Aloha!
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Post by Aloha! on Oct 10, 2013 8:33:58 GMT -8
Aloha All! With the winter months coming on and my new Shasta baby stuck out in the cold I got to wondering what I can or should NOT do during the winter months. I now live in Virginia so I no longer have the horrid Hawaiian winters - 82* with tropical trades -perfect for me! - that would have allowed for year round outdoor working conditions if a travel trailer of any era could be found. (Note: Lots of 60s, 70s & 80sVW vans though!) Of course no one can truly predict the weather but if you had your baby stuck outside for the winter................
what can/would you NOT do? (aka what should I NOT do?)
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Post by universalexports on Oct 10, 2013 15:04:40 GMT -8
well, the usual I guess, dont leave anything off or open that rain/snow can get into then freeze, water expands
when it freezes, this can bust anything. and also remember everything expands/contracts with temperature change, this is important with lots of things including floor tiles and aluminum which have a large expansion rate. i.e. if you put your floor tiles down when the camper is 10 degrees, when it gets 95 degrees you may have issues.
I'd put a tarp over the top if you have any leaks or dont know if you have any leaks, snow on top steadily melting over several days can be bad if you have leaks.
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Aloha!
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Post by Aloha! on Oct 10, 2013 17:48:21 GMT -8
Aloha Universalexports! Thank you for the words of wisdom. I actually added a tarp to my list of things to take out tomorrow; my biggest tarp. Planning on trying to ensure anytime it's not being worked on it's wrapped like a holiday gift. I read somewhere on the forum that hail storms could leave tiny pin holes and we think there may have been a possibility of the trailer having been through a mild hail storm. Cover is a must. Along those line, I'll also be trying to convince my Handy-Andy man that one of his vintage tractors could be moved from the covered areas to the fields where it would feel more at home and my trailer moved in. I'm not sure he'll bite but it's worth a try! Thanks again for the advice. Feel free to add any others you may think of.
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Post by vikx on Oct 10, 2013 22:15:56 GMT -8
I agree with Universal, cover it and take the best care you can. It's nice to see you care...
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Oct 11, 2013 19:55:36 GMT -8
In a similar vein... I am staying in Hamlet (early Compact) four nights a week while I work away from home. It does freeze in Portland, OR many winter nights, and on occasion will dip into the low teens for a couple nights, staying below freezing during the day. I normally turn off the water and gas when I leave for work in the morning and then turn them back on for the evening, and off again at bedtime. We have a 25' hose from the water spigot to the trailer for the sink. I'm not using the porta potty or the shower for the winter. How do I keep the hose from freezing while I'm working or sleeping? The RV park where I'm "camping" has already put insulator sleeves on the spigots. Is there anything else I should be doing, aside from watching for leaks?
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 11, 2013 21:02:18 GMT -8
If you are going to have snow you want to use T type supports on the inside to keep the roof from sagging under the weight. Also if you can put something a little taller like a one or two gallon bucket on the vent cover it will make the tarp act like a tent and shed both snow and water better. Leave a 60 to 100 watt light bulb going inside for the whole winter as long as it is freezing. That will keep the trailer quite a few degrees warmer and again will help in the shedding of snow. Of course a blizzard will just make your trailer look like an iceberg. Ask me how I know this.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 12, 2013 3:55:15 GMT -8
How about a small plug in ceramic heater, then set the thermostat and leave it plugged in all winter it should be fine and keep the trailer around 55 or 60 degrees. Your hose outside is a whole new ballgame your could wrap it with a heat tape if the park has enough electric and don't mind. The only other thought would be disconnect the water and use a couple of portable water jugs during the freezing weather.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 12, 2013 4:18:03 GMT -8
another thing you can do for cold weather camping is put a heavy carpet/throw rug on the floor for insulation and you can make some window quilts to cover the inside of your windows during cold snaps. Also make a foam plug for the roof vent as that is a major heat loss.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 12, 2013 7:28:45 GMT -8
another thing you can do for cold weather camping is put a heavy carpet/throw rug on the floor for insulation and you can make some window quilts to cover the inside of your windows during cold snaps. Also make a foam plug for the roof vent as that is a major heat loss. I think we are talking about storage here Bill.... |
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Oct 12, 2013 7:50:28 GMT -8
