Do you need to winterize if it drops to 25°, one night but is above freezing the rest of the time during a 10-day weather forecast?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
C

chadm369

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2023
Posts
5
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Hi everyone, I'm trying to decide if I need to winterize because of this one day where it's going to get really cold? I would like to go camping the following weekend so it's prefer to avoid winterizing if possible but also don't want to damage anything. Thanks!
Screenshot_20231027_102151_Chrome.jpg
 
No...I full-timed for 5 years in an area where the nighttime temp was below freezing every night between Thanksgiving and March, sometimes into the upper teens, but the daytime temps got in to the 40's or higher. My hose never even froze.
 
The issue I have with putting a light or heater in the wet bay is that's not the only potential place water can freeze - there can be exposed tubing/fittings other places. I know the water supply lines to my bathroom are visible up inside the left rear wheel well, and I've had the bathroom freeze up before any of the other fixtures. There'd be no way I could keep those heated. So I guess the upshot is how cold, and for how long will depend entirely on the specific configuration of the RV. There's an "averaging" constant too, one dip below freezing when ambient temps the preceding day were well above freezing is different than if it's already close to freezing most of the day before the night time dip. Certainly heating the wet bay and leaving cabinets open doesn't hurt but it's not a sure preventative. About the only way to know for sure is to ride it out and see what happens. I winterize by blowing the lines out with air so switching back and forth if I run the rig during the winter isn't a huge deal.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
 
It really depends on how long the temperatures will be at or below freezing. If it plunged to 0 for an hour i would say "no worries" but several hours at 32 could possibly cause damage. It takes time for water in the lines or tanks to freeze, even if there is no heat source near by.

My guess is that it would take several hours for the temp to drop from 35 (where water begins to expand) to 25, so you are on the threshold of possible freeze-up time. You can alleviate that risk by keeping some heat inside the RV (40 degrees is enough), firing up the water heater in the evening so the water is the heater tank is warm rather the ambient (you don't need to leave it on overnight), and wrapping the exposed ends of the waste pipe(s) with some insulation - even a couple old towels helps. And dump fresh & waste tanks, of course.
Is the under-belly of your trailer enclosed, such that the piping and tanks are not directly exposed to ambient temperatures? That can make quite a difference.
 
Depends on the unit...a Class A has utilities enclosed in the "basement" which would offer protection. Similarly, some trailers have enclosed undersides that offer protection. When I had a questionable night regarding temps coming up, I turned on the water heater and the furnace. I also opened all the cabinets and access panels on the inside.
 
It's going to get to 24F with the latest forecast for your area. Bet that it will drop lower. Ours has.

It's our first deep freeze too for the season out here in Colorado on Sunday night. The Weather Channel on TV is forecasting 18F as the low, but then their monitor is in a remote canyon, far away from anything and at a much lower altitude. I am predicting around 10F here. I've winterized on our boat, 2 TT's, hoses, sprinklers, etc. It isn't worth the damage.

20231027_105551.jpg
 
Ordinarily I'd be wary more than a couple degrees below freezing briefly, 25ºF would be too low for my comfort.

However, looking at your detailed forecast, it's expected to only get that low for a few hours. Noteworthy is the lack of high winds, another thing that might move the needle toward antifreeze. This also being 5 days in the future, it could change by some hours.

My TT has a furnace vent into the undercarriage and tank heaters. If it were me in that location, I'd probably turn those on the night before the freezing snap and not winterize. Without, it would be a tough call.

Screenshot_20231027_135731_Windy copy.jpeg
 
We are in the same boat, where we have had sub 32 degree temps and will be so on and off for the next couple days. I have arranged a temporary storage where I can plug in to a pedestal, as such I set the heater at 52 degrees, I have emptied the black and grey tanks and the water tank is in the unit under the bed.
 
RedForeman said:
Ordinarily I'd be wary more than a couple degrees below freezing briefly, 25ºF would be too low for my comfort.

However, looking at your detailed forecast, it's expected to only get that low for a few hours. Noteworthy is the lack of high winds, another thing that might move the needle toward antifreeze. This also being 5 days in the future, it could change by some hours.

My TT has a furnace vent into the undercarriage and tank heaters. If it were me in that location, I'd probably turn those on the night before the freezing snap and not winterize. Without, it would be a tough call.
Click to expand...
Red, wind does not lower the ambient temperature, it only makes it seem colder. If the air is calm and your thermometer reads 25 degrees, then the wind starts blowing at 10 MPH, the chill factor will make it seem as if it is 15 degrees but your thermometer will still read 25.

That's "Chill Factor". "Real Feel" temperature is a completely different set of numbers, but the ambient air temperature still doesn't change.
 
Utclmjmpr said:
Only warm blooded things "feel" the chill factor..>>>Dan
Click to expand...
I can't tell you how many of these Bubbas down here I've had this discussion with. They say, "If the temp is 35, and the wind starts blowing and the chill factor drops to 28, it will be below freezing and frost will form." I say, "No Cletus, the air temperature is still 35 degrees; it only "feels like" it's 28. Besides, wind will keep the frost from forming for quite a while, even if the actual ambient temp is 28 degrees." Sometimes I get that deer-in-the-headlights look and they ask, "What's ambent mean?"

You gotta live it to believe it. ;)
 
As long as you don't try to charge your Lithium batteries while it is below freezing they will be fine, even if you do chances are they will be fine for a short time below freezing, as the batteries themselves have to get below freezing for it to be an issue, and there is a good bit of thermal mass there, sort of like leaving a milk jug out overnight at these temperatures will not result in it freezing. It just is not cold enough for long enough if the forecast is right.

As to your plumbing we have no way to know how well enclosed it is and how well your RV is insulated. Some trailers just have exposed PEX water pipes ran under the frame, others are covered, even better ones run them through the living space in channels inside the climate controlled cabin, or in basement areas.
 
If you are really concerned, and it sounds like you are, then blow the lines out the day before the expected low night temps. It's easy, and in order to use the camper again, all you do is run water. No flushing the lines, like you'd have to do if you use the RV antifreeze.

On my camper, I would not worry about 25 degrees for one night. I have proven mine WILL get down to almost zero, as long as the furnace is running full throttle. But the outside water line to the refrigerator ice maker must be drained and shut off. It's exposed.

If you have doubts, blow the lines for that night. It takes all of 10 minutes: 9 minutes to fire up the air compressor and connect it to the water hose hook up and 1 minute to purge all the faucets. (well, something like that anyway).

Get a good air compressor where you set the pressure to about 40-45 psi and get one of these. Then you'll have nothing to worry about:

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 938 (members: 24, guests: 914)

Forum statistics

Threads
132,112
Posts
1,390,550
Members
137,831
Latest member
Knuckles2828
Back
Top Bottom