Trailer on Blocks, Wheels Stored for the Winter

[slman]

Due to life events, and some health issues added to the mix. I won't be using my trailer for a year.
So,---for the coming cold Winter:
My son helped jack the trailer up and we removed all 4 wheels/ tires, and he put them in an insulated carpeted storage cabin. The high pressure was reduced to about 10 lbs, and then put in large plastic storage bags. ( like the ones our studded tires or vise-vers, go into.
We get down to 10* cold degrees, and I cringed thinking of the 2 year old tires sitting in one spot for a year.
Why store them for a year pressured up?

Of course, I consider myself lucky to have 'off to the side' hidden RV parking to do this.
Over Kill?

[chuckster57]

Over kill? Nah, you did fully winterize?

[slman]

Yep, pumped the RV pink A.F. through the whole system. I'm thinking of leaving a small heater inside set at 50*.
By the way, my propane tanks are both 1/2 full. But what I call the 'switch' valve always shows the RED bar. And, I have no heat being produced by the furnace.
Bad switch valve?
Thank You for you're knowledge and reply.
SL

[flybouy]

Curious why you store the tires in a plastic bag. I'd be concerned about condensation. Don't store the tires "standing up". A tire rack for storage distributes the weight and typically long term storage it's recommended to rotate in the tire in the stand periodically.

I would store them "flat" i.e. the tire lying on the sidewall and under full pressure. Bit I'm "old school" so that doesn't make me correct.:banghead:

[JRTJH]

Just a comment about running a heater in a camper that's stored and not regularly opened up: The heater will "warm the air allowing it to hold more moisture. As that air cools (on the other end of the trailer) that moisture will condense on the cooler sidewalls, behind mattresses and cushions and on windows. I'd suggest that a "even, unchanging temperature" is better for a trailer that's in storage and not being accessed regularly.

Besides, one of the most common "fire starters" in "unoccupied and unmonitored areas" is electric space heaters. Whether it's a mouse that drags a paper towel to "nest in the warm heater" or "bad luck that caused a short" space heaters are not a good idea in an unmonitored, unwatched space.

Even if you "know there's no mice" in the trailer, you won't be able to control the humidity and air flow from warm spaces to cold spaces...

[slman]

Thanks, no heater then. I wonder how the Electronics Fare in the 20* cold for months at a time? Esp. thanks for the info. on laying the tires in the cabin on there side.
I also have 4 Dry-Z Air pots pulling humidity out of the air.

[flybouy]

Thanks, no heater then. I wonder how the Electronics Fare in the 20* cold for months at a time? Esp. thanks for the info. on laying the tires in the cabin on there side.
I also have 4 Dry-Z Air pots pulling humidity out of the air.

I'm with Chuck on not leaving it with the heater on. Would you leave the house with a clothes iron plugged in and on, or the coffee pot on, or the oven on?

The electronics will be fine as long as you don't try to operate them that cold. The dealers don't pull the electronics out, the ship containers, train cars and truck trailers that deliver these devices aren't heated either. Neither is the car/truck with the in dash touch screens heated until you get in and start it.

By definition condensation is the water accumulation created when a warmer, water saturated air contacts a cold surface. The air becomes colder, more dense and thus cannot hold as much moisture so the water condense out on the cold surface. This is why the air conditioner drips water when it's running.

The best way to avoid condensation is to not have a temperature differential between the two objects, i.e. the inside surface of a window is the same as the outside surface. Air circulation is necessary in a closed space to "mix" the air that may be subjected to temperature increases (like solar gain from windows or roofs/walls, and moisture gains from water sources such as sinks, showers, drains, etc.

The Damprid is a good idea but it should be periodically monitored/drained.

[sourdough]

I agree totally with no heater. It could do far more damage than any benefit it will give IMO. As far as the electronics, I'm sure the thousands (millions?) of RVs parked across the country at RV dealerships don't have the inside heated during winter. They should be just fine.

[slman]

Thanks All for mindful explanations. Still as a senior,---willing to listen and learn.

[JRTJH]

Thanks, no heater then. I wonder how the Electronics Fare in the 20* cold for months at a time? Esp. thanks for the info. on laying the tires in the cabin on there side.
I also have 4 Dry-Z Air pots pulling humidity out of the air.

Our Cougar is stored in an unheated pole barn, all the electronics remain in the trailer. Temps regularly fall below -20F for weeks on end with some swings in the fall/spring that go from 0F to 60F and back to 0F in 24 hours. We've never had any problems with electronics failure...

