Deer camp trailer question

[turkeyfeather]

Okay all you camping experts....
Need some advice....

We are supposed to leave this afternoon to go to hunting camp through Monday. We will be dry camping which means tanks of water. It is supposed to snow tomorrow up to possibly 5" by some reports but my big concern bus that Saturday and Sunday nights the temps could dip into the single digits. We have an extended season trailer. Should we be ok or are we risking frozen pipes and damage?

[Henrydog]

I personally have already drained my water lines.  I am still using my trailer to dry camp.  What I do is buy several jugs of RV anti Freeze and use that for liquid in the toliet.  I just bring water jugs for potable.

[syoungs]

Ive done it in older travel trailers down into the low teens. Kept cupboard doors open and didnt have any problems.

[MIKEXRAY]

As stated you either have to drain the water as if winterizing or run the heater with the cabinets open . I leave the heater on low all day when gone hunting and run my small generator for a couple of hours to recharge the batteries during dinner / early evening. Then heater on at night. I've also had the grey water freeze at the discharge valve cracking it.  Can't be to proactive. This is if the average temperature is below freezing during day and night continuous.  Good luck.

[Tim in Wa.]

rock salt in the tanks lowers the freezing temp.

[GASoline71]

Depends on how your rig is built.  We hunt/camp in our 28 foot 5th wheel during elk season and haven't had any problems yet.  Key word is "yet".

My rig is also completely insulated underneath.  I have yet to have a tank freeze or a waterline freeze.  We have been in as low as 8F.  When we come back to camp after hunting all day, we run the generator for a few hours to recharge the batteries for using the furnace overnight.  We also leave the cupboard doors cracked open overnight to let heat in where there are exposed waterlines.   

I've hunted in pup tents, wall tents, home made shelters, trailers and campers that resemble a meth lab, and now our current setup.  I've roughed it lots of times.  But now I'm old enough where I just don't feel the need to rough it anymore.  Our current setup works for us well.

Gary 

[Sandberm]

If I had a crystal ball I would say that your pipes are probably going to freeze in single digit weather. That could be a problem if a guy decides to take his wife to deer camp with him. I heard a good solution to a frozen toilet in the travel trailer is to tie a blue tarp around a couple of trees and do your business in there. This dilemma will of course give some members of deer camp a headache so make sure and bring some aspirin.

Also, if its going to snow in the night, make sure and put the awning down...it could freeze in the up position. Lofting  lighter member of deer camp onto the snow covered roof to dislodge is a recommended solution.

Other things to think about this time of year is bears and wolves, never know when you are going to see one or both!

Good luck and HAVE FUN!!! 

[C-Money]

We have everything drained and lines full of antifreeze. We take quite a few gallons of drinking water. Still use the drains, and toilet. When done hunting, drain the grey & black tanks, and put some antifreeze in the sink traps, and the black tank...done.

[Buckmark]

If I had a crystal ball I would say that your pipes are probably going to freeze in single digit weather. That could be a problem if a guy decides to take his wife to deer camp with him. I heard a good solution to a frozen toilet in the travel trailer is to tie a blue tarp around a couple of trees and do your business in there. This dilemma will of course give some members of deer camp a headache so make sure and bring some aspirin.

Also, if its going to snow in the night, make sure and put the awning down...it could freeze in the up position. Lofting  lighter member of deer camp onto the snow covered roof to dislodge is a recommended solution.

Other things to think about this time of year is bears and wolves, never know when you are going to see one or both!

Good luck and HAVE FUN!!!

I see what you did there 
*
As for the OP's questions and what works for us is:
I want less to deal with or worry about so no water in the trailer tank (which eliminates the on demand hot water but oh well), 2 -3 auquatainers full of water, they are 6 gallons each which is potable water and one just sits on the counter with the valve over the sink, the extras live in the shower/tub as no one is using that. Also a case or two of bottled water.
1 gallon of RV antifreeze in the grey tank so the discharge valve wont freeze/crack.
The toilet, ah yes the toilet simple solution that has worked for us for years (yes i am talking the wife and daughter) is to take some 13 gallon garbage bags (my wife says costco scented are the best, but unscented work fine as they are only one time use) and put it in the toilet with some paper thrown in, do your thing, pull it and tie it tight and put in a container or bigger bag outside (its cold so no smell) then dispose of later. No mess, no water and the girls are happy using indoor facilities. My wife goes as far as preloading a half dozen bags with like 2 cups of pine shavings and having them in the bathroom ready to go..

[rtspring]

Many of you might as well hunt in a tent.  Ha ha.  My new trailer is awesome I like hot water for showers, cold water for coffee so and and so forth.  Prepare your camp the right way and let it get cold and snow all it wants!   

A little planning goes a long long ways!  Insulate everything, wrap your trailer bottom with a good tarp, throw a electric heater under there and you are golden. 

[Buckmark]

Many of you might as well hunt in a tent.  Ha ha.  My new trailer is awesome I like hot water for showers, cold water for coffee so and and so forth.  Prepare your camp the right way and let it get cold and snow all it wants!   

A little planning goes a long long ways!  Insulate everything, wrap your trailer bottom with a good tarp, throw a electric heater under there and you are golden.

In the running for a Darwin award

[turkeyfeather]

Buckmark.....
Thanks for the ideas. Never thought of that. I realize that some of our issues were self inflicted. We were aware of the forecast and tried to get some advice from here as well as a camping group. I was leary of the whole thing but we were hopeful that if we took the precautions that some had given us that we'd be ok. Lesson learned. Again.....thanks for your input.

[rtspring]

Many of you might as well hunt in a tent.  Ha ha.  My new trailer is awesome I like hot water for showers, cold water for coffee so and and so forth.  Prepare your camp the right way and let it get cold and snow all it wants!   

A little planning goes a long long ways!  Insulate everything, wrap your trailer bottom with a good tarp, throw a electric heater under there and you are golden.

In the running for a Darwin award

Bad? How so, I have done it for 33 years.  If your gonna Darwin Award me please explain!  Or you could just let pipes freeze. 

[rtspring]

Many of you might as well hunt in a tent.  Ha ha.  My new trailer is awesome I like hot water for showers, cold water for coffee so and and so forth.  Prepare your camp the right way and let it get cold and snow all it wants!   

A little planning goes a long long ways!  Insulate everything, wrap your trailer bottom with a good tarp, throw a electric heater under there and you are golden.

In the running for a Darwin award

1000’s of people must be wrong! And your right???   Come to just about any rv park on the eastside and see how it works.   

[Sandberm]

Does anybody else use compressed air to blow the lines out in their camper instead of using antifreeze?

I have a 20 ft trailer. Through various fittings I hook the air compressor line up to the city water connection using  the water pressure regulator attachment so there isnt 100+lbs of air pressure on the lines.

Gust of wind blows your tarp into the electric heater?