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Lothlorian · 11-09-2018, 02:27 PM

Hi..
My Airstream is in a barn in zone 6...I will use it periodically during weekends and I don't want to keep winterizing every time I camp in it. It never leaves the barn as I am building my retirement home. I don't work on it every week and sometimes I might not make it there for a month. I have it plugged in to a 30 amp receptical..when I'm there I have small electric heaters on a thermostat...I have one of those heaters during the winter in my well house that I keep at 40 degrees...it has worked great for the last 3 years...previous years I did not work on place during the winter, but this year I will...I work until I have to leave. I don't want to keep doing the traditional winterizing every couple of weeks...I want keep the inside about45 degrees to prevent damage to the faucets and toilet...I have no problem draining the hot water heat and the pipes...don't use my fresh water holding tanks any more because I have a well...please give me a recommendation for a safe electric heater with temperature control.

ROBERT CROSS · 11-09-2018, 03:13 PM

Our Pelonis Disc is 40+yrs old, so I can't vouch for the new ones,(ours, metal case), but it has done very well with never a problem.

Bob
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bweybright · 11-09-2018, 03:41 PM

I use one of these in the trailer. It lives in an unheated enclosed shop: PELONIS Electric Radiator Heater, 1500W Portable Oil Filled Radiator Space Heater with Digital Thermostat, 24-Hour programmable Timer,

When it is not being used as a holiday guest room I open the door to the water pump area, and bathroom. Like you I have drained the water pipes, fresh water tank, and only permit toilet use for pee with an antifreeze flush. Baby wipes suffice for hand washing. I also have a lot of driz air in the trailer to absorb any moisture that comes from breathing while sleeping to keep humidity controlled around 50% all winter.

uncle_bob · 11-09-2018, 06:23 PM

Hi

As long as you use the heater to keep the entire barn above 32F you should be fine. If you are only heating the inside of the trailer ..... maybe not so much. The gotcha are all the various bits of plumbing that hang off the trailer. Sewage dump valves, city water inputs, low point drains, outdoor shower wands and valves .... lots of stuff. It's far more "outdoor" than "indoor" in terms of being heated by your in trailer setup ....

Bob

BeachHouse · 11-10-2018, 09:39 AM

We don't winterize in the Atlanta area. But do use an electric heater when it is cold. I open all the cabinet doors and access compartments where there are pipes. But, if you do use an electric heater, it is probably best to NOT use one with digital controls because if there is a power failure (or just a blip), the heater will not come back on automatically. We did have a faucet freeze up because I did not check on the heater after a power blip.

mikebyrne · 11-10-2018, 09:50 AM

I purge water because if it does freeze you’ll have a cracked water pump, toilet, etc.

Simply drain the hot water and fresh water. YouTube has examples. Go to Walmart’s RV section and buy a plastic purge fitting for $3. Use that fitting and a bicycle pump to pressurize the system to about 10psi. Flush the toilet, open shower and sink faucets. Will need to repeat a few times, until nothing but air, all water drained.

Rob Cope · 11-10-2018, 10:14 AM

You might also consider using an electric heating pad on the external dump valves, as I think that is external to warmth created inside.

twrastall · 11-10-2018, 11:06 AM

A space heater will not work if temps fall below 32 degrees. Heat will not get to your tanks and plumbing. Besides your electric bill will go through the roof running a space heater 24/7.

uncle_bob · 11-11-2018, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Cope

You might also consider using an electric heating pad on the external dump valves, as I think that is external to warmth created inside.

Hi

You also have the low point drain valves, and fresh water input that are outside as well as the outdoor shower. On some RV's there are even more things on that list.

Bob

Olscot · 11-11-2018, 09:22 AM

I like to use a 'Thermocube' They plug into a regular outlet. Power comes on at 34 degrees and off at 40. Works great with older heaters or heat lamps and don't need to be 'reprogrammed' after a power outage.

uncle_bob · 11-12-2018, 07:16 AM

Hi

I think that once the inside of the barn or trailer (depending on which we are heating) gets to 34 degrees, you are pretty far behind in getting it heated up. If you are going to run a thermostat, setting it for a kick in above 40 is likely the best way to go.

