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I have a 4-season Arctic Fox camper. We live in the high desert of eastern Oregon and have de-winterized and started the 2021 travel season. My question is whether I have to worry about freezing water lines when the daily temperatures range between the low 40’s and mid 20’s when at home. When the nighttime temperatures dip below freezing I run a small space heater and fan in the camper to make sure nothing freezes. Do I really need to do that? Obviously if the diurnal temps range from just above to just below freezing or colder I need to do something. But what about during the “shoulder season”?
With a four season I would hope the design and layout lends itself to some protection of the water lines. As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention …” I would take it. Many of us have pex tubing that can actually take some freezing (not necessarily the fittings). My concern with borderline time and temps is the routing of the pipes. We have one pipe through the (outside) water heater access that is designed to take in air! If I ever build one I will trace the pipes with self regulation heat tape and insulation. Again speaking to borderline conditions…Hot water freezes faster than cold due to less air dissolved in it!
George, I have an AF1150 and previously a 990. During short term storage I haven’t had an issue with freezing pipes at the temps you describe; however, if possible I’d certainly run a small heater and fan as you described and open the cabinets and the cabover step just to be on the safe side.
Have you given thought to draining your cold and hot water lines and running your water pump dry. Those conditions you described shouldn’t cause problems with the massive amount of water in your fresh water tank or the hot water heater. Course the hot water heater can be easily drained and bypassed. I winterize my TC by draining the water lines, running the water pump dry and blowing air at no more than 30psi thru the city water access with the water faucets open.
In our bigfoot 1500 we updated our thermostat to be able to be sat at 50 degrees, if it’s under 30degrees we open the hatches and doors and will use a Mr Heater Buddy to help raise the temps. Our rig is well insulated but it’s not four season insulated. Keeping the inside at around 50degrees keeps most of the cold at bay. We can’t camp when it’s below 29degrees, it is just a lost battle with the outside air.
My brother bought our old 2002 Lance 815 and recently where he lives it got down to -6F and while away he didn’t turn on his electric heater while he was gone. The results was the hot water tank split, at least on the lucky part he did disconnect the shore water. So I would say yes to having the electric heater on and the cabinets open.
If I know it is going to get below freezing here in Wyoming and I have water in my system, I have a $20 dollar Wally World electric heater that I set at 60 degrees and let it run all night. I have my camper plugged into my 30 amp outlet at my house and then I open up my access door inside to my water tank so air circulates throughout my camper. I also have a non-LED light in my drain bay and sometimes I will turn it on all night because it does put off just enough heat to keep it warm enough to not freeze. I will typically not run my camper heater in this scenario.
When I first got my camper I was worried about those times during late fall and early spring where it warms up above freezing during the day and then dips below freezing at night. I asked my camper dealer about it and what I stated above is what he told me to do.
2017 F350 Super Duty 4x4, CCSB, XLT Premium Package, 6.2 gas, 3.73 rear end, GVWR 11,300 lbs, Payload 4226 lbs, Silver Ingot, Camper Package, Split bench front seat, Upfitter switches, LED Box Lighting, Rear Step Tailgate, Air Lift 5000 Ultimate Airbags with Air Lift WirelessAIR on board compressor kit and remote, Torklift Upper Stableloads, Torklift tie downs w/ Fastguns
2017 Northern Lite 8.11 QC SE
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