Help Question

[Glenda Clark]

Can bitterly cold Temps make the furnace/Air con
Control panel read false numbers ?

1st time this has happened. 10 degrees outside.
Furnace is ON , and it's heating , but the temp says 32
Control panel.

Same thing with panel that shows status of water ect.
Just filled water. But says empty.

Is it just the cold doing this ?

Help.

[ctbruce]

Is the thermostat on an inside or outside wall? Is it close to the door? What is the outside temp? Do you have another thermometer to compare the thermostat reading to?

If you have water in the FW tank and it's coming out with the pump I would worry about the sensor reading.

[Glenda Clark]

Thermo is inside by bathroom door.
10 degrees outside.
Water tank shows full now. Pump just hums. No water coming out faucet. Water must be froze.
Not sure why the furnace temp shows 32.

[ctbruce]

Where are set up at? It sounds like you have some freezing going on for sure. Be careful so you dont break a water line.

[Glenda Clark]

I am staying the winter at a friends house in the Valley.

Yes , my water is froze. Nothing comes out faucet.

Would putting a heat lamp or 2 under trailer help ? If yes , by what area?

[travelin texans]

Are talking Celsius or Fahrenheit? Your t stat may set to F or C causing the confusion.
Also that rv was never designed to be used in that cold of environment, not much insulation in the walls, roof or underneath, you'll most likely need some heat sources other than the onboard furnace to ever get it almost comfortable in those temps.
The FW tank is probably under the bed so a heat source there will be required to thaw that as well.

[Glenda Clark]

How do I change thermo from f to c and back to f ?

[Glenda Clark]

Fixed the F to C back to F.

Put small space heater in cargo hold to thaw things out.

Hope nothing is broke.😢

[NevadaRich]

Glenda, sorry, so cold, but I see you have a ultra lite, they have less insulation, then most, its going to take a lot of heat just to get it above 32d...

[Glenda Clark]

Will a small space heater work in Cargo hold work to thaw things out underneath. Or do I need to run a heat lamp under trailer by the water tank too , which is under the bed , I guess.

This Trailer is suppose to have the thermal package.
Guess that's useless in 8-10 degrees.

[NevadaRich]

That may help on the water tank, but its the water lines, if from the tank to where ever, is inside, then warming the inside will help, Do you have a water hose connected to the RV, if so remove it...Most RV's have to get around 50d inside for everything to work...

[NevadaRich]

Also, its a pain, but if the windows start to show water dripping, you have to open the windows to get some air moving around, unless you have an Humidifier.

[notanlines]

I’m afraid my news is no better than the others. That RV was never designed for those temps much less those to come in February.

[Glenda Clark]

This is a weather fluke coming out of Canada.

No water dripping from windows (yet).

Water is not connected to a source.

I'm keeping the temp inside about 75, right now.

[NevadaRich]

Glenda, 75, your water lines should be good, as to the gauges, they are always off, so if the heater and water is running, don't worry about the gauges till after winter, then have them checked. Enjoy the winter, Nev. is in the 20's also

[Glenda Clark]

Water is Not running. The pump hums when I turn it on. So I shut it off fast.
Mini space heater in cargo hold to try to warm that area up.
It's still 25 degrees and it's dark before 5 pm.

I think I'm froze.
Should I just keep the trailer extra warm inside ?

Don't know what else to do. I have No one to help me.

[JRTJH]

The water lines run inside cupboards, usually close to the exterior walls and/or under the floor in a "barely heated area"....

Turn the furnace on, use additional electric heaters (within the shore power capacity) and open all the cupboard doors, raise the bed platform so heat gets under the bed and close to the water tank. If your holding tanks are exposed, dump them and leave the valves open until they drain completely (don't close them on any ice chunks, that might cut the rubber seals).

Realize that you won't be able to stay in that trailer (and use the systems) in those temperatures. At best, all you can do is use it as a "tent like structure" with no facilities. Winterize as soon as you can, if possible, drag the trailer indoors to a heated area and let it thaw, then winterize. If not, expect some potentially serious damage to be uncovered in the spring. I don't think it's possible to protect a "not winterized" Hideout in sub zero temperatures without damage, even with the furnace running wide open....

