Whew Whew........

[Robin G]

Spent the last 4 days camping along the Miracle Mile in Wy (took Dh on a annual guy's fishing trip, I am the only women to ever grace this annual trip, not a trip I ever care to take again I might add) anyway, woke up one morning and was so happy to find that the black tank hadn't froze solid. It was a wopping 25 degree's when I finally decided to get out of bed after 8 am. It's all dry camping there and we didn't have a heater, so I got a little worried, but was happy that it didn't. Got me wondering if any one has ever had their black tank freeze in a Casita? I didn't use the grey tank, but I refuse to use a biffy, so I did use the black tank, I just added rv antifreeze before, during, and after. Did I just get lucky or have others found they could use without major issues during cold weather camping? Robin

[Doug Mager]

When we had a 'stickie' set up on a site in a private park, we'd use the trailer about twice a month in winter months. We would leave heat on in the trailer more to help control condensation than anything else but as a precaution we ALWAYS made sure to dump a good dose of R V antifreeze down the 'hold' just for a little added extra insurance. Don't know IF it helped/worked or not but we NEVER did have any freeze up problems with ANY of our water lines OR tanks. The R V park sits at about 3200ft, located in N.W. Washington!!

[Orlen Wolf]

Hi Robin

Is the black water tank in a Casita under the floor or above the floor? The EggCamper black water tank is inside the hull under the shower/toilet area floor so it has less of a chance of freezing than the gray water tank hanging in the breeze under the hull.

BTW - Carolyn and I spent last weekend at Alamosa in the EggCamper. Friday night was 17 degrees and Saturday night was 24 degrees. It was warm and cozy inside the egg, and I haven't even installed the under-floor insulation. No problems with black water, gray water or fresh water systems.

73
Orlen

[Robin G]

Orlen, I think the tank is under the floor. Not sure though! Oh by the way, can you guys meet for coffee sometime soon? Dean came up with a great name for the get together. I will pm you about it. Tell Carolyn HI! Robin





Doug, Like I said, Whew! Glad it didn't freeze up, I have a feeling your right about the antifreeze being extra protection. I think we were at about 6500 feet. Colder than a well digger's rear, I know that. Several friends from Montana, have had theirs freeze in their stickies, well thankfully ours didn't. Maybe it's the combination of the fiberglass design as well as the antifreeze. Just glad it worked. Robin

[Linda R002]

Black tank in Casita is above the floor in the raised area under the toilet. We have camped where the temperature dropped below 25 degrees and have never had any problems. When it gets much lower then that we add antifreeze to the J trap for the shower since it is the most exposed. Then a little in the grey tank. But usually with us in the trailer we seem to keep it warm enough not to freeze. You just have to keep the bathroom door open to let some heat get into where the tanks are.

[Joy A]

As reasonable as RV "Pink" antifreeze is, I'd be putting a litte in all the tanks. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Greg A]

I would guess that all one would need to do is drink several Martini's daily and I doubt the black tank would freeze up at all.....

[Robin G]

Linda&Dale, so that's where it is, We didn't have heat, so I guess all the anti-freeze did it's job.

Joy, I had anti-freeze in both tanks, thought better safe than sorry. I still haven't winterized, cause I am thinking of taking a trip in November, but had everything emptied and anti-freeze poured down. Guess it did it's job!

I would guess that all one would need to do is drink several Martini's daily and I doubt the black tank would freeze up at all.....

LOL............... Believe me Greg, I needed a few Martini's for this trip! All guy's, fishing along a river in no-where Wyoming! So not my thing! I stayed in the Casita most of the time and read. Had I realized I was going to have to stay longer than running Dh up there and leaving I would have taken the fixings for a lot of red apple martini's....... I would say next time, but I can assure myself, I won't be doing that trip again. I will pay someone to take him up there and stay with him. A fishing babysitter! LOL........ These guys have been doing this fishing trip for 30 some years, Dh has only been doing it for 10-ish. Didn't want him to miss it, so thought I would run him and the Casita up then go back and pick him up. Realized it would probably be better on him if I stayed after I got up there and saw what he would face on his own. Worked out, but as I said I won't be doing it again.

Glad to know that others have not had problems as well, in that type of weather. Robin

[Frederick L. Simson]

It was a wopping 25 degree's when I finally decided to get out of bed after 8 am. It's all dry camping there and we didn't have a heater, so I got a little worried, but was happy that it didn't. Got me wondering if any one has ever had their black tank freeze in a Casita?