One thing to remember, DO NOT turn on the TV or refrigerator when it's below freezing. Allow them to warm to "above 40F" for about 24 hours before using them. That includes leaving them plugged in and applying shore power. There are "quick start circuits" in the TV that need to be above 40F to prevent damage upon "power up"... So, even with the appliances turned OFF, there is power to some circuits that can be damaged by "super cold temperatures"....

What I do if we're leaving for warmer areas and it's "super cold" is plug in a space heater for 12-24 hours, then install the batteries, turn on the furnace, and allow the trailer to warm for a day. Then, after things have "stabilized for a couple of days" I start plugging in and turning on the TV's, refrigerator, microwave, etc. So far, in 6 years with this trailer and 3 with the previous trailer, I haven't lost any appliances to "unknown failure"...

[travelin texans]

Besides the condensation issue, with it heated makes it's like a vacancy sign for critters to spend the winter.
Which brings up that adding packets of Fresh Cab in drawers, under cabinets & in storage compartments will help keep unwelcome guests out.

[chuckster57]

If the auto switchover on the regulator is in “the middle”, I think it draws from both tanks. It’s designed to be set to one side or the other.

With both tanks open, it will show green as long as the cylinder it’s pointed to has propane. Once that one is empty it will automatically start drawing from the other tank and turn red.

You then turn the indicator to the full tank, take the tank the empty tank off, refill it. Put it back on and open the valve.

[LHaven]

If the auto switchover on the regulator is in “the middle”, I think it draws from both tanks. It’s designed to be set to one side or the other.

With both tanks open, it will show green as long as the cylinder it’s pointed to has propane. Once that one is empty it will automatically start drawing from the other tank and turn red.

You then turn the indicator to the full tank, take the tank the empty tank off, refill it. Put it back on and open the valve.

When I started out RVing, I assumed that if the regulator was pointing towards the left tank, I could unscrew the right tank and bring it in for a fillup. What I discovered is that when I unscrewed the right tank, the left tank blew propane out that hose. So I never again tried to unscrew a tank without the other tank being valved off. How are regulators supposed to work in that situation?

[sourdough]

When I started out RVing, I assumed that if the regulator was pointing towards the left tank, I could unscrew the right tank and bring it in for a fillup. What I discovered is that when I unscrewed the right tank, the left tank blew propane out that hose. So I never again tried to unscrew a tank without the other tank being valved off. How are regulators supposed to work in that situation?


I keep my regulator arrow pointed to one tank or the other. When the one it points at turns red I slowly turn the indicator to the other tank, turn off the valve to the empty tank, disconnect the hose and take it in for refill. I've never (in modern times) had the other tank flow back thru the regulator. On the other hand, I am now on my 3rd regulator in a little over 5 years so......

[5J's]

Referring to the electronics no worries with the cold. Heat on the other hand is detrimental to electronics.

[flybouy]

I keep my regulator arrow pointed to one tank or the other. When the one it points at turns red I slowly turn the indicator to the other tank, turn off the valve to the empty tank, disconnect the hose and take it in for refill. I've never (in modern times) had the other tank flow back thru the regulator. On the other hand, I am now on my 3rd regulator in a little over 5 years so......

From my experiences it should work as described. If not I can only think of three scenarios.

Operator error
Defective device
A setup that was not intended for the use (someone replaced with the wrong setup or altered the setup)

The whole idea behind the "auto changeover regulator" is to prevent the trailer from running out of propane while allowing the user to have the empty tank filled without interruption of the gas delivery.

[sonofcy]

Thanks, no heater then. I wonder how the Electronics Fare in the 20* cold for months at a time? Esp. thanks for the info. on laying the tires in the cabin on there side.
I also have 4 Dry-Z Air pots pulling humidity out of the air.

Is somebody monitoring the Dry-Z pots? If not they will overflow and create a big mess.

[tonysr]

Due to life events, and some health issues added to the mix. I won't be using my trailer for a year.
So,---for the coming cold Winter:
My son helped jack the trailer up and we removed all 4 wheels/ tires, and he put them in an insulated carpeted storage cabin. The high pressure was reduced to about 10 lbs, and then put in large plastic storage bags. ( like the ones our studded tires or vise-vers, go into.
We get down to 10* cold degrees, and I cringed thinking of the 2 year old tires sitting in one spot for a year.
Why store them for a year pressured up?

