What would it take to make a Roadtrek Adventurous winterproof?

[PA Slammer]

Have any of you guys used your Adventurous in the winter, snowy, below freezing conditions?

If so, have you just gone without using any of the systems using liquid; fresh water, sinks, shower, toilet?

Has anyone tried or thought of making their freeze proof?

I'm sure it would involve more than would make it feasible. But I was curious what ideas were out there from you experts. I wish I had summers off, but my time off is sporadic.

[icarus]

I built and installed an aux water tank, in the foot stool where the pump is (in an Agile). If you do a search here you can find the write up. I also installed a couple of valves so that all the plumbing is inside the van, (and allowing me to drain the water to the sink since it was too hard to repplumb that effectively. It allows me to use the toilet, bath sink and shower when temps drop below freezing. Then I use Rv antifreeze in the holding tanks.


I did a similar install for a friend on his Agile, and he Ski patrols, and routinely parks in the ski area parking lot with temps in the teens (but no driving) and it works well for him.

All that said, you have to realize that wind chill under the van is huge, so keeping those from freezing can be problematic when temps drop (while driving) below ~20f. We have stayed in the van quite often with temps in the teens and could stay warm, but in reality these are really 3 season rigs. You can get tank heaters for the waste water, but since they are in the air stream they are subject to that same wind chill. (even a tank heater for the water won't keep the under van water lines from freezing,, hence the repplumb.

Icarus

[d_bertko]

We winter camp on a regular basis in a DIY Sprinter rv. No underside tanks or installed plumbing.

We use pee bottles and a wag-bag Luggable Loo now in place of the old PortaPotti.

We have a portable shower tank with 12v powered spray. We use a mortar tray and shower curtains for an aisle shower. Easy to empty the 2 gallons of runoff where we drycamp.

The powered spray can also be used to wash dishes. Two plastic dishpans provide more sink than most rvs.

Water is heated as needed on the stove. Use a large pushpot coffee dispenser if you want a gallon of ready hot water during the day.

Seven-gallon Aquatainers plus some one gallon containers provide our water supply. The furnace can keep the interior warm enough. An insulated cooler could be used if you're away for longer than you'd like to supply some heat to the van.

It doesn't feel like we're missing anything. The shower goes outside in the warmer seasons.

Not much money spent or space used if you need a winter-only solution for your warm-weather rv.

Dan

[PA Slammer]

Thanks Guys. It surprises me manufacturers don't incorporate this type of thinking going into design. Not saying the tanks have to be inside and lose space, but to ensure plumbing at least is protected. Them maybe an aftermarket kit to heat the tanks?

I can see the appeal to do your own build. Can't wait for retirement! :-)

How about driving the 3500 chassis in the winter conditions? Snow tires, chains? Salt and cinders on the undercarriage?

I know this rig isn't made for it... and I don't plan on making winter use a regular thing. I'd just like yo know the limits and the REAL limits before I am forces to become a test pilot.

[icarus]

I've driven mine cross country several times in the winter. With good tires, no problems ever. I carry cable chains for mountain passes but seldom have needed them. Even in the Cascades good dring and good times make going not a real problem.

Icarus

[Inspector]

Is the driving wind chill over the tanks that big of an issue with the large amount of heat pouring off the engine, transmission, DPF, exhaust etc. Most of the heat is channeled below the vehicle but I have never tried the van in sub 32* weather, so this is more a question than a statement.

[icarus]

Wind chill is one issue, but the simple fact that the heat generated by the engine, drive train etc is going to be effectively gone by the time it comes close to any under vehicle tank or plumbing. The shear volume of air moving under the vehicle at 60mph is going to suck any and all available heat way very quickly.

I can speak from real world experience, that by about 30F, the water lines and the tank begin to freeze at Hiway speeds.

Icarus

[Inspector]

Thanks, real world experience trumps hypothetical any day!

[PA Slammer]

Anyone out there use ultraheat heaters?

[Davydd]

My experience with cold weather with Pleasure-Way and Great West Van Sprinters which are similar to Roadtrek is it is doable with overnight temperatures down to 20F and above freezing during the day. Use a sleeping bag rated down to 20F and a 1500W electric catalytic heater or the built in propane heater for morning comfort. Under those conditions you would not have to do much else special. Colder and you could have problems. Sprinters with all season tires are not especially good on the snow.

Of course the whole idea with any RV is the ability to follow the weather which generally means beating the cold going south in the winter and beating the heat going north in the summer.