winter living

[DaleB]

Hi all

i am new to this and am looking at buying a 5th wheel or trailer and living in it all year round in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and was wondering if anyone knows where i can park a unit like this all year round spot, i know i have heard good and bad about doing this but if people in Alaska and Calgary are doing it it sounds not that bad. i know the mousture is a problem but was told to use a dehumidifier and all is good, any information will be much appriciated.

thank you

Dale

[Darwin Maring]

Been there and I can tell you it may get 2 cold for a camper that is not properely insulated. Lived in a US Army doublewide, artic insulated trailer and during a storm the gas furnace could barely keep up (Langdon, North Dokata)

Moved to a new (Army) house in Langdon and had 2 furnaces and they barely kept up during the -30F below.

Had to keep the cabnets under the water pipes open so they would get some heat to prevent freezing.

Here is my recomendations should you do it:

Put heat tapes on all water lines.
Put heat pads made just for this purpose on the bottom of the gray and black holding tanks and on the fresh water tank should you use it.

Insulate the water pipes over the heat tapes. I did this when I was in Maryland for 5 years fulltiming.

I purchased flrxible water pipe tubing and connected it from the water supply to the camper, heat tape and insulation. I don't think a plain water hose will do it. Might not B able to take the heat tape as it is insulated and may get 2 hot and melt the hose.

Skirt the bottom of the camper to keep the wind out.

I used 2 electric heaters (Had 2 run separate circuits from the power boxes in the park) and also ran my propane heater. I rented large tanks from the local propane company and they came around and filled them on a schedule.

[theresa p]

yeah...i have a suggestion. leave portage and main behind some early november and head south....way south....to somewhere the pipes won't freeze, the temps may be 30 ABOVE instead of 30 BELOW and then return come the end of april.

[mcbrew]

We camped for a few days in PA for new years, and it got down to 10F. Our electric cube heater could not keep up. Maybe if we had had a thick comforter. I had to fire up the Buddy Heater a few times during the night.

I used to have a class A with the winter kit (double pane windows and extra insulation). Once the furnace brought it up to a comfortable temp, the cube heater could kist about keep it toasty warm. The furnace would kick on once or twice in the night. Woke me up every time.

[DaleB]

thank you for the information, it seems it will be an adventure for sure, does anyone know where in Winnipeg or close to Winnipeg that rents out space with hookups for the winter.

thanks again for all the help

[Mark J]

Living in a 5th wheel thru the winter in Winnipeg will be a stretch. It just gets too cold at times. Either your water system will freeze or the furnace will be inadequate (or both) when the temps fall to -20 to -30 degrees F.

Alternate housing during the coldest months is suggested or hooking up the fifth wheel already mentioned and driving south for the winter!

[Darwin Maring]

Personally, I think you will freeze to death.

I'm feeling lucky, will you allow me to purchase a very large life insurance policy on you?

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by DaleB

Hi all

i am new to this and am looking at buying a 5th wheel or trailer and living in it all year round in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and was wondering if anyone knows where i can park a unit like this all year round spot, i know i have heard good and bad about doing this but if people in Alaska and Calgary are doing it it sounds not that bad. i know the mousture is a problem but was told to use a dehumidifier and all is good, any information will be much appriciated.

thank you

Dale

Hi, Dale

I think that Winnipeg may not be the most fiberglass-trailer-friendly place to spend a winter...
These trailers were originally conceived and designed as 3-season trailers, and not meant to stand up to the rigors of Real Winter. Or to keep their occupants snug during the same!
But if you're thinking of a sojourn in The States...come on down to Hadlock
I've got 34 acres, and would be happy to host a Friend From The North for a few months.

Francesca

[Craig Broughton]

There was a stick and tin camper parked on Hoka St with someone living in it two winters here in Winnipeg.He had flax bales all around the bottom of the trailer to help keep the heat in the windows had lots of moisture on them but that could be controlled with a window insulator kit from Canadian Tire.
When I had my 13 trillium I camped in it for deer hunting in -15 weather but I had a -30 rated sleeping bag and ran a sea breeze electric heater all night.I thought of making a tea cozie with insulated tarps and plop it over a trillium or boler.

