20-footers

[smithcreek]

Has anyone used their 12v fresh/gray/black tank heating pads while travelling in freezing weather? Can a tow vehicle supply enough 12v DC power to keep them running? The manual says if you use both pads they will drain full batteries in 3 hours, so I'm thinking the umbilical cord won't be able to keep up.

I ask because I will be travelling this winter, starting in the northeast, heading south then west before backtracking home some time in February. It would be nice to know in case I run into cold weather somewhere during the trip which will probably last two months and go from coast to coast. If I'm right and the TV won't keep up, I'll probably just leave the trailer winterized until I get a ways south, then re-winterize before I head north again.

[OTRA15]

Your closing plan sounds wise IMO. We did a NYC-- San Diego -- Napa -- Florida -- NY winter trip in the early 90's, and had a couple of winterization SNAFU's enroute, due to a premature "summerization." Especially in Texas and The Plains, the weather can change radically without much warning.

Have fun!

Peter

PS -- Skip, on your theft prevention questions, we have often thought of similar steps to take, but figure that a determined thief can get through most any device, if he or she is prepared and willing to take the risks. The steps also depend on cost, insurance, neighbors, location and so forth. Hard to know exactly what to do IMO.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by smithcreek

Has anyone used their 12v fresh/gray/black tank heating pads while travelling in freezing weather? Can a tow vehicle supply enough 12v DC power to keep them running? The manual says if you use both pads they will drain full batteries in 3 hours, so I'm thinking the umbilical cord won't be able to keep up.

I ask because I will be travelling this winter, starting in the northeast, heading south then west before backtracking home some time in February. It would be nice to know in case I run into cold weather somewhere during the trip which will probably last two months and go from coast to coast. If I'm right and the TV won't keep up, I'll probably just leave the trailer winterized until I get a ways south, then re-winterize before I head north again.

SC, we have completed 2 cold winter trips. Snow and down to below 24 (reported down the road in Joseoh OR.) Traveled summerized but with gas WH and furnace on about 50. When i stopped for gas/whatever, i run some H2o, both h & c. Tank warmers off. Figured the sloshing would keep things in the tank somewhat liquid.

The recent trip to key west was totally different. No snow but in and out in out of very cold weather....don't discount wind chill effect on the DS of the trailer! Holed up in Travelers Rest (just N of Greenville SC) and heading for Washington, mo. late eve news of Family emergency prompted early departure the next day. Checked weather in wash mo., @#$%, 17 deg and high of 22 otr. Winterized (2nd of three this trip) hurriedly with 12vdc inflator, which given enough time actually did a pretty good job. Traveled winterized and with furnace at 50 only for day and a half. Weather in Wash mo finally broke to 28-34 ( so summerized) for a week on day of arrival and all was good. Summerized again in Fredericksburg, tx. Dodged a 4th in Flagstaff!

Yup a real PIA when otr. Btw didn't pink the traps since i was caught off guard and empty handed. Not a ida to have a gallon. Also installed a diverter at the pump and bought a pink pump for the BW connection, the hardest part of my winterization due to funky oem plumbing practices. Stay tuned...replacing my BW connection and going with a ss braided connection between that and the connection the the vacBr so water actually flows back to the bose connection instead of to a very low spot....very hard to blow the water out. any water past the check valve floss well to the tank spray connection.Actually thinking of pulling the VacBr/ck val. Not there yet but still pondering.

B

[smithcreek]

Thanks for the replies. Those both sound like great trips! This will be the first time I've driven across country, if fact first time even crossing the Mississippi in an auto!

I can add antifreeze to the gray and black, but I'm not sure I'd even need to as I can just make sure those are empty any time I don't have 120v. Maybe I will try to run the freshwater heater while driving if I get desperate. I can always drain that too between campgrounds and run the furnace while travelling. I guess I'll grab a few gallons of antifreeze and figure it out as I go. Thanks again.

[OTRA15]

If the weather is dodgy and unpredictable, we do a "Fred Flintstone" winterization, which is both simple and quick:

Supply
-- pump off
-- holding tanks empty-ish
-- open fresh water tank drain
-- open low-point drains [2H/2C]], water heater drain plug and PRV
-- open all faucets, galley sink sprayer, shower valves [2H/2C]
-- hold toilet flush valve open for 10 seconds or so
-- run pump for 5 seconds or so, or until the sound changes and you are sucking air

Waste
-- RV AF to traps
-- RV AF to both waste tanks [1 gallon each]

Then drive on down the road for 10-20 miles +/- . . .