Bob

TCwheels · 11-12-2018, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Our Pelonis Disc is 40+yrs old, so I can't vouch for the new ones,(ours, metal case), but it has done very well with never a problem.

Bob

[emoji631]

Had the same unit. Bought in 1990 I think, $99. Thermostat just stopped working last year!

gypsydad · 11-12-2018, 03:27 PM

We use to use an electric heater here in Austin in winter in our 25; then 2 winters ago, I had the valve in the toilet freeze and also the shower valve froze. They both started leaking. Many folks suggested leaving all the cupboards open and blowing out any water in the lines, short of adding antifreeze...(even vodka!)

Last year with the new 28' we just turned the heater on at 41 degrees and even when it was in the teens, I did not have any issues using the AS furnace...yes, you have to watch the propane, but I run one bottle at a time, so I know when one is out and I can leave one connected while I go fill the other. We live outside Austin and it's supposed to get into the 20's next few nights, so I just filled my tanks and set my thermostat. I have not drained my freshwater nor blown out the lines...did not last year either...seems to work ok for my set up.

ROBERT CROSS · 11-13-2018, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCwheels

Had the same unit. Bought in 1990 I think, $99. Thermostat just stopped working last year!

And that was expensive, when most of the others were under $50.
It is a great little heater. I still use it, put it on the floor under the snowblower cover to dry it after use. 👍

Bob
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uncle_bob · 11-13-2018, 08:22 AM

Hi

The classic comment about some of this is "it works right up until it doesn't"

.

There are way more variables involved that just the minimum temperature. Some techniques that work fine at 10 degrees in one case fail miserably at 28 degrees in another case.....

Bob

pmclemore · 11-13-2018, 08:38 AM

If the rig is staying in the barn, and you don't wish to heat the entire space ($$), then I'd suggest using painters tape to secure some plastic around the base of the trailer and just heating that space.

Another space heater in the trailer would take care of all your worries.

Pat

Lothlorian · 11-14-2018, 09:55 AM

Thanks for your advice...I may be to late...it is 450 miles away and the last couple of nights it went down to the twenties...there is no water in the fresh water tanks or hot water heater...I have the trailer front raised so the water will run out the back spicket...I also opened left all faucets opened...the pump is not working and the fuses are good...I ran antifreeze through it last year and never used the pump this year...I use my well water when I'm there...my son is going up this weekend and will check it out...it sits in zone 6 near zone 7.

Donster · 11-18-2018, 11:59 AM

I made connector that as a male hose fitting at one end and the other end for the air compressor with a ball valve between so I can screw it to the fresh water supply and blow out the water pipes (I have a drain valve on the plumbing the PO put in when he replumbed with PEX.). This makes winterizing a 5 min job! Then I just pour some RV antifreeze into the drains for the sinks and bath and into the commode to push water out of the P-Traps.

BillTex · 11-18-2018, 02:17 PM

I would use a compressor and not worry about leaving a heater on, power loss, etc...

Takes 5 min to blow out the lines.

Gmccloskey · 11-18-2018, 04:03 PM

This is my first winter with our International 28FB, and I keep the trailer indoors in my shop, with the heat set at 40 degrees. I am in Zone 5 (central Idaho). That said, I 1) drained the water heater, 2) made sure that grey and black water tanks were drained, 3)pressurized the fresh water system (40#) and made sure that the faucets were all clear, 4) ran the water pump to empty it, 5) then re-drained the three "low point" drains. I then put about a cup of anti-freeze in each of the P-traps (shower, lav-sink, kitchen, and shower).

I think that should do it, but please let me know if I am missing something. I like the idea of a small space heater in the trailer but I am worried that a $50 heater could burn down a trailer that costs me more that the shop!