Originally Posted by DaleB

Hi all

i am new to this and am looking at buying a 5th wheel or trailer and living in it all year round in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and was wondering if anyone knows where i can park a unit like this all year round spot, i know i have heard good and bad about doing this but if people in Alaska and Calgary are doing it it sounds not that bad. i know the mousture is a problem but was told to use a dehumidifier and all is good, any information will be much appriciated.

thank you

Dale

[Greg H]

Originally Posted by DaleB

thank you for the information, it seems it will be an adventure for sure, does anyone know where in Winnipeg or close to Winnipeg that rents out space with hookups for the winter.

thanks again for all the help

I don't know for sure but I have to believe there will be plenty of room because you will be the only one there, lol.

[steve dunham]

I have lived my whole life in northern Minnesota or northern Wisconsin. I worked 41 years in construction ,most winters outside and in temps as low as -56 deg f (Hibbing Taconite). I have tent camped in the winter for time periods up to 10 days (deer hunting & ice fishing)and in temps as cold as -20 deg f. I would not attempt to spend a winter living in my Scamp . It is not designed for cold weather use. Trying to sleep ,eat , bathe , just live at winter temps becomes overwhelming at some point. Propane fails to vaporize at about -34 deg f and your furnace won't work. On the job we used to warm the propane tank and once the heater was lit let the heater blow on the propane tank so the propane could vaporize

[Night Sailor]

There is a fellow in Sweden living on
A 28' boat. He has one winter under his belt already.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by DaleB

Hi all

i am new to this and am looking at buying a 5th wheel or trailer and living in it all year round in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and was wondering if anyone knows where i can park a unit like this all year round spot, i know i have heard good and bad about doing this but if people in Alaska and Calgary are doing it it sounds not that bad. i know the mousture is a problem but was told to use a dehumidifier and all is good, any information will be much appriciated.

thank you

Dale

I hear some of the BIGFOOT trailers have a "winter option".
You might look for one of them. Find empty warehouse space to rent, park in there and paint palm trees on the walls.

[Alf S.]

Hi: DaleB...The best place to store a fiberglass trailer from "Winterpeg" is under "A" for Arizona. It's still cold at night to remind you of home!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Greybeard]

There used to be a park just north of Wpg before you reached Middlechurch, on the east side of the road. There were a few all season campers there from time to time. Don't know if it is still there nor do I recall the name it went under. It was on the highway to Lockport and just a few Km out of the city, close to shopping and some heat :-)
You might be able to find it on Google Earth
Richard

[Greg A]

I'm with Alf on the Arizona suggestions. Of course, I'm a bit partial.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Greg A

I'm with Alf on the Arizona suggestions. Of course, I'm a bit partial.

If you don't like Arizona there's New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana. See ya'll there soon.

[Bruce H]

The Bigfoots are a four season trailer. They are comfortable at zero f and the water won’t freeze if you keep the furnace and water heater going. But when you start talking thirty or forty below there would be problems like frozen water, a frozen waste tank and dying if the power went off.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Bruce H

The Bigfoots are a four season trailer. They are comfortable at zero f and the water won’t freeze if you keep the furnace and water heater going. But when you start talking thirty or forty below there would be problems like frozen water, a frozen waste tank and dying if the power went off.

Not all Bigfoots are four season trailers. They had to be ordered that way. Just like all brands have options, that was an option when purchased from the factory.

If someone is looking to buy a Bigfoot, make sure you're getting what you want... not what you suspect.

[Nadine Y.]

believe it or not. My husband has made a stovepipe fitting for the 14" vent and we have a tent camping wood stove that keeps us very comfortable.

Originally Posted by Donna D.

Not all Bigfoots are four season trailers. They had to be ordered that way. Just like all brands have options, that was an option when purchased from the factory.

If someone is looking to buy a Bigfoot, make sure you're getting what you want... not what you suspect.