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Rpod? What about those who camp in the winter?

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Category: Forest River r-pod
Forum Name: Maintenance Issues, Tips and Tricks
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Topic: Rpod? What about those who camp in the winter?
Posted By: JEFFandJEN
Subject: Rpod? What about those who camp in the winter?
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2013 at 11:59pm
My wife and I bought an Rpod a short while back and we've really enjoyed ourselves camping in Texas Parks. We've reached the age where sleeping in a tent is a bit too much on the ol back (and other parts). We generally have mild winters, but it can get below freezing from time to time. It's unusual, but it's supposed to get down into the upper teens a few nights this week.

We enjoy camping in the winter. I realize the Rpod wasn't designed as a year round camper, but we love being in the parks and hunting lease this time of year. Do we run a heavy risk of winter pipe damage this time of year even if we drain our tanks after each use?

Camper newbies

Jeff and Jen



Replies:
Posted By: Kenn
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 6:44am
Originally posted by JEFFandJEN JEFFandJEN wrote:

Do we run a heavy risk of winter pipe damage this time of year even if we drain our tanks after each use?
Camper newbies
Jeff and Jen


The pipes that are inside the coach and receiving heat would be fine. However, the pipes that are outside/underneath for an extended period of time without heat would be affected.

There are a few ways to enjoy winter in the POD:
1. Don't use the POD's water system.
2. Skirt and heat below.
3. Add heating pads.

If you're going to conduct winter camping, then you may think about the EVO trailers as they have an artic package option. Then, you can enjoy winter camping in an extra lite trailer and not worry about freezing pipes.


Enjoy!

-------------

2010 RPOD 176 (Silly-POD), 2011 Forest River Stealth 2612, and 2014 Forest River XLR 380AMP


Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 10:56am
Originally posted by JEFFandJEN JEFFandJEN wrote:

My wife and I bought an Rpod a short while back and we've really enjoyed ourselves camping in Texas Parks. We've reached the age where sleeping in a tent is a bit too much on the ol back (and other parts). We generally have mild winters, but it can get below freezing from time to time. It's unusual, but it's supposed to get down into the upper teens a few nights this week.

We enjoy camping in the winter. I realize the Rpod wasn't designed as a year round camper, but we love being in the parks and hunting lease this time of year. Do we run a heavy risk of winter pipe damage this time of year even if we drain our tanks after each use?

Camper newbies

Jeff and Jen

How often and how long do temperatures stay below freezing?  If often and or a lot then yes you risk damage to things.  Probably not a lot of risk but some for sure.

Do you use your water pump regularly?


-------------
Travis & Carrie
http://goo.gl/maps/Vlelv - 181g - MoosePod Adventures Map
http://goo.gl/maps/ho9Rf - RPod Owners Map


Posted By: JEFFandJEN
Date Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 8:53pm
Originally posted by kymooses kymooses wrote:

Originally posted by JEFFandJEN JEFFandJEN wrote:

My wife and I bought an Rpod a short while back and we've really enjoyed ourselves camping in Texas Parks. We've reached the age where sleeping in a tent is a bit too much on the ol back (and other parts). We generally have mild winters, but it can get below freezing from time to time. It's unusual, but it's supposed to get down into the upper teens a few nights this week.

We enjoy camping in the winter. I realize the Rpod wasn't designed as a year round camper, but we love being in the parks and hunting lease this time of year. Do we run a heavy risk of winter pipe damage this time of year even if we drain our tanks after each use?

Camper newbies

Jeff and Jen

How often and how long do temperatures stay below freezing?  If often and or a lot then yes you risk damage to things.  Probably not a lot of risk but some for sure.

Do you use your water pump regularly?

We use our Rpod every 6 weeks or so. Texas weather is unpredictable, temperatures below freezing in my area don't occur very often during the day, but it does get below freezing at night on occasion.

I suppose we could skip using the pump and use bottle/jugs for water, pouring excess water down the sink. We always camp at sites with power and sewage hookups.


Posted By: rollinstone
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2013 at 5:30pm
I winter camp in freezing temps...but I don't use the water systems...they're winterized. I use bottled water for cooking....heat a pot of water for a quick sponge bath if needed. Use the campground toilets instead of the Pod's. Use a ceramic heater if I have electrical hookup, propane if not. Nothing goes in the holding tanks. Ya gotta strategize this 'cause it ain't summer!

