Winterize Scamp Before Dec. Trip to AZ??

[brettrae]

Hey all, I live in Virginia and am planning a trip to AZ around Christmas this year, if the weather cooperates. It will be the longest trip I've ever made in my new-to-me Scamp 19'. My question is this: living in Virginia where the temp lows hover around 20-30 that time of year, and going to a part of the country that seems to average around the same, if not slightly warmer (depending on elevation): do I need to winterize my Scamp prior to the trip? If I do, would I be able to de-winterize quickly if the temps rise right before my trip? And, if I don't, will I be able to use my shower/sink water at all if the night temps dip below freezing but I leave the furnace onl? I've never camped in the winter before, so this is a pretty newbie question, but thanks for your insight!

[Paul O.]

I would plan on winterizing the Scamp as needed before the trip. De-winterizing is easier than winterizing, but neither is a really big deal. Also, average temperatures are what it says - averages. Then there are the nasty outliers. Short term forecasts are pretty good nowadays, but not the long term ones.

Another minor consideration is that fall, winter and spring scamping may get yours coated with salt spray and de-winterizing may then include hosing the whole thing off thoroughly. We had to do all of that on one March trip from VT to Pensacola, FL.

[vintageracer]

Winterize Scamp Before Dec. Trip to AZ??

YES!

Why chance your "New To Me" unit that you have no personal experience with to freezing and therefore repair in AZ?

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by brettrae

Hey all, I live in Virginia and am planning a trip to AZ around Christmas this year, if the weather cooperates. It will be the longest trip I've ever made in my new-to-me Scamp 19'. My question is this: living in Virginia where the temp lows hover around 20-30 that time of year, and going to a part of the country that seems to average around the same, if not slightly warmer (depending on elevation): do I need to winterize my Scamp prior to the trip? If I do, would I be able to de-winterize quickly if the temps rise right before my trip? And, if I don't, will I be able to use my shower/sink water at all if the night temps dip below freezing but I leave the furnace onl? I've never camped in the winter before, so this is a pretty newbie question, but thanks for your insight!

You will be going through some very cold places as you travel. I'd winterize now since temps hover around the 20's. Even keeping the heat on doesn't protect the tanks at those temps. The tanks are most likely not in a heated area. Carry gallons of water to use until you get to AZ. We do this and dump the grey water daily before traveling so it doesn't freeze while traveling. We froze up our shower trap once and it broke in KS while traveling. Remember going down the road the wind is 60MPH or however fast you drive so the underneath gets very cold. Use campground bathrooms for showers. When you get to the warm climate if you are staying for a length of time then de-winterize. There are places in AZ that gets very cold. I'm from AZ and lived in Phoenix where it stays mild but then in Prescott where I spent 7 years it was very cold sometimes. It all depends on the weather also.

[stevebaz]

AZ is a big place. In Quartzsite or Havasu I don't winterize, if you go to Flagstaff you must winterize. you are still traveling through some very cold country to get where you are going so winterizing may be prudent.

Do you have a source of compressed air to blow out the lines when you travel. If you do that its easy and may not have to deal with the whole antifreeze thing along the way.

I don't have to deal with this where I live so someone else more familiar might have better input.

[brettrae]

I appreciate all of your input. I should have specified that we'll be eventually ending up at the Grand Canyon, and I know that elevation can be freezing in December. So, I bought some RV Antifreeze and will winterize it today. I do wish I had a source of compressed air so that I could just blow out the lines...something I might look to do in the future.

As an aside, this kind of makes me wish I'd gotten a composting toilet...at least that would still be operational during the freezing temps!

[thrifty bill]

A compressor will quickly pay for itself just in using a lot less antifreeze. I use a small compressor to winterize, cost me $39 for one of the Harbor Freight "hot dog" models (on sale). I have a larger compressor as well, but this small HF unit is easy to take with me. I've taken trips out west in the winter where I had to rewinterize before returning. By the way, if you are going to the Grand Canyon area, you WILL be traveling through several areas that are cold in the winter. Check Gallup, NM area for one. I've gone through Amarillo, TX where it was single digits. I had to adjust my route and head further south.

Of course, Grand Canyon area/Flagstaff and more are high elevation and COLD in the winter.

I tend to travel out west every winter. Some years I have had to travel I-10 to avoid serious cold weather. Last year I took I-70 (probably never see that again....) This winter looks like no trip.

A toilet "can" be operational in cold weather. Put antifreeze in the black tank first, then flush with a jug of water/antifreeze mix (don't use plumbing).

