Camping in a winterized RV?

[LegalBeagle]

Need some advice from you seasoned RVer's. We have a 2019 Greyhawk Prestige 30XP that we've had winterized with the pink stuff. We're planning to take it on a Thanksgiving trip to Colorado where we will be at a campground for two weeks, during which we will have to leave it for several days while we take a side trip by plane to visit some other relatives. I got this okay'd by campground and will leave rig plugged in to shore power, but I doubt propane will last to keep the heater going the entire time we're away on our side-trip.

Rather than de-winterize the rig and then have to winterize it again while we're on our side-trip, I'm planning to just keep it winterized and make do without running water or hot showers (at least not in the RV). Having never done this, I need some sage advice as to how best to camp in a winterized RV. Dealer advises me that I can do this so long as I don't connect to water or fill or use my fresh water tank or plumbing. I plan to use bottled water for drinking, making coffee, etc, but some will inevitably wind up down the drain in the grey tank. I'll keep my tank heaters on, and pour some pink stuff down the drain to begin with. I'll also be using the toilet, but "flushing" with either bottled water or pink stuff. What do I need to pour down the toilet to flush? Can I still dump my black tank? How do I get enough liquid in it to facilitate dumping? Also since I won't have much in my grey tank, do I need to pour more water in when I dump the grey tank to help wash out the sewer hose? Should all this work okay? What other precautions do I need to take? Any other sage advice would be appreciated.

[EA37TS]

If the campground has running water here is how I would handle it.

Connect a hose to the campground water and place the other end in the toilet to fill the black tank to 2/3 before dumping. After dumping if finished using, pour some antifreeze into the black tank to keep the gate valve from freezing.

You can do the same with a sink to rinse out the sewer hose or just use the water hose to rinse out the sewer hose after disconnecting.

I have done this a number of time without any issues.

Note: do not use your potable water hose and stick it down the toilet unless you plan on replacing it before the next outing.

[pward]

Originally Posted by LegalBeagle

I got this okay'd by campground and will leave rig plugged in to shore power, but I doubt propane will last to keep the heater going the entire time we're away on our side-trip.

If you have shore power why do you need propane? I have a 115v 1500W heater in mine that does very well in keeping the house warm. Ceramic or oil filled radiator types seem to be popular, and not that expensive. Be sure to get one with tipover cutoff.

[Kim Gass]

The campground where I swim at is open year round. They do not have running water at each site.

Bring several jugs. It should be that your CG has a running water source as my neighborhood campground does but it is in the office where the line is insulated. Use jugs to flush and leave lines winterized.
Use the bathhouse. Year Round CGs should have heated showers and baths.
We camp enroute to the South for a few nights each winter with a winterized and staying that way unit.

Poo has bacteria that help keep things warm.. That is why you see the grass sometimes over the septic tank where there is snow everywhere else.

[spoon059]

Two thoughts;
#1 It takes about 2 gallons ($6) and 10 minutes to winterize most campers, I cannot understand the lengths that people go to avoid winterizing... If the temps are above freezing while you're camping, just hook up to water and camp normally. You'll spend far less time and aggravation winterizing again then you will trying to avoid winterizing again.

#2 I've camped in below freezing weather before and we just didn't use the sink, toilet or shower. We bring bottle water for coffee and drinking. Go to the bath house to use the toilet, shower, brush teeth, wash hands, etc. Usually if its cold enough not to use water, its cold enough that you can get one of the sites directly adjacent to the bath house because not many people are camping.

[pconroy]

Couple of thoughts


We've camped in a winterized RV a few times, on purpose and a few times by accident (when the temps dropped unexpectedly and things froze).


Ditto on those $40 USD Oil Filled Electric Radiators. One of those, on 1500 watt high, keeps our big Greyhawk toasty.


And bear in mind, temps here in Colorado could be quite nice during your visit.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by pconroy

Couple of thoughts


We've camped in a winterized RV a few times, on purpose and a few times by accident (when the temps dropped unexpectedly and things froze).


Ditto on those $40 USD Oil Filled Electric Radiators. One of those, on 1500 watt high, keeps our big Greyhawk toasty.


And bear in mind, temps here in Colorado could be quite nice during your visit.

O sure you in Denver with your 80 degree temps one day and 20 24 hours later. Seems like rolling dice predicting the weather in your parts!