So far we have easily made it down to 5 degrees F. However, the forecast is calling for -13 degrees and a foot of snow. :o One option would be to head south. However, due to some family health issues that's not really an option.
Tomorrow, when it's going to get up in the 40's, I'm going to move the motorhome to a campground with 50 amp service (we have been boondocking). I'm relatively confident the AquaHot will keep the living space plenty warm. I'm mostly concerned about keeping the holding tanks/plumbing/water hose from freezing.
What else do I need to do to survive negative 13 degrees? :help:
Thanks!!!!
I will note a couple of things that I have done in really cold weather. I got a couple of those personal 200 watt heaters from Walmart and used them for the basement. One by the water pump and the other by the electrical inlet/water service area. I put them on a plug that was activated when temps dropped below 35 and cut off when they hit 45. After a while I just put them on all the time whilst it was really cold (OK, call me chicken). Another thing I did was where the wire (50amp) left the bus to to through that trap door was to pull it up snug with a bungee cord AND use a couple of car wash sponges to fill any gaps where the line entered. I also used a small ceramic 1500 watt type heater in the front to keep the front near 70 (while I was inside) and did not use one in the back as the back furnace for me is the one that heated the basement (propane furnaces, not aqua-hot). The reason for that was to cut down on my propane useage. I realize that the aqua hot can work on electricity or diesel. Another thing that I think helpful is to keep the blinds closed to keep heat inside from radiating out the windows. An additional thing that is cheap but helpful would be to get some of that bubble wrap used in shipping and cut pieces and apply to windows to increase the insulation and decrease the heat loss. This seems to be a good idea especially if you usually keep the blinds closed and can't look out anyway. I also put a remote thermometer in the basement to watch the temps down there and these are helpful. You will feel much better when you look at them and the temp is say in the 50's. You don't have to open the hatch to see either (which would let in colder air). I am sure there are some other things, but agree that the 50 amp would be useful in that type of weather.
I've never been in the RV at that temp, so I hope others with more experience will chime in, 1. disconnect water hoses and drain them. 2. put some type of aux. heater in bays, esp. the water manifold bay and the bay with the water pump and pressure tank. I have used protected work lights with 75-100 W bulbs under the pump , not sure that would be enough for -13*. 3. possibly cover the holding tanks , with a heating blanket if possible. 4. If all else is not possible, drain and blow out all lines and tanks, In other words, winterize for the extreme cold nights. Norm H
Put a small heater in the water bay and cover the opening up too. Run the Aquahot on diesel and you will be fine. Set the temp about 70 and open up the cabinets in the bathroom and kitchen.
You will need some help under the bays at that temp but mostly on the side with the water. You could put something by the water pump but that will prevent the Aquahot register from coming on then.
You might checkout this thread. We were comfortable down to 0 degrees with no problems once we got everything setup. I think we could have gone 10 degrees colder. The foam panels covering the basement openings inside the hatches made a big difference. Also the foam in the front window, which is not double pane.
Camping in Cold Weather-Long but hopefully useful (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=19903.0)
Rich
ScubaGuy, we're on the other end of I44 from you and it isn't supposed to get quite so cold here. Looks like -5 Sunday night will be the coldest. I've got plenty of propane, rear furnace is on and keeping things nice and warm. I have a trouble light hanging in the connection bay. IF we have church Sunday (one of the two I serve as organist is already considering cancelling for Sunday) I'll see about a small electric heater that has a thermostat on it to put in the basement area.
I concur with the recommendations from Charles Scruggs.
Also, fill the fresh water tank when temperatures are above freezing. If temperatures don't get above freezing, use a heated hose or keep water flowing fast enough to avoid freezing. Watch forecasts and empty the holding tanks at opportune times. Deploy the fresh water and drain hoses only when you are actively moving water. Keep them stowed otherwise.
You may want to heat the engine with the AquaHot for a couple of hours before attempting to start.
Kinda basic, but have you covered the Fantastic Fan openings and stuffed a piece of foam insulation into the skylight?
America is too cold in the winter, Move to OZ, -4 C Max,
But I would have to convert my honda watercraft to right hand drive....
It was around zero with some wind when I went to Iowa a few weeks back. No problems at all with the Aquahot other than the bathroom sink froze somewhere under the coach. I think I should have put a light in the bay where the faucet is and that might have added enough heat to prevent it The freeze had to be below the floor. Shower didn't freeze right next to it. Discovered later the thermostat at the water manifold wasn't turned up all the way.
I figure 100 gal of water in the tanks is a good heat sink as well.
These are amazing machines.
Thanks for all the ideas everyone, and thanks for that link richb3125. First a question, then what I've done to prepare for the "Arctic Blast".
I going back and forth on fresh water full, partially full, or empty. I'm not sure which would be better. On the one hand, all that water could radiate any heat back out into the bays. But it's going to be below freezing for 75 to 100 hours. If I fill the tank all the way, it would seem I'm just heating water I'm not going to use. So is it better to just add what I will need for the 4 days or is there an advantage to filling up the fresh water completely?