[Glenda Clark]

The mini space heater in the cargo hold , which is by the fresh water tank thawed me out. I put a heat lamp under the back of the trailer (outside) where the water drains are , thawed that out. Water is running now (thank gawd)
Sink and bathroom cubboards are open.
Will have to just keep mini heater in cargo hold where the fw tank is under the bed. I raised the bed , it's nice and warm under there.
Guess I'll have to do this all winter. ( till mid April) as I have to live in trailer till then.

Question》 what are your thoughts on putting straw bales around it ?
I'd have to tarp them to keep them dry.
But , it can draw mice.��

OR, is what I did today going to be adaquate to keep me from freezing.
Keeping heat all over ?

[notanlines]

Straw bales would be a good idea if they were snug against the bottom of the rv all the way around.

[Glenda Clark]

Great thankyou. Hopefully the feed store has some.

Everything is working great now. Just got too cold last night.

[Firewall]

Please make sure your smoke detector is working properly. Be careful with the space heaters, keep them a safe distance from any combustibles.

Above all stay safe (and warm) :)

[JRTJH]

As for straw or hay bales, they will attract mice, but more important, they will hold moisture and increase the chances of mold under the trailer. If I were you, I'd get some 1/2" sheets of rigid foam (the pink stuff from Lowes) and cut it to fit against the underside of the J-wrap (aluminum bottom fender) and either lay a 2x4 on the ground to tack the bottom to hold it in place or use stakes to secure it to the ground. Leave a small opening (3"x3") on each end of the trailer to help get some ventilation under the trailer. If you want, hinge the two cutouts so you can close them on especially cold nights and open them when it warms up. You might consider a 75 watt incandescent bulb on a drop light under the trailer, hanging under the holding tanks.

As for the front pass through, if the access doors are insulated, a drop light there should be enough to keep the water tank from freezing.

I'd seriously rethink the hay bales. They will "work to block wind" but the cons outweigh the pros and rigid foam (the pink stuff) is likely to be cheaper or so close to the same price that it wouldn't make much difference in price. Plus, if you do use hay bales, be extra super overly cautious about putting any heat under the trailer.

[Glenda Clark]

Will nix the straw bales. I think what I've done so far should be working ok. Yes I have a smoke detector and it works fine.
Will see what I can do about the foam. And go from there.
It's suppose to snow by sunday. So I may have another host of issues.

Thank you for all the post replies.

[travelin texans]

If you could just use the foam on the windward side it would help greatly.

[JRTJH]

With the snow coming, if you can get the foam "propped up around the trailer" before the snow falls, it will provide a "seal around the bottom" to help hold it in place. With the size of your trailer, it likely wouldn't take much more than 5 or 6 sheets of foam to do the entire trailer. If you need to do it in stages, then I agree with Danny, do the "windward side" first and try to include the front/back of the trailer with that side if possible.

[Glenda Clark]

I bought the foam , have a guy coming out Sunday morning at 8 am to skirt it.
And it's suppose to start snowing like the devil on sunday.

I'll get this done , one way or another.

Thank you for the advice, greatly appreciated .

[SummitPond]

Glenda

We have the same model as you. We have infiltration through the laundry chute from the pass through. Unless your pass through hatch doors seal better than ours, you might consider something (foam caulking?) to minimize that. We camped in 28 degree weather with the furnace going full blast to keep the underbelly somewhat heated, but nothing like what you are going through. We also disconnected the water hose to prevent it from freezing. Good luck and stay safe.

[Glenda Clark]

Had an Rv. Repair guy come out , he said put 2 heat lamps underneath , I did , and it will be skirted Sunday morning.

