How Cold Can I Travel Safely? 2019 297RSTS

[LesalouG]

Hi Guys,

I want to travel, not too far, in freezing weather. I understand that the underbelly of our 2019 Reflection TT can warm the lines with heat ducts; but only with the furnace running.

When we travel in cold weather, at what outside temperature do I need to worry about the lines freezing? I only need to travel for about 3 hours before I can hook up and get the furnace running again.

We may have to travel in temperatures dipping into the 20's.

Can I do it; or do I need to stay put until the temp gets above freezing?

Thank You,
Lesa

[Country Campers]

You could leave the furnace run while traveling. The issue that I see is the wind speed while traveling. Going 65 mph down the highway at 20 degrees will have the wind chill factor maybe below zero. The low point drains will probably freeze solid at this point and then the cold will travel from there. Leaving the furnace run may help a little but at those temps it will probably be useless. You could drain all of your lines and use compressed air to blow most of the water and possibly be good. Pumping in antifreeze is pretty easy and you could flush when you get to your next stop.

The "winter" campers should be along to give you more info , d2reid .

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

LesalouG Country Campers

I have travelled wit the furnace on. Did this by accident, the first time and arrived at the next destination to discover a warm trailer (a nice surprise!). This does require travelling with the propane turned on which is technically illegal in many jurisdictions but is done by many to keep the fridge operating. Everyone has to make their own choice on this.

Ironically, leaving a significant amount of water in each of your tanks will delay freezing for several hours. These provide a thermal mass that takes a while to cool down. This is only going to work for a short travel day down to the mid-20s and must be followed by running the furnace again within a few hours.

On the topic of "wind chill" . . . this is a calculated number that is only felt by living things. Air flow (wind) will definitely cool things down much more quickly than still air, but the coldest temperature reached by the trailer while travelling will only be what is shown on your thermometer, not the calculated wind chill.

Rob

[d2reid]

Hi Guys, I only need to travel for about 3 hours before I can hook up and get the furnace running again. Lesa

Only 3 hours? Ok, get real scenario. If your camper is warm and you turn the heat off how cold will it get in 3 hours? 40 maybe, 45 kinda... You are not going to freeze in 3 hours...

How cold to worry about? How about -22f, yup 22 degrees below freezing, like you are talking 20f, then zero, then 20 more below. Now you gotta worry about it a bit. 20f is chilly for sure, but not enough to cause what I call a "hard freeze". Can it freeze, absolutely. But it doesn't take much guard against that, minimal insulation.

Curious where you are traveling at that temp for only 3 hours. Steamboat to Park City 375 miles 7 hours, 15f-22f with winds. Arrived with RV at 45 degrees... Not running heat while driving...