Except for the pump and supply line from the water tank [which you can do manually without AF], you should be good to go. In my personal opinion, with PEX plumbing, you don't really need to blow out any supply lines, but I always do so, just in case, when there is ample time to do it right.

Peter

PS -- If you want the capacity to winterize on the road with 12 volts, the Viair 450 RV is the unit to have IMO.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Viai...com&gws_rd=ssl
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...or-193124.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f163...ns-202812.html

-30-

[smithcreek]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

If the weather is dodgy and unpredictable, we do a "Fred Flintstone" winterization, which is both simple and quick:

Supply
-- pump off
-- holding tanks empty-ish
-- open fresh water tank drain
-- open low-point drains [2H/2C]], water heater drain plug and PRV
-- open all faucets, galley sink sprayer, shower valves [2H/2C]
-- hold toilet flush valve open for 10 seconds or so
-- run pump for 5 seconds or so, or until the sound changes and you are sucking air

Waste
-- RV AF to traps
-- RV AF to both waste tanks [1 gallon each]

Then drive on down the road for 10-20 miles +/- . . .

Except for the pump and supply line from the water tank [which you can do manually without AF], you should be good to go. In my personal opinion, with PEX plumbing, you don't really need to blow out any supply lines, but I always do so, just in case, when there is ample time to do it right.

Peter

PS -- If you want the capacity to winterize on the road with 12 volts, the Viair 450 RV is the unit to have IMO.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Viai...com&gws_rd=ssl
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...or-193124.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f163...ns-202812.html

-30-

Thanks so much Peter, excellent procedure and I will definitely pick up a Viair 450. I'll be a long ways from home and probably try to stay off the interstates when I get the chance, so being prepared will be good.

[OTRA15]

The 450RV is expensive, but worth every penny for its quality and 100% duty cycle IMO. Nice carrying case and hoses/fittings IMO. Suggest you buy the setup and make sure it works before you leave, so that it is second-nature to use on the road.

BTW, when you post right after a long post, you generally don't have to quote it. At least this is my personal preference for continuity of reading.

Peter

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

If the weather is dodgy and unpredictable, we do a "Fred Flintstone" winterization, ...
....


Except for the pump and supply line from the water tank [which you can do manually without AF], you should be good to go. In my personal opinion, with PEX plumbing, you don't really need to blow out any supply lines, but I always do so, just in case, when there is ample time to do it right.

Peter

Peter I do like Fred's version and makes perfect sense.


Just keep thinking of Darrel's tag line..."Don't let perfect be the enemy of better." sometimes it hard go let go especially when you can's see much less access the part you just let go.

b


FWIW my inflator was my dad's which means it is over 30 years old...maybe a coleman and working fine under it's limitations of 12VDC

[CruizinDux]

When I winterize, I disconnect the supply in and system out at the pump….then screw in a male adapter with a section of hose to the respective white shurflo hose connections (which eventually connect to the AS pex). This way I can blow back water to the tank or down the line towards the LP’s as appropriate which the pump doesn’t push out and that which is still there waiting for the pump to suck from the FW tank. The hose/male adapter is in the picture.

When putting it back together (again the white flex hoses not the pec thrumb turn connections) I did not see a rubber washer (those white cone shaped jobs). Looked all over the pump house and did not see them figuring they had fallen out. Sooo, I put in one of the cone washers used for the pex and it was so large I could not get the threads started. Hmmm, disconnected and looked in and there is no extra room for a washer, but the plastic end where the washer would go is beveled apparently to seat against the male NPT pump connections. Now I’m thinking it doesn’t need a washer. Can you confirm? Looking at the picture, clearly it is beveled I presume to self-seat?


O did disconnect the pex connections at the diverter valve and the outbound pex connection and they had the white cone washers. Afterthought, I did not attempt to remove the black beveled piece in the third picture as it appeared to be plastic and not rubber. Never had any leaks here.


Can anyone please take a look at theirs and advise?

