Cmccain13
USA
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Hey all, so I'm a month in to living in my RV and loving it, the thing is I want to start roaming around out of Texas and I'm nervous about colder temperatures. There are a few places I want to go to but the temperatures will get into the high 20's during the night but get back up to the 45's ish during the day. When occupying the rig should I be worries about pipe freezes and stuff? what should I keep in mind? or should I even be concerned since it wont always be sub zero temps?
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MDKMDK
Canada
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Joined: 10/15/2008
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In my limited experience with several motorhomes, upper 20F temps overnight hasn't been a show stopper, as long as things warm up during the day. So, you could probably not winterize under the situations you describe. If there was a more extended period of sub freezing temps for more than a day or two, without a daytime thaw, I would probably start winterizing, but it's a personal decision.
Or, try to seek warmer climes.
Mike.
2018 (2017 Sprinter Cab Chassis) Navion24V + 2016 Wrangler JKU (sold @ ????)
2016 Sunstar 26HE, V10, 3V, 6 Speed (sold @ 4600 miles)
2002 Roadtrek C190P (sold @ 315,000kms)
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valhalla360
No paticular place.
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Joined: 08/19/2009
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If you are going to be using the rig and keeping the heat on, upper 20's is usually not an issue. (If you have exposed black/gray pipes, you might drain before a cold night but no much else to worry about).
You still want to plan for colder weather. While it may be unusual, we got caught out in -5F in southern New Mexico one year for 4 days straight when the average was supposed to be what you are looking at. We were going thru a 30lb tank of propane per day just to keep the rig in the mid 50's and the RV park stopped selling to people not staying in the park because they were worried about running out.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and 5er
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Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
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Seems to me that one would use a fair amount of propane in such weather and would need to find somewhere to refill the tanks.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two electric bikes (both Currie Tech Path+ models)
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2112
Texas
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Do you have an enclosed underbelly, or is this a motorhome?
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost SuperCab Max Tow, 2084# Payload, 11,300# Tow,
Timbrens, PullRite SuperGlide 2700 15K
2013 KZ Durango 2857
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Cmccain13
USA
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2112 wrote:Do you have an enclosed underbelly, or is this a motorhome? I'm in a motorhome so it will be exposed kind of. if you mean non insulated.
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ppine
Northern Nevada
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Upper 20s is nothing to worry about, especially if you are occupying your rig.
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DrewE
Vermont
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I don't think it will be a big problem; how cold you can reasonably go depends on the design of the motorhome. If you have enclosed tanks (typically with a furnace vent outlet in the enclosure), you can go a lot lower than the high 20's with the heat on. If the tanks and plumbing are exposed to view underneath, it's much less cold capable. I think most motorhomes have enclosed pipes at the least.
The furnace does use a good bit of propane, but around 30 degrees outside it shouldn't need to work overly hard. Definitely keep an eye on the propane level and refill as needed. I could probably go a week or two under such conditions in my motorhome before needing refilling, and it doesn't have exceptional propane capacity or insulation.
Be prepared for some draftiness and condensation on the windows. If you have an electric camp site (and I'd suggest that you look for them), running one or two space heaters, preferably on low, in the cool areas can help a lot with making things more comfortable and with reducing the propane consumption somewhat.
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Cmccain13
USA
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DrewE wrote:I don't think it will be a big problem; how cold you can reasonably go depends on the design of the motorhome. If you have enclosed tanks (typically with a furnace vent outlet in the enclosure), you can go a lot lower than the high 20's with the heat on. If the tanks and plumbing are exposed to view underneath, it's much less cold capable. I think most motorhomes have enclosed pipes at the least.
The furnace does use a good bit of propane, but around 30 degrees outside it shouldn't need to work overly hard. Definitely keep an eye on the propane level and refill as needed. I could probably go a week or two under such conditions in my motorhome before needing refilling, and it doesn't have exceptional propane capacity or insulation.
awesome thanks for the heads up. I was reading and they said that electric space heaters weren't a good thing to use in an RV.
Be prepared for some draftiness and condensation on the windows. If you have an electric camp site (and I'd suggest that you look for them), running one or two space heaters, preferably on low, in the cool areas can help a lot with making things more comfortable and with reducing the propane consumption somewhat.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Figure out what is exposed on your rig and how to handle those areas if it gets really cold. (Drain, insulate, heat tape)
Otherwise no one can predict how cold you can run with water before having issues with freezing.
Although generally freezing at night and above freezing during the day is not an issue.
"Yes Sir, Oct 10 1888, Those poor school children froze to death in their tracks. They did not even find them until Spring. Especially hard hit were the ones who had to trek uphill to school both ways, with no shoes." -Bert A.
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