Tovolo Ice Ball Mold
These are great for keeping white wine, etc. chilled with a minimum of dilution. These work great and will freeze overnight in LD fridge. They last a long time. BTW, they fit my RV Wine Glasses perfectly. Thanks to Tristan. (son) Sorry for short post but New Years Eve Festivities are starting early.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Surviving COLD Weather Camping WITH Bootsthekitty
Presently parked in front of my daughter's house in San Jose, (temps in the 70's) with assorted kids, grandkids, former spouse, wife, etc. reflecting on the freezing in Fernley/Amazon experience so I thought I would pass on some things I learned about sub freezing RV camping.
First have a rig that will that has some decent insulation and hopefully plumbing that is not exposed. A Wave III catalytic heater and an electric heater are also helpful. Hint: Run a separate short, heavy duty extension cord for your electric heater and plug it into a separate outlet on the RV park hook-up. This keeps the heater load away from the RV system.
Don't try it for more than a day or two without electricity. Supplemental inside electric heat and the various water supply and waste water heat are a must or you will be without one or the other in a short time.
Get and Extend-A-Stay or something like it so you don't have to move every time you need propane. Our park had propane available and would pick up your portable tanks, fill them and bring them back or loan you a large tank to use but they would not fill your RV mounted tank.
Extend-A-Stay: http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Gas-Controls-536-00-Extend-A-Stay/dp/B002UC4T6C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387508825&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=etend+a+stay
The first thing that freezes is usually your city water hose. This heated hose was used by many and worked very well. You have to insulate the connections on both ends as they will freeze as they are not heated.
Heated city water hose: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VM889E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These plumbing heat strips can also be used where needed, especially thawing out dump valves.
Heat strip heaters: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Heat-AHB-019-Weather-Heating/dp/B00002N6MB/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387508945&sr=8-2&keywords=heating+strips
Most class C motorhomes, and the LazyDaze is no exception, have exposed holding tanks. I have a heat kit ordered for my black tank and will install it at Quartzsite for next year. The larger rigs and fifth wheels had most of their waste plumbing enclosed and heated from warm air from the furnace. Problem with that was, most everyone was using electric heaters so the furnaces would not come on and they froze anyway.
Here is the Web Store link for tank heaters: http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/
This is the tank Heater I am getting for my Mid Bath black tank:
http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/tank-heaters/am-model-4200-tank-heater
Lazy Daze has LARGE windows. The newer model have double pane glass, but the '02 and older, (which includes my "02) do not, so I cut panels out of Relectix for added insulation. Makes the rear area kind of cave-like but it does help keep it warmer. You can also make a stick-on panel to cover the tank heater and waste plumbing to help keep the heat in and the cold out. I think strips to wrap exposed water connections would also be useful.
Reflectix: http://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-BP24025-24-Inch-25-Feet-Insulation/dp/B0022NH3E4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387509091&sr=8-1&keywords=reflectix
If you haven't got one of these Rhino waste water hose sets, even if you don't camp in cold weather, they are the best. I threw away most of my old hoses and connections. Watch the demo video on their website.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OUMVWY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a 25' length of this heat tape that is enough to coil around the waste hose with enough left to wrap the dump valve.
Fridge temps
Since it was usually colder outside than optimal inside fridge temps. My fridge had problems staying above 32F inside the box. I finally started turning it off for periods to keep it under control. (my "new improved" model does not have the controls that the original had) Some of the older models actually had a setting that left the inside light on to help control temps under these conditions.
First have a rig that will that has some decent insulation and hopefully plumbing that is not exposed. A Wave III catalytic heater and an electric heater are also helpful. Hint: Run a separate short, heavy duty extension cord for your electric heater and plug it into a separate outlet on the RV park hook-up. This keeps the heater load away from the RV system.
Electricity
Don't try it for more than a day or two without electricity. Supplemental inside electric heat and the various water supply and waste water heat are a must or you will be without one or the other in a short time.
Propane
Get and Extend-A-Stay or something like it so you don't have to move every time you need propane. Our park had propane available and would pick up your portable tanks, fill them and bring them back or loan you a large tank to use but they would not fill your RV mounted tank.