Thx
Bob

[rmkrum]

The black rubber ring deep inside the fitting is the gasket. Mine looks the same.

[CruizinDux]

Thanks, rnkrum. Appreciate the confirmation!

Happy trails
B

[Malia20]

Originally Posted by posty

Hey fellow 20 footers,

I've been in some freezing temps the past few weeks, running the furnace a lot, and have noticed my kitchen drawers are getting quite warm inside.

After finally getting on the floor to inspect the furnace area, I see that the top of the furnace is open, shooting directly into the cabinet underneath the convection microwave and heating the space where the drawers reside.

Here's what I see:



Are your furnaces like this? It seems like way too much output is being wasted on this cabinet space.

I'm thinking I'd like to restrict that flow, if not block it off entirely.

Sorry about the delay, trailer is over an hour from home... Anyway, I have a 2017 20', I believe this is the first year with AC ducting in the ceiling, and I can say the furnace does not duct to ceiling. My furnace has two ducts, both emptying into the galley. Both ducts come from the sides of the furnace, one on forward facing, one on aft facing side. There are punch-out plates for other ducting possibilities on the galley side and on the top, neither are punched out. Your picture shows the top punch-out as punched-out, possibly accidentally bumped during install and is now floating around in the furnace air chamber. If you have not figured it out yet, you need to plug that opening.


Something I discovered (thanks for getting me to look) there is no furnace ducting to the belly pan and water tanks as has been reported by others. Interesting.


Good luck and safe travels.
Fred

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Malia20

. . .
If you have not figured it out yet, you need to plug that opening.

Something I discovered (thanks for getting me to look) there is no furnace ducting to the belly pan and water tanks as has been reported by others. Interesting.
. . .

Good logic and advice on plugging that opening IMO.

I don't think any of the 20' models, through the years, have ever had ducting that went to the tanks, as there is precious little real estate for running the ducts. Your ceiling ducts are for the A/C only IMO.

Each model/length has its own often-unique layout, and unfortunately many posters here do not pick up on the subtleties of this.

Cheers,

Peter

PS -- Fred are you using Firefox as your browser? Those extra blank lines in your post may dovetail with this thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...ts-182555.html

The problem persists IMO. I have to edit out the extra blank lines in every single post in Firefox.

[Malia20]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

PS -- Fred are you using Firefox as your browser? Those extra blank lines in your post may dovetail with this thread:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...ts-182555.html

The problem persists IMO. I have to edit out the extra blank lines in every single post in Firefox.

Peter,
Guilty on the Firefox, on this phone too. Will see if I can figure out the editing, or maybe switch to the app. Or maybe stay away from carriage returns. Thanks!
Fred

[OTRA15]

Read that thread carefully. The extra carriage returns are not our fault, unless you want to dive into the browser software and tweak some settings, as I understand it. I'll pass on that.

Peter

[centennialman]

2016 was the first year with the ducted air in the ceiling. I checked my furnace and the punch outs are in place...they don't duct into the space under the cabinets.

[OTRA15]

Thanks Steve.

Happy Holidays!

Peter

[TCwheels]

New table! Made with Cherry harvested from our property. Fun project!

[BayouBiker]

Originally Posted by smithcreek

Has anyone used their 12v fresh/gray/black tank heating pads while travelling in freezing weather? Can a tow vehicle supply enough 12v DC power to keep them running? The manual says if you use both pads they will drain full batteries in 3 hours, so I'm thinking the umbilical cord won't be able to keep up.

I ask because I will be travelling this winter, starting in the northeast, heading south then west before backtracking home some time in February. It would be nice to know in case I run into cold weather somewhere during the trip which will probably last two months and go from coast to coast. If I'm right and the TV won't keep up, I'll probably just leave the trailer winterized until I get a ways south, then re-winterize before I head north again.

Current capacity of the 7-way trailer cables likely will vary from one vehicle to another, however my Ram Truck uses 10 Gauge wire and a 40 Amp fuse, plenty for two modest size heat pads. Looking at the pads they seem to vary from 6 amps for small 20 gal tanks to 15 amps for 80 gal tanks. My AS also uses 10 gauge wire.

[smithcreek]

Thanks for the info Brian. When I hit the road, if it's freezing I'm going to turn them on and check the batteries after a couple hours and see how they are holding up.