Freezing Temps

[yrusoslo]

Hello, Can a RV be driven and used in freezing temps. Such as driving from Northern cold weather states to Fla. this time of year. Thanks.

[Dutch_12078]

We left upstate NY yesterday with the temp at 6 deg F. A couple of days before leaving I fired up the heat in our coach, filled the fresh water tank and the fridge, and reloaded the freezable items we had stored in our cottage while out of the coach. Yesterday we loaded the last minute clean clothes and headed out. Today we're in southern PA, and it's 21 deg F outside and 72 inside. This afternoon we'll move to northern VA, and from there on down the temps will be above freezing and rising. We make a similar trip every winter...

[noteven]

Yep. Chilliest evening this winter -30C

[DrewE]

It very much depends on the specific RV model. If it's set up to be used in subfreezing temperatures, you certainly can use it in subfreezing temperatures. If it's not set up for that, you can use everything except the plumbing system. Some setups are better and more trouble-free than others; ideally, the entire plumbing system should be enclosed within the heated envelope of the RV, which means having the dump valves etc. in a compartment that is at least nominally heated.

I've used my class C motorhome in freezing temperatures without trouble. I try to avoid driving it when the roads are salted due to the corrosive nature of salt on the chassis etc. For quick trips in cold weather, I sometimes don't bother with the water systems because winterizing immediately upon returning home is somewhat of a pain and most dump stations around me (which are none to plentiful to begin with) are closed during the winter.

Cold weather camping does require more propane and battery power (if not on shore power) than warm weather camping.

[wa8yxm]

How I did it.

Left Detroit DRY.. I mean DRY on Jan 2.. Got far enough south I did not worry about Frost/Freeze and I saniized and charged the water system

No problem.

Oh starting out I did have about 10 gallons on board in containers INSIDE the heated living area... This worked for everythign I needed till I got far enough south to charge the system .

[Dave_H_M]

I am heading south on the 14th. :C

[BizmarksMom]

For Thanksgiving I towed my trailer down winterized, filled up the fresh water outside of Las Vegas, and then winterized again before heading back north.

I spent one night enroute each way. It worked just fine.

[RoyB]

I suspect you may have more issues pulling a Trailer verses driving a Motohome contained heat system. The on-board heater setup vents hot air to all the places that might be effected by cold weather freezing temps...

I imagine some folks may do some winterizing for the trip until they get to a warmer climate zone.

In my case with my small footprint OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer setup it is very easy to purge the water lines with air and then add some pink stuff to the couple of P-traps I have. I can do all of this in 5-10 minutes and keep on truckin... We camp in ours all winter long around here in the high country of Virginia...

This of course becomes more difficult having the large homes on wheels...

Roy Ken

[Isaac-1]

What they said, but exact ability does depend some on the model and how well insulated / equipped it is for cold weather. Some have tanks that are exposed on bottom, some have them in enclosed bays, some have basement heat, some have tank heating pads, etc.

[rhagfo]

Yep,'currently hosting on the Oregon Coast, last week temps in the low 20's and did just fine in a three season 5er. We are currently heating with our new Cheap Heat install which on our current 50 amp service and 5,000 watt setting gives us 17,060 btu of heat output. Which is less than we would have with gas at 23,400 btu output and have keep t-stat at 68 degrees no issues.
Water we filled the FW tank and ran off of that for water supply. We have been at this park as guest for the three previous New Years. We do have heating pads on the tanks, but they are exposed.

[Bucky_Badger]

Sure, people even camp in the cold with them

[rr2254545]

Do it every year, do you have specific questions?