How Cold Can You Go

[JanAndBill]

Leaving tomorrow to head north to southern Missouri. Weather forecast for the coming week has been showing a range of lows from 19 to 26 degrees. We've been encountered lows of 25 before with no problems inside. Just unhooked and drained the water hose during the night, but I'm a little worried about dropping much below that. Any comments or precautions that anyone might recommend. We planned on using an electric heater and the fireplace to conserve on gas, but then the furnace doesn't run, and no heat goes in the underbelly duct. I have a clamp on reflector/light that I plan on leaving on in the basement during the night.

 

[westxsrt10]

We are headed out tomorrow and the temps are in the teens here. A few years ago I modded the heating system to allow the furnace fan to run with an electric heater. (no gas) I added a switch and an inline power thermostat.

 

[JanAndBill]

Nice set up, however, my return vent is up high above a cabinet and not a good location to set a heater.

 

[westxsrt10]

Nice set up, however, my return vent is up high above a cabinet and not a good location to set a heater.

Having the return vent higher is even better......heat rises. Placement of the heater doses not have to be near the return vent. I have earlier posts explaining "how to" and where to buy the parts.

 

[kakampers]

We experienced temps close to zero in our Bighorn...never had an issue. Make sure your furnace cycles during the night to keep the belly warm by keeping the electric heat dialed back.

 

[hoefler]

We wintered in our Landmark last winter while building the new house. We experienced a low of 17* with highs in the mid 20*. Never turned on the gas furnace. Used 2 of the oil filled radiator type heaters, a ceramic heater on a heavy duty thermostat in the basement, and the heat strips in the A/C. The A/C help circulate the warm air into the bedroom. Left the water running at a trickle, and never froze.

 

[wdk450]

I have noted that my Bighorn has very poor sealing at the bottom of the kitchen slide. In fact there is none on the inside, and with outside rain seal problems I have seen sunlight streaming in under the slide. Has anyone addressed this for heating/cooling issues? All of the other slides have a carpet overlap to do something about sealing out the outside cold/heat with inside foam seals on the other 3 faces of the inside slide.
I bought some 2 inch square sponge foam stock at Walmart in a kit to seal up window air conditioners. I had to buy 3 kits to get enough foam. This cost about $10. I have stuffed this under the front lip of the kitchen slide to seal it up, but will have to take it out and put it back in each time I move the rig.

 

[whp4262]

I had a Layton 5th wheel several years ago that was not insulated near as well as the new campers are. I went through winter in Wichita, KS living in the trailer when I first went to work for Cessna. I used heat tape on the water line going into the trailer but other than that I didn't do anything but keep the heat on. I left the gray water valve open and would dump the black water when needed. Didn't have any issues with them freezing up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jmgratz]

I have noted that my Bighorn has very poor sealing at the bottom of the kitchen slide. In fact there is none on the inside, and with outside rain seal problems I have seen sunlight streaming in under the slide. Has anyone addressed this for heating/cooling issues? All of the other slides have a carpet overlap to do something about sealing out the outside cold/heat with inside foam seals on the other 3 faces of the inside slide.
I bought some 2 inch square sponge foam stock at Walmart in a kit to seal up window air conditioners. I had to buy 3 kits to get enough foam. This cost about $10. I have stuffed this under the front lip of the kitchen slide to seal it up, but will have to take it out and put it back in each time I move the rig.

Maybe you need to adjust the slide so it will seal properly. Just a thought.

 

[JanAndBill]

Well we are committed now, low predicted to be down to 19 tonight. It's 43 outside now with a cold north wind. Quite a change from yesterday's balmy 65. Have a reflector with a light bulb on in the basement, furnace on, and will disconect the water tonight before we go to bed.

 

[dfk009]

You will do just fine. Heading for Cape Girardeau?

 

[jmgratz]

Keep in mind it is not just how low the temperature goes but how long it stays below freezing.

 

[JanAndBill]

You will do just fine. Heading for Cape Girardeau?

Yes we are. Spending the next week there, and I reeeaaalllly hope it warms up. We don't do cold well anymore.

 

[Phatkd]

Yes we are. Spending the next week there, and I reeeaaalllly hope it warms up. We don't do cold well anymore.

Winter camping we have stayed in our Bighorn in -26c = -14.8f. Didn't have a single issue. Yeti package, dual pane windows and heater worked as they were intended to.

Give'r!

