Winter Towing Question

[UT Cardinal]

I am going to be traveling from Utah to southern Texas after Christmas for a few weeks. I currently have the trailer winterized. I am wondering about the use of water while traveling to our destination, which may take 3 to 4 days? I suspect we will experience freezing temperatures for the first 2 to 3 days. The trailer is equipped with heated tanks and the underside is skinned with a sheet of plastic.

What do most of you folks do - travel dry until you are out of the freezing temps?

Can you travel with some water as long as the tank heaters are on? It seems to me like the wind while traveling would render the tank heater useless?

I hate to show my ignorance; however, there it is! First time traveling in the dead of winter.

[rarebird]

Hello UT Cardinal,

While I am no expert on the subject, having lived for a time in 4 degree weather, I found the "tank" heaters worked well while parked. I"m not so sure I would rely on them while travelling (due to current draw on the batteries). My opinion of "freezing temps while driving" should not be an issue as most if not all RV's are plumbed with PEX (plastic) lines which will expand somewhat in the short term. If you only travel 6-8 hours per day and turn on tank heaters at the end of the day, you should be fine. Problems might arise if the ambient temp is in the 0-20 degree range, but you are headed south, right ???

Running the refer and water heater on propane provides a further safeguard to the interior plumbing.

Hope this helps, I am sure you will get other opinions on the subject that we might both learn from.

[UT Cardinal]

Thx - I was thinking the tank heaters where to be used while being parked. I guess we will travel dry until we are out of the freezing temps.

[Don Wilson]

UT Cardinal
I will check with Triple J who travels from Minnesota in mid November to winter in Arizona and see what they do!

Don

[EAW]

I run dry until I get out of the freezing temps. If needed. I use RV antifreeze to flush the toilet by dumping it into the bowl while holding the foot valve open. Use baby wipes to clean hands. Refrigerator is on. Furnace is on and set to 55 degrees to keep things from freezing such as canned goods and other supplies that will freeze. These supplies are kept in totes setting on the floor and not inside of the cabinets along the outside walls. At the first campground out of freezing temps I put water in everything and set up for normal use. We usually only have to over-nite once in the freezing temps and its a little rugged but it works for us. An alternative would be to stay in a motel until you can use the camper. We reverse the process if needed when returning home.

Be very careful running the tank heaters without having enough water in the tanks so they don't overheat and possibly damage the tank.

[UT Cardinal]

THX - EAW! That is very helpful info, I appreciate the feedback. We will travel dry until we are out of the freezing temps.

[Triple J]

Earnie is right about traveling without water, we use a milk jug for the toilet. We stay in motel on the way Az

[nra4life]

If you are just concerned with the black tank, a big handful of rock salt will protect you from freezing down to near zero. That will allow you to use the toilet on the road. Roy & JoAnn

[UT Cardinal]

Thx for all of the good comments.