I once camped in Victorville, CA in November, when the overnight temp got down to 25^oF, but was warm the next day. We had hookups, so the trailer was warm, but the Fiber Stream Black and Gray tanks are below floor level and exposed. They did not freeze.

[Gina D.]

I live where it freezes (and snows and junk a few times a year) I also rarely dump my tank unless its absolutely full. It has sat with stuff in it for weeks on end, and I have not seen it freeze.

I don't use anti freeze, I wonder if the toilet chems actually do a similar job?

[Bill K]

One thing I don't think has been mentioned is that the bacteria in the black tank creates heat as it works. And no I do not know to what temp it is good for. LOL

Bill K

I live where it freezes (and snows and junk a few times a year) I also rarely dump my tank unless its absolutely full. It has sat with stuff in it for weeks on end, and I have not seen it freeze.

I don't use anti freeze, I wonder if the toilet chems actually do a similar job?

[Flygal]

If its fly fishing
Pick me pick me I'll volunteer my sitting services........what I have to offer
*grew up with 5 brother so language does not offend me
*born in colorado.....so thats a bonus right there
*bartend off and on

*(downside) can't row a boat or at least thats what I lead husband to believe so that I get more fishing time in
*downside ( #2) you gotta fly me out there..

Linda&Dale, so that's where it is, We didn't have heat, so I guess all the anti-freeze did it's job.

LOL............... Believe me Greg, I needed a few Martini's for this trip! All guy's, fishing along a river in no-where Wyoming! So not my thing! I stayed in the Casita most of the time and read. Had I realized I was going to have to stay longer than running Dh up there and leaving I would have taken the fixings for a lot of red apple martini's....... I would say next time, but I can assure myself, I won't be doing that trip again. I will pay someone to take him up there and stay with him. A fishing babysitter! LOL........ These guys have been doing this fishing trip for 30 some years, Dh has only been doing it for 10-ish. Didn't want him to miss it, so thought I would run him and the Casita up then go back and pick him up. Realized it would probably be better on him if I stayed after I got up there and saw what he would face on his own. Worked out, but as I said I won't be doing it again.

[Robin G]

Brandy, You got the job! You will be the only second women to grace this fishing trip. But I know I am not into it. You can fly fish all you want! It's called the Miracle Mile, actually has a huge Colorado connection, they call the road getting into there Colorado Blvd cause so many Greenies go there to fish. It's all yours girlfriend! Robin

[Pete Dumbleton]

I've camped in 14*F and snow, using a cube heater, and had no freeze-up problems inside. However, I learned that I had to open the door occasionally or snow melting on the roof would freeze over the door and make it hard to open.

There were some folks in a tent trailer and they were also cozy with their standard RV LP furnace (elec hookups in TN state park).

[Flygal]

booking my ticket right now....

Brandy, You got the job! You will be the only second women to grace this fishing trip. But I know I am not into it. You can fly fish all you want! It's called the Miracle Mile, actually has a huge Colorado connection, they call the road getting into there Colorado Blvd cause so many Greenies go there to fish. It's all yours girlfriend! Robin

[Mary F]

Good for you, Robin! Facilitating your husband's fishing trip was a great thing. (Finding a surrogate facilitator for next time is also cool.)

Check out Charles Watts' Winter Camping article in the nav bar on the left side of this page, right above the Buyers Check List. He doesn't login here much anymore (too busy camping?) but he's a great advocate of winter camping (albeit with an electrical hookup). I think his article addresses some of your concerns.

[Roger C H]

Check out Charles Watts' [b]Winter Camping article in the nav bar on the left side of this page, right above the Buyers Check List. He doesn't login here much anymore (too busy camping?) but he's a great advocate of winter camping (albeit with an electrical hookup). I think his article addresses some of your concerns.

Winter? We camped in a tent at Bryce Canyon Utah in the middle of July and it got down to 25°!

Of course the elevation is 7000'.

[Mary F]

Sort of like "Christmas in July"?

[Robin G]

Brandy,I will gladly book it for you! Your the first on my list of Fishing Sitters for next years trip!




Thanks Mary, I will check out the article, so Brandy can be all set up for the trip next year! Robin