Cold weather use

[RW Cal]

I am planning to de-winterize in NC and haul the RW to Maryland (DC area) on March 1st. I have a heater wrap for the water hose. Do I need anything else?
The coach will be heated inside and it will probably not get below 20 deg.

[spindrift]

Until the frost free date specified in the Farmers Almanac , or the weather forecast says differently, I'll put heat in my basement just to sleep easy at night. However, my basement has been slightly modified for additional space which exposes some things that might otherwise benefit from a completely tight basement wall configuration.

[RW Cal]

Originally Posted by spindrift

Until the frost free date specified in the Farmers Almanac , or the weather forecast says differently, I'll put heat in my basement just to sleep easy at night. However, my basement has been slightly modified for additional space which exposes some things that might otherwise benefit from a completely tight basement wall configuration.

Do you use a space heater or just a big incandescent light?

[ted 95]

keep the ice maker valve off as it is exposed outside

[spindrift]

Originally Posted by RW Cal

Do you use a space heater or just a big incandescent light?

I have about 27 ceramic heaters...just in case. I use the heater because it has a fan and can move air.

[ted 95]

"27 heaters" sure 50 amps is enough juice.

[mhs4771]

Must be small Battery powered (D cells) heaters, since the typical portable heater draws between 10 and 12 Amps.

[Rosey]

Been my experience that unless you experience PROLONGED subzero temps you'll be OK. March temps in the D.C. area normally aren't that severe.

[obxguy]

I am one of those owners that is mad at RW after the fact. Just to qualify in the months of Dec Jan Feb I am dry camping. Our RV park shuts water off due to freezing. I am in Maryland in the winter which by most winters are not as extreme as further up north as our Canadian friends. Which is why I was pissed at RW from advertising these units are 4 seasons. Poorly insulated was our discovery. So the 4th season being winter, if you do not do something, your unit will freeze up. My unit did on the first 30 degree night right after I purchased it.

But I took some preventive action to make my RW work in cold weather with the help from a company I used called Ultra Heat in Elkhart IN. This company manufactures their own heating components made in IN. I added heat pads to all tanks. This company wrap all lines and added heat pads to areas where lines run like under the shower. They also installed a heat pad over the (empty) generator area where is there no insulation which helps with the condensation on the front cap. These pads (total of 3) are 120 volt and are connected in the furnace area from an external source that is plugged in on a 20 amp circuit. Their claim to fame with me and tested was that ALL my lines have either 12v wrapping or 120v Heat pads and there is NO NEED for Propane Heat to keep water lines from freezing. We even wrap the lines going into the island which we discovered had no insulation but a big hole cut under the floor where the lines run up through. Plus we wrapped the water line to the ice maker and put enclosure over the low point lines that were exposed. IF it had water in the line it was wrapped.

Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way to understand that dealers and factory are not in this business to help if you are a full timer. I got nothing for my down time and living in the hotel while this work was completed.

The testing and funny part of the story was that the day I came to IN to walk through the unit, the guys forgot to turn on my propane heat and did not have any of the aux heaters (I have used in the past to heat) to provide heat. So when we walked into my RV it was 18 degrees inside and out and we tested the sink and got running water. We checked for any damage or pump running for leaking system and all systems were working. So the test was successful and I am pleasantly surprised and happy. I had to share this to RW owners so that if you need to use your unit in the winter, please understand your RW will not operate in freezing weather unless you do things to make it work. IT is not a 4 seasons UNIT until you wrap the lines that have water in them because where the tanks are located and how far the lines are run from the pump area, there is not enough "heat" from the furnace to keep these lines from freezing. Skirting will help but my discovery was very poorly insulated under the floor and hidden with the under belly cover. All of the lines in there are exposed to the element until you do something to keep them from freezing.

I was told and maybe it is true that most RW customer are snow birds and take their RV to the south in the winters. That comment came from a RW mgr. It might be true but the RW RV is not ready for freezing weather until you do something to fix the poor design from factory. Like my situation because I have to dry camp, my lines and tanks were very exposed.

IF this helps one person, I am happy about that, if you do not agree with my findings, it is your right to disagree but I now have the picture before and after since I purchase my RV and I can testify that my unit worked in 18 degree weather without propane running. The company used are winter GODS in my opinion. Send me your info and I will be glad to share my pictures and I am a consumer and end user to this product because the folks at the RW factory had no resources or answer for my problem and were deer in head lights.

Happy RVer now

[Wjf426]

Originally Posted by obxguy

I am one of those owners that is mad at RW after the fact. Just to qualify in the months of Dec Jan Feb I am dry camping. Our RV park shuts water off due to freezing. I am in Maryland in the winter which by most winters are not as extreme as further up north as our Canadian friends. Which is why I was pissed at RW from advertising these units are 4 seasons. Poorly insulated was our discovery. So the 4th season being winter, if you do not do something, your unit will freeze up. My unit did on the first 30 degree night right after I purchased it.