If you are going to have snow you want to use T type supports on the inside to keep the roof from sagging under the weight. Also if you can put something a little taller like a one or two gallon bucket on the vent cover it will make the tarp act like a tent and shed both snow and water better. Leave a 60 to 100 watt light bulb going inside for the whole winter as long as it is freezing. That will keep the trailer quite a few degrees warmer and again will help in the shedding of snow. Of course a blizzard will just make your trailer look like an iceberg. Ask me how I know this. I hadn't thought about a lightbulb, mobiltec. That is the simplest and safest solution. I know you meant it for the storage question, but it also will work for me being away during the day. I'm not comfortable with leaving a heater on with all that wood around, but the lightbulb would be perfect. I still have to think about the hose thing and maybe ask around to some of the other long-term residents to see what they do. Thanks for all the good ideas for both storage and camping, everyone. |
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Post by bigbill on Oct 12, 2013 10:29:43 GMT -8
another thing you can do for cold weather camping is put a heavy carpet/throw rug on the floor for insulation and you can make some window quilts to cover the inside of your windows during cold snaps. Also make a foam plug for the roof vent as that is a major heat loss. I think we are talking about storage here Bill.... Larry I was answering hamlet about her living in Portland four days a week this winter. Hamlet if you buy a quality heater with a tip over and a overheat shutdown which should be most of them you should be totally safe. If in doubt sit it in the sink while you are gone or a small metal tub. If you try a light bulb make sure it isn't a new one as they don't put off heat. |
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 12, 2013 11:10:04 GMT -8
Oh dang I forgot about those. LOL You can still get 100 watt incandescent light bulbs that are in the 100 watt look alike range but I don't know how much heat they put out. Two 60 watters in tandem would work though. Being that I live in CA I forgot because I haven't used this method for anything since way before the light bulb fiasco.... I learned that trick from working on yachts and other smaller boats just to keep the interior moisture down. Also used that method for water well pump rooms up in the mountains where it gets below freezing. Keeps everything from freezing.
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Post by bigbill on Oct 12, 2013 11:16:04 GMT -8
Yes we used to store arc welding rods in a light bulb box to keep them dry. I wonder if even a couple of 100 watt bulbs would make that much difference in a space as big as a trailer no better than they are insulated.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Oct 12, 2013 14:12:22 GMT -8
Yes we used to store arc welding rods in a light bulb box to keep them dry. I wonder if even a couple of 100 watt bulbs would make that much difference in a space as big as a trailer no better than they are insulated. Yes Bill. I learned about this working on ships, boats and yachts. A 50 foot sail boat for instance. One bulb forward a ways and one bulb aft but not all the way and the inside stayed nice and dry no matter the humidity outside which on the beach is a lot. So a 20 foot trailer or less should do fine with two 50 or 60 watt bulbs spread out a bit. And it worked well for the pump house up on the 7500 foot mountain that I used to maintain for a casino in Nevada. I had two in there but it had a 10,000 gallon tank of water in there too. LOL.... No heaters in the building and nothing ever froze. Still there to this day even though the casino itself has burned to the ground. |
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cowcharge
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Post by cowcharge on Oct 19, 2013 11:08:51 GMT -8
Hamlet, just drain the hose before bed and work, and leave it laying flat. A little water left in it won't hurt anything as long as it isn't in the bottom of a loop, freezing into a plug. For the three days a week it's closed up, just make sure the water lines are drained, and the faucets/drains left open too. A little water in the sink trap won't burst anything even if it freezes, it's in restricted areas that it'll burst pipes. If you have low spots in your plumbing that don't drain, maybe you can blow them out with air (or add a drain there). I wouldn't dare to leave 110v heaters or lights going unattended for three days, with me out of checking range (JMHO). Aloha you lazybones  , I work on mine in the winter, parked outdoors in Maine. Virginia should be a piece of cake! Of course I fixed the furnace first... Even if you're not working on it all winter, you still have to go sit in it and drink. Sorry, but them's the rules. I didn't make 'em up. If you're leaving it alone for the winter and can't keep the roof cleaned of snow, then yeah, by all means brace the ceiling and put a bucket, or build a light frame like they do for boats, under the tarp to shed the snow. Don't keep your wood glues and putties in the trailer, they'll be useless next spring. Take the propane tank home, and screw a plug into the line. Take the battery home. |
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, I work on mine in the winter, parked outdoors in Maine. Virginia should be a piece of cake! Of course I fixed the furnace first... 