Posted 2006-02-10 9:26 PM (#36925) Subject: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Hurricane Survivor
Posts: 61 Location: training in South Louisiana
Ok.. Now I'm scratching my head.. (other post got me thinking)
I'm down in Louisiana and have just relocated to the north side of the lake.. Had to purchase new trailer and now need to know how to winterize
Its not much.. 2 burner stove, refrig/frz, 30 gal fresh holding tank,shower,water heater... Ok.. so now do I have to do anything? The HT is empty.. I just baught the trailer and have not done much with it yet. Ran the shower and w/heat to figure out what all the switches on the wall do.. Still have 1
Any way.. when I used it I just kept the grey tank open to drain fresh water... So do I have to antifreeze? or is that if you have a potty.
Help temps will start dropping tomorrow.. and I just found out what has to be done in the well houses... Darn.. I miss New Orleans.. living in the woods is an adjustment... - What about hanging a heat lamp in a living qtrs to keep pipes warm ? and do I have to do that or just drain the pipes..
sorry for so.so.. many questions.. but since I had your attention..
Posted 2006-02-11 11:17 PM (#36979 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
New User
Posts: 4
Location: USA
lilcashseeker, did your dealer not show you how to winterize? Sorry but had to throw that in; I get frustrated because people buy because of price only and do not take in cosideration what a good dealer can offer such as training and service after the sale. Wow, I didn't think it got that cold in Louisiana! If you need to winterize do this:
1) Drain the fresh water tank, there should be a drain valve near the tank (under sofa, dinette seat, or boot box).
2) Drain the hot water heater; open hot water panel outside, locate large nut and remove, this will allow the water to drain from the hot water heater. Also see if there are valves at the hot water heater (under sofa, dinette, or boot box) to isolate it from the system. This will devert any antifreeze from entering heater (next step).
3) Next you will have to remove all water from the water lines in the trailer or add RV antifreeze (I would try to put antifreeze in). Check at the water pump and see if there is a hose with a cap on it, or a small hose that came with the trailer. This small hose is the input to the pump, the other end is put into a jug of RV antifreeze; turn the pump on, this will allow the water pump to send antifreeze through the water lines; once you see antifreeze come out faucets and shower you are almost done, next I would pour antifreeze into the sink trap and some into the shower drain.
You should be completly winterized at this point. This is difficult to explain without being there and showing you, but good luck.
Posted 2006-02-12 7:17 AM (#36987 - in reply to #36925) Subject: winterizing
Veteran
Posts: 212 Location: novinger, mo
There also should be 2 capped drains underneath the trailer, one is for the hot and one for the cold. Open these, open all your faucets and let the water in the lines drain out. then proceed to put in the antifreeze.
Posted 2006-02-12 10:13 PM (#37047 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Hurricane Survivor
Posts: 61 Location: training in South Louisiana
Thanks for the info.. made it thu the cold 23-25 dgr. last night and we have one more night of cold... then back to the regular cool weather.
As for purchasing from the dealer, it was a dealer in Monore and that is 5hrs away.. when I purchased, I didn't even think to ask about winterizing.. truely didn't think about it since I live so far south.. I will still need to call them, I cannot figure out what one of the switches on the wall does... The dealer ran thru what everything did, but I needed it written down and that didn't happen.. with all the excitement.
So.. Thanks to everyone.. you have saved me again...
Posted 2006-02-17 8:17 AM (#37383 - in reply to #37047) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Veteran
Posts: 104
You guys don't know what cold is. I am leaving for a show this afternoon and our temp -23. I have stayed in my trailer at -9 this winter, tonight will be a record for the coldest nite in the trailer. I sure hope the heater doesn't quit in the middle of the nite. We obviously do not use any water. everything is drained and has rv anti-freeze in it.
Happy camping!!!!
Posted 2006-02-17 1:22 PM (#37394 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Regular
Posts: 60
-23 and staying in a trailer........... not me I'll stay inside nice and cozy. Heck I wouldn't even ride my horse anywhere near that cold. 8 Thank god I don't live anywhere that gets that cold ;)
It's always fun winterizing a new trailer for the first time or figuring out how all the valves work and which one needs to be which way for it all to work right. The Bunkhouse Conversion I have now was a snap and can be done in 5 minutes but the conversion I had done from Overland Express was a complete nightmare to use, let alone to winterize. Well actually everything about them was a nightmare but that's another story.
Posted 2006-02-17 5:03 PM (#37402 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
ND Cowboy - Good job, That's got me beat by a few degrees. I've spent a few nights in the mountains during hunting season when the temps dropped into the single digits. That was in my old trailer where I was sleeping in the front DR. Haven't tried that cold yet with my current weekender.
Just pile the blankets on high.
It's not bad if you are prepared for it. A day outdoors in the winter can be very spectacular. At least if it's clear & sunny. I really don't enjoy riding my horse in 20* with the wind blowing stinging ice crystalls into my face. But 5* with blue sky and no wind can be quite enjoyable.
Posted 2006-02-18 1:59 PM (#37445 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Veteran
Posts: 211 Location: El Paso, Texas
We just returned from a weekend trip in Alto New Mexico (up around the Ruidoso area) it got down to 9 degrees at night, what we do is run a Mr Buddy heater at night (It lasts 6-7 hours on low on a 1 pound propane tank and keeps the trailer in the high sixtys) during the day we turn on the propane heater to 50 while were gone, the only trouble we had was a little slush in the bathroom sink the next morning, but I have insulated those pipes again, Keep the grey tank open and let the water out as you use it, as it will surely freeze, I have a cap with a garnen hose plug on the grey tank that I let the water out, that way if the valve freezes open (which it will) there is no problem, dump a gallon or 2 of RV Antifreeze down your black tank. Thats what we do and we camp all year long. If you are going to winter camp in a LQ horse trailer, you should insulate the pipes if you can get to them, we use the foam tubing that slips over the pipe and secure it with cable ties. Most LQ horse trailers do not have what they call artic packages on them like RV's do, so a little pre planning will save you alot of grief. I am heading for Missouri next week to the Ozark Trail, will let you know if I freeze or not. I hear tell its cold in them thar hills. As far as winterizing, My Trails West has 3 drains that drain it all inclusing the water heater, On this trailer I do not use antifreeze except for my P traps
Posted 2006-04-18 1:00 AM (#40603 - in reply to #36925) Subject: RE: Freezing temps & living qts.?????
Regular
Posts: 50 Location: Delta Junction, Alaska
-23 is nothing we have times up here that get well below -55. Winterizing our trailers are very important! Just as in the last ones drain as much as you can add the RV/Camper antifreeze. Also its important not to let your batts freeze this can cause them to lose life. Hope this helps
Freezing temps & living qts.?????
.. (other post got me thinking)
temps will start dropping tomorrow.. and I just found out what has to be done in the well houses... Darn.. I miss New Orleans.. living in the woods is an adjustment... - What about hanging a heat lamp in a living qtrs to keep pipes warm ? and do I have to do that or just drain the pipes..
