Living in a 5th wheel full time in Canada!! in winter?

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nash0098

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Aug 8, 2012
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I am long haul driver and used to be living on the road. This year I planning to ditch my apartment and living in my Flagstaff 8524RLS 5th wheel full time when I am at home (since I am only in town a week out of the month, renting is a waste). So far so good living in my RV, it's summer and it's nice and the beer is flowing. Come this winter in northern Canada where temperature can drop below -30F every day, I am not sure. Heating is my biggest concern, how often do I have replace propane tanks at that temperature? Can I keep my RV comfortable at 70F (I like it hot  :)) As far as pipes and sewage is concern, I'll be using portable toilets and water since I am away 3 weeks at a time and don't want to deal with frozen tanks. Anybody thinks I am crazy living in RV at -30 in Canada, any brave souls have any experience and want to offer me some tips other than go south young man  ;D
 
Yes, I think you are crazy!  RVs don't even fare well at +15 degrees. If you have the usual 30 lb propane tanks, I would expect to use nearly one a day and I doubt if the interior will be as much as 70 if its -30 outside. The walls of an RV are too think to have any reasonable amount of insulation, plus there are numerous windows and skylights. Much more of them on a per sq. ft. basis than any house, and the skylights aren't insulated (dual pane) either.
 
Since I'll be using the RV a week out of the month while i am in town, propane cost would not be an issue for the short duration as opposed to renting an apartment monthly (cost of renting $700-800 a month). Thinking of getting a 100lbs tank and have refill less. This RV do have dual pane windows and no skylight, I am thinking of skirting the RV and sealing the windows. As far as temperature, I lived in Calgary, AB ....  we do have nice days where temp can go above freezing when the chinook winds are blowing from the mountains. But, some nights it can dropped down to -30 but the average is around 10F. With the propane furnace running constantly and with the use of electric heaters could it be toasty inside the RV in the chilliest of the night?
 
Remember that you will be asking a propane furnace designed for recreational use to run just about continuously for months. Sealing up everything might make it a little warmer but it certainly doesn't leave much chance for fresh air to enter the trailer.
 
Northern Canada, 30 below, unimaginable.

Getting from 30 below to 70 inside is 100 degree swing, can't see that happening. The furnace would never shut off and your gas expense would be huge.
 
Brrrr!!!!

We lived for a month in Taos, NM in late fall in our late model Class A motorhome, temps between 10 and 40, had an electric heater, heated mattress pad, and two cats and still froze our business off. Actually, we did not freeze, but were cold a lot, even with the sun heating the coach during the day. And we kept the coach at 58 at night and still burned 25 gallons of propane.

The amount of BTU's it takes to move the temp from way below zero to comfortable is pretty incredible and beyond most normal RV units as delivered and insulated.

This is one of those trick "can you do it?" questions - yeah, you can, but it might not make a lot of sense in the long run. I might not go so far as to call you crazy, but I would strongly recommend you talk to people who have and see if they liked that experience. It would not be for the faint of heart.
 
It seems like every year there is a post similar to this one where someone is asking if they can live in an RV during the winter way up north with minus 0 temps every day. The replies are always a resounding no. But it seems like every time the OP declares he is going to do it any way. But they never return here in February to let us know just how comfortable they are. I am hoping the OP will let us know how he is doing next year so we can learn if it really is possible to survive in an RV in winter up north.
 
You may not be crazy but for sure you're a gluten for punishment.  Former Minnesotan here.  I've lived through my share of -30? nights and know the meaning of chilled to the bone.  Once you're cold, it's hard to warm up.  I would never spend a night in an RV when it's that cold.  Water hoses will freeze in temps 60? warmer.  I suspect at negative 30, the entire fresh water system and waste tanks could freeze.  Don't know if that would cause the tank to fail but I wouldn't be surprised.  You'll have to connect and disconnect your water hose every time you need water.  Just washing dishes and using the toilet is going to be a pain.  Leave the hose out even during the relative warmth of the day, say about 10?, for an hour or two and it's going to freeze. 
 
