Winter living? In Oregon?

[runfromturtles]

Wet, Wet, Wet. Ocassionally we will see temps around 10-15 degrees, but 8 months of the year, just damp and wet. Does anyone have a recommendation for winter living? First of all I was going to get a travel trailer but I do not own a truck! Nor did I want to buy a truck, and this is why I am now here. As much as i'd love that 4 season trailer, these things look so much more fun and less of a hassle. So which ones would you recommend for full-timing in cold weather? Is there a propane furnace? How are they heated? How insulated is the plumbing?

Thanks so much

[Odyssey4x4]

You can definitely live out an Oregon winter. I'm up here in Alaska and I'll be living full-time for at least the next 3 years in my little Toy motorhome (including in the winter). I'm completely off-grid and plan to stay that way. The way I plan on surviving:

1) my wood stove

2) heat pads & heat tape, along with RV antifreeze, will allow continued use of my toilet

3) I winterizied the rest of my plumbing (waterpump, water heater tank, lines, etc)

4) I rerouted my sink plumbing to fall directly into a 5 gallon bucket under the sink, so I can still use the sink to wash dishes, etc.

5) To recharge my single 12 volt, 85 amp hour coach battery... I simply drive every day (the little Toy home is my daily driver), have two 30 watt solar panels (for a total of 60 watts of solar energy), and have a 35 watt thermo-electric generator that creates electricity from the heat my wood stove gives off.

6) I have Reflectix foil-bubble covering, along with 1" styrofoam panels, covering my overcab bed area windows to keep my sleeping area warm (I still like to have my other windows clear because I enjoy sunlight:^)

I have a blog

www.timmystoyota.blogspot.com

if you wanna see how I've done a few things. I'll be making A LOT more posts & how-to's as the winter progresses. It's already getting down to freezing at night around here! I also have information on the wood stove I have in my rig on my website, in case you want a wood stove for your rig (HIGHLY recommended over a propane furnace, because the wood stove will get rid of condensation with its nice, dry heat... AND it's free heat! free cooking! free electricity! and soon to be free hot water!, pretty cool).

Cheers,

Timmy

Edited September 17, 2012 by Odyssey4x4

[runfromturtles]

You can definitely live out an Oregon winter. I'm up here in Alaska and I'll be living full-time for at least the next 3 years in my little Toy motorhome (including in the winter). I'm completely off-grid and plan to stay that way. The way I plan on surviving:

1) my wood stove

2) heat pads & heat tape, along with RV antifreeze, will allow continued use of my toilet

3) I winterizied the rest of my plumbing (waterpump, water heater tank, lines, etc)

4) I rerouted my sink plumbing to fall directly into a 5 gallon bucket under the sink, so I can still use the sink to wash dishes, etc.

5) To recharge my single 12 volt, 85 amp hour coach battery... I simply drive every day (the little Toy home is my daily driver), have two 30 watt solar panels (for a total of 60 watts of solar energy), and have a 35 watt thermo-electric generator that creates electricity from the heat my wood stove gives off.

6) I have Reflectix foil-bubble covering, along with 1" styrofoam panels, covering my overcab bed area windows to keep my sleeping area warm (I still like to have my other windows clear because I enjoy sunlight:^)

I have a blog

www.timmystoyota.blogspot.com

if you wanna see how I've done a few things. I'll be making A LOT more posts & how-to's as the winter progresses. It's already getting down to freezing at night around here! I also have information on the wood stove I have in my rig on my website, in case you want a wood stove for your rig (HIGHLY recommended over a propane furnace, because the wood stove will get rid of condensation with its nice, dry heat... AND it's free heat! free cooking! free electricity! and soon to be free hot water!, pretty cool).

Cheers,

Timmy

You are living the life! And hopefully I will be doing the same thing very soon. I am also a huge fan of wood heat, but got all freaked out from other RV'ers trying to convince me how dangerous it is to have an open flame in my RV. I know it's irrational and people usually don't know what they are talking about. My plan was to get a Sunrader but installing a chimney through the fiberglass shell seems like a bad idea. I will definitely check out your blog. Thanks for the reply!

[runfromturtles]

Awesome videos timmy. I really want one of those kimberly stoves! I am afraid I would botch the installation and burn everything to the ground haha. How does insurance for a motorhome work with one of those installed?

[Totem]

Fresh Idea on Peltier power generation Love it!