Of course, I consider myself lucky to have 'off to the side' hidden RV parking to do this.
Over Kill?
I store my trailer by my house and leave the tires on it. I have 1970's GM 3/4 ton pickup truck jacks that I got from a junkyard that I put on the axles where the spring bolts are (that is where the spindle is in it and the strongest part) and jack them up enough so that the tires have 1 inch clearance off the cement pad. I also leave them fully aired and then put tire covers on them. Once a month I rotate them so that there won't be much rust on the brake drums for the brake shoes to drag on. I've done this since my first trailer in 1972 and never an issue with the tires or axles. I also put the stabilizer jacks down for extra stability in strong winds.

[Jerry S]

Is somebody monitoring the Dry-Z pots? If not they will overflow and create a big mess.

In my experience I do not find it true that they will overflow. The crystal container part is made just the right size that when all of the calcium Chloride crystals are used up the moister basin is not full. I think they are designed that way. I use them in my airplane and my 5er.

[Modifier]

Your question was "overkill?" the answer is yes. RV's are tough, forget the heat and you will not have any condensation. Your biggest worry for long term storage is varmints. Rodents of all kinds rats, mice, squirrels and insects wasps and all of there cousins. Cold weather will not bother you electronics but mice love to build nest in all sorts of electronic devices

[sonofcy]

In my experience I do not find it true that they will overflow. The crystal container part is made just the right size that when all of the calcium Chloride crystals are used up the moister basin is not full. I think they are designed that way. I use them in my airplane and my 5er.

It sounds like somebody makes a pot the right size, but the OP will need to know he is getting that version, most I have seen the pot was much too small and would overflow. The real point is you do not need anything to 'dry' up the RV, just let it follow the ambient conditions. Any major difference either way in temperature or moisture will have the potential for adverse effects on the RV. Do you think the factory or dealer is doing anything to keep the RV heated or dehumidified during the often several years they are on the lot?

[KeystoneKal]

I’ve had a Travel Trailer parked over winter at a seasonal campsite for over twenty years. The campground winterizes it. The tires on the trailer sit on wooden boards to keep them from contact with the ground. The heat and electricity are off. It has been exposed to the weather extremes of northeastern Ohio winters. When the season starts in the spring everything works. We do have mice that overwinter at times despite trying a number of anti rodent chemicals. Because we do not pull the trailer off the seasonal site I can’t speak for how towable the unit is after sitting outside for a number of years.

[judia]

We live in Vermont and this is our fifth winter storing two different TTs. We store with the tires on boards and tire covers. We do have a cover for our air conditioner, which was recommended by our dealer. We leave all electronics in the camper. We bring both batteries inside to the basement on a tender. We also leave both roof vents open about an inch and a couple of Damp-Rid tubs inside. Never a problem with moisture in spite of below freezing temps and extreme temperature fluctuations outside. The Damp Rid tubs usually have about half an inch of liquid come spring, if that. No problems with electronics or anything else.

[Frank G]

Yep, pumped the RV pink A.F. through the whole system. I'm thinking of leaving a small heater inside set at 50*.
By the way, my propane tanks are both 1/2 full. But what I call the 'switch' valve always shows the RED bar. And, I have no heat being produced by the furnace.
Bad switch valve?
Thank You for you're knowledge and reply.
SL

If you have any doubts about the reliability of your propane valve, change it out. My original valve would not empty a tank before switching over. I purchased a Marshell Excelsior MEGR 253H 2 stage unit and it works perfectly.

You would get along with my BIL, He jacks his up and deflates the tires. Once a week he gives them a spin. Oh yea, his shop is heated from the outside wood fired boiler.

[Roscommon48]

most rvers don't really use their rvs for at least 7 to 9 month a year so I won't worry about anything except the batteries and winterizing the rig. I won't remove the tires at all. look around you at the storage units...



I'd just store it and leave it along except for maybe opening some windows next summer...that's it.

[blubuckaroo]

slman (http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/member.php?u=15889),
I don't think removing the tires for storing is overkill in your situation. Trailer tires need all the help they can get.
A few years ago, I read a "Trailer Life" article where they recommended putting the rig up on blocks and airing the tires down to 10 psi.

For maintaining the coach, I always leave the roof vents open. It needs ventilation. Also, as commented here, moisture forms when there is a temperature change, or difference of temperature between the inside and outside.

A few years ago I stored my older trailer in the Northwest for the winter. I covered it with a nice trailer cover, then with a big Harbor Freight tarp over that.
Big mistake! The lack of ventilation corroded everything. It was the hardest winter in that poor little trailer's life.