Winter chill November 27, 2007, 06:50:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86398We still like to go places in the winter and don't want to totally winterize Gracie. We can keep her plugged in with a small electric heater on the lowest setting. What temperatures would you all feel would require the heater or any other 'winterizing' like draining and blowing out pipes and even the RV antifreeze. We usually have colder temps in the mid to high 20s at night and high day temps in the mid 50s to mid 60s. Only every 10 years or so do we really get down in the teens at night. Thanks for the advice, Denise and Garth
Re: Winter chill Reply #1 – November 27, 2007, 07:14:05 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86399DeniseYou sound so excited, boy do I remember that feeling!We've been here at Bosque del Apache for a week with temperatures down into the low 20s at night and up to about 50 during the day (sometimes warmer). We have a small tower fan with a thermostat, we've been keeping it at 50 at night and so far no freezing. We do have our dump valves wrapped with a temperature controlled (on at 32) heat tape and insulation, and we have them plugged in, so I assume thats helping a bit also.Does this info help at all?Katehttp://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096
Re: Winter chill Reply #2 – November 27, 2007, 07:45:40 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86400Hi Kate, That does help! And yes, we are both very excited! I think Gracie will get a lot of use! I remember now a thread about heating the tanks. Is that correct? And is that what you have? Or is it just the dump valves that have the heating tape? That sounds like something we need to check out. What should I google to find it? RV tank heating tape? I'll check it out. We have the 02 and sadly, the windows weren't double paned until 03, but I have the large foil lined window shades
Re: Winter chill Reply #3 – November 27, 2007, 08:51:38 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86405Denise Our tanks aren't heated, just the dump valves. We got heat tape like they use in raised beds for gardening (at WalMart) and wrapped them around the valves then covered it with insulated wrap. We do have a photo on the Cholulared website. As to the shower window, I have one side covered in a frosted contact film and the other side in a patterned bamboo film. With these, I don't have a problem not using a curtain on the window.As to the front door, we put the stained glass film from Home Depot on it, but for me, it was just too dark. Andy decided to try some sink mat material in Skylark, and while I liked the way it looked, I wanted more coverage than he did, so I used the same material he did, but ended up cutting it up to get full coverage on the window in the door. I like the privacy it affords, but we can still look out f we try really hard. I took several photos so you can see what it looks like at different times of the day. If you want to see it, here's a link http://www.cholulared.com/BalloonFiestaChanges/FrontDoorWindowMat.jpg Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096 .[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Winter chill Reply #4 – November 27, 2007, 09:02:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86406Very cool...when we get the doorbell/intercom...that's what I will do...the best solution I've seen posted/pictured so far...Tina P 2006 MB "Wild Thing" Currently in breezeless (albeit snowless) Lake Worth, FLKate Klein kate@...> wrote: ....As to the front door, we put the stained glass film from Home Depot on it, but for me, it was just too dark. Andy decided to try some sink mat material in Skylark... http://www.cholulared.com/BalloonFiestaChanges/FrontDoorWindowMat.jpgtopicGet easy, one-click access to your favorites. Make Yahoo! your homepage.[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Winter chill Reply #5 – November 27, 2007, 09:14:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86407Tina,You're correct, it works great in combination with the intercom.Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096
Re: Winter chill Reply #6 – November 28, 2007, 07:01:51 am Yahoo Message Number: 86426This is not LD-specific but I'm not sure that matters much. Here
Re: Winter chill Reply #7 – November 28, 2007, 10:11:15 am Yahoo Message Number: 86430Hi Gary, you can't argue with success. One thing I learned over and above your suggestions is to make sure there is no pressure on the water system which you probably considered. What we use to do at a mountain cabin was to shut off the water and open a valve for expansion and drain the water system if possible. Expansion is the key here. (Antifreeze in the drains is good.) The only draw back on leaving the faucet(s) open is the washer on the faucet may dry out from being open. Have fun.. John Leach, Prescott.
Winter chill Reply #8 – November 28, 2007, 10:40:25 am Yahoo Message Number: 86433This deals with the plumbing, not the coach interior. I am making a few assumptions from your post. If you are using an electric heater, I assume you have shore power. If that is the case, a stop at a plumbing supply house may be worthwhile. You can buy an insulated tape to wrap around plumbing fixtures in unheated spaces that is designed to prevent freezing and burst pipes in homes. I see no reason why it would not work for you. It runs off of 110 volts, so it needs shore power. If memory serves, it does not draw much power, and provides just enough heat to prevent freezing. Some sample prices - a 24' tape = $37, and a 6' tape = $31. You need to add pipe insulation to these numbers. You can get 30' of foam pipe insulation for $10. That should address the plumbing in the basement, except for the tanks. I have nothing to offer for the tank issues. Those plumbing lines come up out of the basement and into the coach. Just like in a house, a pipe in or against an exterior wall, inside a cabinet where room heat does not reach, can have a freezing problem. The simplest way to deal with this is, unless you are in a real hard freeze condition, simply open the cabinet doors so warmer room air can warm the exterior walls a bit. I hope this helps. KenHeat Tape Installation Guidelines http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_guide/heat_tape.htm>One Source for Heat Tape http://www.doityourself.com/icat/heattape>KenDenise and Garth wrote:QuoteWe still like to go places in the winter and don't want to totally winterize Gracie. We can keep her plugged in with a small electric heater on the lowest setting. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Winter chill Reply #9 – November 28, 2007, 11:29:05 am Yahoo Message Number: 86437"If you are using an electric heater, I assume you have shore power. If that is the case, a stop at a plumbing supply house may be worthwhile. You can buy an insulated tape to wrap around plumbing fixtures in unheated spaces that is designed to prevent freezing and burst pipes in homes "In every LD I have looked at, all of the fresh water lines are inside the heated interior, with the exception of the optional outside shower. Utilizing heating tape to eliminate using a heater or winterizing would require wrapping the fresh water lines, many of which are not easily accessible. A tank heater would also be needed for the fresh water tank. Holding tanks and dump valves should not be a problem if they are empty when in storage. Leave both valves slightly open. Adding antifreeze to the shower trap is always a good idea since it's difficult to blow out. The main problem I see in not winterizing and instead using electric heat, other than the cost of electricity, is the chance that something goes wrong with the heater or an unexpected power outage occurs, in freezing weather. One mistake could cost a lot of money to repair.In Denise's case, the temps are not low enough for long enough to warrant too much worry. We very occasionally get temps that low even here in SoCal and I have never heard of anyone having problems. Using an electric heater should be adequate.Larry
Re: Winter chill Reply #10 – November 28, 2007, 11:52:01 am Yahoo Message Number: 86439KenThat's pretty much what we used on the valves, but we got it at WalMart. We plug it in when we have hook ups and it looks like it's going to freeze. It works well so far.Kate http://cholulared.blogspot.com &http://www.cholulared.comWant to find us? Click below, we're #3096 http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=3096
Re: Winter chill Reply #11 – November 28, 2007, 06:43:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 86467On Nov 28, 2007, at 12:29, Larry W wrote:QuoteIn every LD I have looked at, all of the fresh water lines are inside the heated interior, with the exception of the optional outside shower. Utilizing heating tape to eliminate using a heater or winterizing would require wrapping the fresh water lines, many of which are not easily accessible. A tank heater would also be needed for the fresh water tank. The fresh water tank is also in the heated interior. I wouldn't think that would need any extra heat.-Dave
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