Winter work and play RV?

[OnSabbatical]

I'm considering getting back into RVing. For the foreseeable future, I'll need to live on the road in TN 3 nights a week from August to May and I'm thinking to do that in an RV and then use the RV at other times of the year for recreation.

We are a family of three with a medium sized dog.

I want to keep the cost of purchase under 40k. And I want a rig under 31 feet.

Temperatures in TN during the winter are moderate but can go below freezing.

Is it impractical to for me to consider using my RV for winter camping in TN? 

I'm leaning toward a Class C, but I'm wondering if that will work well in the lower temperatures and what I'll do with it during the days I'm not in it. We live in Atlanta, where it also can get below freezing and that's where it will be when I'm not using it. Will I have to plug it in during the winter? keep it in covered storage? Any thoughts would be helpful.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Kevin Means]

You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a decent RV with your budget, although it is a sellers market right now. Overnight temps that dip below freezing, then rise above freezing in the day, are rarely a problem for the plumbing inside an RV. Water hoses and pressure regulators outside the RV, however, can get damaged. (Trust me)

We "winter camp" in the Southern Arizona desert all the time, and it's not unusual for the overnight temps to drop below freezing. It's my favorite time of the year to camp. The fact is, some RVs are better suited for cold weather camping than others, but you shouldn't have any trouble camping in temps that hover around freezing.

If the temps are going to stay a few degrees below freezing for several days, you'll want to take steps to prevent joints in the waterlines from freezing. Lots of people say the use a 100 watt light bulb in the wet bay to keep the compartment warmer than the outside. The waterlines and holding tanks don't usually have problems in temps that are just below freezing, but the joints can.

If the RV is going to be stored in sub-zero temps, you'll want to winterize it by draining all the water out through the low-point drains. A lot of people then use compressed air to force even more water out. Depending on how long it's going to be stored, you'll also want to address the batteries. If you're going to leave them in the RV, their water levels should be checked and they should be fully charged. If you've got a modern three-stage charger, you can leave the RV plugged in. If not, I'd take the batteries out and put them on a trickle charger.

Most people don't cover their RV, but it's really nice to be able to store it indoors. Soft covers are usually good for two to three years, but some people have reported scratching problems in windy environments. The cover flaps in the wind and rubs on the paint.

Kev

 

[Isaac-1]

You will want to look for a "4 season" model, this may well end up needing to be a small class A, which will be more likely to have 4 season friendly features like enclosed tanks and plumbing, double pane windows, and relatively more insulation, though no RV is going to be well insulated.  Added options you may need are tank and sewer pipe heaters like those made by Ultraheat https://www.ultraheat.com/  these can possibly be retrofitted depending on access in the RV.  To stay in your price range you might need to shop for something in the 10-15 year old range, tough if you plan to fiance be aware most lenders will not offer loans on RV's over about 12 years of age.

p.s. I have camped in temperatures down to 12F in my coach, though the 12F night did result in frozen slush in my dump pipes as they are not heated.  If I would do that again I would add heating pads to the exposed section of dump pipe. Also the propane furnace ran a lot that night, close to a 50% duty cycle.

 

[A Traveler]

One important point about the use of a 100 watt bulb for some extra heat in the plumbing bay. It must be an old-fashioned incandescent bulb, not a modern LED bulb. The LED bulbs do not generate any heat.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Even though your primary purpose is to have a temp home in TN don't forget the first 3 rules of selection - floor plan, floor plan, floor plan.

With a child it seems fine to think they can sleep on the sofa couch or dinette. But momma and poppa are usually gonna be up a lot later than the kid(s). And (for me) I am a very early riser - usually 4:30.

When my 23 y/o is with me I am "restricted" from banging around the galley making coffee and doing eMail etc. cuz he is asleep on the sofa.  That's rare for me cuz 90% of the time I am solo or wife and I.

Again my personal preference but I would limit a class C to about 26 feet. Any larger there is a big advantage to the payload and space of an equivalent length Class A. Of course then you are looking at a toad to haul to TN so you have a commuter on that end.

 

[X-Roughneck]

let me throw in that I just Purchased 2 each 1500 watt Ceramic Heaters at SAMS Club for about $100 total. 

My Heat Pump AC/Combo on the Roof of the RV will automatically be joined by the Gas/Propane Heat Pump when it gets down to 36F.

Heat Pumps do not have that feel good to the bone radiating heat.

They take the Chill out the air.  If it gets too cold they are worthless in my opinion.  Don't really have any Specs for you, though.

Propane is not cheap and it is a Pain, unless you put a T Fitting on the Pressure Line to add a Bubble BBQ to the housed tank.

I was told that I need to ensure that if I am attempting to run the 2nd unit...have not yet...to ensure it is on a Separate 15 Amp CKT. 

My Class C WGO is 32'5" and 1heater centrally placed with the fan running was a "I feel the heat alot better", game changer.

The Outside temp is almost the inside temp if you don't do anything. 

More Slides....More Cold..Think about it.

JD

 

[TheBar]

3 days a week for 9 months means storage space may be an issue. So you might be better off looking at a small Class A with more storage and higher cargo weight limits. Although they make Class C's with large "full" basement compartments like a Class A your cargo weight limit cuts down how much you can actually put in them. They are also harder to find used because they don't sell as many.

Large compartments are important because usually the RV end of the water, electric, and dump hoses stay connected all the time making setup and leaving twice as quick. With internal underbelly storage of the dump hose hose you can dump, rinse, and store it 3x faster without spilling a drop of water. Plus the water and dump tanks are all internal and heated making freezing temps less of a concern.

You didn't say if you will be pulling a toad. If not keep the wheelbase (the distance between front and back wheels) as short as possible to allow sharper turns in parking lots and narrow streets.