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Old 09-28-2015, 08:34 PM   #1
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So, what if I'm not ready to stop RVing

As you all have figured out by now, I am am a 1st time RV owner. Trying to get out each weekend and going on vacation with it for a full 8 days starting next week. Loving it.

When the time comes, can I winterize for a month or so then, de-winterize, take it on down south, camp, and re-winterize it before returning home to Wisconsin?

Do RVers do that? Or do the northerners just give it all until Spring?
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Old 09-28-2015, 08:40 PM   #2
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We camped in March down south and than re-winterized when we got back..no issues.

The northern salted roads were a bit hard on the underside of the trailer tho. Had to give it a good bath when we got home.

I'm not a fan of towing a trailer when the roads are icy or slick
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Old 09-28-2015, 09:20 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paule View Post
As you all have figured out by now, I am am a 1st time RV owner. Trying to get out each weekend and going on vacation with it for a full 8 days starting next week. Loving it.

When the time comes, can I winterize for a month or so then, de-winterize, take it on down south, camp, and re-winterize it before returning home to Wisconsin?

Do RVers do that? Or do the northerners just give it all until Spring?
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Old 09-28-2015, 09:25 PM   #4
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Seems to me the biggest threat is freezing. As mentioned, roads can be hazardous. But freezing and damaging your plastic water lines comes to mind. Say you leave WI and head to TX. But you stop for the night in KS or MO, where it is still below freezing. Do you run water? Toilet? Or (and I've seen this) park it in the lot of a Motel 6, and spend the night inside with heat and water? Another option, if you have one favorite spot down south, is to park it there for the winter, and drive down to it. Seems odd, I suppose.
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Old 09-29-2015, 05:15 AM   #5
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We winterize our trailer at the end of the camping season, in October. We head to Florida in December, when all is frozen. We take two and a half days of hard driving (12 hours a day) to get there. We stay in the unit while going down and do not un-winterize until we get to Florida. This is because we stay at Walmarts.

We carry some jugs of water to flush the toilet, brush our teeth, sponge-bath, etc.

This has worked for us for the past six years. The first year we went down we didn't know any better and we stayed at motels.

As for heat, when we arrive at Walmart, we set up, turn on the furnace, and go for dinner. Then when we come back the unit is o.k. inside. We have found that we can run the furnace all night long on the battery. We unplug the trailer from the truck while parked overnight in case it starts draining the truck battery.

One year we had a problem with the hook-up in the truck and had no power at all in the trailer. We still survived (extra blankets). This is because our destination on the first night is in Virginia and around the freezing mark, not well below as it would be at home.
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Old 09-29-2015, 07:12 AM   #6
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Freezing of lines is no. 1 issue. A close second is the lack of insulation properties in the roof and walls.

We had a cold snap on a fall trip a few years back got into the low 30s/high 20s. We fired up the furnace and withing a few hours dripping condensation on the walls and ceilings. Not good for the materials on the walls and ceiling. fake paneling paper on doors peeled up, some bubbling on the ceiling near the register, and that was just overnight.

These trailers are not meant for cold camping, or at least camping in the cold with the heat blowing.
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Old 09-29-2015, 07:17 AM   #7
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We never had any problems with condensation in this trailer. With the Jayco we did, but not this one. Leaving a vent or two partially open helps with the moisture issues.
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Old 09-29-2015, 07:37 AM   #8
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All the lines in the family have different R-values for insulation. We have an ultralite sunset trail, probably a lot less insulation than your trailer.
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Old 09-29-2015, 08:20 AM   #9
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All the lines in the family have different R-values for insulation. We have an ultralite sunset trail, probably a lot less insulation than your trailer.
You are probably right. Ours came with the Polar Package.
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Old 09-29-2015, 08:23 AM   #10
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We're not ready for the truck upgrade to the 250, so we'll just have to camp more seasonally for now.

I am actually concerned about towing through bad weather., snow, otherwise. We just had a brief cold snap coming back from Tenn. in March and I didnt feel comfortable towing in the flurries.

Anyone comment on towing when there is snow accumulation?
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Old 09-29-2015, 08:50 AM   #11
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When we plan our trip south, we keep a very close eye on the weather, not just here but along our route. The internet is great for that. We will alter our departure time so we don't have to deal with weather issues.

One year we waited at home for two days because strong winds were being forecast in Virginia. Since we are retired, time is not an issue.

Now if you are working and have holidays booked, then you are not as flexible. I would suggest if the going is bad, don't go.
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Old 09-29-2015, 09:00 AM   #12
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I agree that the unit you have may make a difference. Not sure on the Rezerve, but our Zinger is in no way setup for 30-degree weather. Towards early October, when we have an occasionally cold weekend, we actually use an electric heater so we don't toast the whole bottle in a weekend.

Condensation hasn't been too bad, but I could see it becoming an issue if more than a day or two.

Having driven many crappy Ohio winters, I too would hate to get caught in a mess with a trailer. The corrosion bath can't be good for it, either.
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Old 09-29-2015, 09:20 AM   #13
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We have driven in the snow a couple of times and if you take it easy and not rush it's not that bad. We left Yellowstone a couple years back just after a late spring snow storm of 6+ inches of heavy wet snow. We got lucky and caught a highway plow truck going the same direction as us but then they turned off before we got to the top of the pass. We of course drove slower and took longer to break mostly using the transmission to break with as little brake pedal as possible. Of course winter driving is a lot slower but can be done safely. It's been years ago but have also been over Vail pass in Colorado in December driving a 38' motorhome towing a car. I had to chain up for that drive.
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Old 09-29-2015, 10:23 AM   #14
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Snow is fine.... in fact, as long as I can see, I can drive...

now ICE, like we usually get down heyer in da Sowth, that's another story
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Old 09-29-2015, 10:24 AM   #15
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you know what we call ice here ohio, November or March.
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Old 09-29-2015, 05:15 PM   #16
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Loneoak, you are describing exactly what I had hoped to do.
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Old 09-29-2015, 05:57 PM   #17
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Do as suggested above regarding winterizing. We have been known to weekend camp down here leaving the trailer winterized and just use the bath houses and plastic silverware/paper plates etc. As for driving in bad weather, I had a friend from Nebraska hit a patch of black ice when towing his fiver last winter. He skidded off the road. His fiver turned on its side lifting and twisting his truck. Truck never rolled. Both were totaled. Be very cautious towing in possible snowy/icy conditions.
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