If you're dry camping personal hygiene issues can be problematic if you're using the onboard toilet.


-------------
Rollinstone

2014 Draggin'Pod 178

'97 Explorer 5.0L AWD



Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2014 at 6:41am

I used mine to go snowboarding so...it'll do winters BUT

The R-Pod needs some fairly extensive mods to do winters BUT once you do them its a really good winter camper because of the extruded styrofoam walls.That is the first point.

The R-Pod, for all its faults, has (IMHO) very good construction for winters...here is why. Your normal RV in this price range has wood walls with regular "fiberglass" insulation which will fall down/degrade an collect in the bottom of the walls. The R-Pods walls are an empty frame which they extrude styrofoam into giving you very good and uniform insulation. So..there is that :-)

Mods that are needed/I did to mine...plus a couple of extras.

0. Tank heaters, elbow heaters, pipe heaters. Thing is you HAVE to be careful because the RPOD power supply can only source so much juice. So do the power calculations. I had a complete package installed and I only ran the freshwater and the fresh water hose heater (keep reading). We flushed the toilet with RV antifreeze and the same in the Grey tank....used a lot of RV antifreeze...but it's pretty cheap and its not that big of a deal to do.

1. Replace the garden hose...yes garden hose! The freshwater tank has a GARDEN HOSE coming out of the top that feeds the pump. Yep..it'll freeze and split like crazy. Replace it with a pex hose and AND wrap it in the smallest pad heater you can find (I used Ultraheat). Works great.

2. Buy a case of expandable insulation spray foam and FILL THE HOLES. First time I used the RPod in the winter, the heater ran almost continuously and you could feel freezing air pour in. Not so bad in the summer, not good in the winter. Here is a list of the holes I filled.
 - Behind the fridge, there are open seams, in the winter, cold air pours
            in around the fridge and I mean POURS. Remove the outside cover, fill the gaps.
        - Under the sink - When they build these things, they cut about a 2 inch hole to
     install a 1" piece of PVC. Under the sink, where the water hose comes into the
            pump...hole...fill it.
        - Under the sink, on the wall, you'll see the back of the outside electric and cable
            outlet. It's pretty much a thin piece of plastic between the inside and outside.
        - Under the seat (where the water heater is) there are some cut outs for the water
            fill etc... spray foam em'
        - Under the shower...I saved the worst for last. There are at least 4 pvc pipes under
            the shower. In my pod each of the holes were about 1.5 times the size of the
     PVC an cold air POURS through them. These were so big, I used some screen along
            with the spray foam. How to get to them? I took the small vent off the front, but
            could only get to a couple of them. So I cut a hole in the wall, very near the
            floor, under the bottom bunk. Spent a couple of hours crawling and worming
            around, and filled all of them.

****Ok thats the basics...here are a couple of extras that I did to make it REALLY toasty.
 1. Bought a sheet of 1" pink styrofoam insulation and cut pieces to place
             on the floor. Then bought the Rpod rug from forest river to cover them.
             REALLY warms the floor up and they don't "squish" when you walk on it.
        2. Bought sheet of 2" pink styrofoam and lined the hidden walls
             (even under the bunk). So I lined the walls inside the cabinents, both floor
             and ceiling, under the bunk, under the seats in the storage are and where
             the water heater is, and under the bench seat where I cut fitted pieces
             and installed them through the storage area below the seat.

Wheww....lots of work....but the result. 2 years ago, camped over winter holiday break,
         at 10,000 feet in the Rockies. Cold blowing wind...warm as toast.
         camped 11 days and used 3/4 tank of LP!

It takes some work...but the RPOD makes a very good winter camper.



Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2014 at 6:43am
Oh..one more thing....in the winter, you have ...  HAVE to clear the h20 lines after using it EVERY trip. Getcha a cheapie Harbor Freight compressor, clear them out.  I did this, without winterizing and never had any issues. Hope this helped !


Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2014 at 4:56pm
that is brilliant to see someone has made a winter pod!

well done Xpod!!!!