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by brettrae

I appreciate all of your input. I should have specified that we'll be eventually ending up at the Grand Canyon, and I know that elevation can be freezing in December. So, I bought some RV Antifreeze and will winterize it today. I do wish I had a source of compressed air so that I could just blow out the lines...something I might look to do in the future.

As an aside, this kind of makes me wish I'd gotten a composting toilet...at least that would still be operational during the freezing temps!

Put antifreeze in the toilet tank instead of water. Use a pan of water to flush the toilet. It only takes a small amount of water if you pour it around the sides quickly while flushing. We do this all the time when we can't use our water system. Unless you are in the freezing for a long period of time it shouldn't be a problem. Grand Canyon in December you may not be able to keep a fiberglass unit warm as it can get around zero at night easily and not be any higher than 20's-30's in the daytime. The campgrounds at the canyon may be closed.

[Gavin]

My wife and I completed a 10 day trip up the California coast a couple of weeks ago -- from our home in San Diego to Coos Bay, Oregon in our 2020 Scamp 13' (with bathroom) (images on my website - https://scampgrounds.com/blog-large-media/). We returned on the inland route and stopped overnight near Mt. Shasta in a town called Weed. We were warned it could freeze at night and we didn't have RV antifreeze. We ran our furnace (set at 65) and hot water heater all night and did not hookup the external hose. We took showers at night and used the bathroom. Since the freshwater tank is inside the Scamp, the water was fine and flowing. However, the Black and Grey tank valves were frozen shut in the morning (it was 18 degrees out). After leaving the mountain, we were able to dump a couple hours later and fortunately there was no damage. I called Scamp when we returned and they recommended RV antifreeze if staying in sub-freezing temperatures, but cautioned that if showering the amount of water in the Grey tank could still potentially freeze. They added that the most conservative approach is to avoid staying in freezing weather.

[Raspy]

Winterize and take a few cases of bottled water for cooking, drinking, washing dishes and coffee. Costco is the best source for cases of bottled water. My wife is remarkably efficient at showering with bottled water too. You can get by just fine with a winterized trailer while traveling. If you end up in a warmer climate, de-winterize then.

[brettrae]

Originally Posted by Raspy

Winterize and take a few cases of bottled water for cooking, drinking, washing dishes and coffee. Costco is the best source for cases of bottled water. My wife is remarkably efficient at showering with bottled water too. You can get by just fine with a winterized trailer while traveling. If you end up in a warmer climate, de-winterize then.

It sounds like you let the bottled water go into the grey water tank...do you just empty it into a bucket and dump before temps drop below freezing at night?

[stevebaz]

get a compressor I use one of thease and its great and is quiet. worth every penny.

https://www.harborfreight.com/mercha...sor-64596.html

[Scamp16]

I’m not sure what how you use the compressor. Air to the drains.

2018 scamp 16

[brettrae]

I ended up getting a Luggable Loo to fulfill any bathroom needs that arise when we're camping in places without hookups....ah, the luxurious life But it fits well in the bathroom and gets good reviews, so we'll see how it goes!

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Scamp16

I’m not sure what how you use the compressor. Air to the drains.

2018 scamp 16

The compressed air is not for the drains. Google using compressed air to winterize and you will get a ton of details.

[Richard Davis]

The need to winterize might well depend on where you intend to travel. Many parts of the US southwest definitely require winterizing because of elevation. The Phoenix Valley is NOT typical of all the state or all the SW.

[computerspook]

I use almost no anti-freeze. Instead I made an adapter that I then can attack to the city water hook up that then attaches to my air compressor. Make sure you have turned the preasure all the way down and tested that it is all the way down ;-) But then I just blow everything out with LOTS of compressed air. I also put a good easy to use full water heater drain valve on my water heater instead of the rinky dink things that they come with. Aitifreeze in the drain traps and you are good. Then all you have to do to unwinterize it is to run water into it. Then you can quickly blow it out again if you have the adapter and an air compressor.

[steve dunham]

Take RV antifreeze with you and don’t count on buying it at your destination
We spent half a day trying to find RV antifreeze in Florida one winter and ended up paying 3 times more when we found it .
Our trailer has been winterized for 2 months and will remain in that state until next May . Between Covid and weather we ain’t going anywhere..

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

Take RV antifreeze with you and don’t count on buying it at your destination

I keep about 4 jugs in stock at home. They go on sale regularly

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by computerspook

I keep about 4 jugs in stock at home. They go on sale regularly

I bought 2 cases ( 6 gallons ea ) of -50 RV antifreeze this Fall when it was $ 1.79 / gallon . I use it at my cabin , at my hunting shack and in my trailer
I don’t care about the cost , color , or so called taste or odor . What I do care about is damaging my plumbing !
The sugar in my ice cream is far more dangerous to my health than the glycol