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Old 10-13-2014, 08:18 AM   #1
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winter living

I recently bought a 3 rl and it is the nicest fifth wheel ive ever owned. This winter me and my wife have decided to live in it in northern british columbia. It get as cold as 70 below cecius so here is what i have done to prevent freeze up. My rv is skirted and inside skirting ive put 2 inch styrofoam insulation. I have also purchased a tsomi deisel heater for underneath that puts out up to 23 thousand btu. I put heat pads on my propane tanks and put reflective insulation on outside of all windows. I have heat tapes on water supply and sewer line. If anybody has any other good ideas i would like to hear them . I also have 5500 watt generator as back up power. I know if i do this right it can be done.

Al and shannon
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Old 10-13-2014, 10:28 AM   #2
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Cross Road's RVs are not designed or intended to be used for four season camping/use.
In my opinion, you are asking for a ton of trouble.

Hate to be a wet blanket on your plans, but that is the truth of the matter.
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Old 10-13-2014, 10:46 AM   #3
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I have lived and worked in the north most of i life ive watched men live in there rvs in the coldest winters so i know it can be done and when im getting payed 150 a day tax free to do it i think cant be done isnt an option. It just takes planning and a little investment. If any guys in the oil patch in alberta or bc have any good suggestions please let me know . If it costs money not an issue just need good ideas.

Allen

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Old 10-13-2014, 10:50 AM   #4
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The redwood is a four season rv guaranteed by redwood itself. I have it insured for year round living.
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:16 AM   #5
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I am an RV dealer in southern Ontario. We carry Rushmore. To the best of my knowledge, a "four season" RV is not designed for the temps you are going to encounter. Sounds like you have a lot in place to stop you from freezing up but the major issue that you will encounter is condensation. These units are not built with a high enough "R" value to keep the interior of the ceiling and walls warm. What happens then is "warm air meeting a cold surface". This is the recipe for condensation.
Because there is no vapour barrier in the walls, it can occur anywhere from the inner surface, through and including the insulation and outward to the outer wall. You may have everything from water droplets to icicles forming on interior surfaces to exterior surfaces.
I know that Redwood promotes a 4 season unit, supposedly good to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. At these temperatures or below, the previous writer was correct. You are asking for trouble. A good RV salesman should have had knowledge of this.
If and when the temperatures are not so severe, all should be fine. I wish you well.
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:30 AM   #6
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Further to above then ... If you are doing this, you need to keep the air as dry as possible. I am not an expert. Just trying to think logically.
Perhaps you should purchase one or two dehumidifiers and a couple of fans to keep the air moving around the rooms and windows. This should minimize the condensation by moving the dry air generated by the forced air system around the room to evaporate or "soak up" the moisture that might cause the problems.
I am trying to think of other things to do but for now this could be a start.
It must be cold there already. How cold is it getting at night now?
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:33 AM   #7
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Have you considered a mobile home instead? They aren't the greatest thing in the world either, but one of those would be "way" better then any RV that you could find.
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:38 AM   #8
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Condesation shouldnt be a problem i have dehumidifiers in place and humidity readers in every room. where we live its very dry also not like ontario winters. My sales man did tell me pros and cons but watching and talking to the men who have been doing it for year with no problem im cofident it will be fine and if not nothing money cant fix lol
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:42 AM   #9
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Actually, any mobile home would have the same issues unless designed and built for extreme temps.
Problems on those stem from not enough ventilation (air movement) in the "attic" space as well as not enough R value in the ceilings and walls.
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:45 AM   #10
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Okay,
Last thing is my suggestion for a fan or two around the windows.
Wish you and you wife a very good and safe winter :-).
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Old 10-13-2014, 11:53 AM   #11
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Not really an option there is no power this far north everything runs off of generators.I just come north to work so in spring i pack up and go home or travel for 2 or 3 months that is why i went with rv. It only has to last 4 yrs and ill buy a new one. Guys here do this every yr and never have problems and ive done way more in preventing problem than most of them. For us it about making money not every comfort. Our cold here is dry to which helps. Usually the coldest it will get is 40 below but has abililty to hit 70 below for couple days i know it sounds cold but trust me ive worked in it for 30 yrs not as bad as it sounds
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Old 10-13-2014, 12:00 PM   #12
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You're tougher than I am, Al. We don't even winterize ours until early December, then we usually have it out for camping by late February or early March. We occasionally get down to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but not for extended periods of time. I can't imagine living in my camper that cold. BRRR! Good luck to you, hope it goes well. Let us know how it turns out.
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Old 10-13-2014, 12:04 PM   #13
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No its not to cold yet maybe 3 below in mornings. I have 12 other trailers beside me most have been here 2 to 6 yrs in there rvs. Not one has froze up or had major problems and like i said i have done way more in prevention than most just because my unit is worth twice as much as most. I think the deisel heater underneath will be huge as far as keeping me from usig tonnes of propane. I have 600 lbs of propane on hand also
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Old 10-13-2014, 12:13 PM   #14
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Well Mike im canadian so brains arent my strong point lol. Im just used to this weather and when i see other guys do it well why cant i and yes i will keep an on going log so people will know it can be done.

Al
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Old 10-13-2014, 01:07 PM   #15
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I see you have been rving a long time you have some good ideas. I was wonderig how you lke your ecoboost. I just got rid of mine it was a 2013 but it was to small to pull my fifth wheel and the fuel economy wasnt nearly as good as dealer said.with the cost of gas in canada that was a big deal.
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Old 10-13-2014, 03:47 PM   #16
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Make sure you have insurance for de-lamination. No matter how hard you try or how well you caulk, it's going to happen in those temps eventually.
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Old 10-13-2014, 04:15 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RJHewitt View Post
Make sure you have insurance for de-lamination. No matter how hard you try or how well you caulk, it's going to happen in those temps eventually.
Well my rv has 6 yrs warantee that covers everything plus i have insurance on it. I would never caulk anything on this trailer to seal it. There is a lot of people that do this every winter and never have a problem and ive spent a lot on maki g sure i never have one. Im more interested in hearing good ideas from men who have done this before ive talked to the guys around me and applied there ideas to mine but always willing to hear ideas on ways to improve. Not one has said he has had problems with de laminating or any other issues if they winterize properly and trust me ive done everything to assure i have no problems

Al
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Old 10-14-2014, 05:57 PM   #18
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There is heat shrinkable clear plastic film for covering the inside of the windows. Slideout seals need extra insulation and sealing to prevent air infiltration. Use tough plastic and clear packing box tape.

Make sure the underneath heater doesn't have a hot spot that melts or burns something in the floor.
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Old 10-14-2014, 06:31 PM   #19
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I thought about the clear plastic on inside of windows do you think it will.cause condesation between window and plastic? The heater i bought for underneath is awesome you can put a piece of paper on it and never burn it . Bought special hose so i can use jerry cans as fuel source gonna run copper line for exhaust. Once i move into my winter site i was gonna use reflective insulation around slides i put steel wool in any hole i could find to keep mice out. I used aluminum foil tape against trailer less reidue then used red tuct tape over that for sealing all windows and same for slides. What do u think about using clear plastic as ground sheet under rv? I thought it might help i was just worried it might be giant swimming pool in spring lol.
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Old 10-14-2014, 06:43 PM   #20
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We fulltime..maybe down to -10° for a week. Keeping a remote heater in the basement behind the wall, where the black tank valves are. Installed a remote temperature readout to monitor. We had a black valve freeze up. Not good. Also stuffed foam pipe wrap in bottom of slide gap.
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