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?

[rtspring]

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?

Nope tarp is stapled to wood blocks and tied off. Its not like you run the low temp heater 24/7.   Just keep it above freezing.   I drain my trailer.  Then pour antifreeze into ptraps that might have residual water. 

[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

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.

Never said i was right, never said people don't do it, never said it wont work to keep things from freezing.
But i and im sure a few others (maybe not) would agree that running an electric space heater under a travel trailer with a tarp wrapped around it is not a very smart or safe idea 
Just because someone does something doesn't  make it safe or correct

[Buckmark]

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?

I dont as i have 3 drains for the water lines and have never had an issue when stored after pulling the drains.
But it sounds like a sound idea to clear them out

[DRobnsn]

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?

I do, I just use a rubber tipped blow gun into my water feed quick connect. Open all the valves inside and hit it with a little air while having someone watch for all the water to push out of the outlets. Be conservative on the air when you start. 

[NRA4LIFE]

I use the compressed air too.  I fabricated some fittings to blow out all the water lines from the intakes and one to blow out the traps.  As drobsns said, start low on air pressure, maybe 25 PSI.  Don't go over 50. 

[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.

Never said i was right, never said people don't do it, never said it wont work to keep things from freezing.
But i and im sure a few others (maybe not) would agree that running an electric space heater under a travel trailer with a tarp wrapped around it is not a very smart or safe idea 
Just because someone does something doesn't  make it safe or correct

So you throw out the DARWIN AWARD just out of lack of knowledge?  Believe it or not their are many many people who know how to do stuff safely.  Typical HUNTWA response on your part.  Gain some knowledge it will take you farther than bashing.  I kinda know what I’m doing. 

So there are these places, that you can have your trailer fitted with a canvas skirt, all snap on to fit perfectly.  They cost a ton but are better than the cheap route of using a tarp.  Guess what they do next? Yep, they set a small office heater under the trailer in sub 32 temps to keep pipes from freezing...  now your smarter. 

[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

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.

Never said i was right, never said people don't do it, never said it wont work to keep things from freezing.
But i and im sure a few others (maybe not) would agree that running an electric space heater under a travel trailer with a tarp wrapped around it is not a very smart or safe idea 
Just because someone does something doesn't  make it safe or correct

So you throw out the DARWIN AWARD just out of lack of knowledge?  Believe it or not their are many many people who know how to do stuff safely.  Typical HUNTWA response on your part.  Gain some knowledge it will take you farther than bashing.  I kinda know what I’m doing. 

So there are these places, that you can have your trailer fitted with a canvas skirt, all snap on to fit perfectly.  They cost a ton but are better than the cheap route of using a tarp.  Guess what they do next? Yep, they set a small office heater under the trailer in sub 32 temps to keep pipes from freezing...  now your smarter.

Got it, gain some knowledge, running a small indoor electric heater outside under a closed up travel trailer is dangerous
I am sure your local fire department would think its a great idea.
Like i said RT never said you are not doing it and or other people, but its still unsafe no matter what you say
Trailer skirts are for keeping the wind from whipping underneath and for retaining some heat.
Whatever RT, happy 2pt hunting

[Sandberm]

P-traps?... ...guess I forgot about those ...oh well, Ive had the tt for 10 years I think and have never had a cracked p-trap...

The only thing i might have done wrong with the compressed air method is use too much pressure. It might be because the tt is 25 years old now, but the plastic hand tighten nuts on the water lines going to faucets and toilet are a tad loose when I go to use it again after the winter. So i really paid attention to my psi this time i blew them out. 

And heck, in the past when the plastic water lines freeze up, I just take a propane torch and apply a little heat. A little camp fire under the trailer works ok too. Build a little spruce bow wind break around the fire to keep the wind from blowing your basement fire out....



 

[DRobnsn]

I've been watching some videos on installing heat tape and heat pads on the lines and tanks. Seems like a fairly straight forward project for those of us without that factory option.

[300rum]

If you leave some heat on you will be fine.  Those pex type lines can hold up to freezeing, the outside shower is your weakness though.