How cold can i go?

[sauerld]

How much cold will my 2013 Alpine withstand during winter camping before pipes begin freezing underneath? thanks

[jasin1]

lots of variables i’d imagine…maybe down to the teens if the furnace is running to heat the belly and tank heaters are on…don’t let the faucets drip…make sure sewer valve is shut and fresh water hose is disconnected or at least a heated hose and wrap the hose bib with something to insulate it.

if it’s windy and the wind chill is very low temps it may find it’s way past a chink in your armor…if you could put a skirt around the trailer it would help immensely

[rhagfo]

Well as Jasin stated there are a lot of variables. We have a 2005 Keystone Sprinter Copper Canyon, we have been to the mid teens without issue.
That said we have done a few things to increase out ablity to stay warm in the cold as we full time Park Host in Oregon. We have heated tanks, and I enclosed the belly to keep it warm. We have our insulated and have a heat tape that is longer than the hose the trailer end is about an extra 6" and wraps the inlet elbow and then is also cover with pipe insulation. The bib end is about an extra foot and wraps the faucet.
Our furnace will run on gas OR Electric as we installed RV Comfort Systems "Cheap Heat" add on electric which gives us 5,000 watts of electric heat on a 50 amp 240 volt connection.
Physical devices don't feel wind chill, but wind can get cold air to penetrate areas not affected in still air.

[sauerld]

Thanks much!

[jasin1]

your right Russ… i should have worded it differently..if it’s already below freezing and very low temps AND windy…the wind can find a way through a crack or opening in the rv underbelly or baggage doors and freeze a exposed pipe

[ChuckS]

If you are at temps below about 28 degrees overnight you better be running the furnace to keep the PEX water lines from freezing.. If you havent done any additional insulation work your Alpine wont do well with extended cold temps

[JRTJH]

There is a "sticky" in the Modifications and Upgrades section of the forum: https://www.keystoneforums.com/forum...ad.php?t=19807

It was created in 2014 and indexes threads from nearly the beginning days of this forum. It's all about staying warm in cold weather, or "Tank heaters, underbelly insulation, and Arctic, etc., Packages (My RV is cold!)"

Lots of good reading for a chilly Alpine or Avalanche night.... Don't run out of propane !!!!!

[bobbecky]

Some years ago, we were assisting a relative with medical issues north of Kansas City, until early December. Temps were getting down to the low teens at night, once was 9 degrees. We had a Pirit hose for water and used the furnace to provide heat. Never froze any water lines, but were using a 30 lb cylinder of propane every two days. There were no tank heaters either.

[gearhead]

I survived a 15F ice storm in Tulsa. No tank heaters in the Montana HC. I used old fashioned trouble lights in the basement with max capacity bulbs.

[sourdough]

I hesitate to get into these "how cold can it go" conversations because I've been in some really cold weather and been lucky - and young.

My first "full sized" box trailer was in 1985 - Terry Taurus 25'. I bought it because I could use it for work and per diem would pay for it...and it did. I knew nothing about a full sized "RV" except it was such a huge jump up from my pop up, had a furnace, stove, A/C....a house right? Off to work....

I had a great time in that trailer and I did endure some very cold winter temps. The lowest was below zero. I learned by failure and ignorance. Water hose will freeze so disconnect...but you can't for days on end so wrapped in heater tape (I now use a heated hose). Ran furnace all the time = lots of LP refill trips. Below zero or somewhere around there my LP tanks froze so no heat. Talked to some folks and ended up with heater tape around the LP tanks...LP worked from then on. On one extended period (a day or 2) the water lines in the trailer froze - nothing broke but I did bring in bottled water to get by. Trial, error and frustration - but I was young and it was an adventure.

These days I stay out of crazy cold stuff but as my experiences related above, and those since tell me, I think one can get by pretty good just using some common sense precautions. Realize that the trailer I was in then was nothing like we have today and it was a bottom end, cheap RV...but I loved it.

[ssthrd]

I spent December/January in a travel trailer set up in Terrace, BC where the temperature went down to -21C (-6F) a couple of nights. My heated water hose did not freeze, but the connection just inside the trailer wall did. I used the fresh water tank and pump for a few days while the temps moderated. It never froze again in temperatures above -15C (5F).

My trailer was skirted, and I had a 1500W work light aimed at my sewer dump valves which worked well. I only dumped when I had to. The discharge hose was in a plywood sluice box which I made out of plywood, and a foot or two of snow over that was enough to keep things from freezing after dumping. Folks like to keep both valves open, but in temps like we had, the risk of freezing the site sewer service is real if there is a couple of feet of frost in the ground. A continuously running grey water service will eventually block the 4"" service pipe with ice. The mains are deep, but the individual service lines are obviously shallow at the RV site connection. It could be a miserable walk to the bathroom at that time of year.

I used a 30lb tank of propane every couple of days, and supplemented that with a couple of small heaters.

Lots of fun!

[rlh1957]

I don't think there is a one temp that applies to all.

Example:
Five rigs in the same area will experience freezes at different times and places. Some have heaters but they won’t protect pipes, valves or joints.
Insulation varies in brands, different floor plans, under floor heating and air flow.

You can have slush or ice form in water lines that thaws without catastrophic blowouts. The outside exposed city water line usually freezes first but not always.
Your rig lines will freeze up faster on an idle camper than one you are staying in during low temps running the heat an water at times.

[jasin1]

insulated foam board sheets work well for skirting and don’t weigh anything at all so you can store them inside the trailer while traveling between freezing places

[RickV]

Originally Posted by jasin1

insulated foam board sheets work well for skirting and don’t weigh anything at all so you can store them inside the trailer while traveling between freezing places

Are you referring to something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-1-5-...lation/3362408 ?

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by RickV

Are you referring to something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Common-1-5-...lation/3362408 ?

yes and if you cut them to fit you could number the back of each one and save them for next time so you know which order they go in

[RickV]

Originally Posted by jasin1

yes and if you cut them to fit you could number the back of each one and save them for next time so you know which order they go in

👍 I did that with the Reflectix that we made for the windows to keep the heat out. I used those same sheets of insulation when I extended my pole barn by 12' before I put the metal on.
These looked interesting but are a little bit pricey https://www.airskirts.com/rv-skirtin...ords&hsa_ver=3

[bsmith0404]

If my memory hasn’t failed me, Alpines are tested to -14 for 48 hours with the slides open. Slides open is a key factor, some companies test with slides closed to give artificial numbers. Granted that is in a controlled environment, but does show the ability of the Alpine to handle the cold. We’ve had ours in single digit temps without any problems, just disconnect the hose and use on board water.