The campground isn't going to turn off the water, so I can always drag out the hose and fill back up (or dump) if I need to.
Here is what I'm planning/doing to prepare:
I have a trouble light with a 55w bulb that I'm going to put in with the water pump. I'm thinking I'll take down the "wall", hang it in there and put the wall back up. So that it's actually closer to the tanks and behind the manifold. I have a power strip with a remote so I should be able to turn the light on and off from inside the motor home. Perhaps I can run the Halogen light (see below) off the same power strip, I'll have to check it's rating. I'm also going to make sure, the Aqua-Hot is set to keep the bays at 50 F.
Then I bought a 250W Halogen work light at HD. I figure that should put out a fair amount of heat, and since I couldn't find any 75W incandecent bulbs, I went halogen. Workforce 250-Watt Halogen Portable Work Light-265-669 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Workforce-250-Watt-Halogen-Portable-Work-Light-265-669/202066791?N=bm8p%3FNao%3D72#.UseKJfRDvDU) I will put this in the utility compartment. Since this will be on the colder side, and won't be totally sealed, I figure more heat on that side.
Speaking of not sealed. I got a couple of microfiber car wash sponges to plug up the trap door where the shore power cord will be. Microtex Microfiber Sponge: Automotive : Walmart.com (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Microfiber-Sponge/16817500)
Finally I picked up a remote temp sensor to put in the utility bay that will tell me current, high and low temp.
I plan to seal up the fan in the kitchen with a roll of magnetic material. Only other thing I feel like I need to do is to put something in the skylight to cut down on heat loss.
One other thing I did was choose a campsite which should put our tail into the wind. Hopefully that will keep our windshield from taking a direct hit from the wind, which I"m hoping will help keep down heat loss.
Thanks again everyone, great info!
Would fill the water- just like keeping the fridge full in summer.
put temp sensors low in compartment.
Good luck!!
I agree the incandesent light bulb should do the trick, but I think those 200 watt personal heaters are a more reliable source of heat (I'm afraid the bulb would burn out). At my hunting camp water pump house, I did the same thing pretty much with a string of the old type christmas lights. That way if one burned out there were about 10 more to keep going (producing heat). Agree, keep the temp sensor low, fill H20, insulate fans. Sounds like you got it well thought out. Heck it is supposed to get down to freezing here (30-32 in Galveton). Best wishes.
Dropping below zero degrees this afternoon (32° over night) heading for lows over the next three days in the minus 25-30 range, wind chills in the minus 30-40 range. The temps are supposed to be below zero until late next Tuesday. Pretty cold, more like what we remember as kids. We haven't had a sub zero daytime high temp for more than four years. Almost started thinking we were the new South. This will be the second 50+ degree temp change in 24 hours we have had this winter.
Time to get out the warm clothes. Stay warm and safe everyone. At least our coach is in the barn and we are in the house. Ran a guide rope to the barn just in case.
Roger
I think the best way to prepare for an Arctic Blast in St. Louis, is to move to Arizona. Just saying'.
@Douglas You can use a pillow to insulate the skylight. I'm also in the fill the fresh water tank camp. During the day when it's "a little" warmer it will soak up the extra heat from the light bulb/heaters. Then at night it will radiate it back out. Also you never know, the campsite water could freeze and leave you without water. You can always dump extra water when you leave. Although when traveling in those conditions it's good to have a large supply of water in case you have to sit out a snow storm.
see ya
ken
Well here goes nothing. I think we are as prepared as we can be. It's currently under 10 outside (and very windy) and 60 in the bay, measured between the hose reels just above the floor.
I am wondering about leaving the electric block heater on overnight. I'm not going anywhere for a few days but with wind chill in the -30 range wouldn't that be good to keep the antifreeze from freezing? It's free but could it hurt anything? Or should I leave the AquaHot engine preheat on?
Douglas,
Leave the block heater off and use the amps it would have consumed to power the electric part of the AH heater to add to the diesel burner heat to keep living space and basement warm. Adding the engine preheat is fine as long as the diesel burner is on.
The electric element is 5000 btu of heat while the diesel burner is 50,000 btu. At 10 degrees, the electric can not keep up by itself but with the diesel burner or the diesel burner by itself, you will be toasty warm.
Wind chill only affects exposed skin and living things. It pushes the cold in further in buildings and structures but your engine will only feel the ambient temps.
Doh! My science teacher would disown me. I knew that, I think my concern is going to my head.
If it's not going to hurt anything I think I will "preheat" the engine while it below zero just to be safe.
All the things above, I might also cut a piece of cardboard or something to cover the radiator and lovers in the engine compartment, might help keep the bed room a little warmer.
We are full timing until we build. I have found that my coach is by far warmer and easier to prepare for this cold than my house was.
