Winter travel

[Taxman2436]

I am planning to leave Massachusetts in late December (Covid permitting) for a 2 month vacation in Florida, returning in early March. I recall seeing a recommendation to leave the heat on in the trailer while traveling. I’m wondering if I can sleep in the trailer at night on the way down rather than a hotel. One concern that comes to mind is operating the slide in (possibly) freezing weather.

[JaxDad]

richclover wrote:

Taxman2436 wrote:
I am planning to leave Massachusetts in late December (Covid permitting) for a 2 month vacation in Florida, returning in early March. I recall seeing a recommendation to leave the heat on in the trailer while traveling. I’m wondering if I can sleep in the trailer at night on the way down rather than a hotel. One concern that comes to mind is operating the slide in (possibly) freezing weather.

Covid-19 permitting... And weather. Assuming your rig is already winterized (late December), leave it that way until you get further south. A couple of 5-gl jugs for washing and flushing should work. Start watching the weather forecast about 10 days out and pick a favorable window for escape.

Safe travels!

I have a slight twist on this theory, and I travel in a Class C most of the time so my fresh tank and pump are inboard, under the dinette in my case. I also don’t drink from the onboard tank.

I fill the fresh water tank just as I’m leaving home, but with straight hot water.

I’ve measured and experimented over the years. I can drive 12 hours in well below freezing weather and the fresh tank is above 50 when I rack out, and still above 40 at zero dark thirty when I start rolling the next morning.

On my Class A I modified the Motoraid system so that I can also heat the contents of the fresh water tank with the flip of a switch.

Since I winterize wth air and there’s no rinsing required so I’m good to go.

[Taxman2436]

That’s a great plan. Thanks Rich!

[richclover]

Taxman2436 wrote:
I am planning to leave Massachusetts in late December (Covid permitting) for a 2 month vacation in Florida, returning in early March. I recall seeing a recommendation to leave the heat on in the trailer while traveling. I’m wondering if I can sleep in the trailer at night on the way down rather than a hotel. One concern that comes to mind is operating the slide in (possibly) freezing weather.

Covid-19 permitting... And weather. Assuming your rig is already winterized (late December), leave it that way until you get further south. A couple of 5-gl jugs for washing and flushing should work. Start watching the weather forecast about 10 days out and pick a favorable window for escape.

Safe travels!

[Taxman2436]

Thanks for your replies. What you say makes sense. I didn’t even think about leaving the slide in. And the weather is so unpredictable I wasn’t even thinking about how quickly it changes as we head south.

Lenny

[Lwiddis]

"if I can sleep in the trailer at night on the way down rather than a hotel."

With the TT in tow, I never sleep in a hotel...pre-pandemic too.

[joelc]

The only reason you would leave the heat on while traveling is so your water won't freeze. Just drain the lines. A holding tank won't freeze in a short days travel. Fridge yes, leave on.

[K_Charles]

As said above, in a couple hrs drive campgrounds are open all year. We spend the first night plugged in at a camp ground when we go south in winter.

[Tvov]

I have not heard of leaving the heat on in a TT while traveling. The propane heater in my 21ft TT heats up the camper in like 5 minutes, no need to leave it running all the time.

Just leave the water tanks empty and the plumbing lines blown out, so you don't have to worry about lines freezing.

December in southern New England is usually not that cold, and since you are traveling south you will be in New England only for a few hours once you start.

[midnightsadie]

furnace will use up a battery pretty quick.

[Trackrig]

Do you need to put the slide out? We don't put ours out in excessively cold or hot weather. Take a sleeping bag with you.

Bill