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Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
11-25-2005, 08:35
Post: #1
Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
I thought it might be worthwile to start a new thread on this topic of
winter travel. I would like to hear other opinions/experiences and
any cautions.

I have had my bus through 2 winters, and use it for skiing trips and
other winter travel in VA/PA/NY. Some hook-up camping, most dry-
camping. Most of my experience is in the low teens as far as low
temps.

Over the road: I have not had any big scares in snow/ice, I keep it
slow and reasonable(not hard in an FC). The bus can skid, and inspite
of the big weight, momentum on ice can surprise you. The bus stays
toasty with the chassis heat. We feel very safe and comfy.

Camping: I have two modes (wet water lines OR dry) 1: WET: I keep the
fresh water tank filled as I expect to need it and I use on board
water. Basically, this is normal camping 2: DRY: I use bottled
water for sink and toilet flushing, thus only have to mess with
draining the waste tanks. I do not "dewinterize" the water supply
system. No showers...but you can maintain clean hands and face. For
either: I keep either rock salt or pink anti-freeze in the waste tanks.

I run the generator typically for breakfast and dinner (microwave and
top off the batts), perhaps 30-45 mins both cycles-and always run long
enought to full operating temp. At night, I run the propane heaters,
usually deciding to use one or two based on the temp. forcast. Never
needed all three going. My goal is to keep both the family AND the
bus body interior warm (to prevent interior line freezing). I keep
the access door in the bath vanity open at night. I have run two of
the propane heaters with just batts overnight w/o problems (I have 6
6vt. golf batts). I do have an aux. CO detector that I installed.

Main engine...I use the water block heater, and have battery blanket
heaters. Never had a cold start issue with the 3208. Typically, I
start the main at the end of my AM generator run...

I think my biggest exposure to potential freezing problems is being
out of the bus for a extended time w/o electric hookup. If parked and
unattended/unheated...say for over 6+ hours, I would think the
interior temps would drop enough for line freezing if they
were "wet". This I try to avoid during below freezing weather.

Frank
85FC33
Woodbridge, VA.
Quote this message in a reply
11-25-2005, 12:24
Post: #2
Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
Frank,

Thanks thats exactly what I was looking for. One question. How do
you get rock salt into the grey tank, and how much do you put in.

Tom Sorrentino
Bedford Hills, NY
1978 fc 33'
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "fwernlein"
wrote:
>
> I thought it might be worthwile to start a new thread on this
topic of
> winter travel. I would like to hear other opinions/experiences
and
> any cautions.
>
> I have had my bus through 2 winters, and use it for skiing trips
and
> other winter travel in VA/PA/NY. Some hook-up camping, most dry-
> camping. Most of my experience is in the low teens as far as low
> temps.
>
> Over the road: I have not had any big scares in snow/ice, I keep
it
> slow and reasonable(not hard in an FC). The bus can skid, and
inspite
> of the big weight, momentum on ice can surprise you. The bus stays
> toasty with the chassis heat. We feel very safe and comfy.
>
> Camping: I have two modes (wet water lines OR dry) 1: WET: I keep
the
> fresh water tank filled as I expect to need it and I use on board
> water. Basically, this is normal camping 2: DRY: I use bottled
> water for sink and toilet flushing, thus only have to mess with
> draining the waste tanks. I do not "dewinterize" the water supply
> system. No showers...but you can maintain clean hands and face.
For
> either: I keep either rock salt or pink anti-freeze in the waste
tanks.
>
> I run the generator typically for breakfast and dinner (microwave
and
> top off the batts), perhaps 30-45 mins both cycles-and always run
long
> enought to full operating temp. At night, I run the propane
heaters,
> usually deciding to use one or two based on the temp. forcast.
Never
> needed all three going. My goal is to keep both the family AND
the
> bus body interior warm (to prevent interior line freezing). I
keep
> the access door in the bath vanity open at night. I have run two
of
> the propane heaters with just batts overnight w/o problems (I have
6
> 6vt. golf batts). I do have an aux. CO detector that I installed.
>
> Main engine...I use the water block heater, and have battery
blanket
> heaters. Never had a cold start issue with the 3208. Typically,
I
> start the main at the end of my AM generator run...
>
> I think my biggest exposure to potential freezing problems is
being
> out of the bus for a extended time w/o electric hookup. If parked
and
> unattended/unheated...say for over 6+ hours, I would think the
> interior temps would drop enough for line freezing if they
> were "wet". This I try to avoid during below freezing weather.
>
> Frank
> 85FC33
> Woodbridge, VA.
>
Quote this message in a reply
11-25-2005, 13:07
Post: #3
Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
That's a good explanation of your technique. I'm sure many will
gleen good information from it.

I rarely venture into snow and ice and prefer to remain away. I
rarely have to winterize my coach since I am in Dallas. I do treat
drains when temp gets into the 20's. I keep heat in the coach all
winter so no problem with freezing lines.