But I took some preventive action to make my RW work in cold weather with the help from a company I used called Ultra Heat in Elkhart IN. This company manufactures their own heating components made in IN. I added heat pads to all tanks. This company wrap all lines and added heat pads to areas where lines run like under the shower. They also installed a heat pad over the (empty) generator area where is there no insulation which helps with the condensation on the front cap. These pads (total of 3) are 120 volt and are connected in the furnace area from an external source that is plugged in on a 20 amp circuit. Their claim to fame with me and tested was that ALL my lines have either 12v wrapping or 120v Heat pads and there is NO NEED for Propane Heat to keep water lines from freezing. We even wrap the lines going into the island which we discovered had no insulation but a big hole cut under the floor where the lines run up through. Plus we wrapped the water line to the ice maker and put enclosure over the low point lines that were exposed. IF it had water in the line it was wrapped.

Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way to understand that dealers and factory are not in this business to help if you are a full timer. I got nothing for my down time and living in the hotel while this work was completed.

The testing and funny part of the story was that the day I came to IN to walk through the unit, the guys forgot to turn on my propane heat and did not have any of the aux heaters (I have used in the past to heat) to provide heat. So when we walked into my RV it was 18 degrees inside and out and we tested the sink and got running water. We checked for any damage or pump running for leaking system and all systems were working. So the test was successful and I am pleasantly surprised and happy. I had to share this to RW owners so that if you need to use your unit in the winter, please understand your RW will not operate in freezing weather unless you do things to make it work. IT is not a 4 seasons UNIT until you wrap the lines that have water in them because where the tanks are located and how far the lines are run from the pump area, there is not enough "heat" from the furnace to keep these lines from freezing. Skirting will help but my discovery was very poorly insulated under the floor and hidden with the under belly cover. All of the lines in there are exposed to the element until you do something to keep them from freezing.

I was told and maybe it is true that most RW customer are snow birds and take their RV to the south in the winters. That comment came from a RW mgr. It might be true but the RW RV is not ready for freezing weather until you do something to fix the poor design from factory. Like my situation because I have to dry camp, my lines and tanks were very exposed.

IF this helps one person, I am happy about that, if you do not agree with my findings, it is your right to disagree but I now have the picture before and after since I purchase my RV and I can testify that my unit worked in 18 degree weather without propane running. The company used are winter GODS in my opinion. Send me your info and I will be glad to share my pictures and I am a consumer and end user to this product because the folks at the RW factory had no resources or answer for my problem and were deer in head lights.

Happy RVer now

HI we to have a 16 mb and live in cold weather in IN . and have same trouble as you talk about . can you send pic;s of upgrades and all the parts needed to do job. I also have done some upgrades to cut down on ac and heating if you would like to know our email is g.findlay@me.com

[RCAircraft]

I am puzzled about the heating issues. Our 2013 36RL has been in 10 degrees F for several days, and up to a week at times while we spot eagles at a remote state park. Fresh water is off so we fill our tank prior to arriving.

Our ice maker works without issues and never had a line freeze. The furnace T'stat, located at the stairs, is set for 65 F at bedtime and 68 F in the day time. We close the bedroom and hinged bathroom doors and heat the bedroom with a 1,000 watt ceramic heater which keeps the bedroom and bathroom at a comfortable 68 F. Those areas are also receiving heat when the furnace operates. It becomes slightly too hot in the bedroom at times. The furnace really puts out. Without the space heater the bedroom temperature would be a chilly 65F or essentially at what the T'stat is set at.

During a bitter cold week we will burn about 40# of propane. As that state park will at times lose power during a blizzard we start the week with both 40#'s full in case the gen is required.

I have a wireless temperature sensor in the basement area nearly resting on top of the fresh water tank. The temperature is usually around 55F in that area when outside temps are about 10F.

The ice maker water solenoid valve, located at the rear of the fridge and close to the exterior lower and removable vent cover does have freeze protection via the heater wires that Redwood installed. I test that heater each season and assure it is wrapped around the water fittings as delivered.

As it is a RV, we pack fur lined house slippers and flannel lined shirts and jeans. The floors and walls are chilly and we expected that for near zero weather conditions. Our Redwood is everything we wanted in our fourth and hopefully last RV.

When winterizing, after a week or so of eagle spotting the fresh water tank drain tube requires defrosting as it does freeze preventing water from draining. I use a hair dryer to melt the ice. The low water drains also freeze and require the help of the hair dryer. It is a memorable moment to rewinterize our Redwood in a blizzard and near zero degrees F. We winterize/rewinterize 3-4 times yearly however not always in snow storms or blizzards.

It is all worth it when a large eagle lands on a nearby tree while we observe from the large open viewing the RL rear windows provide us.

[johnboytoo]

The only thing I can add as personally experienced is that on our 38GK with the residential fridge....
the ice maker line running from the island sink under the 5'er to the fridge in the slide froze in the hidden place behind the drawers to the left of the fridge and ran long enough to almost fill up one of the drawers before we found it and shut off the water to the icemaker....

Well and the shower controls froze too....

[PawnGuy]

Hello trying to winterize our 2013 redwood 36rl and I have blown out the lines. Trying to pump the antifreeze with bypass on and I have antifreeze coming to facets to the cold side but none to the hope side. Please help.