Winterizing!

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
Well, I've searched the threads and find nothing I'm looking for. I did find posts and pics of the 5th wheel skirt John (jpmorgan) posted. I found lots of advice, suggesting to purchase a full skirt for wintering in C-O-L-D locations. I do not - at this time - have the luxury of travelling south for winter...so...does anyone have a full skirt for your 5th wheel rig? Do you like it? Where'd you get it? Feedback, please. :confused::confused:

I'm looking at this company, http://rvskirting.com/ - they are about 200 miles south of me. Spring/Summer special at the moment - price goes up after July 4 - several hundred $$! They can come by here next Thurs or Fri, since they'll be passing thru - put the material on, make their measurements, marks, take notes - then remove it, go back to Denver, sew everything up, return in a week or two & install it. All for the summer special low, low price of $1700 :eek: for this 40+ footer. They have re-inforced corners and places where it fits tight against something, HD zippers on the front 5th wheel area so I can use it as storage and they seal up around all steps and around both sewer dump locations. Attached at the top every 12", staked down @ every 3' with PVC pipe in a pocket at the bottom to hold it down in between stakes. They give access to all storage bins underneath. Seems to seal up pretty good. He said total added weight is @ 100lbs, comes in storage and travel bags and one person can move and install.

I've seen several other places on the web that are cheaper, but you take your own measurements and they go by that and not near the custom fit. I do like the idea of them getting marks and measurements on my Cyclone themselves.

Reason is...I'm gonna have the Cyclone parked in Wyoming (see HOP) into the winter. Project was scheduled for completion Oct 1st...but...? Don't know how long I'll be here. Nov? Dec? In addition, in the next couple of weeks I will be wrapping my (already heated) 7 holding tanks, installing some more insulation above the plastic underbelly and heat tracing and insulating all pipes extruding from the underbelly, supply hose and drain hose. Place a heat source underneath near the piping, keep an electric heater, get a 250 Gal Propane tank from the nearest supplier and stay nice and cozy in the Cyclone...right!? :eek::D No, really...right!?

The insulation I will be adding under the bottom of the Cyclone is from Home Depot. It is a pink-colored 4'x8' sheet of some hard-pressed foam type stuff, 2" thick and adds another R-13 to the rig. $32/sheet. I can cut it to fit in between the frame I-beams, put the underbelly back up and it'll stay. A co-worker on this job did that last year and said his floor was 73 degrees when the outside temp hit 38 below! :eek: He never had anything freeze up on him. :cool:

I just am not going to wait until too late to get this thing winterized. Gonna do it while it is still warm. Any and all feedback is greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thanks, friends! :)

(PS. - I'll definitely post pics of the whole process!)
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Sounds like "HT"s Arctic Package" project in the making.

If you have low drain points, as LK found out, it's the Achilles heel of the coach in freezing temps. As a thought, if you never use them, eliminate them. Seriously. My understanding is that at least the Landmark's coming out today do not have them anymore.

My 2005 Landmark never had them either. I did have a power drain line off the fresh water system but there was no valve turn at the end of it as it didn't have water in it until I purged the system. Point being that with true low drain points on the coach that have the valves on the end, there is water present there all the time as they are T'd into the system.

Have fun HT. It is going to be a ton of work but you are going to end up with one tight and warm rig.

Jim
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Jim B.

You live in the cold of cold in Streamwood, Il...............the temperature here in Henderson, NV is supposed to drop well below 115 deg from yesterday to 110 deg today.............should I start winterizing to be safe? :D:D:D:D

Forrest
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Funny guy Forrest. Just make sure we have perfect weather for a Las Vegas Christmas. Something seems real wrong with that but we want to go someplace warm for a few days :)
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Funny guy Forrest. Just make sure we have perfect weather for a Las Vegas Christmas. Something seems real wrong with that but we want to go someplace warm for a few days :)

Jim B.

I placed your Las Vegas Christmas vacation weather order for clear sunny skies, high 69, low 47, winds light and variable SSW @ 5, relative humidity @ 15%. If this is not satisfactory, let me know and I'll resubmit. I didn't want you to get chilled....................;)
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNV0049

Forrest
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
Phase 1

Forrest, you better get your winterizing done...don't want to put it off til the last minute. You might get down to 65 before you know it! :D

HT's Arctic Package has begun! Got the skirt installed today! :cool: Bought the insulation sheets for the bottom of the Cyclone last weekend; plan to install it this weekend. Winter's coming! :eek: :)
 

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crazybanshee

Well-known member
Looks great. Should keep it alot warmer. Noticed you have a second awning. Was that factory installed or aftermarket? Thanks doug
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
Doug, I had the dealers install the rear awning before I picked up my Cyclone - along with tank heaters.

