FULL TIME IN THE WINTER PREP

[Ncds2000]

So i am just outside buffalo ny. winters can get into the teens on occasion and even single digits once in a blue moon. other than that they usually can hover around 28 at night 35 in the day for the 2 coldest months Jan and Feb . December and March can be a crap shoot could be cold or warmer. anyways had a few questions about my setup which I will list.
373fb solitude is my rig.
1: I have a winter skirt
2: an xtreame bilge heater unit in the garage underneath
3: home made heated water line i built myself looks ugly but should function properly
4: 2 space heaters i will use while in the unit as supplement heat
5: I have an extend a stay adapter on each tank that came with the rig with a regulated down to 10psi 100lb tank on each side along with 3 additional 100lb tanks for swap out as needed.
the questions I have are.
Do I have to shut the icemaker water line off in the winter? it says in the compartment to shut it off below freezing, or am I ok with having it on because its heated full time?
Should I fill the fresh water tank even though I am hooked up on regular water to the property?
lastly, When should i turn the tank heaters on and how long should I leave them on?

Any other info or things I missed would be great also.

 

[CheapRV]

It sounds like you’ve got a solid winter setup going on with your Solitude 373FB! I’ll try to answer your questions based on the setup and the conditions you’re expecting around Buffalo:

1. Ice Maker Water Line: If the compartment specifically says to shut off the icemaker water line below freezing, it’s best to follow that advice to avoid any risk of freezing. Even with your heated underbelly, it's safer to turn it off when temperatures drop below freezing to prevent any potential damage to the line. You can always turn it back on when it warms up during the day.
2. Fresh Water Tank: It’s generally a good idea to fill your fresh water tank in winter even though you’re hooked up to city water. If your homemade heated water line works well, you might be okay, but having the fresh water tank filled gives you a backup in case something freezes or malfunctions. Plus, keeping a small amount of water in the tank helps protect the system.
3. Tank Heaters: Tank heaters should be turned on when temperatures are expected to drop below freezing. It’s usually a good practice to leave them on during the coldest periods to prevent your tanks from freezing. You don’t need to run them constantly in moderate temperatures, but for your area in January and February, it’s better to keep them running overnight when it’s below freezing.

Other Tips:

• Insulating Windows and Doors: Adding insulation, like Reflectix, to your windows and vents can help maintain interior warmth and reduce drafts.
• Ventilation: Even though it's cold, make sure you have good ventilation in your rig to prevent condensation build-up, which can cause moisture issues and mold.
• Check Propane Levels: With your 100lb tanks, you’re in good shape for extended periods, but keep an eye on propane levels since you’ll be using more for heating during the winter.

It sounds like you've got a great setup—just make sure to monitor your systems, and you'll be well-prepared for winter!

 

[Steven@147]

Skirting is really going to help. Our holding tank heaters are supposed to be regulated, if the tank heating switch is turned on, the heating pad is supposed to come on automatically at 40*. I usually don't turn on the tank heaters unless it's supposed to be below 40*, but turn them off if it's 40* or above. If it's supposed to be below 40* consistently then I leave the tank heaters on. We have three switches, one for each tank. Some rigs only have one switch to activate all the tank heaters.

I think I would turn off the automatic ice maker, but that's just me. If the water line going to the fridge ice maker is heated then I guess it would be ok. We do keep the fresh water tank at least 2/3 full (@ 50 gallons) full and use the tank heaters just in case campground water gets turned off. We use a camco heated water hose and I believe it is also regulated to turn on the heating element at 40*. Has worked ok for us.

We only have single pane windows so we use heat shrink film on them to cut out cold drafts if we are up in the northern or mid western states. Owners with double pane windows say they are much better.

We keep our furnace on, set to around 65* to keep warm air blowing into the underside of the RV and storage compartment. We have remote temp sensors in the storage compartment with the display inside the RV on the coffee bar just so we can keep an eye on the temps down below and near the lithium battery. Use the fireplace and a tower heater air fan to supplement. We try to keep the RV around 70* inside consistently. Yes be mindful of moisture and condensation.

We don't camp on a permanent basis in the winter up north so we only have two 30# tanks and one 20# as backup. When temps are consistently below 35* and furnace running a lot, each 30# tank last about 5 days. Refill them at Tractor Supply or at the campground when needed.

Just my thoughts

 

[Ncds2000]

Thank you both for the advice. Looking at some supplemental heaters now. Is there a special way to drain the ice maker water line or just shut it off?

 

[Steven@147]

Thank you both for the advice. Looking at some supplemental heaters now. Is there a special way to drain the ice maker water line or just shut it off?

That's a good question. We don't have a fridge ice maker so I don't know for sure. I have read that owners just blow out the ice maker line with compressed air but I think to do that you have to blow out all the lines as the only place to screw in an air chuck is the fresh water connection.
Even if you had cut the water line to the ice maker and inserted a shut off valve, water would still be trapped in the line going to the ice maker and could potentially freeze.

Maybe someone with a fridge ice maker can chime in and tell you they do it.

 

[usandallthesekids]

We live full time in our RV in Missouri. We head south from Christmas to Valentine's Day. We do get some pretty cold nights and less than 32 days by Christmas. Window film is the best improvement. I took my time and did a very good job - you wouldn't see it if you didn't know it was there. The top half of our picture windows do not open so I found an area of trim around just the top half that I can leave on year around. It helps with heat too.