Really Cold

[Dave&Ginny]

I just got home about an hour ago and the truck thermeter read -7. Tomorrow I'm headed to Iowa and they're calling for -14.

I saw several jelled semis today on the highway.

[Joezilla]

That is exactly why we are in southern Arizona for the winter!!

Do not want any part of Iowa in the winter.

Joe

[travelin' texans]

Dave, if it makes you feel a little better, it's 20 degrees in Tallahassee, Fla. this morning.

[Shane Wood]

Dave
It is getting cold here in southern Cali to. 54 at 430 AM

[GA1817]

10 degrees south of Atlanta, GA!

[spindrift]

Yup, saw numerous rigs on the side of the road this morning. It's fairly chilly up here as well.

[BradPAjax]

You guys need to come north for a day or two. Wind chill here yesterday was minus 35 C. Big rigs here switch fuels so they don't gel up. Still see dually's delivering trailers along the 401 every day.

[lwg]

It was +7* here last night. The fresh water tank finally froze for the first time. It's mostly thawed out at this point and so far no leaks... Hoping there was enough room for expansion that no damage was done.

[JerryL]

My 36rl made it to 0 last night, with no problems, only to get home from work this evening at 21, with all the water working, except the kitchen sink. My furnace was left at 64, with the fireplace going. Any ideas?

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by JerryL

My 36rl made it to 0 last night, with no problems, only to get home from work this evening at 21, with all the water working, except the kitchen sink. My furnace was left at 64, with the fireplace going. Any ideas?

Jerry, I would recommend leaving a "safe" space heater in the basement with the little door on the service wall open.

[lwg]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

Jerry, I would recommend leaving a "safe" space heater in the basement with the little door on the service wall open.

This is basically what I've been doing. Although I actually took down 1/2 of the basement wall to be safe. I have installed a remote thermo sensor into the underbelly and now find that the temp down there doesn't move much regardless of whether I use the propane furnace or the electric heater. The problem seems to be getting heat into those small round holes where they run the hoses. Unfortunately heat rises through convection so short of installing some sort of fan to push it down there you only get a small amount of heat to the underbelly.

[JerryL]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

Jerry, I would recommend leaving a "safe" space heater in the basement with the little door on the service wall open.

Thanks. Any suggestions on what you consider safe? I have always had the mindset that there really are no safe space heaters.

[spindrift]

I have two ceramic heaters by Pelonis. If they get tipped over, there's an auto shut-off.

[homeguy]

I always felt the safest was the ceramic heaters.

[Shane Wood]

Another safe option is to hang a 250w heat lamp behind the basement wall. this is good for up to -20. The same one we used for chickens on the farm

[lwg]

Originally Posted by Shane Wood

Another safe option is to hang a 250w heat lamp behind the basement wall. this is good for up to -20. The same one we used for chickens on the farm

I'm not sure that puts out enough heat in the really cold weather, say below 20*. We have a heater down there with the basement wall removed and on it's low setting it doesn't quite put out enough heat, which is about 600W if I remember correctly. I have to set it to Medium (900w) to keep the underbelly temp from dropping too rapidly.

If it's cold and the wind is blowing then everything changes! That's when I see temps drop the fastest. Two nights ago our underbelly went down to 26*. The freshwater tank froze, had no water for a few hours after the sun came up.

[Dave&Ginny]

I use the "radiator" type of heater that radiates the heat. I've even ran my generator while driving down the highway with the fireplace on and that radiator heater running in the basement.

[GA1817]

Does anyone know why RW never offered heated tank pads as an option or are they useless?

[spindrift]

I don't know if they're useless. I suppose that all the heat you can get would be helpful in sub zero temps but then again, is a "Four Season" RV really a four season RV?

I've had the RW in some pretty nasty weather and never had a tank freeze. Once upon a time, years before the RW, I tried to save propane by running three ceramic heaters. They kept the inside nicely heated with very little run time on the furnace. Unfortunately, I forgot that the furnace was heating my tanks as well. Live and learn.

[atom ant]

The folks in front of us at our Dealer when we ordered asked for electric tank heaters and Redwood said no problem. Never heard if they actually got installed.