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02-02-2013, 05:40 PM
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#1
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3 Rivet Member
1972 Argosy 26
1973 Argosy 26
Fairmont
, West Virginia
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 249
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baby it's cold.
We have finished the 4 season testing. Last night it was 7 degrees and night before it was -5 our airstream has made it well our old suburban furnace has kept the coach a toasty 75. Do you winter camp and where?
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02-02-2013, 06:08 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB Eddie Bauer
Vintage Kin Owner
Virginia Beach
, Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 7,801
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shermantic
We have finished the 4 season testing. Last night it was 7 degrees and night before it was -5 our airstream has made it well our old suburban furnace has kept the coach a toasty 75. Do you winter camp and where?
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I winter camp in EAST Virginia and brrrrrr at 20 degrees. Just bought the Dyson HOT space heater/fan - on special at Bed Bath & Beyond (still $$$) and it evens out the interior temp a lot!
I'd get a spare propane tank or two if I were you. Running out of propane in very low temps can lead to plumbing freeze quite quickly and the furnace SUCKS Propane! I used two 30 lb. tanks in a week once. Having two 20 lb tanks was very helpful - and these are trade in size which makes it easier to find more when it's later in the evening.
Paula
__________________
Today is a gift, that's why they call it the present.
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02-02-2013, 06:37 PM
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#3
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3 Rivet Member
1972 Argosy 26
1973 Argosy 26
Fairmont
, West Virginia
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 249
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We use about 30lbs a week and our coach has 2 30lbs tanks. We used the nest insulation we could find when we reworked it in 07, we are able to keep snow on the roof.
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02-02-2013, 06:39 PM
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#4
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3 Rivet Member
1972 Argosy 26
1973 Argosy 26
Fairmont
, West Virginia
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 249
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02-02-2013, 07:22 PM
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#5
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4 Rivet Member
1972 31' Sovereign
Fort Bragg
, North Carolina
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 278
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You bring back memories that really test your mettle as a family. We camped in Vermont, late Feb-Aug 2000. We finally had running water in June after the pipes were fixed and water could be run through them, so filling the fresh water tank and keeping that from freezing was the least of the challenges back then. We burned through lots of propane and actually had to have the suburban furnace replaced in March. back then it was only about $750 new.
Lessons learned; buy a good electric low wattage ceramic heater or two. They are not cheap, but they are efficient and work very well. keep one in the front and one in the back facing each other and on low. They will keep the coach at a pretty decent temperature and from freezing to some degree. More for the night temps than the day. Land End sells some really great down comforters. Again, not cheap. you can also check out some old Army/Navy stores for wool GI issued wool blankets. Same thing as Pendletons, just green, not National Parks series and probably cheaper. Although Orvis might have them on sale for $98 bucks down from the normal $220. Check online at stores like Dillards that carry that style. These are great layering, if it drops below zero as that aluminum once it gets cold stays cold.
Snow on the roof, can serve as insulation, but be careful at the depth you allow it to get. It is also a good test to see if the coach is losing heat if it starts melting on the outside due to the internal temps, not the external.
If you decide to continue with a 4-season coach, you might want to look into a duo-term ac/heat unit. The normally are good until you hit about 35 degrees, but... you can have a relay connected to you propane for that as well as your suburban heater. Until you hit that 35 degree temps your using on electric a pretty low draw of 13A with a 13500 BTU unit. Not bad, considering the environment. Main thing, keep fresh bateries in smoke detectors and Co2 detectors. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer.
Some thoughts on how to try to make it work by staying in a very cold area.
After a while you may have limited movement with snow accumulation and road conditions.
Many have done it, some unintentional and some by choice.
By the looks of the picture, I'm assuming the porta-pottie is the main gathering spot outside the Airstream during the day?
If you can use electric at a decent price, I'd try to make that work as pulling those LP tanks on and off in cold weather can be another paragraph with lines and threads.
Best of luck and let us know if you come up with anything that we can be in-tuned too/learn.
SL4BLLT
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02-02-2013, 10:22 PM
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#6
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3 Rivet Member
1972 Argosy 26
1973 Argosy 26
Fairmont
, West Virginia
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 249
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Sl4 we have been camping in the cold for many years. Without any freezeups and NO the portal pot will not be used by us. (Too cold) we do use the heat strip in the ac unit as well as some ceramic heaters. When I redid my AS I replaced all the insulation with the good stuff. We can maintain heat very well. 2 ceramic heaters down to 20 then the help of the furnace for everything below. We also us a heated water supply hose and insulated heated sewer hose. Found on ebay.
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02-03-2013, 06:15 AM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2009 27' FB Flying Cloud
1982 31' International
1991 35' Airstream 350
Jay
, Oklahoma
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,706
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I am understand some folks enjoy the cold, and the fact we can't always be where we want to be.
But, I prefer using an entirely different RV system to keep warm.
THE WHEELS.
Best Regards,
JD
__________________
Jeff & Cindy
'09 27FB Flying Cloud;'82 31 International
'91 350 LE MH; '21 Interstate 24GT
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02-03-2013, 07:39 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1986 31' Sovereign
Miami
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,137
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Yeah, it plunged to 58 Friday night. Just stayed in bed...
Mike
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02-03-2013, 07:50 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2006 22' International CCD
1957 26' Overlander
Plymouth
, Minnesota
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 554
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58 degrees would feel like paradise. Friday morning when I headed down to the trailer to work on it I was excited that it was only -12 degrees. I think the high for the day was +2 degrees. I have camped out in temps as low as -50, only once at that temp, but not in an Airstream
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02-03-2013, 07:57 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
2007 Interstate
Normal
, Illinois
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 18,066
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Well, we have had bitter cold and snow off and on since Friday.
Not too much accumulation but, between this and the rain the past week, we are no longer in drought status here. A good thing.
Maggie
__________________
🏡 🚐 Cherish and appreciate those you love. This moment could be your last.🌹🐚
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02-03-2013, 09:24 PM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2012 28' International
Olympia
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 773
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BradS
58 degrees would feel like paradise. Friday morning when I headed down to the trailer to work on it I was excited that it was only -12 degrees. I think the high for the day was +2 degrees. I have camped out in temps as low as -50, only once at that temp, but not in an Airstream
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This is why I no longer live in Minnesota. I miss my family and friends, but I no longer own a snow shovel. I figure it's a fair trade.
__________________
Dave
2014 Ram 2500 CTD
Pro Pride
Centramatics
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02-03-2013, 10:25 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2015 25' FB Eddie Bauer
2013 25' FB Eddie Bauer
2012 20' Flying Cloud
Small Town
, *** Big Sky Country ***Western Montana
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 2,860
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Yes, in MT. Picture is our Bambi (and the trailer, too) sitting on about 4 inches of solid ice!
__________________
2015 25' Eddie Bauer Int'l FBQ / 2023 Ford Lightning ER
2022 Ford F350 6.2 V-8; equalizer hitch + Shocker air hitch
Honda Eu3200; AIR# 44105; formerly WBCCI 2015.1
Terminal Aluminitis; 2-people w/ 3+ dogs
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