Winter in a TM

I'm considering buying a used TM and parking it at a campground in the mountains of NC while I attend a National Park Ranger program. Any advice and or lessons learned about winter stays in a TM would be greatly appriciated. Thanks a bunch. Jim

Plan on using two swimming pool noodles, cut to length, to push up into the space on the underside of the rear bed. It makes a big difference.

I had a lot of cold air blowing in through the gap between the rear upper shell and the lower shell, right behind the closet. Stuffing rags and towels in did not do very well. I modified the outside flip up bracket by drilling a different hole. This pulls the upper shell in tighter. Problem solved.

I have not camped in the snow, just the rain. In snow, understand how much snow on the roof is too much. Maybe someone else can offer advise on that.

If you have electrical shore power, one or two 1500 watt electric heaters are a good choice. Quieter than the furnace and won't use up your propane so fast.

Some people use a catalytic heater, such as Mr. Buddy (I think). Be careful with ventilation if you choose to do that. It is more risky when sleeping than just during the evening.

Report back later at the end of your adventure. Others, I am sure, would love to learn from your experience.

[Leslie & Nick]

Originally Posted by jimbojrxsf

I'm considering buying a used TM and parking it at a campground in the mountains of NC while I attend a National Park Ranger program. Any advice and or lessons learned about winter stays in a TM would be greatly appriciated. Thanks a bunch. Jim

We've done a few winter camping trips in the TM on a Tennessee mountain. One time we got a few inches of icy snow overnight, and had a problem closing the shell the next day, until we swept away most all of the snow/ice off the roof. Those shells fit pretty snugly.

Wayne's suggestions about the electric heaters is on target - we use a pair of them so as to minimize use of the propane fueled furnace. The furnace makes a lot of noise, and uses more propane than you'd think - as I recall we used a full tank of propane in two days, that's when we got the electric ceramic heaters

Besides trying to plug as many air gaps as possible inside the camper, by far the best thing we did to facilitate cold weather camping was to buy an electric mattress pad for the bed. It can get down into the teens, and you'll still be warm and cozy! You'll try to hold 'it' as long as you can, before finally having to get up and go to the bathroom

Depending on how low the temperatures go, you'll have to take some special precautions with your fresh water supply hose. One night it go so cold that the water in the hose froze solid. Next morning we wound up disconnecting the hose and taking it inside the camper to thaw with the help of a hair dryer, in the kitchen sink. Now, if freezing temperatures are expected, I disconnect the hose before we go to bed, then reconnect it the next morning.

In general I'd say the TM is really not made for extended cold weather use. But for a week or two, you can make it work with some preparation and forethought. I'm sure other TM'ers have some tips too!

Nick

[ShrimpBurrito]

Jim - you didn't mention how long your stays would be....how long do you think you'd be staying in the TM at a time?

Dave

To answer some of the questions: I'll be staying in the TM from mid Jan to April. The going rental price is $500 including utilities. I would like to put some of that into a TM since we plan on camping around the USA for the next year in search of a retirement community that fits us. I'm not new to camping but most of it has been either in a tent or in the van. I'll take all the info I can get to assist in the "smart" decision come January 09. thanks again.
jim

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!

Hi Jim,
We just spent last winter on Vancouver Island, temps as low as 22, with some light snowfalls and one 12". The last one collapsed our awning, but otherwise we were snug.
Re water hose, you can use pipe insulation, the gray foam pool noodle like material which works most of the time, or use an electric tape that attaches to the hose and only comes on when the temp is below 35 I think.
We used one of the oil filled heaters and a small fan to circulate the warmer air and it was fine in all weather. The floor is cool but never too cold.
We also put plastic tiles for garage floors, the kind that have air holes and are raised on many small feet, under the mattress. Not sure if it helped, but next year will have the vinyl on the underside of the mattress replaced by fabric as the vinyl held moisture inside the mattress and see how that works.
We also hope to make storm windows, ie wood framed plexiglass held in place with earth magnets, on all windows as the condensation was a problem.
We will be doing the same kind of camping every year in BC for the next couple of years, so obviously none of the problems dampened our enthusiasm.

Have fun,

David & Neila
back in Ontario for the summer

You guys are incredible. I'm being sold on the TMs not only for their function/tow combination but also for the comradere amongst the owners. It is nice to know that so many of you are willing to lend a hand and or share the lessons learned. I can predict that in the near future I'll be a "paying" member on the forum. Thank you for your help. I look forward to hearing from more of you. I'll be dodging rockets in Baghdad until Aug but then it's off to see the USA doing odd jobs and watching the sun set and rise! Cheers Jim

Originally Posted by jimbojrxsf

I'll be dodging rockets in Baghdad until Aug but then it's off to see the USA doing odd jobs and watching the sun set and rise! Cheers Jim

Thank you for all that you do for our country.

Chap

Chap, it's the little thanks that people like you offer that make us do what we have to so that the rest of you can do what you want. If you like what America has to offer thank a VET! Cheers!
Jimbo Blakeslee
US Army Special Forces (Retired)
Baghdad Embassy Security Force