Winter Camping LK4001

[mkal24]

I'm new to RVing and have a new LK4001. We recently made a trip to Montana and did some unexpected winter camping. I wasn't too worried as these trailers are suppose to be 4 season. With that said, I did have a water line from fresh tank and/or pump freeze up. All good though once thawed

I recently opened up some of the bottom cover to inspect the water lines, only to find that the ones going to the back kitchen and half bath are exposed. I thought these would be ran within the floor insulation.

2 questions:
1. is that normal?
2. what's the best way to keep them from freezing when winter camping. Especially if you are running off the fresh water tank where you can't let the water drip.

Mark K

[mhs4771]

There is a heat duct from the furnace into the belly of the beast, it's designed to keep things from freezing, but you have to be running the Gas Furnace enough to supply that heat.

[mkal24]

Thanks, I knew it had heat in the basement storage but wasn't sure about the rest of the rig.

[mhs4771]

You might want to pull the rear basement bulkhead and make sure all the ducts are connected to the furnace. There have been some that didn't get heat where it should be and found ducts laying on the floor.

[travelin' texans]

Typically "4 seasons", "Polar" or "Artic" packages, mostly sales gimmicks, mean the underbelly is enclosed with Coroplast (plastic cardboard) with a layer of Reflectix (shiny bubble wrap) with a furnace duct into the underneath. So yes it's 4 season ready provided it's not too cold.........or hot.

[Nedshred]

I know some of the other manufacturers also have laid Fiberglass or rock wool on top of the chloroplast. I asked Redwood why our new units do not have any and was told they didn’t think it helped much because of heat loss through the side chassis steel beams (I think I saw Luxe runs the insulation on the sides as well, but Montana’s don’t - only on the chloroplast). Of course any leaks and the wet fibre insulation causes big problems.

Redwood sales brochures show how even/uniform the heat and cooling is so I guess they have enough AC and furnace power to overwhelm outside air temperature. Of course that may explain why AC’s or furnaces run all the time.
My unit has no insulation under the basement floor and none in the basement ceiling which Redwood told me was how they do it now. So only half my bedroom floor is insulated. I’ve been wondering whether I should go to the trouble of trying to lay styrofoam type insulation down on the underbelly and/or the basement ceiling.

[mkal24]

I was looking at doing the same options. This was very helpful. Thanks

[C&D.L]

Recently we spent a few nights in 0 temps. Our 2012 36RL froze up. The grey tanks are mounted above the black tank so they were fine, but the black tank and fresh water tanks froze. We had the furnace run nearly continuously, enclosed the tanks with styrofoam and out a small heater under the tanks. There is only a very thin layer of insulation between the tanks and the black plastic bottom of the trailer that is pretty much useless. Unless you have heated tanks and heat tape on the lines between the floor and the tanks, and your waste valve, your RV isn’t winterized. We had to put the trailer in a heated shop to thaw the tanks out.