TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

06-05-2008, 08:39 PM

As a trial member, you won't have access to the searching function that is available on the site, but you can still do stuff like using google or yahoo to search for "winter trailmanorowners" and find some interesting stuff (that's how I did some research before we paid our money to join the forum).

I don't have experience with a TM in the winter since we bought ours this year, but I was interested in this very subject and there are some discussions ranging from weather way colder than you will ever see: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=5544
versus weather much more like what I think you should expect:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=4925

Anything you do in the TM will be superior to the tent in my opinion, but I don't know how your van was set up. At a campground I'd assume you'll have electrical hookups so it sounds like a couple of space heaters and pool noodles and you'll be just fine. Without electrical hookups your heating options would be limited - the furnace blower draws a bunch of current and electric space heaters appear to be a great solution with electrical hookups. Depending on where you will be in Tenn. you will likely have lots of murky days so solar panels won't be a great option, but a small generator will easily recharge your system.

After that, it's mostly a matter of managing your fresh water lines and gray water tank during sub-freezing days. I do have experience trying to dump tanks from a motorhome in a blizzard in Kansas a year and a half ago and you should learn pretty quickly what freezes.

Good luck and have fun!

06-05-2008, 08:39 PM	#6
markandanne Guest Posts: n/a	As a trial member, you won't have access to the searching function that is available on the site, but you can still do stuff like using google or yahoo to search for "winter trailmanorowners" and find some interesting stuff (that's how I did some research before we paid our money to join the forum). I don't have experience with a TM in the winter since we bought ours this year, but I was interested in this very subject and there are some discussions ranging from weather way colder than you will ever see: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=5544 versus weather much more like what I think you should expect: http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=4925 Anything you do in the TM will be superior to the tent in my opinion, but I don't know how your van was set up. At a campground I'd assume you'll have electrical hookups so it sounds like a couple of space heaters and pool noodles and you'll be just fine. Without electrical hookups your heating options would be limited - the furnace blower draws a bunch of current and electric space heaters appear to be a great solution with electrical hookups. Depending on where you will be in Tenn. you will likely have lots of murky days so solar panels won't be a great option, but a small generator will easily recharge your system. After that, it's mostly a matter of managing your fresh water lines and gray water tank during sub-freezing days. I do have experience trying to dump tanks from a motorhome in a blizzard in Kansas a year and a half ago and you should learn pretty quickly what freezes. Good luck and have fun!