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tifspiff9 · 01-09-2015, 06:46 PM

We definitely aim to be in a warmer climate as soon as possible. However, our jobs are still here and we are living full-time in the Airstream (I wish it was just camping). Until a virtual job comes through, we are here trying to make it all work and learning a ton along the way.

Latest conundrum, we have water but only cold. We use the campground showers to avoid condensation so this isn't a huge inconvenience, but I want to make sure everything is working properly. We can't hook up to city water until the campground fixes the spigot at our site.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 01-09-2015, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tifspiff9

Hi! We've had the furnace on the entire time we've been here. Couldn't have lived without it. The electric heater is just supplemental and currently aimed into the cabinetry where the fresh water tank resides.

Hi, I guess I missed where you said your furnace was on all of the time. My oil filled heater will put heat to my thermostat and the furnace will shut off. So I won't use my oil filled heater in really cold weather. Also, I had my fresh water tank out once and the inlet pipe [PEX] is outside of the tank, but inside of the tank cover, so it could freeze before the tank freezes. That would be my guess as to what happened to you. Glad it's working now.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 01-09-2015, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Eklund

Airstreams are ice boxes. Your water line(s) are frozen. Open all access points to warm the areas that water lines and the pump can warm up from the interior heating.

I would avoid using your trailer's water pump and fresh water tank during the cold months. Use the city water inlet. Better yet... camp dry and use the RV Park restrooms.

Personally, and I am a small minority of Airstream owners that will NEVER camp in an Airstream during the cold months, except far enough south to be sure the chance of a string of freezing air temperatures. We run DRY. Use water jugs for fresh water and use the RV Park facilities.

We are leaving next week from Colorado to the desert Southwest. Dry on the road and dry until we get to where we will be camped... and careful not to be caught in a cold spell that also occur at Tucson, Arizona that will freeze up trailer water systems.

Convenience is nice, but you must consider that it may not be worth the possible damage to your fresh water system in the trailer. Tifspiff9 has it figured out. For us... Dry Camp until you are in an area that minimizes the chance of a "hard freeze". You might consider it over kill... but you are having the problem.... not us.

Hi, I have had my fresh water hose freeze several times in cold weather; Plan to buy a heated hose, but haven't yet. My water pump with my fresh water tank saved us. Glad that I always have fresh water in the tank when traveling. It always gets drained when we get back home. My furnace is set at either 66 or 68 degrees at the lowest with occupants in it.

Ray Eklund · 01-10-2015, 08:01 AM

Tifspiff9... your next situation will be this:

The furnace on and with a number of individuals within the trailer... water system now running... the condensation overnight will raise the humidity upwards to 100%. You will get water condensation on the interior windows and if cool enough, the walls. It can be especially bad if you shower, damp clothing when you reenter the trailer, etc.

You must consider tweaking the ceiling vents to vent and get some fresh air into the trailer.

I know. It sounds counterproductive with the water lines freezing up and now someone says... vent the interior. When you awaken in the morning you will feel not only damp, but possibly wet. You are now living in an Airstream Sauna.

If you step out into the cold air, outside the trailer, you will be needing to be de iced like a Boeing aircraft. That is the one fact that nobody talks about.

The arid west starts with humidity at 2% to 15% inside the trailer... and closed up... a rain forest. Low elevations can be 80% humidity, warmed up and lowered to 50% but just four people exhaling needs to be considered.

Rjins · 01-10-2015, 11:58 AM

Crank that Dyson up, move to Florida, or call your Dad for help!

tifspiff9 · 01-10-2015, 05:07 PM

Ray, we are very concerned about the condensation and will be purchasing a dehumidifier asap (Home Depot only carries 30 pints minimum!?) to counteract it as best we can. We are using the campground showers to offset the major steam from showers.

And just to update, for some unknown reason yet again, we now have hot water as well as cold. We are completely up and running!? I'm bordering on "possession" as my new theory as I cannot figure out why things just start working again. It has been relatively warm (35 degrees today) so I'm not sure if there was another thaw out. We have kept the furnace at 70 (seems really toasty but I want my Airstream to work) and moved the Dyson heater up into the front bedroom to not confuse the thermostat. All of these things seem to somehow have gotten us working again. Hooray for an ice storm tomorrow!

