Need the pros' advice ...

[steveg0907]

Hello.
Steve here. Lt. Col. USMC.
Have chosen your lifestyle after ...
Well ...
I have to deploy quite often. However, I stay in this 2014 Starcraft 2014 Ultralite, upon return to CONUS.
It has a few add-ons, like an artic package, which, I thought would get me through the winter.
Well, the first (Indiana) days in the teens tough me otherwise.
My fresh water hose, grey and black water tanks, froze.
After two warm days, I do not believe damage is permanent.
I have since surrounded the bottem with plywood covering approximately 97% of the exposed underbelly.
I have yet to buy heat tape, nor insulation for my city "well" water hose, nor insulation for my dump hose.
I have, upon sugestión from this "positive" forum poured a cup of rv "pink stuff" (thank you RVer's for the lingo lesson,) into my tanks.
Flushed black. Grey now open.
Possible situation report from you experts?

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[steveg0907]

Pardon my phones' autocorrect spelling. I hate using poor grammer.

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[steveg0907]

See? "Grammar." I apologize for Android.

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[C&G in FL]

Steve,
I for one am not quite sure what you are asking when you say "possible situation report." Could you please be a bit more specific with your questions.


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[steveg0907]

CPW: thank you.sorry for my former.
Your recommendations, as per winter living in this trailer? With regards to fresh water intake and tanks ...

[Donna D.]

Steve, thank you for your service.

I had to go Google 2014 Starcraft 2014 Ultralite, and see it's a different build type than the all molded towables found on this forum.

While we may be able to give you some answers you seek, I respectfully suggest you join forums where owners also have the same build/brand of the trailer you own.

I suggest: the forums at IRV2 and the Open Road Forums at RV.net

Best of luck!

[Kevin A]

So, did the Arctic package just entail painting pictures of polar bears and wolves on your walls? I wonder if it has added wall insulation, but there is certainly nothing to help your tanks and pipes. When we volunteer in South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Reservation, we skirt many mobile homes with roll insulation and plywood to protect the underside from cold winds. You may have to do something similar but easily removable, too, for when you relocate. Heat tape or a flat heating pad would help, too. I know you're already trying some of these things, so keep up the good work and best of luck!

[C&G in FL]

A heated water supply line would certainly help. RV antifreeze in gray and black tanks if not connected to sewer. And I forgot to say thanks for your service in my original response.


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[cpaharley2008]

And a little oil filled heater is safe to leave on to keep the insides above freezing.

[steveg0907]

Thank you, all. It is my honor to serve this nation.
I have skirted. This should protect the tanks somewhat, as it traps the warmth from the heated underbelly.
I do need to get the heat tape and insulation.

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[Uplander]

I enjoy reading this website but own a "standard" Travel Trailer with fiberglass sides and what I call a "magic-membrane" roof. I can see the advantage to a one fiberglass molded unit.
As to the winter use problem, my TT is a R-Vision Trail Lite that has a factory sealed bottom and the heating ducts for the furnace run under the floor. Reviews of this system suggest that heat ducting under the floor plus the completely sealed bottom supply both heat and insulation to the 3 "holding" tanks (fresh water, grey and black water...each 30 gals.) that solves the winter cold problem.
Add heat tape to water supply lines and you are good to go. I do not winter camp so my knowledge is limited to what I read on the various TT sites.
If your "Polar Express" TT had such a construction it would be indeed winter ready. You report sounded like your unit is winter ready for northern Florida but not North Dakota!
Manufactures often give buyers false hope of results based on the model name of the unit without supplying needed insulation and heat to insure tanks do not freeze.

Steve, I did my service 1966-1970, US Air Force, Sgt...636 Combat Support Sq...Phillippines and Vietman.
Back in that era no none thanked us for our service.
Thank You for yours...Semper-FI.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by steveg0907

I have, upon sugestión from this "positive" forum poured a cup of rv "pink stuff" (thank you RVer's for the lingo lesson,) into my tanks.
Flushed black. Grey now open.

I can't help you on the full-time aspect but when I camp in temps well below freezing I am careful not to degrade the RV Pink Stuff I have put down the sink and shower drains and pumps at night with additional water.

[kirkman]

As for you poor grammar.
Mark Twain use to say. "I petty the man that can only spell a word one way!"

[Mike Magee]

The pink antifreeze is meant to be used full-strength, run into the water lines (between fresh tank and spigots) so they won't burst. A little pink stuff in a tank won't do any good, unfortunately.

If you can't head farther south, then you want to keep the heat on inside the trailer to protect the lines, add heat tape and insulation to the outside lines, and add skirting as you did. For the exposed tanks, a heat source under the trailer could help if that source were sufficiently strong or if the surrounds were sufficiently well insulated; add enough insulation, and a light bulb could theoretically provide enough warmth. If you have some fiberglass batts or styrene, you could try this-n-that and experiment to learn what you can get by with (seeing as how overkill, though desirable, can be expensive). I believe you can glue styrene pieces with Liquid Nails, so maybe you can form a fairly tight box of it around each tank, or something like that.

[steveg0907]

So grateful for my new community. Reminds me of the the comrade ríe, somewhat, we share with our troops in the Marine Corps.
You are the Colonels, and I, the private.
Uplander, Semper Fi, back. Your service to this country will now ever be tarnished.
Vietnam vets are our country's greatest patriots. Thank you, Sir, for your service.
PS. I imagine your time in the PI may well have been spent in Angeles City. Clark AFB.
Am I right?
A San Miguel sure does sound good right now

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[steveg0907]

Uplander: * no longer be tarnished*
Apologies ...

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[Uplander]

Yes, a San Miguel beer would be great right about now.
I was stationed at the Headquarters Station, Armed Forces Phillippines Radio and Television Network, Clark Air Base. I did TV News and had my own talk show from about Sept 1967 thru Feb 1970. Was sent to Vietnam to supply some television coverage of the C-130 squadron serving 21 days "in-country" with a 16 day return to the Phillippines then back to Vietnem for another 21 days. This cycle allowed the C-130 aircraft to be repaired from the beating they took supplying some god awful "Hot" combat outposts. This also saw to it that they were not counted as being 100% active units in Vietnam....that kept the "numbers" down on the "official troop strength". All part of the half truths reported by the media back home. As you probably remember the Vietnam "conflict" was not all that popular back home! My service was limited in Vietnam. I spent most of my "tour of duty" in the Phillippines on television and drinking large quanities of San Miguel Beer....better than BUD with a bigger Kick! War is Hell!