Cold Weather - Montana Owners Club

lfw · 01-13-2009, 02:06 AM

We are now in Bainbridge, GA.. We have to make a trip back to the house in Cleveland, TN on Thursday and back here on Sunday... It is going to be in the teen's here while we are gone. The Monty will be parked at my son's house for the time we are gone. I do not want to winterize it because we are heading to FL on Sunday. What would be the best thing to do to keep it from freezing the water lines while we are gone. I will have it hooked up to 30 amp service. I will winterize if that is the best way to go.. I can also blow the water lines out. Empty the water heater or leave it on..
Thanks

Mrs. CountryGuy · 01-13-2009, 02:24 AM

Me would think, the thing that would be best on the "worry" factor would be to winterize.

But, at least drain it all, water heater and all.

Your Montana will take short periods of freezing weather just fine, IF the furnace runs. But, that takes propane.

Ya have to do what ever it takes to keep you in the comfort zone, so you don't have to worry while you are away.

If you don't care about propane use, leave the furnace on about 50 degrees, leave the water in.

OR, drain the water and still leave the furance on about 45 degrees.

OR, winterize.

If you have other items in the unit that you don't want freezing, leave the furnace on 45 and cupboard doors open.

enjoy your trip back to TN and to FL.

lfw · 01-13-2009, 02:34 AM

What about the gray, black and fresh water tanks.. I think they should be ok...
thanks.

H. John Kohl · 01-13-2009, 03:13 AM

Last year I was in PA until Dec and had the same issue as you. I did not run power to my unit.
You say it is parked at you Son's house so in reality it would be the same as if you were living in it. Set the heat at 55 as if you are sleeping and have your son check it.
better than that is to blow out the lines and the flush line,drain the hot water heater (remember to turn the 120VAC OFF), antifreeze the traps and leave the heat on at 55 degrees. If your tanks are dumped you can put half a gallon in each tank and drain your fresh water.
Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 01-13-2009, 03:20 AM

If they are full, I would worry if you do not intend on leaving the heat on.

If they are less than half full, I would not worry, heat or no heat.

Much of this depends on the number of hours the temp drops below freezing, and of course, how low do you go??

If you leave the furnace on, 45 or 50, even more than half full you will probably be ok.

Remember, the newer your unit, the better the unit will do in cold weather.

Again, go with your personal comfort level, if this is making you REAL nervous, then winterize, dump, and maybe still leave the heat on.

If it gets warm there during the day, and if there would be sun, it will warm up inside quickly and any other personal affects or food will be fine.

It is extended time under 32 that you have to worry about, like more than, ohhhhh, 8 hours. We have had our unit down to 25 for 3 or 4 hours, not winterized, water in her, no heat on and not had trouble, but, again, this is YOUR unit, your $$ if something busts and your comfort level.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

jimcol · 01-13-2009, 03:54 AM

We have spent several winter weeks in our 06 3000rk with temps never getting above 32. Never had a problem. I'd set the thermostat at 55 and head for Tenn. You will burn a little propane but won't have the issues of de-winterizing when you head for Fla. If your son is there he can ckeck on the unit a couple of times a day to insure the furnace is running.

H. John Kohl · 01-13-2009, 06:21 AM

If you use Propane you could use one 30 lb tank in three days. If both tanks are full you should have no problem.

bsmeaton · 01-13-2009, 10:17 AM

I had to leave mine at a repair shop for 5 days and it sat outside. I used the heater and still had LP left when I came back, however the low temps at night were only down around 30 degrees, and the furnace probably shut off during the day.

Not sure that helps, in fact in may only confuse the issue

, but thats my story.

stiles watson · 01-13-2009, 10:29 AM

If it were my unit, I would disconnect all outside water connections. I would set the thermostat at 60 degrees. I would make sure my propane tanks were full. Then I would go in confidence.

lfw · 01-13-2009, 12:28 PM

Thanks all of you for your suggestions.. To make sure it will be safe in cold weather I am going to winterize it and set the furnace at 45 for the days we are gone. 30 lb of propane should last 4 days set at that temp. I will set it so it uses from both tanks. I would say the other one has about 15 lbs in it. So I think it should be ok..
I purchased 3 gal of antifreeze from Walley world today.. stop at a rv sales office and they wanted $9.00 a gal.. I said thanks but no thanks.. not going to pay that much for it..When you can buy it at Walley world for $3.79 a gal..
Thanks..

