Driving Through the Cold

[basstzar]

Hi y'all,

We're driving our 88 Superchief from Spokane down to Quartzsite on December 5. We had planned to drive down through Jackpot Nevada but the forcast is showing night time lows in single digits. We thought maybe we'd go straight through from Boise to Las Vegas but Boises low is going to be 24. Should we winterize for the trip and go for it or re route to the coast line where it's warmer but we'll spend a couple hundred more on gas?  Any thoughts are welcome...

[Rickf1985]

My 89 Chieftain "says" it is safe to travel and camp in cold weather. Looking at the layout that may be true in temps down to mid twenties for short periods  and also when it was new and tight. I would not chance it now. I would at least empty the waste tanks and dump some antifreeze in them to prevent the valves from freezing. The shower drain on mine hangs right out the bottom so that is a freeze problem there. The sinks are inside so as long as you have heat the traps will be alright but any water down them will dilute the antifreeze at the valves on the waste tanks. You can get 12 volt heat tape and tank heaters, just keep an eye on battery use. If you are going to be in single digits I think you are going to have trouble keeping the inside warm, period. The heater will never shut off and you will go through all of your propane in a couple days. PLUS, Propane does not flow below a certain temp, don't remember what it is but single digits in a RV I think may be below the limit.

[DRMousseau]

Gotta agree with Rick on this,... mid-20's for short periods, like overnight, not too bad to be of great concern. For any lengthy term or on the road,... best to be well prepared. Exposed tanks, drains and lines can be quite vulnerable. Single digit temps are EXTREME,... and will challenge you in every way!!! Even if jus overnight.

Those of us who live year around in our unique rolling homes, have an additional problem to contend with,.... excess moisture and condensation within the walls and insulations of the shell!!! Wind chill at highway speeds can quickly and DRAMATICALLY lower inside temps while traveling, and is made even worse for those of us who "live-aboard" year around. Running the furnace while underway, isn't recommended nor ever suggested, and may be unsafe and downright dangerous,... a matter of airflow over the exhaust/inlet.

My ol' Winnebago had an "auxiliary heater" tapped into the radiator system for this purpose, and utilized the otherwise wasted engine heat to provide extra warmth while underway. In my current Cruise Air II, I often run the genny while underway,... it keeps my "AC only" fridge cold, and my battery bank up for quieter nights on the inverter, and supplies AC for auxiliary "electric" heaters while on the road during cold days. Gen sets aren't jus for boondocking and summer AC use,... I find 'em REAL handy for winter and cold weather use too. If my genny is runnin' for ANY reason,.... I'm gonna be usin' electric heat when it's cold!!! When I shut the genny down, I'll be on battery power and propane.

In such cold temps, I may use about 2gals of propane a day. My 100lb on-board tank carries 22.5gal., a 20lb cylinder holds about 4.5gal (IF it's filled to capacity,... most exchanged tanks aren't!). I stay comfortable, and safe.

And I often run a bit dryer while "on the road",... for less weight mostly. I have "winterized" and relied on rather primitive means of bottled water and heavily anti-freezed or heated waste tanks during cold trips and prolonged cold weather of extremes. And I've used a cardboard box (I keep a few flattened under mattresses and cushions, always handy) and an old hairdryer to enclose frozen drains underneath and thaw them out for a couple hours when frozen. And EVERYTHING will freeze in single digit temps!!!

Oh,... and watch your coach batteries in extremes or prolonged cold. You can expect about 20% less capacity in freezing weather. Combined with a longer winter nights and greater power needs, you might find 'em inadequate for such extremes. Keep 'em well charged or they'll freeze too!!!

[tiinytina]

The other thing to watch out for is the actual driving and ensuring that the engine stays up to temp etc.  I had put on a souped up KN filter assembly disconnecting and removing the old snorkle and exhaust recycle to carb.. yea.. iced up the carb... 3.2 MPG.... ouch.  old one back on air filters is KN inside it and Banks kit included the exhaust recycle...  I usually also add a bit of dry gas to the tank for winter.. don't need stabil but something to absorb any moisture in it.... 

[Rickf1985]

A little tidbit about Drygas. Drygas is alcohol, recognize that term? Yup, the same stuff that is in all gas we buy at the pump anymore. When you put dry gas in the tank you are just adding more alcohol to the mix. Back in the good old days when we had real gas back before MBTE and alcohol adding dry gas would help but nowadays you already have that in there and too much will actually reverse the process and cause you to absorb moisture from the atmosphere.

[DRMousseau]

Yup,... been a long time now since Drygas has been needed. Makes me giggle a bit because a California friend who experienced gas-line freeze-up for the first time back in the 70's, thought I was kiddin' him and he expected some kind of crystals or powder!!! LMAO!!! "Dry Gas?? Never heard of it!!! What is it?? How's it work???"

And it been a long time since I stole the cardboard "Wet Paint" sign from a rest area to place in front of the radiator grill area. Engine was warmed up, heat on, and everything normal,... jus 5mi on the highway though, and the windows were frosted INSIDE and I was FREEZIN'!!!! DANG that was a cold day!!!!

And Stabil is something I'd suggest for those who are parked or stored for anything more than a month or two in hot summer climes, or long seasonal storage elsewhere. Florida's summer heat can ruin gasoline in short order!! I couldn't believe the goo inside my Holly when I bought my RV. It had only been drive once or twice a year and the owner thought it needed a "tune-up"!!With only 50,000 on the '87 Cruise Air II,... it sat around far too much with bad fuel evaporatin' away!!!

[Rickf1985]

Go the extra step and get the Marine Stabil, it is blue instead of red. It will last a bit longer.