Cold Weather Camping

[nwirt74@gmail.com]

Cold weather camping? I have gotten several theories on the best way to camp during cold weather. Do you close all of your sewer valves, or leave the black closed and just dump once it gets full? Currently we are leaving our black closed(that is until the valve cable and or valve broke in the open postion), and the others open?

[Alex]

Full timing now, we hard lined the sewer with pvc pipe and skirted the redwood, we leave both grey tanks open and only drain the black when it's full and have had no issues at all!

[travelin' texans]

NEVER leave the black valve open!! Doing so will eventually cause you a very stinky mess, they call it a "poop pyramid". You can leave greys open til a day or two before dumping the black, but if it were me in cold weather I think I'd leave them closed.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by travelin' texans

NEVER leave the black valve open!! Doing so will eventually cause you a very stinky mess, they call it a "poop pyramid". You can leave greys open til a day or two before dumping the black, but if it were me in cold weather I think I'd leave them closed.

X2 on this. NEVER LEAVE THE BLACK VALVE OPEN.....If the gray tanks are left open in the winter you could have a big Ice icicle in your drain

[johnboytoo]

even when warm I leave the valves closed and just periodically dump - I like the whoosh of a full tank to clean out everything... grey, black, or otherwise

and how cold are we talking about? we just got back from a week after Christmas and no issues, but we usually run the furnaces and water from the tank with no outside connections until needed...

[RomanyLife]

20170101_080108.jpgWe are enduring some real cold right now in Washington State. Several inches of snow and sub 30's for many days in a row. That's when RV pipes freeze. From what we have read here the most vulnerable has been the icemaker line in the slide, we shall see! Of course, our furnace is running 24/7, and we are going through some propane (also had several lengthy power outages, so genny running a lot too). I would be very curious from those who have said they had pipes freeze, IF they were in fact running their furnace all the time. I have a remote thermometer in the basement, and it tells me the coldest it gets in the last 24 hours... the lowest so far has been 45 degrees when it was in the 20's outside. That's pretty good. I leave the light on in the wet bay for warmth, because it's sort of isolated. Keeping our fingers crossed that we get through it.

As for the cost of propane? NOTHING compared to freeze damage... I will gladly pay it. I think it's just better to keep the basement warm anyway. I tested the temp of the water coming out of our freshwater tank during a power outage because I thought it was way too cold, but it was 47 degrees. Far from freezing.

Of course we have the electric freshwater hose that is guaranteed freeze-proof to minus 40 (I know, hard to believe) and we close the valves on waste tanks completely to keep sewer hose from forming a big grey-water popsicle. I too like to keep gray closed most of the time too. It keeps debris from becoming dried on in the tanks and smelling.

Theresa

[xtasee]

Theresa, That Pic is absolutely beautiful! Lots of snow here in Park City this year also.

Is it normal to get that kind of snow where you are?

[Shane Wood]

That is a beautiful picture. Being in SoCal we miss the seasons but not the shoveling

[RomanyLife]

The park we are hosting in is about 800 feet in elevation. We lived in our sticks and bricks less than two miles away for over 20 years... and yes, we do get some snow up here. Not a ton, but enough to slow things down for a few days. Rarely lasts. This has been a nasty cold snap tho.

We were just talking about how this will be our next to last time going through this, because Todd retires in about a year, so YAY for that! If we were retired, we would be headed for Q right now! THOUGH...they just got some nasty flash flooding!

[atom ant]

I agree - beautiful pic!

Looks like we will be bouncing off the 4 or 5 degrees mark the new several days.

[Don and Judith]

I like to leave all my tanks closed. Gives me a good flush. I do MT the sewer hose after I've done now. Had an slight freeze issue with the hose last week. We don't have much of a drop from the RV to the sewer outlet. We are going through close to 100lb /week in propane. I will also be insulating the outside TV area and our closet. There is little to no insulation in either.

[RollsRoyce]

Brad are you raveling right now too or you at home?

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by RollsRoyce

Brad are you raveling right now too or you at home?

At home Royce - home of the -10 tonight Wish I was rolling somewhere.

[RollsRoyce]

you mean somewhere warm. It's 22 right now here in Canton low should be low of 20 by 7 am high tomorrow 37

[johnboytoo]

Ouch - this is DFW, TexUS - it shouldn't be 12 degrees in DFW, TexUS !!!!! Dang, global warming

[atom ant]

Wow - guess I'll stay where I am! Its cold everywhere!

Got to be in El Paso/Carlsbad Monday, but decided to fly. Icy roads are making me nervous.

[johnboytoo]

don't blame you!
Much prettier scenery to look at there then here in ole' flat TexUS

one taken on our Jeep ride near durango !.

[atom ant]

Awesome John! I'm anxious to get back out there and climb some more trails with the Jeep. Did you folks end up staying at Navajo Res at all while you were here? It's about 20 min from Durango.

[piper guy]

Like I said, Brad , don't sell that nice older TJ that you have set up so well for actual OffRoad .......... I've still got to make it out your way so you and Dory can show us the Rockies. Unfortunately won't be this summer though as I'll be in New York running a Tour and Dinner boat for the season ..........

[atom ant]

Vaughan, sure wished you could have done the Cherry Creek tour boat! It would have been fun to have you here.

I'm pretty sure the TJ will end up staying close (my daughter has her eye on it). She was out looking for what it would take to tow behind her Bighorn That would only work if I got a new Wrangler - otherwise I keep the TJ.