newbie with a question 2022 View?

[bobdunk]

Hi, bobdunk here. We are considering purchase of a 2022 View and are concerned about winter camping. We don't ordiinarily camp in subfreezing temps but have occassionally been caught out with a temp drop to below freezing. Will the View stand up to subfreezing temps without having to drain the water lines? And are there methods to prevent freezing short term? Thanks for any help.

 

[83Itasca]

Hi bobdunk!
New here also and interested to see other input. I have an older motor home and in going thru the systems I found that my freshwater reservoirs are inside the cabin ( under seats) and all the plumbing is routed thru hollow spaces also still inside the cabin proper. These spaces were easily accessible and I was able see where plumbing was routed. It wouldn’t hurt to do some exploring on your particular rig to reassure yourself. I think cabin heat should be maintained at least to 50* unless winterized and stored.
In my case as long as the cabin or house is kept temperate my pipes are good. Last February we had a week of single digits and a 900 watt space heater carried me thru as I was plugged in to shore power and didn’t have gas filled at the time. No issues. Even on grey water reservoir there were no issues.. I didn’t have concerns for the septic reservoir as it hadn’t needed emptying and decomp creates a bit of heat. For northern travel in colder seasons I had intended to put a bit of biodegradable antifreeze down both waste tanks.... I look and bow to experienced input as to whether that a good idea or not.

 

[CarpeDiem-FRF]

Can’t answer your question, but welcome to the group.

 

[bigb56]

Do you have tank heating pads? Just like 83Itasca said, all my fresh water pipes and tanks are inside plus I have heat pads from the factory on black and gray tanks plus an elbow heater on the graywater fitting leading to the knife valve to the macerator. Although I have an older Via, the View is a pretty quality rig and I am betting yours will be the same. The tanks heater switch is red and in the bedroom on mine, it illuminates when on. Tank heaters are 12 volts but use a lot of power so only run when driving or when plugged into shore power. We are looking forward to year round use here in the Southwest but there is likely to be some freezing nights. With indoor storage I will never have to winterize.

 

[Morich]

The things that get you may not be the big ones you think about.
Small points make a big difference and it will take some personal looking to figure on some.
Do you have an outside wet bay that is seperated from the inside heat like where the hose connects for filling and maybe an outside shower?
How do your drains fit in? Are they the type which have valves and fittings which stick out under and exposed? Are the low point drains set so that the water valve is cutting off flow BEFORE the pipe goes outside underneath or do they cut off the water and leave it exposed to freezing?
Looking at ways to keep the plumbing warm can involve things like heating the Rv and it helps if you can leave cabinet doors open so the heat can get to those spaces where the pipes are often run against the outside walls or floors.
Will you have AC power to run something like light bulbs to hang in the wet bay or places which are likely to freeze?
Does that cold only last for a few hours and then warm again to get the water warmer or does it drop down to 20 and stay below freezing for 8-10 hours before swooping low again?
Pipes can stand pretty cold but it depends on how warm they were to begin !
And I know it can be real trouble if you are depending on having power to run those lamps and heater and then suddenly the power stops!
Ask most any Texan how that worked out the last three times they tried it? At the house I still haven't chiseled out the concrete to repair one line but I have put in a cutoff to drain and leave it open!

 

[creativepart]

This question comes up a lot - and those without a lot of experience with occasional freezes that are followed by a daytime above freezing may not realize that this is not an issue that requires "winterization."

First, your RV is a big lump of metal, plastic and wood. it does not freeze in a few hours. So, overnight lows as low as the low 20's just don't have enough time to make the underside and surfaces around the RV get chilled down to freezing.

Especially if you are living in the RV at the time. Running a heater at night, running water and all the systems during the evening as the day begins to cool down. Pretty soon the Sun comes up and things immediately start to warm up outside and this puts a halt to any freezing in your RV, too.

Now, for those that live where winter is more a less an extended period of below or near freezing that goes on for days, weeks and months this is different. Even if you are living in the RV (hope not) there's plenty of time for things to get very cold and yes, freeze.

Living in South Texas I've seen 100 degrees in February, but I've also seen last year's week long deep freeze with snow, power outages and ice. But we don't winterize... ever. And, we get by just fine, even with the RV in outdoor storage and not being heated or used.

Two years ago I went to Durango, CO in May. I parked my RV in the National Forest at 8,300 ft elevation. It froze every night, but was high 30's to low 40's every day. We even woke up to 3" of snow one morning. There were no pipes freezing and no winterizing needed. Of course, we ran the heater every night in the coach. Usually set at around 63 degrees. We don't want the dog to freeze.

 

[Morich]

I might throw in a bit to jog the old brain into thinking out of the normal!

What if you hedged your bets a bit to try for the convenience of having the water as you leave home but also be ready to adapt if needed. I spent a few winters in Kansas and it can get bad or be reasonably nice!
Nice being defined as 50-60 and bad as being below zero!

So if one did a little practice on setting for the cold weather, one might want to start with the lines and plumbing as if all was going to go fine and then if you get halfway there and find it is not going to work, drain the lines, pour a jug of pink into the holding tanks just because it is cheap insurance and then use jugs of water stored inside to flush and do the basic things needed.

A bit of practice to get to know what is required and then you can adapt as you see because it may not be possible to see the weather a week in advance.