Too Early to Winterize?

[Airabel]

We're spending next week in the Bighorn Mountains, Wy with temperatures suppose to dip into the 20's at night. Taking our 2017 16' Sport and I'm considering draining just the two low-point drains and keeping the water heater and above floor water lines full. There are only two water lines under the floor, going from the low-point drains ( driver side ) across the trailer to the wet bath on curd side. No doubt we'll be using heater first thing each morning.
Has anyone tried this approach?

[pcskier]

The low point drains will drain a majority of the plumbing lines, but as soon as you close them and run the water pump again, all the lines will fill up. Which is no big deal as long as you are keeping things warm with your furnace.

On your Sport 16, I believe there are tank heaters to keep the undercarriage tanks from freezing, rather than the furnace on other models that heats the underbelly? In that case you'll need hookups or the heaters will kill your batteries. If your trailer heats the underbelly using the furnace, then you'll have no problems, esp at those temps. Even if you have tank heaters and not underbelly furnace heat, 20s overnight won't be a big deal for you tanks, assuming it warms up during the day.

[Airabel]

There are no tank heaters on-board, at least they're not mentioned in the owners manual. I also don't know if the trailer's heater sends any heat to the belly pan where the water lines must be. I would not be using the water pump. At least not until night temps warms up a bit. The fresh water tank is located above the floor and the black water tank will remain empty while on the Mountain.

[pcskier]

I looked at the 2017 Sport owners manual and indeed the furnace is ducted into the underbelly to keep it warm down there. So you are fine using your fresh tank, waste tanks, and entire plumbing system including water tank, as long as you keep the heat set to 50 degrees or so. I wouldn't even worry about draining low points at night.

[OTRA15]

FYI there is a winterizing Sticky Topic at the top of the Winterizing forum:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458...rize-7222.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f458/

These hourly forecasts for Burgess Junction [close to your site?] should help you track the actual temps, as the real-time weather data is fed back into the computer to keep the forecasts as accurate as possible. [See "Forward 2 Days" button at the top right]:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClic...&AheadDay.y=16

Have fun,

Peter

PS -- Any temps below freezing, coupled with strong winds, can cause damage in odd-ball places -- a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you are not thoroughly familiar with your trailer's systems, you might be better off considering it to be an aluminum tent IMO. Being able to blow out the pipes with a portable compressor would be good insurance IMO.

[Airabel]

Originally Posted by pcskier

I looked at the 2017 Sport owners manual and indeed the furnace is ducted into the underbelly to keep it warm down there. So you are fine using your fresh tank, waste tanks, and entire plumbing system including water tank, as long as you keep the heat set to 50 degrees or so. I wouldn't even worry about draining low points at night.

Do you remember what section of the manual shows the ductwork. I've looked all over for it.
Thanks.

[Airabel]

We'll be staying in the Medicine Wheel area which is a bit higher than Burgess Junction and very different geologically. Not uncommon for cold temps anytime. Usually gets coldest when winds are calm and clear skies. There's no power or Internet up there so we will be relying on solar panels and clear skies. Weather forcasts once there will be a real problem.

[Silvr_Bullet]

Originally Posted by Airabel

We'll be staying in the Medicine Wheel area which is a bit higher than Burgess Junction and very different geologically. Not uncommon for cold temps anytime. Usually gets coldest when winds are calm and clear skies. There's no power or Internet up there so we will be relying on solar panels and clear skies. Weather forcasts once there will be a real problem.

I would winterize, possibly could end up w.frozen section too expensive to repair. That’s one person, my opinion.

[pcskier]

Page 3-11, third paragraph. It says the furnace is ducted to the underbelly to prevent freezing of plumbing. As long as your batteries hold up (your solar keeps up or you have a generator to recharge them) and you keep the furnace set to 50 or 55 at night, you should be fine. It's not like we are talking about 10 degree temps.

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by Airabel

We're spending next week in the Bighorn Mountains, Wy with temperatures suppose to dip into the 20's at night. Taking our 2017 16' Sport and I'm considering draining just the two low-point drains and keeping the water heater and above floor water lines full. There are only two water lines under the floor, going from the low-point drains ( driver side ) across the trailer to the wet bath on curd side. No doubt we'll be using heater first thing each morning.
Has anyone tried this approach?

******
Nothing like summer in Wyoming.

We were at Double Cabin, Wyoming north of DuBois, mid July to experience 18 degrees overnight. Our interior water lines inside the walls froze up and the water pump, as well.

By quickly turning the water pump ON... no sound... immediately turn OFF. If the pump runs, great... but turn off until lines thaw out. Open the cabinet doors where you suspect a water line in the interior, frozen.

The day was sunny and in the low 70's. It was just one of those Wyoming evenings.

If you are able to choose, find a southern exposure towards the sunRISE on the largest aluminum surface to be exposed to sunlight. This will warm up the aluminum skin and warm up the interior as well. When expecting temperatures below 25 degrees, we will park the trailer in the LEAST SHADY spot.

The fresh water tank is not a problem with the volume of water. After all of the Boondocking at elevation you can prepare in advance.

- Turn water pump OFF after sunset.
- Open cabinet doors along the floor to let interior air circulate.
- Position either side towards SUN RISE for quick warmup.

By closing vents the humidity may become an issue. So it is a balancing act to maintain comfort and keep the interior above freezing... which you do not want.

There are some propane heating units that can be used in the interior that are safe and can warm up your trailer quickly. Thalweg (Buffalo, WY) used a Little Buddy and was I impressed!

After some practice, you will be able to sleep well and maintain a comfort level.

Google: Physics- Freezing Point of Water with Respect to Pressure

This you may find interesting.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Airabel

We'll be staying in the Medicine Wheel area which is a bit higher than Burgess Junction and very different geologically. Not uncommon for cold temps anytime. Usually gets coldest when winds are calm and clear skies. There's no power or Internet up there so we will be relying on solar panels and clear skies. Weather forcasts once there will be a real problem.

Gotcha. Looks like a great area:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bi...4d-107.9215923

The Burgess Junction hourly forecast linked in Post #5 will update in real time, as noted, so you can at least check the low temps forecast for the next 6 days, as you get closer. The lowest temp presently projected through Friday 8/30 is now 34, for reference purposes. Over the next week, it will help you re-assess whether the trend is moving up or down.

Have a great trip.

Peter

[Ray Eklund]

Be sure to wear a jacket when hiking up to Medicine Wheel!

Try to become acclimated to the elevation, before the hike over 9,000 feet. Nothing like the headache you will get if you are not adjusted to elevation.

If driving from west to east across the Big Horn Mountains... make sure your trailer brakes are doing their job. The going up is steep. The going down will appear twice as steep.

We found a nice Boondocking pullout off the highway twenty years ago, but you have to be looking. I recall it to be on the south side is all I can say. Otherwise other areas to the north had nothing flat enough to make a campsite comfortable.

You will get fantastic gas mileage going down! Enjoy.

[Adventure.AS]

I believe that the 16' Sport only has one combined gray/black holding tank and that your fresh water tank is inside the trailer under one of the dinette seats. The furnace should be able keep your tanks and inside plumbing from freezing.

In the winter when we travel and have winterized and just carry water for drinking, we use disposable toilet bags in the WC.