As always, thank you all for your eagerness to help and support! I love being an Airstream owner and part of such a great community!

guskmg · 01-10-2015, 06:22 PM

Good info all. I just finished 6 weeks in CO, TX, and OH with temps between 8 and 40F. Most of the time below freezing. Ran the furnace, but had a problem with it shutting off and having to recycle the on-off switch to regain heat. Jackson Center found a bent sail switch arm after we had changed the thermostat. They put my old thermostat back in when it proved not to be the problem. Meanwhile my water pump quit without any noise. Turns out the 10 amp fuse @ the pump was blown. I figured it must have happened when the pump did not get enough heat to stay thawed out. I had water flow other than that. I think the idea of a layer of ice forming in the tank is plausible and could account for the loud unusual noise of the pump running dry. One year in a Streamline, I full timed in Omaha from Dec-Jul with constent temps below freezing. I survived by running the Coleman funace using two 100# bottles and delivery service. Also, I used the shortest piece of water hose possible with a short heat strip and insulation. I also fabricated a short sewer hose. All this worked well after the initial hook up. It took 4-5 hours for the heat strip to thaw out the site's water connection after i hooked it up. Although, my holding tank froze when it was really cold I only dumped when the ambient temp was above freezing. The only real glitch i had was the Colaman's blower had a dead spot on the armature which caused be to go ooutside in the middle of the night and stick a screw driver in the intake grill and give the motor shaft a nudge. This worked until the owner at Camper City on L street gave me a used motor for me to use while he ordered me a new one..I never did have to replace the used motor during the next 17 years. Winter camping is fun if you plan ahead. Always listen to other's experiences.

Ray Eklund · 01-10-2015, 06:44 PM

Tiffspiff9... I believe you helped very many other trailer owners with your post. Thank you tossing it out as a Thread. Water line freeze ups are more common than one would think. Having a 30 footer leaves a lot of water lines to ice up.

Missouri has tougher winters than we do in Colorado! Just do not let the word get out. It is only the ski areas that promote the heavy snow and exaggerate the depth. Today... low 50's. Tomorrow... chance of snow.

When we hit -18 and lower, our "sucker well head" will freeze up. Depending on the air pressure it can pull the -18F down and freeze up. So we have a large plastic "fake rock" and insert and plug in a 100 watt light bulb inside the "rock". The well draws the warmer air and solved that problem.

Keep us up to date. You will have some comfort knowing that these Airstream Facts and Fantasy issues ARE REAL, but discovering why is hard earned knowledge.

Great Post. Been there. Done it and do not want to repeat!

Strasser · 01-12-2015, 06:43 PM

We just moved into our 2010 flying cloud last week ourselves! We're not brave enough to use our water tanks and have been relying on space heaters, jugs of water, and a nature's head composting toilet to get business done. Keeping warm is a chore with those -30 degree wind chills we had last week. 17 degrees has never felt so good!

Moflash · 01-12-2015, 08:04 PM

Sounds like by supplementing with a additional heater your gas furnace did not run enough to keep water lines from freezing.I run just the gas furnace set at 68 degrees.
Last week in the Florida panhandle we were surprised by temps in the low 20's.We had no problems with our water or condensation.

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tifspiff9 · 01-13-2015, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strasser

We just moved into our 2010 flying cloud last week ourselves! We're not brave enough to use our water tanks and have been relying on space heaters, jugs of water, and a nature's head composting toilet to get business done. Keeping warm is a chore with those -30 degree wind chills we had last week. 17 degrees has never felt so good!

Strasser, how do you like the nature's head? We want to go that way but haven't the money nor room yet. Did you remove existing toilet? Where do you dump?

Here's to heat wave this weekend! 54 degrees thus Saturday! Wahoo!

Strasser · 01-16-2015, 06:00 AM

We love it so far, though we haven't had it very long. We are currently parked at a trailer park. We use a funnel to dump the urine container directly into the sewer pipe. It's very quick and easy. We haven't had to dump the sold waste yet. I think most people just put it in a dumpster or bury it in a biodegradable bag. We will go the dumpster route for now.

I did remove the old toilet. We plugged the hole and built a simple platform over the old spot to seat the toilet on. I took pictures of the process to post, but haven't taken the time to write it up yet.

... and yes. We are loving life when it rises above 30 degrees. :-)