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Old 08-03-2009, 11:03 AM   #1
curiouscamper
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Default Winter camping

What is the coldest temperature you've used or would recommend using your Trailmanor camper in?

I'm a skier and would be interested in using the camper in Northern New England during winter
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Old 08-03-2009, 11:08 AM   #2
ShrimpBurrito
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We've camped in the TM when the overnight low was 15 degrees. We kept the thermostat at 50 degrees while we slept, and the heater kept up with no problem. We sealed up as many cracks and air leaks as we could, however, used swim noodles, etc.

Dave
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Old 08-05-2009, 12:15 PM   #3
camp2canoe
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We camped in the teens. We had full hookup and left the grey water valve open at night to avoid an iced tank. In addition to the furnace we had a small ceramic electric heater going toward the back of our 2619. The only problem we had was with the fresh water hose freezing up. The second night we left water trickling in both sinks which helped, but did not totally do away with the problem. Next time I'd probably just use the TM tank and refill it as necessary. There is a company that makes a heated freshwater hose but it is very expensive. If I was going to make a habit of cold weather camping I would look at one of those RV tank heaters for the grey water tank. - camp2canoe
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Old 08-07-2009, 06:19 PM   #4
grakin
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I've camped quite cold - down below zero, with quite a bit of wind. No problem, but I don't use the water system below freezing. I rely on campground facilities for most of my needs (washing dishes, shower, toilet) and use a small portable water container drained into another container for essential needs.

You can use the toilet below freezing, if you keep the inside warm (I leave bathroom doors open and the lid up on the toilet) so it doesn't freeze, but I wouldn't recommend trying to operate any of the valves below freezing. I've done it a few times, but I don't recommend it - unless you know you can dump before you leave (and thus it will be above freezing when you do), you'll be leaving with a toilet with water in it when it is below freezing, with no heat in the TM - it won't take long to freeze.

If you need to have a "fully functional" camper in winter, including water system, I would recommend something other than a TM, an actual 4 season camper. The TM is really a 3 season unit. That said, if you can live with a nice warm place to sleeep and cook, without bathroom or sink, you'll do great.

One more caution: opening and closing with snow on the roof is very difficult and it would be easy to damage things. And you'll want to keep snow from building up too high on top (it can damage the roof if it gets deep enough). It has to be pretty much 100% clear of snow and ice to raise/lower, and that's pretty difficult (not impossible, but not fun either). Snow/ice on the roof makes it darn near impossible to lift the shells if they are closed, and makes them come down *very* fast and *very* hard when packing up (and you still will need to clear the back shell of snow to get the top shell down).
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Old 09-03-2009, 06:54 AM   #5
Dick Thomas
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Default winter camping

remove outside shower, disconnect and add insulation.
remove lower door to bathroom to allow warm air into it. open doors under sink.
use antfreeze in gray water tank.
use ceramic space heater.
set thermostat to 50 degrees.
don't connect to external water or sewer.

make shot trips between locations, longer trips give things inside more chance to freeze.

we've been doing it for three years and only froze the shower fixtures.after removing outside shower and adding insulation we haven't had any more problems. Just the propane usage... a tank only last about three days at around 15 degrees F.

sometime blankets freeze to the wall....It is fun though.

We have a 2003 2720SL.

Dick and Jane
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Old 09-03-2009, 10:03 PM   #6
markandanne
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Here is a thread where Digger used his TM in some serious cold:

Link

Which might give you some more ideas.
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Old 09-06-2009, 04:59 PM   #7
daneco
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Hi,
We camped all winter in BC with temps in the low 20's for a month and below freezing often . We used internal tank water when hose froze; we taped plastic tarp all around camper, leaving areas for venting the heater but not the fridge; made storm windows from 1x1 and the heat shrink plastic for house windows & sliding doors, attaching to the TM with earth magnets; placed plastic floor grids under mattresses so water didn't get in to mattress; heated with an oil filled electric heater and fan except when the power went out and then used the propane heater; filled the roof vent with foam and sealed with plastic as on the storm windows; and were comfortable all winter. We stayed in one spot so moving didn't mean we had to dismantle everything.

david & neila
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