-------------
Travis & Carrie
http://goo.gl/maps/Vlelv - 181g - MoosePod Adventures Map
http://goo.gl/maps/ho9Rf - RPod Owners Map


Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 08 Mar 2014 at 9:41pm
The list is comprehensive, but I would add one more item.  That is a roll of foil faced insulation for inside the windows, under the mattress and cushions, etc.  We full-timed for over 6 months and attached the foil faced insulation over all the windows with short spots of velcro to keep out the heat of day and the cold of night.  The single pane windows of a pod are one of the biggest losses of heating/cooling there is and the insulation makes a world of difference.  We did line our storage areas with it, too, but also found that it helped to add a layer under the mattress.  Even here in Florida, we keep the windows covered while in storage to keep the sun from fading and dry-rotting interior fabrics.


-------------
2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD}
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche


Posted By: cody91
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2014 at 9:07pm
Originally posted by XPod XPod wrote:

Oh..one more thing....in the winter, you have ...  HAVE to clear the h20 lines after using it EVERY trip. Getcha a cheapie Harbor Freight compressor, clear them out.  I did this, without winterizing and never had any issues. Hope this helped !

Which Harbor Freight compressor do you recommend?  The 1/3 HP, 3 gallon pancake compressor?

Thanks


Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 6:26am
That air compressor would be plenty, and don't forget the pressure regulator.
 
You don't need much pressure or volume of air, so that one is fine. There is an adapter you can buy that turns onto the external water hookup connector (good idea to use a pressure regulator when hooking to external water) that allows you to quick couple an air compressor. You've probably read this, but be carful, if you use too much air pressure you can start popping hoses/valves etc (thus the reason to use a pressure regular for external water).
 
My method, I would run the compressor, charge it up to full pressure (whatever the compressor is rated for). Then I would turn the pressure regulator to 0psi, connect the compressor hose, open all the valves (Hot & Cold, Sink & Shower and hot water heater)...then slowly increase the pressure until water started flowing. I didn't want to risk building up too much pressure with all that water in the lines. After it started flowing, I would increas the pressure a little bit but careful to not go over 40 PSI.
 
Then as the lines got cleared out, I would close all valves EXCEPT 1, to clear each one out more thoroughly. Like close all except sink Cold...when sink cold was clear, open sink hot, close sink cold you get the idea. Don't forget the toilet lever and leave the hot water valve open to dry inside the tank. Finally, I would open the freshwater tank and let the airpressure help drain it.
 
This all sounds much more complicated than it is....summary, just don't run too much pressure, i've seen 40/50lbs recommended....I tried to keep it under 40 and it seemed to be ok.


Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 6:34am
Good idea! Those windows get cold! We liked letting the sun in so I left the windows uncovered but good one! The guy who did my heat pads told me something interesting about the heater. He said they only make them so small and the one in the R-Pod was the smallest one. BUT - the heater in our R-Pods is the same one used in much bigger campers. In other words, it's oversized for the R-Pod....just a fun FYI :-)


Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 6:57am

Reverands Ridge Camp Ground (approximately 10,000ft elevation) at Golden Gate Canyon State park Colorado (near to Nederland Colorado) circa Dec 2011/Jan 2012. Towed the R-Pod from Indiana to Colorado stayed 11 days, snowboarded at Eldora. Best trip ever, the R-Pod (with the mods) was super toasty and only used 3/4 tank of propane. There is something special about being toasty in a small camper, in the mountains, 10 degrees with the wind blowing. Peaceful and powerful at the same time.



Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 14 Mar 2014 at 7:26am
We used one of those blow out plugs for about 20 years before moving to Florida.  The plugs are now old school and the camping industry has come up with a better connection between your compressor and the water fill connection.  Look on the Camping World web site and search for "Blow out Hose" which is found under winterization.  They are available everywhere, but Camping World has them on sale for around $10.00.  Hook up your compressor, set it to 30-40 psi, go inside and open one valve at a time, as mentioned above, as well as the flush valve on your toilet.  Drain the hot water heater and blow out the low point drains as well.  All that is left is to pour a little RV antifreeze into the drains in the kitchen and bathroom drains, as well as the shower drain and leave a little in the toilet bowl.  This whole process only takes a few minutes. 

It goes without saying, before you do all of this empty and flush your grey and black water tanks, and drain your fresh water tank. 


-------------
2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD}
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche


Posted By: XPod
Date Posted: 15 Mar 2014 at 6:33am
Thank you!!! Rarely do I buy a prodcut the first time I see it but...that is a great product!  Yes...use the blow out hose!!



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