Cold Weather Camping Questions

[RVMike7594]

I own a 2013 Jayco 31.5 FBHS. The belly is insulated. Jayco calls this unit a 4 season camper; however, nothing is heated in the belly. In my opinion, it is not a true 4 season camper.

My experience: I've had two other bumper pull trailers prior to this own. I have about 6 years experience with trailers. I'm attempting cold weather camping for the first time. I am slightly nervous and am looking for tips.

The trip: I've planned a two night stay in the Northern Rockies. The round trip is about 370 miles. The campground contains full facilities, nothing primitive. The temperatures will teeter around freezing. I expect lows of 25 degrees F and highs of 35 degrees F. Perhaps extreme low of 20 degrees. I have the option of full hook-ups, sewer, water and electricity.

My RV technician recommended that I utilize my tanks by keeping them closed the entire time and emptying at the end of the trip. He also recommended that I utilize the fresh water tank instead of the city line. The city line will likely freeze before the tank would. Obviously, when I return home, I will re-winterize immediately.

I greatly appreciate any tips, tricks or recommendations. Thanks in advance for your input.

[Nukeneck]

"My RV technician recommended that I utilize my tanks by keeping them closed the entire time and emptying at the end of the trip. He also recommended that I utilize the fresh water tank instead of the city line. The city line will likely freeze before the tank would. Obviously, when I return home, I will re-winterize immediately."

Yes, this is good advice. Use the shore power for sure and your furnace to keep the trailer warm. The furnace will keep the entire trailer warm enough, including the underbelly, to keep pipes and tanks from freezing.

[Jagiven]

We have camped many a night with the lows in the lower to mid 20's with no issues, and we have an open underbelly. However, the daytime highs have always reached at least 40 degrees.

Keep the FW tank full, and use that water at night, during the day free to hook up the city water connection, just remember to drain the hose at night, or it could be full of ice in the morning.

Keep both the grey and black water tanks closed, and drain them as needed. The thermal mass of the water will keep them from freezing. Also water freezes from the top down.

You should have a heated underbelly. However, it only gets heat from your furnace, so if you are relying on an electric space heater, no heat gets down below, and things could get cold, but I doubt it will freeze, unless the outside temps do not get above freezing for a few days, as there is a lot of residual heat coming from the TT.

Sounds like a great time, wish I was going!

[RVMike7594]

Great tips. Thanks again for your help.

[RVMike7594]

I understand the ducts run through the underbelly, but, they are only vented to the interior of the camper. There isn't any residual heat captured in the underbelly, correct?

[NVGun40]

I am an avid hunter, and as such I have used almost every camping rig I have ever owned in various climates and temperatures. Things with these RV's have changed drastically over 30+ years. Regardless of what the trailer is built with from the factory, I have always considered a hard side trailer as a 4 season camping rig. It is only when I start dropping into the hybrid and pop-up and down to the tent platforms when I start considering them to be three season or less.
Now before people start jumping in and giving me a tongue lashing about winter packages and such; let me clarify. I, me, myself, consider a hard side RV a four season platform. As such I utilize them that way and I take all necessary precautions. I can honestly say that in 30 years the worst thing to ever happen was a frozen sewer drain pipe (that was during a time when I lived in an RV during a northern Nevada winter).

With all this said, to the original poster. You state you are going for a couple of days, that your belly is insulated, and that worst expected lows are in the lower 20s and highs in the mid thirties.
So far the advice given is pretty good. You should not have any troubles. I am not sure about your rig, but many rigs built these days with "glacier" or "winter" packages and insulated under bellies will have one or two heat vents which blow onto or around the tanks underneath. As someone said, this only works if you are using your on board furnace. Keep in mind, an on board furnace uses a LOT of propane, and if you are on battery, they use a LOT of battery power.
I have used my rig up here in Alaska during hunts where the temperatures never rose above zero and I was boondocking the entire time. The prep and techniques for that kind of camping is a whole other story.
However, some quick easy recommendations to put your mind at ease. If you have any doubts about the possibility of the waste in your grey and black tanks... Since you will keep them closed until they are mostly full or full before emptying them, always mix in your holding tank chemicals; except in cold weather, premix your chemicals in a bucket with a gallon of RV antifreeze (instead of water) and two cups of water softener salts. Mix thoroughly until the salts are disintegrated. The water softener salts lower the freezing point of water. As you wash dishes or utilize your toilet etc. at the end of the day add a cup or two or three of RV antifreeze (depending on how much water you drained into the tanks). This ensures the waste in your grey and black tanks will not freeze.
As you say you are using a campsite with full amenities: if you want to utilize the city water connection, then pick up some foam hose/piping insulation and a run of heat trace that can be plugged into an outlet (use zip ties or electrical tape and fasten the heat trace to your inlet hose and maybe around the faucet, then put the insulation over the top of that). If the RV park doesn't have an extra 110 outlet on their pole, use an extension cord and plug the heat trace into the outlet on the side of your RV.
Finally, have an extra propane tank ready to go. Even if it is just a small 20lb tank. If you should happen to run out of propane (murphy's law dictates that this is only allowed to happen in the middle of the night when the temperature is below freezing), even a small 20lb tank will hold you till morning when you can take your main tanks off and get them refilled.

I know it may seem like a lot of prep work, but if you are going to be staying in freezing or below freezing climates, it's all worth it.

Anyone is welcome to PM me if they want the long winded details of how to accomplish a prolonged stay out boondocking in temperatures below zero.

[RVMike7594]

@NVGun40 - Great write-up! Thank you for the tips. I will definitely consider each point as I prepare.