I insulated the camp ground water line and my line with 1" wall a/c rubetex. 18 right now and and coach is 73 and not running much. Bathroom aquahot is heating the whole thing. Basement is 50 in the hookup bay. I put 1 pillow in the toilet room vent left the rest alone. Put silver thin insulation blanket in front windshield. Wind is 40mph gustes and 15 constant. Love how warm I am. Going to 2 tonight. Diesel burner running about 15 min an hour.
Good luck all!
Sorry in advance but it got down to 49 this morning and had to add the diesel burner to the 110 on the aqua hot.
Silver strand beach in Coronado, ca. Supposed to be 73 today.
Intrresting calculations; a 10x10x8 closed room, a 100watt bulb will increase the temprature 11 degrees per hour above current room temp.
My thoughts since im as concerned about amps too.
Guess my 88 ORED was wired different, cause i used same plugs same elect heaters on our u280 and have popped breaker twice.
So in utility bay and pump bay, 50watt applience bulbs, generator bay 750watt heater, set on 50. Then seperate front and back heaters on one on invert side one on panel side-balence the load.
Bob, I'm not quite sure that you are really sorry for being where you are. It's just that the rest of us are jealous. :'(
Larry
Well, we survived the night, and with a little help from Rudy Leggett, we survived today, too. We woke up with the front of the coach a little colder than expected. Heat was coming out hot in the bathroom and bedroom, but the kitchen and the living room were blowing cold air. A quick call to Rudy, and he told me what to do. After a few whacks on a check valve with a screw driver, we once again had hot air in the front of the coach. We are very indebted to Rudy for keeping us warm through this sub-zero temperatures.
We expect to survive tonight just fine. It is only expected to get to -6 degrees, unlike the -10.1 degrees we reached last night. This being our first winter in a Foretravel, I have to say, this machine is extremely well built. Lowest temperature in my basement last night was 52 degrees with the two work lights on; the high was 60 degrees. Even without the work lights, I don't think it would have gotten down to anything near 32 in the basement.
Yesterday it was 7 above zero with a 30 mph wind and the shower would not work. I relocated the lights in the water bay and put tape around the door to the water bay and after about 2 hours the shower now works, and it got to -10 last night with 15-20 mph winds, so think I have found the answer. We had been in -12 weather 2 years ago but no wind. Always something to learn. I had felt cold air coming out under the shower from the vent, but after taping the door no more cold air from under the shower.
Red exactly what and how did you tape up the "door"
Been there done that. No fun!!!
Bet he just duck taped the seams of the utility bay door to the next door. Keeps the wind from getting inside.
Right now it is -6 F outside and 44 F degrees in the wet bay. I have foam sealing the hose and electric cord access hole. Also have a 25 year old Pelonis ceramic disc furnace operating on low inside the bay.
It got down to zero point one here in east TN this morning!
Isn't that vent under the shower the return air duct for the rear furnace? When my rear furnace is running air comes in through that vent under the shower. If that's the case won't the tape over the vent interfere with the basement heating? These are questions, not statements of fact. I didn't call Foretravel to verify this so please don't base decisions on my theory until you verify it. I'm just pointing out what I've noticed. If you duct tape the opening at the bottom of the utility bay where the power cable comes in under your coach you should be able to stop the wind from blowing in. I presume the wind comes in through the power cable opening and blows up through the return air vent under the shower.
The guy camped next to me left his water and sewer connected last night and now there's ice everywhere. :-(
We have aqua hot and that vent under the shower is to let heat from inside the coach to keep the pipes there from freezing. and I used foil tape to tape around the outside of the door and also around the foam that I have in the power cord access door. It got colder the next night and no more troubles. Thankfully the pipes had not frozen hard enough to split, so no leaks. I had tried to find a 200 watt heater to put in the water bay, but did not find any, so have to 75 watt bulbs in there, but they could not overcome the wind that was seeping around the door
Guys I know for a fact that my coach has a aguahot heat coil and fan in the bay with that water pump and all of the water cables. I also suspect there may be one on the wet bay side also. I have been maintaining 48 - 55 on both sides. Maybe it is
Keeping the tanks that warm and creating a solar effect. But I'm very happy. Aquahot and inverter keeps the front toastie. Monday night got down to 3 Sunday and last night 11 and 12. Toastie inside way warmer then our brick house was.
If you put a light bulb too close to flammable material, It will catch on fire,
My Day old chickens, put them in a open suit case with a light bulb in it, and on a Blanket to keep them warm,
Came home from Choir Practice, The Blanket was just starting to burn, The chickens were dead and cooked, Cuddling the light bulb,
It could quite easily have burnt the house down if I hadnt come home when I did,
Be aware, It can be dangerous, They do pump out a lot of heat,
...were you able to eat all those cooked chickens? :P ...sorry
RED Tractor, I see that Target shows the Lasko 200 watt heaters for 19.99, I think Walmart also carries them.
Brian,
Has a similier happening with baby ducks about 64 yrs ago, the electric wire sliped and dun em in. And no did not eat em.
Dave M
Thanks Jimmy will check them out