Need a little winter camping advice please

[abc40kids]

I’ve never camped past October and this week we will be camping for Thanksgiving. Temps will get down to 20 at night and at least one day only up to the low 30’s. I have a 2015 Montana Mountaineer 356TBF. I was told it had heated tanks and I have a heated city water hose. Any thoughts like leaving the water dripping.... This is all new to me camping below freezing. Thanks!

[lee_worsdell]

better idea go south

[packnrat]

so how did it all go?
what did, or not do?

[richclover]

Veebyes wrote:
Sure would like to know how those heated tanks work? Suspect that the manufacturers idea of heated tanks means that the furnace is in the same compartment as the tanks & a warmed hose runs from the furnace to the vents. Like that is going to yield any real heat to the tanks.

Better off putting a small electric heater in that basement area to keep things above freezing.

I have owned “heated” tanks on my last toy hauler. The “basement”, underside of the trailer, was wide open and the “heat” was 12V heating elements glued to the tanks. I never used the 12V heaters. Too much battery drain and I never wanted to heat the Great Outdoors. Instead I insulated the water tank after gluing on 110V heating cords and routing the plugs inside. During the usual morning and evening generator runs I had heat on the tank, fill pipe and intake pipe, all insulated. With 25-50 gl of water in the tank it takes a while, and well below freezing temperatures, to ice the tank. The pipes are another story, but I made it work.

Usual black and gray water tank usage never caused a problem for me. Weeklong camping in temperatures down to single digits night, barely up to freezing daytime. If needed a liberal dose of hot water, shower hose, should fix the problem. Think propane.

The new rig... Enclosed “basement” and advertised heated tank. Worked well in late October. Right, furnace ducts likely routed through the tank area. Works for me. Well below freezing and the only problem was the intermittent hot water heater operation. To be remedied with a Hott Rod 110V kit. Generator run = heat to the hot water heater. Supplements the propane.

The cold can be delt with. Mostly it just takes Fuel 😉

[garyp4951]

If you don't have a switch for tank heaters, then they are probably heated by the furnace. My Jayco tanks are heated by the furnace, and have done well camping in the 20's.

[Veebyes]

Sure would like to know how those heated tanks work? Suspect that the manufacturers idea of heated tanks means that the furnace is in the same compartment as the tanks & a warmed hose runs from the furnace to the vents. Like that is going to yield any real heat to the tanks.

Better off putting a small electric heater in that basement area to keep things above freezing.

[laknox]

abc40kids wrote:
My water heater is empty right now so I guess I’ll hook up city water, let the water heater fill and then disconnect and fill the fresh water tank up like half way.

I think I'd fill the fresh tank up full while it's warm. It'll be more of a "heat sink" if there's more water in it to cool down.

Lyle

[2Rad4U]

abc40kids wrote:
Thanks, yes we will be at a full hook-up campground. So just keep the fresh water tank always at like 3/4 full and no exterior hoses.

Yes.

I'll be camping this week and one night is supposed to be 26 degrees. I will put enough water in the fresh tank to get me through a day/night and drop the city water hose. The heater will take care of the rest for one night.

[abc40kids]

My water heater is empty right now so I guess I’ll hook up city water, let the water heater fill and then disconnect and fill the fresh water tank up like half way.

[pianotuna]

If this is to be the last trip of the season, take along what you will need to winterize the RV.

There is an excellent thread under the full time forum called "winter camping".

What to do about condensation?

The cause of the condensation is the walls are below the dew point temperature. If the walls can be made warm enough the problem disappears. Running a fan to circulate air may help to raise the temperature on the surface of the wall.

One other solution is to reduce the relative humidity inside the RV.

The easiest way to do that is to open a roof vent a bit, find the furthest window from the vent and open that a bit. An electric heater near the window will improve that and keep you warmer. I'd suggest a low wattage radiant type, or a small oil filled (if the oil filled can be on a shelf so the air from the window passes over the fins.)

I know opening a vent and window when it is cold seems counter intuitive, but it does work.

Another possible solution is an electric dehumidifier--but the cooler it is the poorer they work. They are generally energy hogs, some what bulky and definitely noisy.

[abc40kids]

Thanks, yes we will be at a full hook-up campground. So just keep the fresh water tank always at like 3/4 full and no exterior hoses.

[time2roll]

Check the propane every day. And check it at least an hour before the propane store closes.

[BarneyS]

I helps also to keep cabinet doors open where water lines are located.
This allows heat from the interior to circulate around lines to help keep them from freezing.
Barney

[2Rad4U]

I would fill my freshwater tank and remove the city water hose from both the camper and the campground faucet.

Keep the hot water heater on.

In your situation, that's all I would do.

I'm assuming you'll be in a campground.

[Lwiddis]

“I was told it had heated tanks”

Famous last words that can cost thousands in the RV world. Verify whether you do or not.