Jim, definitely PVC and heat tracing in the near future! I brought some heat trace cable with me from back home - which was scrap from a project > rated for gas plants and other hazardous locations, cost (the company) $9/ft. :eek: Got some 8 and some 5 watts/ft. I then purchased some of the boxes to terminate the cable in, including several of the end terminations with red LED lights so I know power is on and making it to the end of the cable! :cool: I'll be installing some of the heat trace when I do the sheet insulation this weekend! Thanks for the link!

I'll keep updating the thread as things progress! I'm just afraid, that if he doesn't get started soon - Forrest is going to allow everything to freeze up before you get out there Christmas - if it really gets down in the 60s! :D:D
 

rvv

Member
Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam!

HT, Be sure to mark the "high snow mark" somewhere on your rig! Some spot on the front cap will probably be high enough. Or one of the A/C units. I'm sure that by the time the Goshen Rally rolls around you'll be able to look back and laugh about it. One somewhat serious question; do you think you need to anchor the RV someway? I make these comments with absolutely no knowledge of what the weather is like there. Calm, sunny and a low of 65 I suppose. Good luck and keep us posted. rvv (one of the "redheaded step children.") I LOVE MY CYCLONE! :)

PS Maybe you should post your lot No. so we'll know where to start digging in the Spring! :D
 

htneighbors

Unbelievably Blessed!
I'm sure that by the time the Goshen Rally rolls around you'll be able to look back and laugh about it. :D

Lance, my red-headed step-brother...I can only hope so at this time! :eek: Having never been here - much less through a winter - all I can do is make like a boy scout...Be Prepared! I am (and I'm not) looking forward to it! :confused: Love your idea about the high snow marks! Think I'll stick with my camera, tho! Lots not numbered, yet - only their 2nd season since opening! I may be the only one left by that time anyway. :D They planned on closing the park for the season on Oct 1, but since they live in a stick & brick, on property - she said they'd let me stay however long my job lasts here!
 

truknutt

Committed Member
Alright you two!

We don't want any inaccurate reporting so I have taken the liberty of attaching a link to the official NOAA Snow Measurement Guidelines!!

Isn't it sad that the U.S. Government actually paid someone to write these and then review them for inaccuracies?!!!

How many would be out of work if we just used this simple tool.....?

p_snowgauge.jpg
 

Luckyhat12

Active Member
HT I like what you did with the skirt.

I have been putting insulation in my underbelly this weekend and this week and I saw a bunch of things that I would have liked to do differently but I didn't build it. I can only make it better with what I have.

Did you insulate the front cap area with the foam insulation? If so, how?

I saw a bunch of places on the frame that I am going to seal up with spray foam to keep the drafts out but other than that I will just have the insulation down there. I won't have a skirt because I will be moving a few times this winter. Not heading North like you are but I will be back and forth across the South.
 

Forrest Fetherolf

Senior Member
Funny guy Forrest. Just make sure we have perfect weather for a Las Vegas Christmas. Something seems real wrong with that but we want to go someplace warm for a few days :)

Jim B.

How am I doing for Christmas weather...........thought I'd run a test on my weather control skills.................this is today in bright, light, dry, hot, and always sunny Henderson, NV. Maggie sends her regards and Bebe isn't about to cruise the yard under these conditions. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Now all I need to do is figure out how to turn the snow off.

Forrest
 

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Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Hey Forrest, noth'n better 'en snow on the cactus! It kind of puts things in perspective. It has been raining on this side of the hill off and on for three days. We had a light dusting of snow this morning at the house and rain all day down here. The high for the day has been 45, bitter cold! You had better git to it to warm things up for Xmas! We need the water here, as do you, so let 'er rip! I guess this is what winter is for......................Although, last week we had temps in the 80's and it wasn't so bad............

Just another thought, if we get a good freeze we will lose a whole ********(bunch) of oranges, limes, lemons,tangerines, cumquats and guacamole berries.......................
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Forest,

Bebe doesn't know what she is missing. Emme and Ruby had to venture out in snow up their backs. Yep, up to the undercarriage and then some. But they are Chicago dogs :)

Maggie seems puzzled :confused:

That all said, this just won't do for Christmas. I can stay home for a white one. Please turn on the outdoor heaters and restore order - to say, about 70* by 12/24 - or my plane may not land :eek:

Jim
 
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