New owner: May freeze tonight

Glider11

OK, don't laugh too hard:  I have the Albe manual, but no general manual on how to use electricity with an extension cord. My notes from orientation are poor.  I want to plug in my TAB with an extension cord from garage to prevent water freezing.  I know there's the plug in on the outside of the trailer.  Do I need to use a 3 prong plug in?  Do I need to use that thick black electric cord with the huge plug in? I am really at a loss and starting to panic.  I do have a small placer heater in the TAB now, using said extension cord through the window.  Thanks.

BigGrover

The Alde heat will work on propane and battery if it is charged.  You have to use the power cord that comes with the trsiler.  You can get an adapter so it can plug into a wall outlet.  You need at least a 15 amp circuit to run the Alde heat on AC only. The adapter is called a 30 amp to 15 amp adapter. 

BigGrover

Walmart has the adapters in the RV section.  On one side it will have three prongs to fit a regular wall outlet, on the other it will have a socket that your T@b power cors can plug into.  Look at the T@b plug, it has two flat prongs at an angle and a u shaped ground.

dragonsdofly

@Glider11, go inside your trailer and turn everything off. You will need to use that thick black cord with a special 30 amp plug . You plug that into the drivers side round electrical port and twist lock it into place. You need an adapter cord/plug from 30 amp to 15 amp. Use a serge protected adapter. They are available from camping supply stores, some Walmart stores and on-line. Then you plug that adapter cord into a heavy duty 15 amp household circuit outdoor extension cord and that cord plugs into your house or garage outlet. You didn't specify what year trailer you have. Somewhere between 2015 and 2016, the trailers became equipped with a battery cut-off switch. Go into the front battery/propane box and check if you have one. Turn it to the up or green position. Your trailer converter will then charge your battery and power the trailer. You can then turn the alde heat onto "1" only, as a 15 amp circuit cannot power both of the alde heating elements. You should be aware though that your gray and fresh water tanks are below the floor and heating the trailer interior may not prevent freezing if temps go low enough. The supply line from the fresh water tank to the interior plumbing is also vulnerable to freezing as are the black/gray gate valves if there is water present. If the temp is just below freezing for only a few hours, you may get by without damage, but if the cold is below 25°F, for more than a few hours, winterizing may be the wisest choice.

Glider11

Thank you so much!  I think Walmart is still open. I'll run down and see if they have the adaptors I need. A BIG learning curve here, on everything, so be prepared for some really basic questions in all areas in the next month.   

BigGrover

You could pick up a few gallons of RV antifreeze and run it through the system.  Make sure to run all the faucets, hot and cold as well as the toilet flush valve.  If you have a air compressor you can buy a fitting that goes on the freshwater fill line and using 20 lbs of air pressure blow all the water out of the lines by opening one valve at a time.  I start with the outdide shower first.  Make two or three roundsto make sure they all come out dry.  With both methods you need to pour enough antifreeze fown the sink and shower drains to fill the P traps.

Glider11

Ok I have that big black electric cord system right here that comes with the 2018 trailer. It appears there is an adapter on the end that plugs into the extension cord.  I can't tell if it is a 30v to 15v. on the bottom of the adapter, it reads:  15A    125V   Shall I use it to plug into the extension cord?  I've used this extension cord to run a generator.  You would think the company would provide a general manual for just this type of beginner's instructions.  Thus, this forum?  :-)    

BigGrover

Will the T@b cord  the with adapter reach an outlet?  That would be your best option.  If not you need a heavy duty extension cord.  Personally I would go to Wal Mart and buy an RV extension cord in the RV section.  The T@b cord would plug into it and plug the extension cord into the adapter and the Adapter into an outlet.

Glider11

No, it won't reach the outlet in the garage.  I am really confused about the adapter.  Please, what does it look like? 

Glider11

I looked online for a 30v to 15v adapter.  I believe there is one attached on the end of the thick black RV cord that came with the trailer.  However, it's just a short one. Do they come with surge protectors? 
I haven't found that description yet.

BigGrover

Google RV 15 to 30 amp adapter and you will get lots of pics.  If your cord on the T@b will plug into a regular house outlet it has an adapter on it already.  You should be able to pull it off the end.  Why don't you post a pic of what you have?

Glider11

I looked it up online.  I do have a surge protector on a house outlet.  I can put it on the garage outlet.  Then I should be all set, right? except the heavier extension cord.  

BigGrover

Yes but to be safe I would at least drain all the lines.  If you search the site here there are winterizing threads for the 400 and the 320.  What midel do you have?

Glider11

320    I'm planning a trip in about 10 days, so don't want to winterize yet.  Afterward, yes, I better, because mid December is our worst time for prolonged freezing weather.  Do you think I can just leave that placer heater I have inside the trailer on for tonight - will that protect the main water tank from freezing?  I am really stressed, and working in the dark is difficult.  But if I have to, I'll get out there and try to figure this thing out.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Just to make sure, the surge protector should be an RV surge protector.  

It sounds like you need a 10 gauge extension cord and a 15 to 30 amp adapter (see pic).  

Glider11

OK, I'll drain the lines. I haven't used the toilet or sink yet, so the water should be clean. 

BigGrover

Winterizing is a sure fire method of protection.  You can drain all your lines andbuse the space heater and run the risk.  Winterizing is simple and straight forward.  Put 3 gallons of antifreeze in the freshwater tank, flip the alde bypass valve and run the antifreeze through all the lines, flush the toilet.  Drain the tanks including the alde hot water tanktank you are safe.  When you go camping in 10 days flushthe freshwater tank and all the lines, turn the bypass off and you are good to go.  How cold is it supposed to get,?

ChanW

If you have a heavy duty "appliance" extension cord, they're usually #12 wire, and should be heavy enough to run the Alde on power setting '1'. It's better to keep it on power setting '1' if you're not plugged into a dedicated high power outlet.

If you have propane for tonight, you need not use the AC power mode at all, in which case your extension cord need not be heavy duty. But keep the Tab plugged in anyway to charge the battery.

What length extension cord will you be using?

BigGrover

Make sure you drain the fresh water tank and water heater

Sharon_is_SAM

@Glider11, just saw your note.  How about using your propane to run the Alde?  You won’t need to worry about your electrical connection.  How long of a period of freezing are you talking about?  

Glider11

We'll be having 2 days of potential freezing starting tonight, then it'll start raining again.  Propane... yeah, could maybe do that instead.  I'm watching videos, etc, and learning from you guys.  If I drain the water all out, don't I have to turn off the water heater so it's not ruined? 

BigGrover

Turn the hot water setting to 0,

Glider11

If I use the propane to heat the trailer, I shouldn't have to drain the lines, correct? 

BigGrover

I will defer to our winter campers on that one.  Most who have posted on here go "dry" for winter camping meaning they winterize and don't use the water system and flush the toilet with rv antifreeze.

Glider11

I'm taking Sharon's advice, and turning on the propane to heat the trailer tonight.  I hope, then, it'll keep the water lines from freezing.  I watched a video on our heating systems, the panel, bleeding the lines, etc. so I'm going out to turn it on. 

pthomas745

Where are you, and how cold do you think it will get?

Glider11

The panel stated: gas failure.  back to troubleshooting.  

BigGrover

Is there propane in the tank and is the valve open?

pthomas745

How cold do you expect it to be?

BrianZ

Hope @Glider11 didn't freeze!

ChanW

Pretty quiet!
BrianZ said:

Hope @Glider11 didn't freeze!