Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Cold weather

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Cold weather

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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13221
Printed Date: 23 Jun 2025 at 12:37pm
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Topic: Cold weather

Posted By: Kenlw
Subject: Cold weather
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 12:00pm

We’re in Co till end of Oct visiting the kids. This week on Wed the low will be 24 and high 75, on Thursday low will be 14, high 28, Friday low 26 high 41 after Friday temperatures will be above freezing at night and 50’s day. Other than putting antifreeze in black and grey tanks and filling up fresh water tank, should I be concerned? Also, how much antifreeze should I put in? Thanks for responses.
Ken

Replies:

Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 3:20pm

You may want to consider winterizing your water and tank system before Thursday. Sustained temp's below freezing can cause some unpleasant side effects.

The big tanks are not so susceptible to damage if the contents freezes provided there is expansion room. The bigger problem is the piping, drain lines, and valves. They they freeze more quickly and tend to break since there is no room for the expansion of the ice.

It doesn't take long to winterize, then reverse it when you hit warmer weather. And it surely takes considerably less time to winterize and reverse than to have to fix the cracked toilet valve. RV water system antifreeze is cheap as compared to plumbing repair bills.

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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Posted By: crankster78
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 3:28pm

Greetings:

I've used the RV when it got down in the low 20's at night with no problem. If it's going to be well below freezing for more the 12 to 16 hours at a time, You might have a problem. I'm assuming that you will have heat on inside the camper.

Crankster78 R-179

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Crankster 78 R-179 2015

Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 3:50pm

The most vulnerable part is the pick-up hose between the fresh water tank and the pump. It is exposed. The tank may not freeze that quickly, but the hose will. You might want to consider covering it somehow with some insulating material. That should help with the overnight freezes. Long term though, you will want to winterize and use a water carrier to carry drinking water inside. We have an 8 gallon Hydroller for that purpose.

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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: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 4:19pm

I followed the rule of not below 30 at night at warm during the day, until we stayed in a pass overnight at a CG and they're spigot split. It was 29 in the morning and woke to something that didn't sound right. That was too close to the 30 cutoff for me.

That was the end of high elevation for that run. Thankfully no issues with the camper.

For me, I will winterize if there's any duration involved and go winter mode. It's easy to do and not all that much a inconvenience (for us anyway).

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander

Posted By: Kenlw
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2019 at 5:43pm

Thanks for all the responses.
Ken