[JRTJH]

If you have any of that foam left over, consider putting some under the mattress (over the pass through) to help insulate that area. Also, put a strip at the head of the bed, where the mattress butts up against the front wall. That will stop almost all condensation between the mattress and the trailer wall. Do the same for the dinette and any cushions that butt up against the trailer side walls. If you don't have any left over foam, then pull the cushions about an inch or so away from the sidewalls and pull the mattress down about 2 or 3 inches so you get some air circulation in those areas. That will prevent condensation and mold growth in those areas

Consider some of the "shrink wrap" storm windows on the larger windows in the trailer. Single pane windows have an R value of "0" which means all they do is stop the wind, but they don't help retain any heat. The "shrink wrap" storm windows will make a difference in the amount of propane you use, but sitting next to one of the windows, with the storm in place, you'll notice a significant difference in how cold it feels.... Also, check the slide seals. If there are air leaks, you can use "foam pipe insulation" to seal the slide top and sides. Pull the slide in slightly, tuck a 3/4" soft foam pipe insulation (the gray stuff from Lowe's) behind the slide flanges and then extend the slide. It's sort of like putting a rolled up towel at the foot of a door to stop air leaks...

Any other questions, just ask and good luck staying warm !!!!!

[Glenda Clark]

The condensation was coming from under the front frame in back of the 2 propane tanks. I think it was from the cold snap that came out of Canada.
Plus I had placed my mini space heater in there to keep it warm in there.
Repairman said remove it. And get heat under trailer.

It's warmed up , but is suppose to snow by sunday.
I am having it skirted Sunday morning at 8 am.

The Rv. Repairman showed me where to place the 2 heat lamps ,and I did so underneath the trailer.

Hopefully I solved my problem.

Never any problem with mold formation. (yet)

I can buy some small pieces of pink foam and put it "INSIDE" to block cold from coming in from the slide out windows.
Right now I have small towels clamped on over them to keep heat in.

I think I solved my problems for now.

[Wingerdinger]

I live in Minnesota, and used a Travel trailer as a cabin of sorts in the winter for winter recreation. My use was weekend, no facilities, my unit was 'winterized' for water and storage tank use. I found that insulating the windows helped immensely to heat it, and cover the roof vents. I used the shrinking window treatment that you shrink with a hair dryer, it worked well. Also, a pillow stuffed in the roof vent enclosure. We peed in a bucket with a bag in it, and threw it out in the cold to freeze. We carried in water.
I'm not saying that you have to go to that extreme, at least for very long, but,
If you expect temperatures to stay below freezing during the day, you should consider winterizing your unit til the temps get warmer, and rough it a little. A few gallons of RV anti-freeze is far cheaper than replacing pipes and valves.
Sorry to hear your having trouble.. Mother Nature is being a b**ch this year.

[Glenda Clark]

I think all my problems are solved. 2 heat lamps under trailer
Where the Rv. Repairman said to place them.
Trailer being fully skirted tomorrow morning. Will put foam inside the slide out windows. Right now I have 3 bath towel's clamped on to the top curtain rods. That's helping alot. I'll double check the slide out rubber seals. Sorry if that's the wrong word term.
I think I'm making headway.

[BadmanRick]

Your Premier has a sealed undercarriage. If you have the cold weather option your furnace will hear the undercarriage. But you have to have it on prior to the freeze.

[Glenda Clark]

Problems solved. Thankfully. 2 heat lamps under the trailer.
Front and back. No broken pipes.
Trailer is skirted , and has black plastic taped over skirting.
So I am good to go.

I am going through propane pretty quickly. 2 Tanks every 4-5 days.
I am sure that is normal in cold weather. Above freezing today 12/13 . Trace amount of snow is melting fast.

Thank you to everyone for all the advice and suggestions. Greatly appreciated.

[geo]

Problems solved. Thankfully. 2 heat lamps under the trailer.
Front and back. No broken pipes.
Trailer is skirted , and has black plastic taped over skirting.
So I am good to go.

I am going through propane pretty quickly. 2 Tanks every 4-5 days.
I am sure that is normal in cold weather. Above freezing today 12/13 . Trace amount of snow is melting fast.

Thank you to everyone for all the advice and suggestions. Greatly appreciated.

You might talk to the local propane company about a 300# tank and hookup to the regulator. Many long-term RVers do this arrangement and, besides, the propane truck comes to you to fill!

Just my two cents,
Ron

[Glenda Clark]

Great idea. Thanks for suggestion. I think there is one locally I could call.

[n1282x]

Is there any way that you can hook onto that trailer and head south? It was 71 degrees in Phoenix today... jeff

[Glenda Clark]

Money is the object Jeff. Wish I could though.