Winter hauling?
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Topic: Winter hauling?
Posted By: TIDALWAVE
Subject: Winter hauling?
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2010 at 10:34am
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Now that I am fully retired, I am thinking about hauling the Pod down to Florida for a couple of months during the coming winter. However, since I live in Minnesota I was wondering about the advisability of hauling the Pod during the winter months. About half of the trip would be in below freezing and snow conditions. If you haul your Pod during the winter, do you have any helpful advice? My tow vehicle will be a Chevy Pickup, V8, auto-transmission, 4x4, with 'auto' 4-wheel drive. The Pod's brakes are controlled via a Prodigy controller. Do you set your proportional brake controller to a different sensitivity for winter hauling? I don't plan on sleeping in Pod until I get far enough south to not worry about freeze-ups. I also plan on re-winterizing the Pod before I head back up north. ------------- TIDALWAVE |
Replies:
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2010 at 12:25pm
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All I can find in the manual I found online:
The power may need to be adjusted for different load weights and road conditions. Which is odd, because I thought in my manual it talked about winter driving, and had a full section on how to set the power properly (which I also don't see in the online manual). ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 9:36am
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What is this manual you are speaking of? How can I get hold of it! While I am not macanial, my husband will absorb it and give it back to me in bits that I can understand. Anything on Winter camping I would like to gather. Maybe not using the facilities that deal with water(this can be taken care of in a place that has good bathhouse), but I would like all info on how to protect the underside when parked. ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 9:44pm
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Sorry, I was just looking at the manual for the Prodigy break controller.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: joe & vickie
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2010 at 10:18pm
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I think that you should consider tire chains on your pod for snow & ice conditions. The pod is so light you wouldn't want it to pass you while you are braking going down a hill. ------------- R-POD 177- Gitty up go FORD-F 150 |
Posted By: Tamms
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 3:19pm
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Tire chain are illegal in some states. This website tells you the specifics for each state. http://www.tirechainsrequired.com/laws.html - http://www.tirechainsrequired.com/laws.html ------------- Tammy, Robert, & Linus the morkie (Two & a Half Nerds) |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 4:56pm
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I have seen them here in Tennessee, but bet we have a few other things that might be illegal in other states, like radar detectors in Virginia.
While I think I would have a whole new "wrinkle" when it comes to Winter driving, I know I am concerned about pipes freezing.
The winterizing before leaving home is most logical, then you have to get someplace and flush it out?? Is this even allowed in a campground, into the sewer??
Have been saying I was leaving home when football season starts. I know, shame on me, but the drone drives me nuts.
SO, just figured out where I am going. OUT to my Escape POD. It's hooked up for ac and frig on and a pile of books and the dog. ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 4:59pm
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Tidalwave: When you are traveling and don't plan to sleep in your pod until you get to warmer clime, will not having any water in it keep the underside pipes from freezing? Not sleeping in it is keeping you warm, but how does it fare just parked in a motel lot?
------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2010 at 10:40pm
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No big deal un-winterizing into the sewer system. The "pink stuff" is non-toxic.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 30 Aug 2010 at 8:04am
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Yet another tip to know, thanks.
While I was thinking on Winter camping in order to attend a class in January, in my enthusium I failed to THINK of getting there! Over the mountains between Tenn and N.C. or down by the Ocoee area. I have done it by car, tense most of the way since I do not like to drive on ice. Pulling the rig, on my  . I am chewing off enough by learning the whole thing, in good weather conditions. Just have to find my class when the snow is not flying ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: TIDALWAVE
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:24am
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I don't plan on sleeping in the Pod during the trip. My Pod windows are not duo-pane. If the temps are well below freezing, I know that I would end up with many pounds of ice on the inside of the windows and anywhere else where interior humidity could come in contact with unheated compartments. Look around your own Pod and see all of the storage spaces and empty volumes where it is just about impossible to get furnace heated air to circulate. I once owned a 'converted' van which had an LP furnace. The interior space was toasty even at below freezing. But after a very cold weekend trip and and then warmer outside temps...I had large puddles under each window and a soaked carpet. ------------- TIDALWAVE |
Posted By: mountain mist
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:36am
GOOD GRIEF! Sounds as if you had a TIDAL WAVE
THANK YOU for the information. Sure not worth taking a chance just for some Winter camping. Need to get some more experience in the Pod before tackling something like that. ------------- '11 Forest River r.pod 171 '10 Ford Edge ESCAPE POD Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:40am
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Window condensation has been a big problem for us in cooler temps. The 'pod is insulated so well that with 4 of us - 400 watts of body heat - we can't run the furnace even with the vent open all the way and several windows open for circulation (but covered with blackout blinds so there is little air flow). Below the mid-40's we'll use the furnace or an electric heater if we have hookups.
I have considered making insulated covers that would attach on the outside at night but I'm worried about keeping them secure in high winds, which we get a lot of during our trips to the beach. I have also thought about adding a computer biscuit fan to force some circulation (the vent fan has too much current draw when dry camping). But I don't want to cut another hole somewhere. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: rpodcamper.com
Date Posted: 02 Sep 2010 at 9:54am
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We have been out several times in weather below freezing. Biggest problem is the condensation that builds up. We keep the Bathroom fan on low and also crack a window to get air moving inside the camper. We do not fill the Fresh Water Tank but carry cooking and drinking water with us if the camp does not have fresh water. The heater that comes with the camper does a great job keeping up even when temps were about 5 degrees and we had 2 foot of snow. (That time we had to come back for the camper as we could not get it out.) I do try to get at least a electric hook up during the winter but some camps are totally shut down.
Towing the camper on snow and ice is even more fun as the camper WILL slide around. Take it slow and you will be ok and look ahead or plan ahead before taking the camper with you. Are there big hills and curves you have travel that are still covered in snow? Is the camp ground going to be plowed so you can get in and is the camp site going to be plowed or able to get in.
We did more winter camper than we did camping this summer due to work schedules and looks like I will be doing a lot between December and Early March.
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