R.E. (Ron) Marabito, Dallas, TX 92WB40

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "fwernlein"
wrote:
>
> I thought it might be worthwile to start a new thread on this
topic of
> winter travel. I would like to hear other opinions/experiences
and
> any cautions.
>
> I have had my bus through 2 winters, and use it for skiing trips
and
> other winter travel in VA/PA/NY. Some hook-up camping, most dry-
> camping. Most of my experience is in the low teens as far as low
> temps.
>
> Over the road: I have not had any big scares in snow/ice, I keep
it
> slow and reasonable(not hard in an FC). The bus can skid, and
inspite
> of the big weight, momentum on ice can surprise you. The bus stays
> toasty with the chassis heat. We feel very safe and comfy.
>
> Camping: I have two modes (wet water lines OR dry) 1: WET: I keep
the
> fresh water tank filled as I expect to need it and I use on board
> water. Basically, this is normal camping 2: DRY: I use bottled
> water for sink and toilet flushing, thus only have to mess with
> draining the waste tanks. I do not "dewinterize" the water supply
> system. No showers...but you can maintain clean hands and face.
For
> either: I keep either rock salt or pink anti-freeze in the waste
tanks.
>
> I run the generator typically for breakfast and dinner (microwave
and
> top off the batts), perhaps 30-45 mins both cycles-and always run
long
> enought to full operating temp. At night, I run the propane
heaters,
> usually deciding to use one or two based on the temp. forcast.
Never
> needed all three going. My goal is to keep both the family AND
the
> bus body interior warm (to prevent interior line freezing). I
keep
> the access door in the bath vanity open at night. I have run two
of
> the propane heaters with just batts overnight w/o problems (I have
6
> 6vt. golf batts). I do have an aux. CO detector that I installed.
>
> Main engine...I use the water block heater, and have battery
blanket
> heaters. Never had a cold start issue with the 3208. Typically,
I
> start the main at the end of my AM generator run...
>
> I think my biggest exposure to potential freezing problems is
being
> out of the bus for a extended time w/o electric hookup. If parked
and
> unattended/unheated...say for over 6+ hours, I would think the
> interior temps would drop enough for line freezing if they
> were "wet". This I try to avoid during below freezing weather.
>
> Frank
> 85FC33
> Woodbridge, VA.
>
Quote this message in a reply
11-25-2005, 14:28
Post: #4
Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
Last year I put about 4 heaping cups rock salt into a bucket of warm
water, then when "melted", poured into grey tank via the kitchen
sink, I guess you could disolve it in the sink if you wanted. This
year, I bought more gallons of the red RV anti-freeze, and plan to
use it in lieu of salt...its easier, less "work" and I think gives
more freeze protection per unit volume.

Frank W.
85FC33
Woodbridge, VA.


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "thomas_sorrentino"
wrote:
>
> Frank,
>
> Thanks thats exactly what I was looking for. One question. How do
> you get rock salt into the grey tank, and how much do you put in.
>
> Tom Sorrentino
> Bedford Hills, NY
> 1978 fc 33'
>
Quote this message in a reply
11-26-2005, 11:43
Post: #5
Winter travel....(attn: Tom S.)...
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "fwernlein"
wrote:
>Frank-- I enjojed your piece on winter camping.Ive only had my bb
since june. Have never Traveled in winter. My previous rig (Tioga)
could be dry camped for weeks with out draining batt. I go to Colo.
fishing where there are no hookups.
thanks for the post.--
Ed Gardels 89sp
Arlington Tx.

> I thought it might be worthwile to start a new thread on this
topic of
> winter travel. I would like to hear other opinions/experiences
and
> any cautions.
>
> I have had my bus through 2 winters, and use it for skiing trips
and
> other winter travel in VA/PA/NY. Some hook-up camping, most dry-
> camping. Most of my experience is in the low teens as far as low
> temps.
>
> Over the road: I have not had any big scares in snow/ice, I keep
it
> slow and reasonable(not hard in an FC). The bus can skid, and
inspite
> of the big weight, momentum on ice can surprise you. The bus stays
> toasty with the chassis heat. We feel very safe and comfy.
>
> Camping: I have two modes (wet water lines OR dry) 1: WET: I keep
the
> fresh water tank filled as I expect to need it and I use on board
> water. Basically, this is normal camping 2: DRY: I use bottled
> water for sink and toilet flushing, thus only have to mess with
> draining the waste tanks. I do not "dewinterize" the water supply
> system. No showers...but you can maintain clean hands and face.
For
> either: I keep either rock salt or pink anti-freeze in the waste
tanks.
>
> I run the generator typically for breakfast and dinner (microwave
and
> top off the batts), perhaps 30-45 mins both cycles-and always run
long
> enought to full operating temp. At night, I run the propane
heaters,
> usually deciding to use one or two based on the temp. forcast.
Never
> needed all three going. My goal is to keep both the family AND
the
> bus body interior warm (to prevent interior line freezing). I
keep
> the access door in the bath vanity open at night. I have run two
of
> the propane heaters with just batts overnight w/o problems (I have
6
> 6vt. golf batts). I do have an aux. CO detector that I installed.
>
> Main engine...I use the water block heater, and have battery
blanket
> heaters. Never had a cold start issue with the 3208. Typically,
I
> start the main at the end of my AM generator run...
>
> I think my biggest exposure to potential freezing problems is
being
> out of the bus for a extended time w/o electric hookup. If parked
and
> unattended/unheated...say for over 6+ hours, I would think the
> interior temps would drop enough for line freezing if they
> were "wet". This I try to avoid during below freezing weather.
>
> Frank
> 85FC33
> Woodbridge, VA.
>
Quote this message in a reply
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