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03-12-2019, 10:32 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Whitestown
Posts: 5
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What temps do you consider safe to start camping in the spring?
My wife and I are in Indiana and temps at night are still in the freezing area, but I'm curious at what point do you guys feel it's safe to start camping and put water in the lines? When the night temps get safely above freezing? Several weeks after that? Keep in mind we might camp for a weekend and put it back in storage until our next trip. I want to make sure we don't have issues with freezing lines if temps dip back down below freezing, but also we're really anxious to get started. It's our first year with a camper and we're itching to go!
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03-12-2019, 10:35 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Connellsville
Posts: 22,664
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Days above freezing, nights down to the mid 20's or higher is usually when we start. We keep our trailer at home however, so we can do a quick winterize if a long stretch well below freezing hits.
A couple of nights down in to the 20's will not hurt anything as long as the days warm up. It is the extended time below freezing that you need to worry about.
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Moderator
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03-12-2019, 10:47 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Shipman
Posts: 220
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Basically 25 and above.....
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Stan & Sandra
Shipman, VA. & Jacksonville FL.
2015 F350 Lariet CC Dually
2018 Pinnacle 36KPTS
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03-12-2019, 10:51 AM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: monroe
Posts: 74
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In Arizona camping in the desert 50 plus nights 20s. I know were are wimps!
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03-12-2019, 10:54 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: FL
Posts: 11,281
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What Midnightmoon said, but I'd add that if you winterize by draining the water heater, blowing out the water lines, and adding some antifreeze to your P-traps, then you can sleep comfortably when there's an unexpected cold snap and your trailer is in storage. That method of winterizing is easy to do and you could do it on your last camping day.
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Full timing: Some will think you're crazy, some will be envious, just enjoy the freedom!
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03-12-2019, 11:45 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 3,430
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midnightmoon
A couple of nights down in to the 20's will not hurt anything as long as the days warm up. It is the extended time below freezing that you need to worry about.
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This is true. I've dewinterized in late April only to have it drop to upper 20s at night for a few days. No worries. When camping in Northern WI in late May it can get down to freezing at night.
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Chuck
2013 Jayco Jayfeather X20 E (sold)
2016 Chevy Silverado LTZ 2 Z71 Crew Cab (sold, and dearly missed)
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03-12-2019, 12:51 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,618
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Zero
Water is in big jugs stored upside down
You can camp whenever you want to if you are not using water. There are dry toilets
If you use the furnace though and the rig isnt insulated the propane use is horrid
We go south and west each year. We usually winterize/dewinterize some four tinmes a year
This year we came up from FL and had to winterize in FL cause the highs underway were going to be mid teens
What an inopportube tine for the water pump to airlock
We had dumped in antifreeze anyway and despite four days below freezing the unit is fine
We only have a little tire inflator which doesnt do well at blowing out lines
Now that the temps are warm enough to allow maple sap to flow we could be ok unwinterized even though last frost is June1-10
Last hard freeze around May 24
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03-12-2019, 03:32 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Wakeman
Posts: 1,754
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midnightmoon
Days above freezing, nights down to the mid 20's or higher is usually when we start. We keep our trailer at home however, so we can do a quick winterize if a long stretch well below freezing hits.
A couple of nights down in to the 20's will not hurt anything as long as the days warm up. It is the extended time below freezing that you need to worry about.
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X2
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2019 Whitehawk 28RL
2018 Ford F150 3.5 Ecoboost w/3.55
Dennis, Cindy, Philip, and Sarah
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03-12-2019, 07:17 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 3,198
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Exodar
My wife and I are in Indiana and temps at night are still in the freezing area, but I'm curious at what point do you guys feel it's safe to start camping and put water in the lines? When the night temps get safely above freezing? Several weeks after that? Keep in mind we might camp for a weekend and put it back in storage until our next trip. I want to make sure we don't have issues with freezing lines if temps dip back down below freezing, but also we're really anxious to get started. It's our first year with a camper and we're itching to go!
