When do I bail? Another cold temperature discussion

[JRB]

I've been living in our Bullet while work has been going on with our house remodel, but now the cold front coming through looks like it's going to end my fun. We have straw bales around most of the TT (which has the infamous "heater package") and I'm running on a hose for water and a 30 amp shore plug for power. I've been running an electric heater overnight, but not during the workday, when I'm not around.

I'm looking for some confirmation that my guesses are on track here:

• I need to disconnect the hose ASAP.
• I need to empty my tanks ASAP, or else completely winterize* the unit.
• Or maybe I could be okay if I leave the electric heater on, very low, during the day. It has a 68 degree "eco" setting. But if so, how cold can it get before I need to do something more?

*Note: never have winterized before, so I'm watching YouTube videos. Your pointers are gratefully accepted.

Our Bullet is, I assume, stock, so there are no mods like those described in geo's sticky. (I'm not sure which of those mods would apply to my Bullet, anyway.) They look pretty complicated/intimidating to me, so I haven't pursued any of them, particularly not given that I have no daylight when I get home from work.

Many, many thanks for any guidance you can give me!!!

[Festus2]

Questions before suggestions ....
1) Do you have any idea of how low the temperatures are going to get and for how long?
2) Will there be anybody living/staying in your RV during the day while you are at work?

[JRB]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Questions before suggestions ....
1) Do you have any idea of how low the temperatures are going to get and for how long?
2) Will there be anybody living/staying in your RV during the day while you are at work?

Well, my crystal ball's in the shop but last winter was brutal and it got to nearly -20 degrees F. I wouldn't dream of using the TT in that kind of weather. I'm wondering, though, if it can handle the low 20s we're supposed to get this week, given that we've straw-baled it. I will say that with our space heater on, when I put my hand in the pass-through, I can certainly feel the temperature difference.

And no, nobody in the RV, although our contractor will be at the house, nearby, during the day.

[JRTJH]

First of all, a couple of cautions for you:

1. Straw bales hold humidity and I'm sure you've heard of barns burning down from wet hay being stacked in the loft. Around your RV, it's relatively warm under the RV so the bales will attract moisture, rodents and potentially can burn very easily if anything should go wrong... Be careful using anything organic around your RV.

2. There is no heat to your tanks or to any of the plumbing runs in the "basement/underbelly" unless your furnace is running, so leaving a heater on 68* inside won't do anything to protect your vulnerable parts under the floor. I'd urge you to replace the straw with 1" rigid foam construction sheets cut to fit and sealed with duct tape or gorilla tape. You might want to put a droplight with a 60 watt incandescent bulb under the trailer. If you place it near the ground under the tank valves, it will do wonders to keep them flowing when needed. Close your tank valves and dump only when it's warm and you've got enough time for the sun to help warm the sewer hose as it drains after dumping.

Now, usually the "Arctic Package" is advertised to be good to "below freezing". Normally it is, even in the "standard build" trailers. That, however, is true when the temperature rises above freezing during the day and the sun has a chance to warm up the RV. A few hours below freezing is usually tolerable, but days upon days below freezing are a challenge even for the premium and luxury built Keystone trailers.

A few hints, keep your cupboard doors open so warm cabin air can circulate through them and warm the plumbing in those areas, If you are going to be below freezing, unhook your water hose, drain it and store it in the passthrough. Use your water pump and fresh water tank for whatever you need. It's much easier to hook up a warmed flexible hose to fill the FWT than it is to try to unthaw a frozen hose attached to the trailer. Watch for humidity inside, it will make things seem cooler and will frost over the insides of the windows. 3/4" rigid foam sheets will help block heat loss through the larger windows and if cut to fit, can be removed during the day to let in light and the sun's warmth. Plan on using a 30 lb tank of propane every 3 or 4 days, if you can get a couple of 100 lb tanks, they will make the "change out" process less frequent and you'll have your smaller tanks for emergency if you do run out of propane.

I think that you'll be OK using these hints except for possibly next Friday night. But without knowing what the weather holds for the upcoming weeks, it will be a hassle to live in it for a few days, then abandon it, winterize it for a few days, then go back to the trailer when it warms up a bit. I'd think that it might be more realistic to decide when you'll winterize it and once you move out, plan to leave it winterized until the weather warms up enough to not play the musical house game....

I'm sure there is a lot more to consider that I haven't even touched upon. So, good luck staying warm.

[BulletOwner1]

I would fill the RV water tank and disconnect the water supply. As said before, you do need to run the RV furnace to provide heat to the tanks. When the waste tanks need dumping do it and then close the valves. Do not leave them open over extended near zero weather, slow drainage will allow for ice accumulation in them and eventually block up. That's not good. I think the hay bales idea is good but extra caution is warranted. The rigid foam idea is better but you need the protection now so best to look at changing later.

Last year when camping in near zero weather we would connect to water, fill tank, and drain waste tanks when needed and survived nicely. When done filling water tank we'd remove and drain the supply hose and store in the camper. And used the furnace as primary heat with a small electric heater to supplement at night.

[hankaye]

JRB, Howdy;

Agree about getting rid of the bales... nothing but problems...
Instead, I've used pieces of OSB or plywood, painted for
weatherproofing also, measure the distance between TT's bottom and
Ground to see what is average height and work from that. I attached them
to the underside of the trailer (worked very well for me in Central Utah with
temps. to -40*F).
Heat tape for the water hose with the foam tube insulation works very well.
Looking at the forecast, you should be ok with the gray tank either open or
closed, your choice, daytime temps should allow for enough thawing
provided the waste hose is in sunlight.
During the day when the temps get higher is a good time for the elect. heat.
After the sun goes down best to stay with the TT's heater as it should
provide some protection for the plumbing.
I am connected to a 125# propane tank and they last (depending on how
the thermostat is set, how much hot water is used, how cold it is yadda yadda)
a month or more and they come to you instead of trying to find an open propane
place in the middle of the night.
Keeping cabinets and other access points to plumbing open so the warm air can
get in there is a great tip and one I use every winter.
Lots of excellent tips throughout this thread...
Use your common sense and it should all work out for you.

hankaye

[JRB]

Thanks, everybody, for your posts. Very grateful to hear your expertise!

To clarify, when folks are talking about near-0 weather, are we talking 32 degrees F/0 degrees C, or 0 degrees F?