Polar Package, Arctic Package: How do I Improve what's on the trailer?

[MurphyIRE]

Howdy,
Tagging In. Sounds like you guys have the experience and knowledge. I had a Chaparral lite (4 season polar Package) and I kept freezing the lines on my last November hunting trip. Sales Gimmick - RIGHT! So I picked up a 2016 27RDS with the "Polar Package" and I figured I need to upgrade the heat and insulation. Thoughts on the rigid blue foam on the I beams and some sort of foam on top of the coroplast? My tanks didn't freeze but the water lines would freeze and then thaw for four nights in a row. Heat tape the tanks and the lines. Major battery drain (At night)?
Sean

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by MurphyIRE

Howdy,
Tagging In. Sounds like you guys have the experience and knowledge. I had a Chaparral lite (4 season polar Package) and I kept freezing the lines on my last November hunting trip. Sales Gimmick - RIGHT! So I picked up a 2016 27RDS with the "Polar Package" and I figured I need to upgrade the heat and insulation. Thoughts on the rigid blue foam on the I beams and some sort of foam on top of the coroplast? My tanks didn't freeze but the water lines would freeze and then thaw for four nights in a row. Heat tape the tanks and the lines. Major battery drain (At night)?
Sean

Murphy, Start by going to the UserCP and creating a signature with your camper's year, make and model as well as the same for your tow vehicle. I know you listed your camper in your post but it will get missed. Second, start a new thread; you replied to a thread that had not been active for 9 years and a new one is more likely to get responses. Let folks know what condition you are camping in; boon docking or hooked up in a camp ground. That would help as well and your location as winter camping probably doesn't mean the same thing in South Texas as wherever you are.

[Canonman]

The key to keeping the tanks and lines open during cold weather camping is to use the furnace. It doesn't need to be 70, 55/60 or so has worked for us. Our 5ers have heat ducted from the furnace to the underbelly. That is supposed to keep the tanks from freezing and it has worked for us camping with temps in the teens at night. If the lines are freezing up, open the cabinet doors to allow more warm in.
The furnace is a drain on the battery and the propane but that's cold weather camping. I'd suggest a generator to recharge the batteries during the day. You might even need to run the genny during the evening if it's really cold or if your using smaller batteries. FWIW I also insulated the ceiling in the cargo area under the bed and against the bulkhead wall into the living area. I just used regular pink batting held in place with some metal strapping. Two seasons like this and no problems.

[MurphyIRE]

Thanks. Hunting in November in Colorado is boondocking at it's best. I diverted extra heat into the Tank/cargo area knowing we were going to get cold (-8 F, I think was the worst. The days got well above freezing) I think the last night was +10 with a high of 52). I had three 12v marine deep cycle batteries and they were always tapped out by the morning. The new trailer has one battery. So that will need upgrading too. Every Forum is a little different. So I guess I'll start a new thread.

[ASCTLC]

Just got back myself Murphy. Was low 20s to low teens every night. As suggested already, use that furnace for all heating so the belly keeps getting the heat every time the the camper gets heat.

The other thing I did to keep things good (11 nights) was sealing all the danged holes and gaps in the frame prior to cold weather season. I pulled a register in the camper floor and used a mirror to look all around. I was shocked at how many places I saw sunlight coming into the belly through frame holes and gaps between the belly coroplast and frame. I had large holes where wiring and hoses are passed from outside to in that weren't used and the ones used still had large gaps.

So I got Gorilla brand type tape like Eternabond and set about sealing everything up. Now all the heat from the furnace belly vent doesn't just blow out all the gaps and holes underneath and stays.

My third night out the furnace quit working (sticky sail switch) so I stayed in camp all morning and used my 12v tank heaters while the generator was running to get the camper heated back up. I believe that actually made a difference because those 3 tanks being warmed up to near 65 contributed to good heat mass down in the belly to slow down the cooling when the furnace wasn't running. I never use my tank heaters while boondocking but at 32 degrees in the belly from the furnace failure that night necessitated I run the generator and get things back to temp for the rest of the trip. I didn't use my tank heaters any other time than that morning after the furnace repair and the belly stayed in the 45-55 degree range the whole rest of the trip (remote temp sensor hung in the belly so I can monitor and address an issue before I freeze it all up).

Hope that helps and hope you got to fill your tag.

Andy

[MurphyIRE]

Andy, Thanks! Nothing has been foamed seamed on my Keystone. I was shocked. I guess the "Foamer guy" never came back from lunch that day. I like the idea of looking for the holes! Most likely, I will replace the coroplast (Or a least 50%) it's in rough shape. Looking at R13 foam board (film sided). The heated tanks makes sense and then run tape with the line to the pump.