Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Winter camping in rpod 151

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Winter camping in rpod 151

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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10673
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Topic: Winter camping in rpod 151

Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Subject: Winter camping in rpod 151
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 1:08pm

I have my camper parked in an rv lot and sleep in it 2 days a week. I am contemplating doing this throughout the winter. I've read some do it yourself tips on this forum but am more inclined(dont have the time) just to take it to camping world and have them insulate it and put a skirt on etc. I cant even find a skirt for it online. So before I take the plunge and get an infrared space heater and take it to Camping world, would anyone talk me out of doing this for any reason? I have a cover for it. Should I leave the cover on all winter?

Replies:

Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 3:40pm

If you are going to stay in it, do not put a cover on. You will need to have ventilation to reduce moisture. Your body puts out quite a bit so condensation will happen. Putting a cover on means that you can't ventilate to let it escape.

If you don't have water in the fresh water tank and don't plan on using the onboard facilities, you don't need to worry about adding insulation or a skirt. The 'Pod is so small that the heater will keep it comfortable in freezing temperatures. However, plan on having spare propane tanks. If you are going to use an infrared space heater powered by propane, then for sure you need ventilation to avoid poisoning yourself with carbon monoxide. The built-in furnace won't add humidity or CO to the interior of your 'Pod, but will burn significant amounts of propane. Having an AC hookup would be important so you can keep your battery charged as the furnace will also use quite a bit of power when it is near zero.

We did a winter cross-country camping trip last December/January. It can be done, but the R-Pod is not a 4-season camping trailer. Your post does not indicate your location which would give an idea of the severity of the winter weather you would expect. On our trip, we stayed in our 179 when the temperature was 4 degrees F with a significant wind chill and were comfortable enough.

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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 3:43pm

Don't know what you mean by "insulate it". Biggest cold weather camping challenge with the Pod will be keeping tanks/lines from freezing. If you don't use water, cold temperature won't be a problem! If your temps drop in the tens for a length of time, skirt will not help without auxiliary basement heat...IMO.

fred

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2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6
Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 3:51pm

Im in Idaho...it can get sub zero but not normally so..The average high is 34 and the average low is 18 for january and december.. I thought infrared heaters ran on electric? I have an electric space heater now but is it worth investing in a an infrared one? i hear they don't dry out the air. I will be plugged in all winter and just plan on using a 7 gallon water jug that I will refill when needed.

Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 6:29pm

ended up with a medium ceramic heater instead.. seems better suited for my small rpod...Ill give it a go with no insulation and see what happens. I hear you can use the toilet as long as you use camper antifreeze?

Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2017 at 6:34pm

Any electrical heater or the 'Pod's furnace will dry the air. It is a function of relative humidity. Propane burning infrared heaters (like the Mr. Buddy type or the catalytic type) will add humidity from the combustion. We have a small ceramic block heater that I have used at home when doing modifications in cold weather. It is small, and since it isn't glowing, is less likely to become dangerously hot.

This http://ocw.usu.edu/Forest__Range__and_Wildlife_Sciences/Wildland_Fire_Management_and_Planning/Unit_4__Temperature-Moisture_Relationship_4.html - online course from Utah State University explains how this works better than I can.

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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Posted By: mtbmitch
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2017 at 9:22am

We have a 151 and usually camp till eary November here is southern Idaho. You will want to insulate the floor. The floor even with bath mats is very cold when temps are in the 20's. We put bubble wrap foil stuff between the windows and blinds which are the cloth type which helps alittle with the cold. Also have 1 inch pink foam cut out to fit inside the ceiling vents. There were alot of air gaps when we bought our 151 second hand. Just about every hole cutout thru the floor had 1/2 inch of extra clearance. Also over and around the door including the latch, there was a good draft. The biggest air gap was about and below the fridge. You could feel the wind blowing. That took a week or so to fix these QC issues. Also if you. are going to use the rpod heater, replace the 50 cent wall thermostat with something that will probably work.

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enjoy the fresh air

Posted By: Medicine Wolf
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2017 at 10:26am

I bought a ceramic heater that is for a medium sized room that does pretty well. Im used to camping in a tent in the winter with no heater so Im trying to get away with as little as possible. How did you insulate the floor?

Posted By: mtbmitch
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2017 at 1:07pm

wool socks for now. Plan on building my own trailer within a year that will be well insulated, carry 66 gallons of water and a dry bath all at the same weight as our 151 using some different ways of construction.

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enjoy the fresh air