winter camping

[Montana_1424]

The wife and I are currently full timing here in Syracuse, NY until our new house is built. Those that know the weather up here, it gets pretty cold, was down below 20 degrees already. Any way, here is what i have found out, and did to keep my water lies from freezing. First, let your heater run, as heat is ducted into the underbelly. When it is that cold, I close all the tanks and unhook the water hose, and use tank water. So far, no freezing problems. I did do some modifications though. From what I have experienced, it is not so much the temp. that causes the freezing problem, but cold air blowing across the water lines. To help this, I spryed expanding foam in every crack and opening in the underbelly, to help keep any air cold air flow to a minimum. Also, I got some of the foam pipe insulation and insulated my water lines in the under storage. I leave antifreeze in the water line going to the outdoor shower, as I do not use it at this time. So far, I have had no freezing problems at all. Also, I ad some antifreeze to the black and gray tanks when it is that cold, just in case. If you keep everything buttoned up, and reduse air flow across your water lines, you should be pretty good to go at temperatures below freezing, however, havent been below zero yet LOL. I have opend the hatch to the understorage during cold temps, and although it is cold, it is not FREEZIG down there. Also, on the newer models, the water lines run in the underbelly above ethe frame, next to the floor, which keeps them away from air drafts, that is the way mine are run, and it is a 2004, I heard they did not start doing this to 2005, so I guess I just got lucky. Good luck with your winter camping.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by Rudi and Ellen

What keeps the pipes from freezing at around 20 degrees, even if using the fresh water tank?

Rudi and Ellen, in your model year and ours the water lines are laying on the basement floor and not in a channel just under the floor as mentioned for the current year model and most (all?) 2005 models.

On yours and ours there is a two-inch furnace duct in the belly, pointing at the tanks. I've had enough of the belly pan loose when the furnace is running to tell there is plenty of heat getting to the belly to handle 20 degrees. You just have to make sure the furnace runs enough to pump heat into the belly.

If yours has two low point drains hanging below the belly, those are what will likely freeze first. That may or may not be a problem at 20 degrees. If you lose water flow, that's probably why. A few minutes with a hair dryer will free them up in all but the coldest temperatures.

Hope this answers your question.

[2007dura]

Besides keeping anti-freeze in the lines to the outside shower, I make sure there is some in the low point drains.

[jpkelpe]

I don't uderstand for sure how you keep antifreeze in the low point drains and ojutside shower and use the rest of the water system. Can someone explain?

[Montana_1424]

Seperate water lines run to the outside showere. If you winterize your whole system, and then drain the sinks, shower, and toilet, antifreeze will remain in the lines going to the outside shower. As far as the drains, once the antifreeze is in the lines, as long as you dont open those drains like you typically do when you de winterize, Antifreeze will remain in the drain. I guess you have to do it and see it to understand it.

[Illini Trekker]

In our Monty my pipes are exposed to the air in the underbelly. The only insulation that they have is the Artic Package (a 1/4" piece of bubble wrap that lays on a 1/8" piece of plastic (the underbelly cover). This is not enough to keep pipes from freezing. So Keystone has put a 3" flex duct off the heater to help keep the under belly above freezing temperature. The underbelly is on mine 120 square feet of space. I would not count on this to keep your living condition adequate in freezing temps! I have heat taped and wrapped all pipes from the inlet to the out side shower. I work out of my RVs so I feel like this is a necessary thing here in central Illinois.

[Rudi and Ellen]

sreigle - The water lines in our 3295RK actually run against the ceiling of the storage area, even though our unit is a 2004 model.
Thanks for all the info. It's very helpful.

[sreigle]

Rudi and Ellen, that's good to hear! I didn't realize the 2004 models had that. Supposedly those pipes can handle far lower ambient temperatures before they freeze. They are in the highest part of the belly where the heat rises to and also don't touch any metal.

I've had the belly pan dropped in the far rear corner when the furnace was running and there's plenty of heat gets back there in ours. Up front where the heat duct is it gets very warm. I'm very satisfied with the amount of heat. Ours also had only the arctic package blanket and the belly pan. It now has insulated lines since ours sits on the frame. And the low point drains on ours hang outside and now are heat taped. I know for fact they won't freeze at 8 degrees F, and probably lower, so long as the furnace runs enough (we set it at 60 at night with electric heater OFF in the downstairs area so the furnace will run). The newer ones with the lines up high should do much better than ours without modification, especially those with low point drains in the basement storage area. If low point drains are hanging below, I'd heat tape those. Just insulating them doesn't help very much, at least not when I tried it.