Camping in 10 degree weather

Tips and tricks for cold weather use of your Avion
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KYAvion
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Camping in 10 degree weather

Post by KYAvion »

I thought I'd bring up some issues (although minor) I experienced while camping in 10 degree weather. One issue I noticed was a great deal of cold air coming from the cutout in the floor for the plumbing that goes to the freshwater tank. In my 30R this cutout is inside the kitchen cabinets. The air was so cold that it froze the water line leading to the toilet. I stuffed fiberglass insulation into the cutout and the problem was solved.

I also noticed some frost, and in some places a layer of ice, along some areas of the walls inside the kitchen cabinets. I imagine a couple passive vents in the cabinet toekick would help with this. There's also a cabinet door under the stove that could accommodate a single large vent, which may take care if the issue as well.

There's also frost on the small strip of wall on the hinge side of the entry door. I wonder if there's any spray foam at all in the narrow strip of wall. The wall running perpendicular that encloses the refrigerator is also pretty chilly, but no frost on it.

Lastly, there is frost and some ice on the inside of the windows. This is to be expected though since I've got no storm windows or plastic film on them.

All in all I'd say these "problems" are relatively minor for camping in 10 degree temps. As mentioned in a previous post, upon arrival I used the furnace to bring the Avion up to 70 degrees. After that, 2 space heaters were used to heat the trailer, which at worst dropped down into the low 60s per the thermostat in the rear bedroom. We did use the furnace a couple times during the day and before bed to raise the temp from low 60s back up to 70, running it for about 10 minutes each time. So again, not too bad considering the freezing temps.

Happy New Year!
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KYAvion
1984 Avion 30R
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Razorback
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Re: Camping in 10 degree weather

Post by Razorback »

That is a great bit of information regarding cold-weather camping.

We were in ours one night at 18 degrees and saw some of the things you mentioned, like the windows. Didn't notice frost on the walls, but did keep the little door open to the left of the oven to get a little heat in the sink area. Seems like I left one of the doors open in the sink area. We used water from the fresh tank.... didn't have any issues there.
Razorback (Paul)
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F-250 7.3L PowerStroke
I'm a "whosoever"... are you???
silverloaf
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Re: Camping in 10 degree weather

Post by silverloaf »

More power to the arctic-challenged.

It's headed down to 5 degrees F here; sub-zero temperatures are expected as the week progresses. Our Avion is in the driveway and we're in the house.

I never did relish the prospect of chasing frozen pipes or conducting warm games between space heaters and the furnace. The "loaf" is going nowhere until we see something north of 45 degrees F.

Stay warm.

Now, where did I put my glass of wine and thermal undies?

Bob
" Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.”


Silverloaf (Bob)
Dawsonville, GA
1988 30P
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