Bullet Ultra lite 230bhs

[SiscoService]

New owner..
We were told this has thermo package. How do we know for sure and make sure if not how to prepare myslef for winter in Michigan and not freeze my pipes. We will have a heated hose, black water drainage PVC pipe with heat stripe. We will be skirting it with instilation and below 30 tarp, possibly building a pallet wall, then adding installation to windows and the plastic shrink as well.

 

[NH_Bulldog]

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but at best all you have is a camper capable of 3 season use. The “Thermal Package” was a marketing tool to highlight (what was new at the time) the enclosed under belly and in-floor ducted 30,000 BTU furnace with a 2" duct from the furnace into the underbelly. How much heat is a single 2" piece of dryer duct pointed into the belly going to give you? The camper is not designed or intended for winter use and is not rated for full time living.

I am guessing that you have an older model since the newest model year I could find for that unit was 2016.

There is not enough insulation in the walls, floor and roof to retain heat in any temperatures at or below freezing, there is no roof ventilation to prevent condensation build-up between the ceiling and roof, the windows are single pane so water vapor on the inside will condense on the glass and the exterior walls, there are no tank heaters, and the dump valves are not sufficiently protected to prevent freezing. Running the furnace near constantly will consume an incredible amount of gas, using a space heater will not keep the underbelly warm enough to prevent freezing of pipes and tanks and there is just so much more.

I am sorry if you have no other options for a place to live, but simply put; don’t try to use/live in this camper during the winter. I understand that you are not in the U.P. but I have family in the Grand Rapids and Muskegon areas and I know what the weather is like in your area and it is not friendly to living in a camper in the winter there.

 

[flybouy]

My only suggestion to add is get in touch. With a gas company and set up delivery. Gas companies will set two 100 lb tanks and put you on a route for auto fill. In very cold weather a 30 lb tank may only last 2 to 3 days.

 

[SiscoService]

So in all honesty how long do I have in this camper. Before I have to winterize it?

 

[NH_Bulldog]

Realistically? If nighttime temperatures get below 28 degrees and daytime temperatures don't get above 40 degrees, it is time. This is especially important if you have an outdoor kitchen or an outdoor shower since those areas are not insulated and do not have heat flow to them.

I camped a few times in our Passport (which had the more appropriately named "Extended Season Camping Package") where it got cold enough to snow a few inches overnight, but daytime temps got into the mid 40's. As long as the furnace ran, it kept the belly area warm enough not to freeze anything. Any colder than that and we would have winterized.

 

[Canonman]

Just FYI
Many of us use electric heaters to reduce the propane use/cost.
While camping the San Juan mtns.in Oct. we tried to minimize our use of the furnace by running an electric heater at night. When we went to dump our tanks, we found the black and grey tanks partially frozen.