rames14 · 01-13-2009, 02:02 PM

lwf -

Do what gives you peace of mind. Since we live in areas that get cold and stored our unit away from the house, I asked our dealer when I needed to winterize. He told us that when it doesn't get out of the 20's for the day, it's time to winterize. We have had many nights when it got into the 20's, but had no heat whatsoever. We have lived with that principle in mind. My guess is if it gets to the teens, it probably is going to stay below freezing. Just another perspective.

bsmeaton · 01-13-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by rames14

lwf -

Do what gives you peace of mind. Since we live in areas that get cold and stored our unit away from the house, I asked our dealer when I needed to winterize. He told us that when it doesn't get out of the 20's for the day, it's time to winterize. We have had many nights when it got into the 20's, but had no heat whatsoever. We have lived with that principle in mind. My guess is if it gets to the teens, it probably is going to stay below freezing. Just another perspective.

Your Dealer must be a gambling man

. I would have thought he would default to "safe" and just tell you its time to winterize when the temperature reaches freezing.

rames14 · 01-13-2009, 03:35 PM

Not quite so. Your trailer automatically heats up inside from the sunlight. It takes prolonged weather below freezing to cause problems. We have not had problems. This year, we camped almost to Thanksgiving, and had a few nights where it dipped into the 20's. But it always warmed into the upper 30's during the day at a minimum.

bsmeaton · 01-13-2009, 03:39 PM

That might be your theory, but the Dealer could have to back up his statement financially if you broke something listening to his recommendations and you were bigger than he was.

PowellsMonty · 01-14-2009, 05:52 AM

Here in Western NC, we have freezing temps overnights and sometimes 2 - 3 days in a ro, then warms up to above freezing. We winterize the thing, except, fresh, gray & black. Haven't had a problem yet and never heard of anyone having one of the 3 freeze up and cause a problem. Am I wrong?

Mrs. CountryGuy · 01-14-2009, 06:36 AM

Mike,

Look at water when it freezes, it expands. IF, the tanks are full, and it expands, what would you expect?? I would expect some kind of failure caused by expansion and serious stress on the seams of the tanks.

IF, there is less than half a tank full of waste products in black, gray or galley, and it freezes, what would you expect. I would expect that it would expand, but, not failure. My take on it, is that it would expand up, ??? Nope, tain't real sure bout that, and could stand corrected.

My preference is to have mucho less than half a tank full in any tank, and I know from personal experience that if you have minimal fluids in them and they freeze, it is unlikely you will have a failure, as we travel in very cold weather, with tanks with some frozen liquid, and to date (knock on the ole wooden knoggin) we have not experienced trouble or failure.

We prefer to travel, in cold weather, warm weather, frozen or otherwise, with as little fluids in any of the tanks as possible.

When we winterize Tana for the year, some antifreeze gets into the tanks from the traps, etc. But, we don't specifically dump antifreeze into the tanks to keep them from freezing.

Wonder, how long it takes to freeze some 30 gallons of liquid, probably not 100% water, in a tank that is 7 foot plus across and what, 4 inches deep?? Maybe they are 6 inches deep, anyway, they are long, wide and not tooooo deep. How long at 25 degrees, say, would it take to freeze a almost full tank?? Have no idea, would think it would be a few hours, eh??

bsmeaton · 01-14-2009, 09:20 AM

As Carol discusses -

The expansion of freezing water is generally absorbed by soft plastic (poly) materials such as the tank (to a point) and the tubing used for the pressurized water in the Monty. However, rigid fittings do not have near the tolerance such as your sewer pipe and drain fittings or system valves. Its just a relationshop between time and temperature and exposure.

I have woke up to a completely broken off and solid frozen galvanized steel water hydrant laying on the ground with ice holding back the pressurized water below grade, yet my undamaged water hose was still attached.

PowellsMonty · 01-14-2009, 09:34 AM

I am less than half in two and 3/4 in fresh. I hope I allowed for expansion, although it will take quite a while to freeze 45 gallons of water............I hope.

ols1932 · 01-14-2009, 10:38 AM

Any time I've winterized RVs I've always drained all the holding tanks and the fresh water tank. That way there is no worry about them freezing.

Orv

PowellsMonty · 01-15-2009, 05:38 AM

The only reson I didn't drain the fresh is that hopefully we get to go over ther & stay some weekends before the middle of march when the turn the water back on in the park. Otherwise everything would be dry. Worked last year, hope it does this year too!

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