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Old 02-23-2013, 05:49 PM   #1
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We live in our 36FL for work and it's time to get back to it. We are currently in CO and the work is in OH,PA,WV. Would you winterize the 5th wheel to go back east this time of year?
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Old 02-23-2013, 06:00 PM   #2
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Depends ~ are you going to be in it full time ? If you are, then I would probably put a electric ceramic heater in the storage bay, one of the better ones with a thermostat. That and the furnace should keep the tanks and water lines ok. It's still pretty cold here (Baltimore area) and the forecast for tonite is into the 20's and some light freezing rain. Sometimes March is one of the coldest months.



Biggest thing back in this area(Northern Maryland / eastern PA) is that most if not all of the RV parks are not open till April and if they are, don't have water turned on. We learned last week at the RV Show in Baltimore talking to a number of park owners that the biggest reason they shut down in the winter is taxes from the state. If they are open year round and have renters year round, their realestate taxes are crazy.
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Old 02-23-2013, 06:10 PM   #3
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If it were me, I would winterize the coach to travel back east. I dont believe the temps are warm enough to keep the water lines from freezing during the day while you are on the road. The cost to winterize is minimal compared against the cost to repair broken waterlines once you arrive out east. Just my opinion.

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Old 02-23-2013, 06:22 PM   #4
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A different point of view. If you will be living in the RW I would just set the furnace T-stat at say 50 to 55 and hit the road. We did that several years ago when we headed South from the Buffalo area in February. Put the furnace on low to keep things (water lines and food) from freezing and pointed the rig South.
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Old 02-23-2013, 07:21 PM   #5
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If you will be living in the coach, no winterization necessary. If not, absolutely, positively winterize.
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Old 02-23-2013, 11:06 PM   #6
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ok, mhs4771, your solution brings up another question. All of our furnace vents are covered when the slides are in... any hazards in this?
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Old 02-24-2013, 01:15 PM   #7
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Hopefully you weren't leaving today! I'm looking at at least1 ft of new snow since yesterday.


With regard to the furnace vents being covered - I wonder if you still wouldn't generate enough heat anyway? The key places to heat are below the floor anyway.
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Old 02-24-2013, 03:57 PM   #8
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On our RL the heat vents are not covered by any of the slides. In the Living Room they are in line with the Island counter and in the Bed room it's next to the bed frame so it would be a problem for us. Now on our Montana the Living room slide did cover part of the vents, but not the whole thing. Plus unless you'll be traveling in extremely cold temps, with the t-stat set down low the furnace shouldn't run a lot any way. Now we just head for warmer climate in mid-Oct and don't return North till late spring.
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Old 02-25-2013, 09:20 AM   #9
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We did the same thing with our RL. We were pulling it in -7 with strong winds. We set the Thermo. at 50 and then we also started up the generator and let it run. We left the fireplace on, put a radiator type of space heater in the basement and left the water heater on so it wouldn't freeze either.

Everything worked well but the water fresh water tank did freeze under these conditions.
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Old 03-06-2013, 08:50 PM   #10
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Good news update... first off, we did not leave CO until March 5th and secondly, I have discovered that the vents are open to the coach when the slides are in. So in traveling to PA, we set the furnace at 55 degrees, filled the water to less than full, thinking that the constant sloshing would prevent freezing and left the water heater on gas... no problems It worked... but the weather has been mild and no slush on the roads at all... that could be a problem but not for us and not yet. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, we would hole up in a campground anyway. LOVE OUR 36FL!
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Old 03-07-2013, 05:19 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marandjwr
Good news update... first off, we did not leave CO until March 5th and secondly, I have discovered that the vents are open to the coach when the slides are in. So in traveling to PA, we set the furnace at 55 degrees, filled the water to less than full, thinking that the constant sloshing would prevent freezing and left the water heater on gas... no problems It worked... but the weather has been mild and no slush on the roads at all... that could be a problem but not for us and not yet. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, we would hole up in a campground anyway. LOVE OUR 36FL!
I'm glad to hear that you like your FL and hope you have a safe happy trip.


Happy Trails
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