There has been one 5th wheel maker that claimed their rig was livable in your conditions. If you could find a TETON with the "Arctic Insulation" package, it might be worth a try. Don't even try it unless you put a full skirt around the base to keep the cold air from flowing under the trailer. Put aluminum bubble "Refletex" insulation up on all the windows. Be prepared to be constantly COLD whenever you are home.
 
Since everything is mobile, pack it up and move south for the winter.
J
 
I have live in my trailer in North Dakota for 3 years now, and it can be rough.  It would actually be kinda easy if you were not going to use your plumbing or holding tanks.  I skirted with 1 inch foam, put the plastic on my windows to imitate dual pane, and that is about it.  Fortunately, I have 90 amps available, so I only run propane when the power is out, or to warm it up faster.  I use 2 ceramic heaters under the trailer,and that would keep it above freezing when 28 below.  It could be freezing or colder on the dirt, but if your skirting is tight enough, the heat will rise up to the underbelly and keep you warm inside.  I use 3 ceramic heaters inside, bedroom, bathroom, and living area.  Propane would have no problem keeping you warm at night, and you would definitely not use more than 100 lbs. in a week, unless you tried to maintain 95 degrees inside.     
 
Try this, it's a forum for "four season campers"...

They appear to have a strong following of diehard winter campers all with lots of advice.

I hope I not breaking any rules by linking to another forum, if so, please feel free to edit or delete.

http://www.4scf.com/viewforum.php

Cheers,
Geoff
 
RV furnaces have a safety devise  (high temperature limit) that cause the furnace to cycle so at really cold temperatures it can only put out so much heat even if left on high 
 
SeilerBird said:
+1 to what Gary said. It would be cheaper to rent an apartment by the month than to use a propane heater in a 5er.
Click to expand...

Down here in Texas, when I get a new customer that needs special attention, I get a weekly rate at a hotel.  They are usually about $200 a week and include, stocked kitchen, hot showers, cable TV, etc..  The one I use that is in many places in the US is Extended Stay Suites.  If you have anything like that where you are in Canada, that may be a better option. 
 
I have been full timing in Ontario for the last  15 years.  Usually get a solid six weeks of minus 20 cold plus the wind chill.  Campground across the street from me has about 60 campers in there all winter long in every kind of Rv imaginable.

Best addition that I have made to my Rv for Canadian winters is a diesel fired air heater.  Rig is always one temperature, nice dry heat and saves me 300 per month on propane during the worst of the winter.  For the balance of the winter I just shut the furnace off. 

At minus 30 your Rv furnace is not putting out that much heat as the cold air going into the combustion chamber is just that, too cold.  Causing you too even use more propane just to maintain heat.

Each Rv is different and the only way too figure it out is to get out there winter camping, it won't take too long too find out the stuff you will need to do in order to stay warm at a economical cost.
 
coal said:
Best addition that I have made to my Rv for Canadian winters is a diesel fired air heater.  Rig is always one temperature, nice dry heat and saves me 300 per month on propane during the worst of the winter.  For the balance of the winter I just shut the furnace off. 
Click to expand...

I'd like some information on your mod as I was looking at a diesel fired boiler and then convert to warm air with a heat exchanger.  Your mod sounds easier and fewer things to mess with.

You can send direct if you prefer.  ac7poatbresnandotnet
 
Jim  check out a espar diesel heater, also Snugger and webasto, quite common in the big trucks for heating the bunk.  Runs off diesel and 12 volts.
Super cheap on fuel, really low amp draw, I will send some pics to your email tomorrow am
 
That diesel fired air heater sounds like the way to go. The one thing with propane is that the colder it gets, the lower the pressure in the tank. It can get to the point where the pressure in the tank is so low, and the intake air so cold, that the furnace will run forever and not throw out much warm air at all. Found this out a few winters ago. At single digits I would use a 30lb tank per day (24 hours). But a 100lb tank would go 5-6 days at the same temps. Also you need to skirt the trailer to keep the cold out from underneath. I've seen a few that used straw bales which seemed to work well. Also seal up windows, slide out gaps, etc.

Yes it is very doable. More than likely not very comfy though. My vote is that you are crazy.  ;D
 
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