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The KOA in Brown County already has their water on! Pretty big gamble given how this winter has gone but apparently they can drain their system quickly.
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2012 Eagle 320 RLDS
2017 Ford F-250 FX4 Crew STX 6.2l
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03-13-2019, 08:19 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Show Low
Posts: 36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brettt
In Arizona camping in the desert 50 plus nights 20s. I know were are wimps!
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You have got to be from the southern part of the state. LOL We are still getting snow and freezing temps no stop up here in norther AZ.
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03-13-2019, 08:33 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Kingston
Posts: 1,210
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I would be well versed in winterizing my rig if I were concerned in winter camping.
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Don & Donna Stout
E-9 Anchor Clanker
Full timers since 2010
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03-13-2019, 09:46 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 252
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcrammell
You have got to be from the southern part of the state. LOL We are still getting snow and freezing temps no stop up here in norther AZ.
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Yep...agreed. I'm in Southern Arizona and have already been out in end of January for a week. But all I do is drain everything and leave the faucets open. I rarely have a "hard freeze".
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03-30-2019, 12:14 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Gilbert
Posts: 83
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Don't let temps deter you from getting out. Just plan on the temps where you are going. We went to the Grand Canyon this past November. Weather forecast showed mid>high 30s at night and mid>high 60s in the day. Ended up getting down to 9 at night and barely broke 40 during the day. We learned a few things, but that prepared us for our planned trip to TN in December. All went well. We kept an eye on our propane, used an electric space heater at night, weather radio, heated hose, extra blankets, etc.
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03-30-2019, 03:30 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Tucson
Posts: 39
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I have a Jayco Eagle. I camp anytime anywhere I’m above zero. The propane furnace in the Eagle keeps the 5th wheel warm and toasty. If I am hooked up I turn on the fireplace just to save a bit. There are heater vent in the undercarriage that keeps tank and water lines from freezing. I like cold weather camping, fewer people out 😁
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03-30-2019, 05:04 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,880
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A couple nights ago, We had temperatures go down to 23 degrees overnight, A couple times I went out to check the trailer during the night (I already de-winterized the trailer and put water in for this weekend. ) Lowest temperature I saw in the trailer was 36 degrees. I did not have any heat on.
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03-30-2019, 05:26 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 30
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Well, we live in Florida, so I won’t even begin to try to answer your question. Lol.
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03-31-2019, 10:22 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Michigan
Posts: 434
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I start with Memorial Day and go until October. Then we winterize. As long as the temps stay in the 50s and 60s I am ok if it goes down to 30s or so as long as the heat is there. So I am going to say anything above 50 works for me.
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04-08-2019, 11:10 AM
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#18
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Uravan
Posts: 23
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I've had our 5th wheel and travel trailer out when the lows are in the 20's
Not a problem with the heat on and the day time highs are well above freezing.
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04-11-2019, 08:06 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Milpitas
Posts: 1,625
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I think that if you can load your water and the days are above freezing you should be OK, as long as you are using the TT and not letting it sit at home. We have been camping out west and have experienced a number of nights down in the 20's. Most parks suggest that you disconnect your water hose and regulators if their supply faucet is not protected. The only problem we ran into (rookie mistake) is that I did disconnect the hose but forgot to drain it. When I connected it again I kept searching for why we couldn't get water. Neighbor pointed out that our hose had ice inside (whoops!). And, the above assumes you are heating your TT, most of the lines will get some of the residual heat. (We have the Glacier package where the bottom is covered). If your lines are in the open, I would consider putting foam insulation around them if you really want protection.
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04-11-2019, 08:25 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Kingman AZ and where our Seneca is today.
Posts: 3,112
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Funny you ask... the answer is greatly dependent on how your RV is built for "cold weather" and what other mods you have done to make it resilient to the cold weather you are not expecting to find... Remember that the weather WILL change.
We started out... nice weather until yesterday.
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2015 Seneca 36FK
Custom 27' flatbed trailer hauling:
07 Toyota FJC & Yamaha Kodiak 400 ATV
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