 

[JanAndBill]

We wanted the Yeti package and dual pane windows, but the only way to get them down here was to order it. Unfortunately we settled for a unit off the lot without. So far it hasn't been a serious problem, but definately would have been better with. 15 degrees was the low last night and so far no problems. Unhooked the water, and have a reflector light in the basement. Left the fireplace on low, and an electric heater in the bedroom on low. Furnace cycled on and off throughout the night. We stayed pretty warm but the floors remained chilly. If it looks like we will be doing much more cold weather camping, I think I'll look at pulling the bottom and putting in more insulation under the floor. Maybe look at some type of additional heat in the basement.

 

[mayflower]

I have noted that my Bighorn has very poor sealing at the bottom of the kitchen slide. In fact there is none on the inside, and with outside rain seal problems I have seen sunlight streaming in under the slide. Has anyone addressed this for heating/cooling issues? All of the other slides have a carpet overlap to do something about sealing out the outside cold/heat with inside foam seals on the other 3 faces of the inside slide.
I bought some 2 inch square sponge foam stock at Walmart in a kit to seal up window air conditioners. I had to buy 3 kits to get enough foam. This cost about $10. I have stuffed this under the front lip of the kitchen slide to seal it up, but will have to take it out and put it back in each time I move the rig.

We have the same problem regarding the kitchen slide on our new Bighorn. Have you found a more permanent way of remedying this? We have just a small spot right under the refrigerator where we see daylight. Any suggestions?

 

[hoefler]

We have the same problem regarding the kitchen slide on our new Bighorn. Have you found a more permanent way of remedying this? We have just a small spot right under the refrigerator where we see daylight. Any suggestions?

Under the slide on the outside, there is a single lip seal that is screwed in with a metal strip. I have taken it loose and repositioned it to seal properly. Then inside, I use foam pipe insulation stuffed under the edge of the slide, this stops the drafts. Also, we found that if you leave your day/night shades pulled, it stays warmer inside as well ( we have the single pane windows ).

 

[ParkIt]

We wanted the Yeti package and dual pane windows, but the only way to get them down here was to order it. Unfortunately we settled for a unit off the lot without. So far it hasn't been a serious problem, but definately would have been better with. 15 degrees was the low last night and so far no problems. Unhooked the water, and have a reflector light in the basement. Left the fireplace on low, and an electric heater in the bedroom on low. Furnace cycled on and off throughout the night. We stayed pretty warm but the floors remained chilly. If it looks like we will be doing much more cold weather camping, I think I'll look at pulling the bottom and putting in more insulation under the floor. Maybe look at some type of additional heat in the basement.

The basement only goes back so far then its out of range so to speak for underbelly heating. After putting insulation under the floor up to the axles (it was too cold to go all the way to the back), the floors aren't cold and the inside temps are almost 15>º more than before. The house furnace is set at 50 and hasn't kicked on yet, just a small electric safety heater behind the UDC, the fireplace and the sealed oil type heater in the bedroom. The draw is minimal overall but its so much warmer, we are going to finish putting insulation to the back when it warms up a little more. I'm hoping that will also cut down on cooling during summer since I have a full times space where it tends to stay in the 90's to triples the entire month of July and into August.

 

[tljack]

My wife and I have just passed 4 months of being on the road in our 2014 3570RT. We have traveled through MT, WY,NE,KS,OK and are now in Tyler Texas. The coldest we have experienced so far is 12 deg, F. We have single pane windows and purchased a product to act similar to thermo pane. We have not installed it as we do not notice any significant cold from them. Our last trailer was a HL Roadwarrior. The cold poured off them at 40 deg F! We also are using half the propane. We augment the heat with the fireplace and a Stanley heater. It is the typical 750w - 1500. It works terrific as it has a squirrel cage blower. Puts out as much heat as the fireplace
I do have heat tape and insulation on our water hose. We are not experiencing any drafts and have been very comfortable.We do make sure we do not use the electric heaters so much that our furnace does not cycle regularly.

 

[tunakiller65]

22 below zero here in Bozeman, MT with 40+ mph wind. Kitchen water frozen. Propane tanks will not work without electric blankets wrapped around to keep warm. I have 750/1500 watt electric heater in underbelly with access panel removed for better airflow. Being new fultimer, I am having a custom canvas skirt made for my rig to completely wrap lower. This extreme cold necessitates leaving water running inbathroom sink even with Petit electric water hose. I'm just hoping the frozen lines wont split or burst. Definitely need to insulate floor under living room/kitchen more.