooked right up to the truck so no stabilizers, ect were needed then. We ran an extention cord to the house and all was well. So with that problem solved, the next few days went fine... until the propane ran out friday morning. I just winterized the unit right away but next time I will definately bring an extra propane tank along just in case. So if I take my rig out in the winter again, I will
1) Bring extra propane.
2) Carry lock de-icer
3) Check the road conditions for where you're going. I had checked the Weather for the area and knew they had a storm 1 1/2 days earlier, but I thought they would have the roads clear by then. And we took a different route at the last minute to meet family for lunch in northern NH. Otherwise, the roads I planned to use were clear.
4) Bring extra antifreeze. (more than what you need to rewinterize) because since we didn't use the campground, I had no way do dump the tanks and had to drive home with the tanks full and no heat in the unit. I added several gallons of antifreeze to the gray and black tanks to hopefully lower the freezing point a bit. This worked fine and I was able to go to our local rv dealer and dump the tanks when I got home.
5) If it snows while you're away, and you have slide toppers, pull in the slides every few hours to dump the new snow before it builds up. 4 inches of snow fell right off the bedroom slide but we needed to climb on the roof and brush off the livingroom slide to pull it in.
6) Be willing to go with the flow and leave time for changes in plans.
Most of all, have a great time. Marcia

adelmoll · 11-26-2005, 03:43 AM

Great post Marcia. I am sure you have saved some of us a whole lot of trouble.

uhftx · 11-27-2005, 11:42 PM

You could of saved some propane by using a small (emphasize small) electric space heater. I know you were at someone's house and only running on an extension cord.
Your compartments should of thawed out after a while.
I never had the Hitch problem when I had my TT. There was normally enough salt on the road that sprayed up and all over the front of the camper. But, I know at least in our town (less salt and more sand) seems to be the cost effective approach.

I don't have slide toppers. If snow was predicted I pulled in the slides. Otherwise I'd have to get up and sweep it off.

I'm glad everything worked out for you and you had a safe holiday.
Congratulations on your winter travel.

OntMont · 11-28-2005, 01:49 AM

Congratulations! You undertook a daunting trip and did well. Your info on the need for lock de-icer is something I had not considered. Wonder if RV anti-freeze would work? (Not sure how you could apply it though).

Parrothead · 11-28-2005, 05:55 AM

Thanks Marcia for the great post. #7 for me is stay away from snow and cold! LOL
Happy trails...............

Dave Anderson · 11-28-2005, 06:39 AM

We put a SMALL ceramic heater in our basement,it keeps our floor cozy and our water from freezing --Dave

Just148 · 11-28-2005, 10:11 AM

Winter camping is a challenge...Thanks for the post.

Starchmill · 11-28-2005, 09:30 PM

I did have a small electric heater that I could have brought along but I was thinking about wanting to have the maximum amount of heat going thru the underbelly so I opted to just run the gas. Actually, I think the electric heater just in the bedroom would have evened out some of the temp fluctuations that come with the thermostats they install in these rigs. I never noticed the temp fluctuations when we camped before (but the temps were only down into the 30's outside), I really noticed the change with the outside temp in the teens.

VanMan · 11-30-2005, 05:40 AM

A couple of other tips: in addition to the extension cord you were hooked up to, you could have run another off another breaker feeding it through the seal around the slide. This would allow whatever size electric heater you may want/need without relying on the TT's amperage. I have a conventional equalizer hitch (not dual cam) so I don't know if this applies to Starchmill, but when I unhitch, I NEVER use the a bar to pry the tension off the equalizer bars. I first run the electric jack up high enough to take all the weight off and the bars swing loose, then take them off and lower the jack, open the ball lock thingamajiggy, and then raise the trailer off the ball, drive out and lower. Just the reverse when hitching up.

sreigle · 12-01-2005, 05:20 AM

Great report, Marcia! As you found out, in really cold weather you can go through propane in a hurry.

I know you the slide toppers can handle up to 10 inches of snow. We've rolled that much off ours before when retracting slides. And a quarter inch of ice another time. Just stand out of the way!

Wrenchtraveller · 12-02-2005, 04:20 AM

Good post and another inexpensive piece of equipement to make your coach a little easier to heat in freezing temperatures is the pillow inserts that fit up in your vents. CW sells them and we always used them in our slide in Campers when we went on ski trips and stayed up on the mountain resorts

DHenry · 12-02-2005, 04:39 AM

Nice post, but I am with Sue on this one. I will take #7 very seriously.

dsprik · 12-02-2005, 12:28 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Starchmill

Actually, I think the electric heater just in the bedroom would have evened out some of the temp fluctuations that come with the thermostats they install in these rigs. I never noticed the temp fluctuations when we camped before (but the temps were only down into the 30's outside), I really noticed the change with the outside temp in the teens.

