Question for Montana owners that don't go south for the winter

[DaveInVa]

I have been looking at all the various posts and youtube videos on how to winterize one's fifth wheel to survive sub 30 degree temps, but I would like to know the experiences of those that have been below freezing without all the extra skirting, light bulbs hanging under the coach, etc.?

Do you feel that the newer Montana's (2012- present) live up to their "advertised" insulation ratings? How much propane were you using weekly?

Don't get me wrong, I will take the precautions once I choose the model I want, but if I have to do a lot of elaborate preps for winter regardless of the model or the R rating, then I might be open to some other models that have floor plans I prefer, that don't have the same R ratings as others.

Enjoy reading the posts on the forum and I appreciate your help.

Dave

[hankaye]

DaveIn Va, Howdy;

Hard to say what will happen as everyone will have a different experience
and even a small variance in the preparations can and will cause different
results. Also different folks tend to set thermostats at different settings
so that will throw off results. Best I can prescribe is to do the best you
can, do the most you can, and see where you can improve for next year.

hankaye

[mikell]

My standard reply is get a unit with the AC / heat pump and you'll haul a lot less propane . The cost will pay for itself in a season. Michigan last winter and went through less than 500# of propane for the winter

[geo]

This is easy to answer. Ask the dealer to remove one of the panels in the basement so you can examine the utility area. Use a strong LED flashlight to examine the area. You will probably see areas with no insulation leading back to the empty void of the underbelly. You will probably perceive the quality of insulation quickly. In the Alpine, the advertised floor insulation was R-40, and that was 6" of Styrofoam between plywood forming the floor. However, the whole underbelly was opened at the front to the utility basement, so the insulation didn't really count.

Look for yourself, you can draw your own conclusions. If the dealer wants to sell the unit, he will show you the utility basement. Then take your own look. Don't believe the salespeople or the advertising.

Ron

On edit:

The second post (my post) on the link below will give you information with plenty of pictures on how to turn a "high end" Keystone into a four season, mobile RV. Heated tanks, warm air circulation for basement water pipes, insulation, and heating duct straightening.

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=17015

Ron

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by DaveInVa

Don't get me wrong, I will take the precautions once I choose the model I want, but if I have to do a lot of elaborate preps for winter regardless of the model or the R rating, then I might be open to some other models that have floor plans I prefer, that don't have the same R ratings as others.

Dave

Unless you are prepared to spend a lot more money buying an RV that is designed and built for 4 seasons (including winter) or, failing that, prepared to do a "lot of elaborate preps for winter", you have a choice to make.

Let's consider the R ratings you speak about. If Model X claims to have a heated underbelly with Y insulation rating that doesn't mean a thing if the insulation is scattered helter-skelter, the underbelly has large gaps and openings that allow cold air in, or the insulation has fallen and is laying on the floor doing not much of anything or if the insulation is non-existent in spots.

In the same Model X, we might very well have heating ducts that have loose or no connections, have holes in the ductwork, or have kinks blocking the flow of warm air. Most of the warm air is wasted and not ending up where it should be. Any amount of insulation or its R value is meaningless.

As mentioned in your other similar post, insulation values/R ratings don't matter much unless the rest of the RV is assembled properly to take advantage of what insulation there is.

I wouldn't want you to find yourself in a situation in the middle of winter during a prolonged cold spell where you and your family cannot get the inside temperature to a comfortable spot and where your water system is frozen solid.

[bobbecky]

We survived temps last winter down into the single digits, and had nothing freeze. We used an electric hose, has the element built in to it. Be very careful when people tell you to use a heater that is not the trailer's propane heater. Ours has ducts that go into the belly are so heat is sent to the tanks and plumbing. If that heater isn't used, no heat to the plumbing and you will freeze tanks and plumbing. We were using a 30 lb tank of propane every two days during the worst of it, but we stayed comfortable and so did the trailer.