TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

09-13-2008, 07:59 AM

Bill is 100% right.

I'm just packing up from a 2 week boondocking excursion in a Wyoming state park. I didn't move the trailer the entire two weeks, and used all the appliacnes except the A/C (definitely didn't need that!). Daytime temperatures were around 50, night temps got down to just above freezing (35F or so usually), with lots of rain and sleet.

If you are staying in a place above freezing, have a small generator (or electric hookup of some kind) to recharge batteries, and don't mind driving to a dump station every once in a while (I can go about 4-5 days easily by myself) or have some other way of dumping, you'll have no problems. That's easily within the design envelope for the TM.

Here's my experience:

If you camp below freezing, it's a loosing battle to try keeping running water in the TM, IMHO. You would be better off buying a trailer with a winter-usable water system than a TM, in that case (such as all pipes enclosed, with ducted heat into the tank and plubming areas - the TM definitely does NOT have that). I do it all the time, however - I just don't use the water in the TM below freezing. The TM is, however, extremely simple to winterize to protect the plumbing (turn four valves, take off the sprayers in the bathroom, outside shower, and sink, and dump a couple cups of RV antifreeze down every drain), so you can winterize and unwinterize several times if you only occasionally have below freezing temps.

The toilet *can* work in nearly any temperature though, even below freezing, because all the "stuff" stays inside the heated interior of the TM. I still keep the lid up and the bathroom door open when camping in winter, and I never let the inside get cold, even when away from the TM. Dumping it can be a bit of a pain sometimes in winter (the outside valve likes to freeze - after you dump, dump a bunch of RV antifreeze down the toilet, first with the inside and outside valve open, then with the outside one closed, and cross your fingers that it is enough - it might not be).

When it gets colder, 20F or so, expect to use a 20 lb bottle of propane in about a day if you like to have house-like temperatures inside. I keep a spare bottle in the back of my truck because of this - I started feeling uncomfortable with just two 20 pound bottles in the cold, I didn't want to run out, and I like to stay warm! If you were willing to bundle up, you would use a lot less propane than I do. If I have electrical hookups (not generator, it isn't cost effective on the generator), I use a little cube electric heater which significantly reduces (but doesn't eliminate) the furnace runtimes.

My dual batteries (two six volt golf-cart) have comfortable power for about 2 nights, max, when it is quite cold. I can go a week or more easily in the summer - there are two factors here. First, the furnace runs less in summer (although I rarely camp places where I never need it!) and all batteries are miserably inefficient in cold. I typically run generator a couple hours a day to recharge the batteries.

As for dumping, I dislike moving the TM to the dump station, so I use a macerator pump that pumps waste into a tank in the back of my truck. I then take the truck to the dump station and dump it there. I have another tank (definitely not the same one!) for fresh water in the truck, along with a pump to fill the water tank in the TM. If I was willing to move the TM more often, I wouldn't do this.

If you are even thinking of driving in winter on ice, the TM is definitely not what you want - you need something you can put chains on, and you cannot do that with the TM. After learning this lesson the hard way (it's very hard, even for someone used to driving on ice, to stay in control of a vehicle towing a trailer on ice), I won't ever pull on ice again - anything.

Good luck - I think the TM could be used in winter, and if you are above freezing most of the time where you are going, you won't have many of the problems I mentioned above. And it is doable below freezing, you just have to get more creative. For me, I enjoy being a bit self-sufficient, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out things like "How will I have water when it's cold" or "How will I stay warm?" I used to tent camp in winter, and I can say the TM makes winter camping *much* easier, but it isn't quite a class A with heated basement, either.

09-13-2008, 07:59 AM	#4
grakin Guest Posts: n/a	Bill is 100% right. I'm just packing up from a 2 week boondocking excursion in a Wyoming state park. I didn't move the trailer the entire two weeks, and used all the appliacnes except the A/C (definitely didn't need that!). Daytime temperatures were around 50, night temps got down to just above freezing (35F or so usually), with lots of rain and sleet. If you are staying in a place above freezing, have a small generator (or electric hookup of some kind) to recharge batteries, and don't mind driving to a dump station every once in a while (I can go about 4-5 days easily by myself) or have some other way of dumping, you'll have no problems. That's easily within the design envelope for the TM. Here's my experience: If you camp below freezing, it's a loosing battle to try keeping running water in the TM, IMHO. You would be better off buying a trailer with a winter-usable water system than a TM, in that case (such as all pipes enclosed, with ducted heat into the tank and plubming areas - the TM definitely does NOT have that). I do it all the time, however - I just don't use the water in the TM below freezing. The TM is, however, extremely simple to winterize to protect the plumbing (turn four valves, take off the sprayers in the bathroom, outside shower, and sink, and dump a couple cups of RV antifreeze down every drain), so you can winterize and unwinterize several times if you only occasionally have below freezing temps. The toilet can work in nearly any temperature though, even below freezing, because all the "stuff" stays inside the heated interior of the TM. I still keep the lid up and the bathroom door open when camping in winter, and I never let the inside get cold, even when away from the TM. Dumping it can be a bit of a pain sometimes in winter (the outside valve likes to freeze - after you dump, dump a bunch of RV antifreeze down the toilet, first with the inside and outside valve open, then with the outside one closed, and cross your fingers that it is enough - it might not be). When it gets colder, 20F or so, expect to use a 20 lb bottle of propane in about a day if you like to have house-like temperatures inside. I keep a spare bottle in the back of my truck because of this - I started feeling uncomfortable with just two 20 pound bottles in the cold, I didn't want to run out, and I like to stay warm! If you were willing to bundle up, you would use a lot less propane than I do. If I have electrical hookups (not generator, it isn't cost effective on the generator), I use a little cube electric heater which significantly reduces (but doesn't eliminate) the furnace runtimes. My dual batteries (two six volt golf-cart) have comfortable power for about 2 nights, max, when it is quite cold. I can go a week or more easily in the summer - there are two factors here. First, the furnace runs less in summer (although I rarely camp places where I never need it!) and all batteries are miserably inefficient in cold. I typically run generator a couple hours a day to recharge the batteries. As for dumping, I dislike moving the TM to the dump station, so I use a macerator pump that pumps waste into a tank in the back of my truck. I then take the truck to the dump station and dump it there. I have another tank (definitely not the same one!) for fresh water in the truck, along with a pump to fill the water tank in the TM. If I was willing to move the TM more often, I wouldn't do this. If you are even thinking of driving in winter on ice, the TM is definitely not what you want - you need something you can put chains on, and you cannot do that with the TM. After learning this lesson the hard way (it's very hard, even for someone used to driving on ice, to stay in control of a vehicle towing a trailer on ice), I won't ever pull on ice again - anything. Good luck - I think the TM could be used in winter, and if you are above freezing most of the time where you are going, you won't have many of the problems I mentioned above. And it is doable below freezing, you just have to get more creative. For me, I enjoy being a bit self-sufficient, and I enjoy the challenge of figuring out things like "How will I have water when it's cold" or "How will I stay warm?" I used to tent camp in winter, and I can say the TM makes winter camping much easier, but it isn't quite a class A with heated basement, either.