Extend-A-Stay: http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Gas-Controls-536-00-Extend-A-Stay/dp/B002UC4T6C/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1387508825&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=etend+a+stay
Water Hose
The first thing that freezes is usually your city water hose. This heated hose was used by many and worked very well. You have to insulate the connections on both ends as they will freeze as they are not heated.
Heated city water hose: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008VM889E/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These plumbing heat strips can also be used where needed, especially thawing out dump valves.
Heat strip heaters: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Heat-AHB-019-Weather-Heating/dp/B00002N6MB/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1387508945&sr=8-2&keywords=heating+strips
Holding Tanks
Most class C motorhomes, and the LazyDaze is no exception, have exposed holding tanks. I have a heat kit ordered for my black tank and will install it at Quartzsite for next year. The larger rigs and fifth wheels had most of their waste plumbing enclosed and heated from warm air from the furnace. Problem with that was, most everyone was using electric heaters so the furnaces would not come on and they froze anyway.
Tank Heaters
Here is the Web Store link for tank heaters: http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/
This is the tank Heater I am getting for my Mid Bath black tank:
http://www.annodindustries.com/shop/tank-heaters/am-model-4200-tank-heater
Windows
Lazy Daze has LARGE windows. The newer model have double pane glass, but the '02 and older, (which includes my "02) do not, so I cut panels out of Relectix for added insulation. Makes the rear area kind of cave-like but it does help keep it warmer. You can also make a stick-on panel to cover the tank heater and waste plumbing to help keep the heat in and the cold out. I think strips to wrap exposed water connections would also be useful.
Reflectix: http://www.amazon.com/Reflectix-BP24025-24-Inch-25-Feet-Insulation/dp/B0022NH3E4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387509091&sr=8-1&keywords=reflectix
If you haven't got one of these Rhino waste water hose sets, even if you don't camp in cold weather, they are the best. I threw away most of my old hoses and connections. Watch the demo video on their website.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OUMVWY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a 25' length of this heat tape that is enough to coil around the waste hose with enough left to wrap the dump valve.
Waste Hose Heating: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OUMVWY/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Fridge temps
Since it was usually colder outside than optimal inside fridge temps. My fridge had problems staying above 32F inside the box. I finally started turning it off for periods to keep it under control. (my "new improved" model does not have the controls that the original had) Some of the older models actually had a setting that left the inside light on to help control temps under these conditions.
BTW if you like my blog, please spread the word!
Rogersramblings41.blogspot.com
You can email me: Roger@rogernickey.com
Monday, December 16, 2013
Frozen In Fernley, NV
Just a short note to say that it is COLD in Fernley NV. Temp dipped to +4 one morning. Finally getting things sorted out. Gray water drain was frozen at the shower drain so no sink, wash basin or shower. Finally got it thawed out with the help of a 100W trouble light hung under rig where drain pipe that runs from the system to the tank emerges from inside. I now keep trouble light on 24-7 and a cup of RV antifreeze in the shower drain. Black water is frozen solid but only 50% as of this morning so it can wait until I get to warmer temps. Looking at tank heaters and more on that later. City water inlet is either frozen or broke so I have been using internal water system and it works fine. In the Mid Bath, the water tank, pump and a lot of the piping is in the same cabinet with the stove so I leave oven on 170F while I am home. Electric heater and Wave 3 keep me comfortable inside and furnace rarely comes on as a back up. I had to move Boots's water, food and litter box from the cab area as it was freezing his water dish. I keep it closed off with a drape as it is COLD up there. Dropped my camera so now it doesn't work, so I am awaiting a new one. Amazon is releasing my group on Dec. 20 so, unless it snows, I will be on the road West on the 21st. Going over Donner Pass so I hope road stays clear. There are 5 of us LD'rs here in Desert Rose RV Park. We are the LD Polar Bear Club. Should be a lot to discuss at Quartzsite about cold weather camping come January.
BTW if you like my blog, please spread the word!
You can email me: Roger@rogernickey.com
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