Condensation- bedroom slide- cold weather

[w&cferb]

We camped in Colorado three weeks ago. Weather was snowy and freezing temps. Vented the 5er when cooking and over night. Two of us sleeping in 5er with maxair cover so vent can be opened. Kitchen vent also partially open with Maxair cover.

Woke to dripping on head and ice/water on ceiling and outer walls of slideout. I put bubblewrap on the windows after I got everything dry.

Did have some condensation between mattress and wall after window fix.

Any suggestions on what else to do??

We camp in October/November for elk hunting so this will need to find a remedy.

Also, DH took the under belly covering off and insulated the water line from the pump to the sink. still had frozen pipes one AM. I told him to let it drip, but he is resistant to the idea.

We have a 2009 Cruiser29RL 5er.

Thanks.

Carole

[Lloyd]

We camp in the fall also. Mid Sept. ---- mid Oct. We are without electric (dry camping)
When it gets cold, we found the same thing, condensation!
What we found that works for us, is in the morning when we left camp we opened the windows and let the air move thru. It was always dried out when we came back at noon. At night we had one window on each end of the rig cracked open and the overhead vent in the bathroom open about 1in. We have an Olympian Wave 6 catalytic heater we use. If it was cold in the morning when we left, we just let run. I think it ran for 48 hrs. one time without being shut off. Nice heater and very economical to run.
With the thin walls and what little insulation they put in, camping in that temp is going to cause condensation. I had the ceiling in the slide open running some electric wires, and all that is up there is a weak 1in. of insulation "floating" around. All you can do is make sure you get it dried up right away. Keep air moving!!!!
We also kept our cupboard doors open and closet doors open. Keep the mattress and pillows off the wall.

[Dayle1]

Originally Posted by w&cferb

Also, DH took the under belly covering off and insulated the water line from the pump to the sink. still had frozen pipes one AM. I told him to let it drip, but he is resistant to the idea.

We have a 2009 CruiserÂ*29RL 5er.Â*

Thanks.

Carole

The weakest link should be the fresh water pick up hose from the tank to the pump, it is more likely to freeze than the exit line from the pump. In January, I tried leaving the kitchen faucet dripping during a several day cold snap, mostly to protect the camp fresh water hookup. So the drain hose froze up and then the exposed end of the tank valve. Two days later a 3 inch diameter by 6 inch long chunk of ice fell out of the tank drain pipe, thank goodness it didn't damage the valve.

[w&cferb]

Thanks for the suggestions. DH is thinking about opening up the "floor" under the kitchen sink to run some heat tape for the water line. He believes the line may be on the frame which is COLD for sure at those temps.

I do keep the closet doors and cupboard doors open when the cold sets in. I was thinking about putting some "pink board" insulation between the mattress and the wall, but DH doesn't think that will be the answer.

Will look into a catalytic heater. We were drycamping and running on the generator so we ran the furnance at about 56 degrees over night.

DH doesn't think the water is freezing at the pickup as the pump does not try to cycle until the 5er gets warm enough for the line to open. Was lucky for sunny days and running the ceramic heater into the cupboard space next to the undersink area.

We are not giving this up. It's too much fun.

Will move the mattress away from the wall, while parked.maybe put something in to space it - like a couple of swimming noodles. there no end to the uses for those.

Thanks for the suggestions

Carole