Marcia, I believe there is an adjustment on your thermostat that allows for changing the fluctuations you are experiencing. You should be able to change the temp difference before the furnace cycles back on... 1, 2, 3, 4, etc degrees. The furnace will cycle more, but it should cut down on your temp up and downs in your Montana. Others here are more experienced at this than I am.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Wrenchtraveller

Good post and another inexpensive piece of equipement to make your coach a little easier to heat in freezing temperatures is the pillow inserts that fit up in your vents. CW sells them and we always used them in our slide in Campers when we went on ski trips and stayed up on the mountain resorts

Wrenchtraveller, what's a "pillow insert"?

Wrenchtraveller · 12-02-2005, 01:19 PM

Hi Dave and Cheryl, The pillow insert is a little foam square that is covered with a white cloth cover and it is made to fit into your RV ceiling vents. It blocks out the light so you can sleep better and it helps insulate the vent. I can't remember what Camper world calls them but they are around 10 dollars and they are just a fiction fit . If I can find them on the Camper world web site, I'll give you more details., Don

dsprik · 12-02-2005, 02:30 PM

Don, are those what I would call the "sky lights"? I definitely want those, especially for the shower. Light does absolutely nothing to enhance my sleep. Back in my oil field days when I was fighting oil well blowouts, I could go three days without sleep. At night, on the rig floor, I knew that all I had to do was make it until the sun just started to show light and my system would react and I would become wide awake. UNFORTUNATELY, In my days of tent camping, no matter how tired I was, at the first sign of light (in a tent you can't shut it out), I started to toss and turn and became very restless, eventually just getting up. Most of the time I just tried to balance keeping the sleeping bag over my head with trying to breathe. I am going to need to keep the Montana half-way to mostly dark while sleeping.

The thermal problem was something that concerned me - both hot and cold weather, with these vents (I am pretty sure that they are not designed to be a great thermal barrier), but I have never seen (I don't think) anything on this on MOC.

Wrenchtraveller · 12-02-2005, 03:37 PM

Dave, go to Camper world .com and click on Fans and vents. They are called vent cushions that fit in the little crank up vents in our RVs. My 06 2955RL has 3 of these vents, bedroom, bath and living room as well as a fantastic fan outside the shower,
Then I have a skylight over the shower and I think this is pretty standard on Montanas.

I put 3 vent covers on as part of the deal because this allows you to use your vents in the rain. Take care and have you ordered your new 3400RL yet? They look like an awesome unit!
I usually work in the pulp and paper industry as a millwright but I have worked in a gas plant out of Whitecourt Alberta.

Montana Sky · 12-02-2005, 04:25 PM

Dave,
I have the pillows wrenchtraveller is talking about in the vent over the bed. The watercloset and kitchen vent do not cause a problem as you can close the door over the stairs and also the watercloset door to keep the light out. The skylight over the shower does allow alot of light in and there are options to cover that up. Do a search for that very topic. They do not make a pillow to insert into the skylight, in my 3400RL I pull the privacy blind for the bedroom closed and that usually keeps out most of the light.

dsprik · 12-02-2005, 06:01 PM

Don, I'm planning on taking delivery at the end of May 06, our last month in our current apartment. Don't want to make double payments. Trying to get a tv lined up. Maybe the middle of Dec - depends of my credit report scores that I am working on to eliminate multiple errors, so I can get the best possible interest rate. My wife an I are really excited and anxious to get FTing in our 3400. I know Dave (Montana Sky) really likes his.

Speaking of Dave... I'm drawing a blank on the privacy curtain?? Can't picture what you're describing, Dave. Can you elaborate?

Starchmill · 12-02-2005, 07:43 PM

I haven't seen anything on the thermostat to regulate the temp flucuations in the rig. That would be nice though. And I have seen those pillows you guys are talking about and thought that might be a good idea. Even in the summer it would help hold in the A/C.
Does anyone know if the Montanas or Mountaineers have electric or hydrolic slide controls. There was a topic on RV.NET that said they both have hydrolic, and that surprized me as I've never seen the pump anywhere. Is this true???? Marcia

Wrenchtraveller · 12-03-2005, 03:37 AM

Yes they are hydraulic. The 12 volt electric motor and pump unit is in the front compartement.

I was confused when I saw the rack and pinion gears under the living room slide and then I could see the cylinder ram at the rear framework so the hydrulic cylinder does the pushing and pulling of the room and the rack and pinion set up keeps it lined up and true.

It is so important that no obstructions are in the way of these slides because they move with considerable force and damage will occur if something gets in the way. I repair hydraulics as part of my trade and a cylinder the size of the ones used in these rooms is capable of great force. I don't know what pressure this system runs at but I will repect it.

Really watch at the entertainement centre of the living room slide. If the cabinet doors were left open , that slide flange could catch the door handles of the cabinet and something will break. I am going to have a separate slide out check list and I already have put a safety switch over my hydraulic unit that disables the main switch by the front door.

We do get company when we camp and the potential for accidental misuse of this switch was something I didn't want to chance. I have a post in the improvement forum on how easy and inexpensive this is. I am sure anybody buying a new unit could get this done as part of the deal, probably at no extra cost, save it for your final offer. Take care, Don.

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