New to camping. How do you leave your "destination" camper

[rogercwhite]

Hi All!

I'm a brand new (used 2019 Transcend Xplor 31RLS) owner. My trailer will be used as a "destination" trailer in south Alabama. It will only be used one weekend a month most of the year, then 60ish days during the winter. My camp has 50 amp service to match the trailer, city water and we will be hooked up to a sceptic system. The heater is propane and I have 2 AC units. I do not have a "fireplace." The refrigerator is electric/propane.

South Alabama has big temperature swings and high summer humidity. In the winter we get a few days below freezing, with some as low as the high teens (F). I have friends that will be at the camp most of the winter, so the trailer could have somebody watching it most of the time. My questions:

1. In what condition do you leave your camper for extended periods (3-5 weeks) ? My initial plan for the summer is to leave the unit connected to power and leave a small dehumidifier with a drain hose running through a lower slide seal. I have no idea how I should proceed during wintertime. Is there a recommended heat option that will come on to keep the trailer/basement/lines from freezing, or do I need to "shut down" the trailer during winter?

2. Is there a "best" portable heater option for cold days in the winter? I have the option to get a "fireplace" installed by the dealer (filling the cabinet under the TV), but that seems extremely expensive. Dyson has a few models that heat and cool, and there are a bunch of ceramic heaters on the market. Whatever I get I would like to be flexible, economical and safe enough to use a lot so I use my propane mostly for cooking.

3. There are lots of little furry creatures in the woods in our camp. Mice are very prevalent. How do you minimize their entry into the camper and control them with minimal odor should they get in during one of the 3-5 week absences?

I appreciate your advice in helping this newb not burn up, freeze or otherwise damage his new toy!

[MoonShadow_1911]

3. There are lots of little furry creatures in the woods in our camp. Mice are very prevalent. How do you minimize their entry into the camper and control them with minimal odor should they get in during one of the 3-5 week absences?

First, welcome to both the forum and the Grand Design family!

Second, I'll respond to question 3. We use a product called Mouse Free https://mouse-free.com/. It's all natural and seems to have kept the pesky critters out of our coach while in storage. You will need an air compressor to spray the gel on the underbody, so there is that. I've only applied it once, and it has lasted 3 months. From their FAQ: "Mouse Free is effective for all seasons. It will last for two years if the RV is parked or one year if the RV is driven. Agricultural equipment and some vehicles have a more extreme environment and may require more frequent reapplications."

YMMV, but I do know a couple of farmers the use it and swear by it.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

[TXkmpr]

For question one. We leave the trailer connected to power with slides out and water turned off and the refrigerator turned on. There is a vent that is covered which we leave open. Trailer is in a park in a very humid area and this seems to work out ok. We do make sure to keep things as dry as possible.

Question two. In the event there is going to be a prolonged freeze which happens every couple of years we just unhook from the water connection and drain the low water connections. Only problem we had this last big Texas freeze was I forgot to flush the Dometic toilet and the foot valve froze and leaked water. It was easy to replace.

[rogercwhite]

First, welcome to both the forum and the Grand Design family!

Second, I'll respond to question 3. We use a product called Mouse Free https://mouse-free.com/.

Thank you very much for the suggestion! I'll look into it.

[rogercwhite]

For question one. We leave the trailer connected to power with slides out and water turned off and the refrigerator turned on. There is a vent that is covered which we leave open. Trailer is in a park in a very humid area and this seems to work out ok. We do make sure to keep things as dry as possible.

Question two. In the event there is going to be a prolonged freeze which happens every couple of years we just unhook from the water connection and drain the low water connections. Only problem we had this last big Texas freeze was I forgot to flush the Dometic toilet and the foot valve froze and leaked water. It was easy to replace.

Thank you I've got a lot of learning to do.

[TXkmpr]

One idea is to talk with your neighbors (if you have some) where you will park you destination trailer. They will help you with your questions and provide suggestions to long term setup.