Help with cold weather tips

I plan on taking the 2013 2720 on a cold weather trip in a couple weeks. I'll have power but no water. Temps will be low 40s during the day and mid 20s at night. I plan to run an electric radiant heater on a dedicated extension cord at night instead of the propane heater. I was thinking I should leave cabinets to plumbing open at night. Any other tips? One question I have is I'll be driving over at night and should I worry about plumbing freezing up while I'm driving? Not sure what options I have. Should I empty everything out and open all valves then fill the holding tank with fresh water, but not run the water pump until I'm over there and set up? My drive is about 4 hours over a couple Cascade mountain passes. Temp will be above freezing for maybe two of the four hours.

Thanks for any tips and advice.

[LoveToCamp]

I have been taking my TM out in November the last 4 winters (2 nights at a time). One weekend it dropped to 10° F each night, and was in upper-30s during the day. No hookups.

Water was not a problem the entire weekend. Didn't open cabinets, due to too many people (three or four, depending on trip), and all water worked when desired.

I got my 2417 Standard in Feb. 2014, and the water heater is under the sink. This will keep my sink lines warm, so no problem there. My 40 gallon fresh tank is in the rear compartment (my 2417 Sport had the fresh tank under a dinette bench, if I recall, so it was in the heated area), so it gets no heat whatsoever. But, if it is going to get colder than 15° overnight, I will use the outside shower to run hot water into the fresh tank, and it should be good all night. I could throw a blanket over it, if I felt it was really in jeopardy of freezing.

The only problem I have had, and it was only the weekend it got to 10°, was the dump gate would not open until the sun was on it for an hour. May solve that with vaseline on the gate and cover, to keep water from getting into the recesses and freezing. Have to do that before running any water down any drain, though. Hope I remember!

I travel 3 hours, plus at least an hour stop for dinner, and only the first half hour is during daylight. The rest of the time the temps are dropping. Have had no problem after arrival. I use the TM as I would in the summer, other than opening windows. I used it three weekends last winter, Nov. 9 - Jan 31, with no problems with water (or anything else, but this is a water topic).

[BrucePerens]

The water drain lines hang out of the bottom of the camper. The gray water tank and dump lines can freeze. Perhaps you can wrap the lines up.

Lovetocamp -

Do you have an outdoor shower? I'm wondering if I should remove the plastic fixture from the end of the hose? Or do something with that?

Did you put any anti freeze in your holding tank? I don't plan on using the toilet so I'm not concerned about that.

Thanks,
Josh

[shebantam]

You can get a city water blow out plug, make sure everything but the shower is shut off, then blow the lines until nothing comes out of shower. This is best for the open low level drains, but should work for the outside shower, if everything is shut off tight.

Will/should not need it for the TM but I have a hand pump, bilge type pump that I put in the antifreeze and open one drain fixture at a time until the water runs pink in that fixture. If you do this, you will need a bypass for the wh, or your antifreeze will fill the water heater first. Reminds me I have to do this to my Cabin a, as there are no drains I can blow out.

Actually, I took out my Thetford Curve as I am afraid the fresh water lines will freeze and break. Granted, like the recirculating toilet, it is self contained, but I could not get all the water out of it.

I also bought the jumbo sized noodles to put between the shells in the front where the flap do not seal well. Previous owner had the small election heater, added an ac with strip heat and had an oil filled radiator type heater as he lived in the TM 1.5 years at Ft. Drum, NY. He also created his own skirting, all to help keep the trailer warmer.

[Bill]

Chowder -

There is an entire forum on cold weather camping. Unfortunately, you have allowed your membership expire, so you do not have access to it. I will leave your question here for a few days so you can see the immediate responses, but you might consider renewing your Sponsorship. Go to the front door of the forum (www.trailmanorowners.com) and click on the Site Sponsorship link.

Since you will have shore power available, you should take a hair dryer with you. It is the world's most useful tool for thawing things (like drain valves) that are frozen.

You might also consider taking water in several gallon jugs or 7-gallon plastic totes in the bed of your F-150.

If you start with warm water, either in jugs or in your fresh water tank, you should not have trouble while you travel. It takes a long time to freeze a big block of water, and 20 degrees is not especially cold. Think of how long it takes to freeze a tray of ice in your home freezer at 0 degrees.

Bill

[LoveToCamp]

When I am done with each trip, I open both cold and hot faucets in sink, shower, and outdoor shower. I then open the low-point drains. This empties the water lines, except between fresh tank and the nearest faucet. Once fresh tank is drained, I run the pump for a few seconds, and cycle my toilet-flush button. Gets enough water out of everything that I have not had frozen pipes anywhere.

Yes, you need the low-point drains thawed when you do that, but so far I have been lucky, and days are above freezing.