I myself have a nice Ammo Can stove (not nearly as fancy as a kimberly, but stylish and just as effective). I have 3 or 4 old peltier refrigerators lying around in various states of condition. was thinking hmm. maybe I should bracket a couple onto the ammo stove or better yet, purchase a couple Peltier panels on fleabay and make use of all of the heatsinks I have collected from my computer days by attaching them onto the furnace chamber wall. how big a panel are you using to generate 35 watts on 12 volt? slapping that onto the furnace could recoup some of the power used by the blower motor when boondocking; VERY nice for deer camp

[bajadulce]

That stove looks pretty comfy there Tim... and quality installation job too. Might have already commented on that in a previous post. Fun stuff.

Agree with runfromturts, that an "open flame" inside RV doesn't spell disaster if done right. How much wood does a stove like that consume? I imagine they're pretty damn efficient.

You definitely have to be more creative in how things are stored and/or put away if your camp is constantly moved daily as opposed to guys like me that tend to "park" it in one spot for weeks at a time.

@ Possible more solar gain: You don't have much room ontop of your rig for additional solar, but always entertained the idea to make some sort of awning out of solar panels. At night or when traveling, it could fold down and cover the windows. Panels aren't the lightest thing (glass), but sure would be a fun concept. Or maybe technology has advanced to the point that the awning cloth itself can be the solar PV capable of rolling up? Seems like solar panels providing shade would be a win combo.

I admire you cold weather guys btw!

[Totem]

I see a company selling a seebeck (TEG) generator online that claims to hour for hour equate to a 100 watt solar panel as producing in southern california on a sunny day. This might be what Tim is using... lay that puppy on a rocket stove, build a plenum ejecting stove exhaust out the window and the table furnace would charge the battery during the night time. team that wil solar panels in the day and the holy grail of off the grid is achieved with no generator or windmill... NICE... Im buying one now...

[Davidadro]

I lived in my Dolphin for 2 full seasons here in north central Illinois about 6 years ago, and the winter temps ranged from an average of 30 degrees to some cold streaks of below zero for a week or two here and there. My biggest mistake was not allowing for the cold concerning my engine, and even with a good level of antifreeze, one of my freeze plugs, and a water jacket on the head blew out. As such, it became the main reason my Toy has a new motor.

When I was stationed in Fairbanks Alaska 27 years ago, my car at the time was equipped with an oil dipstick heater, a battery warming blanket, a coolant percolator heater, an engine block freeze plug heater, and a warming pad on the oil pan. All systems were led to a common outlet junction in the engine compartment, and of course, it needed to be to be plugged in. All of these would be overkill there in Oregon, but maybe some of the things of this nature on your Toyhome would allow you to be prepared for the cold mechanically, I know if I had just a couple on mine, I would no doubt still have my original motor.

I never stayed anywhere but in an RV park when I was living in mine during the frozen months, so I had power to run my heat water line and sewer pipe heat tape, and used battery blankets duct taped to my holding tanks in case of any back up of the sewer or grey water flowing into the parks drain system. I kept a DeLongi oil radiator running all the time and even in the coldest of months it was comfy. I still have my portable indoor rated propane heater that uses Coleman lantern camp sized bottles to assist if my electric heat wasn’t keeping up, but only had to whip that out a couple times.

I got 2in thick Styrofoam sheets and cut then to cover the huge back window area, and used insulated vent covers to keep the cold out. On the back of my cabinets I also cut the Styrofoam to fit against the sidewall area, and stuffed fiberglass bat insulation into the area cabinet where my electric plug hatch door allowed the cold to come straight in to the cabinet below the wardrobe closet. I ran skirting around the bottom of the home, and cut 2 in Styrofoam sheets to the shape of the wheel wells. I closed off the cab area with a panel made from 1/4 inch plywood and 2in thick Styrofoam.

Mind you, I wasn’t boon docking in the winter, I was at a year round park equipped for winter stay, so if you plan to be isolated out there somewhere, use the great advice of the experienced ones here have given you, and always have back up plans and systems thought out and ready.

I don't think I will ever have the need to stay again through the winter in my Toy, but good to know that when a necessity arises, our little motor homes do the job asked of them, no matter what we need them to do. Be well and happy travels!

[stamar]

I plan to live in mine this year in oregon. I just moved it here from california,

It has a furnace but I was thinking of getting one of those propane tank topping space heaters.

That way I'm not going outside to light a pilot light.

I will not alter anything to my dolphin for winter. But you could put insulation on all the windows and insulate the vents.

A biggie I am working on though is a thck curtain to seperate the cab from the coach.

Its pretty well set up for oregon and washington as is. Fine for down to 20

You've got the cars own heater too and that creates a sauna fast. So on a cold night heat it up high then let the furnace pick it up while you're asleep.

[Derek up North]

I'd consider doing something like this:-

http://www.andybaird.com/travels/gertie/bedroom.htm