southwind1999 Report post Posted October 22, 2017 We are heading to Durango, CO next week and will be parking our coach at a local RV park for a week while we stay with family during our visit. We will be plugged in to shore power to maintain heat. We do not plan on extending our slides nor connecting to water during our stay. We are unfamiliar with camping in cold weather for any length of time without winterizing. The forecast is daytime temps of mid-50's with overnights in the mid to low 20's. A long explanation leading to my question: Given the dynamics of the stay, should we winterize the coach while it is parked or would the heat generated from the coach keep things from freezing. It seems we should be fine but I certainly don't want to freeze anything! We drive a 2008 Holiday Rambler Ambassador 40PLQ. Thank you for any feedback! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blakeloke Report post Posted October 22, 2017 Southwind, Without knowing specifically how your coach is equipped you might consider: 1) Ensure propane tank is full - set thermostat to run on furnace ~60 degrees F. I don't think your heat pumps will warm coach sufficiently with the lower temperatures. 2) Open cabinet doors to get heat to piping. 3) Turn on basement heat and system heat. 4) Plug in engine block heater. At low 20's I doubt that you'll need that but since you are plugged in it couldn't hurt just in case it gets colder for longer period of time. 5) Drain holding and fresh water tanks. 6) Check on coach every day or so. Since daytime temps will be in the 50's I don't think you'll have much issue. Blake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted October 22, 2017 I would not recommend leaving a block heater on 24/7. Absolutely, a couple of hours before starting the engine to leave. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted October 22, 2017 Southwind, I agree with Brett no need. Is your basement heated? Look under the coach and see if any plumbing joints, ie, white plastic connections, valves are exposed. If they are then winterize! If it is PEX tubing that is exposed it will swell if frozen and then return to size after the thaw. How many times it will accommodate this action I do not know. Yes as Blakeloke said leave the furnace on inside and open all cabinet doors and drawers, especially where there is plumbing. If you can separate the bedroom from the rest of the coach close the door unless there is plumbing, no need to heat that. In the park hooked up, I would use a small 1500 watt electric heater as opposed to the furnace and your propane. They are inexpensive from Home Depot or Lowes. Common sense says to pull all blinds and the front curtain to reduce the glass exposure. Depending on where the fresh water tank is relative to outside exposure I would drain it. If it is internal like my coach and placed between the chassis rails then it will not freeze, it will be an asset to maintaining a stable temperature be. Be sure to check the lower part of the sewer system an be sure no liquid is there to freeze. Again it is related to the freeze exposure location. In my book, the black water and grey water tanks should be drained. In Durango and the high country of the Rockies predicted temperatures are but an educated guess and can change in a couple hours for better or much worse. Durango is no exception! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted October 22, 2017 Good answers, but I would use the propane furnace otherwise you will get no heat to the basement. I have a small ceramic heater I put in the wet bay as added insurance . Just set it to come on at the lower temps to supplement the gas heat. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aztec7fan Report post Posted October 22, 2017 I agree with everyone else, make sure your propane is full and run the propane heat system. Been traveling in Colorado a few times in temps in the 20s. Our system continued to work fine, but one time got an ice blockage in the water pump. Next time I will have some type of small heat source in that area. Chris G. Westminster, CO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildebill308 Report post Posted October 22, 2017 28 minutes ago, aztec7fan said: I agree with everyone else, make sure your propane is full and run the propane heat system. Been traveling in Colorado a few times in temps in the 20s. Our system continued to work fine, but one time got an ice blockage in the water pump. Next time I will have some type of small heat source in that area. Chris G. Westminster, CO. Look at small ceramic heaters with a fan. Last spring we were in the Grand Canyon after Chandler. and similar temps as OP is looking at, no problem. I did feel bad for the tent campers though. Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
