Winter Usage?

Jersey · October 2018

I read a lot of posts about winterizing. Does this imply that most or all don't winter camp in their t@b? Does the alde function if trailer is winterized? I assume winterizing referred to plumbing so no water or toiley could be used but assumed alde heating still could be used. Is that not correct?

Sharon_is_SAM · October 2018

Winterizing in the TaB refers to plumbing which includes draining the Alde hot water tank. But the Alde also uses glycol to heat the cabin via radiators, and you do not need to do anything to that part of the system. You absolutely can heat the cabin in the winter with a dry Alde water tank.

Many Tabbers do some cold weather camping or just travel through cold areas on their way south or southwest and they use their Alde heat along the way. There are members who creatively use the toilet either by using a version of disposable potty bags or pouring antifreeze down the toilet after use. You can carry bottled water as well.

We discovered that in the clamshell, with the exception of the shower trap and the tanks/valves, all the plumbing exists within a heated space. So, when we encountered some below freezing temperatures out west this past spring, we kept the shower door open to help keep that area from freezing and put some antifreeze in the shower trap and grey/black tanks.

ChanW · October 2018

Also, be aware that simply putting antifreeze in the gray and black tanks isn't complete insurance for that 'exterior plumbing'. I learned the hard way, because I too thought antifreeze in the tanks ought to be enough.

The tanks' drain/gate-valves will retain water in their mechanism, ie: within the gate slide area, that will freeze, expand, and can crack the plastic.

(I thus learned that it's not terribly difficult to replace said gate valve, but it can be messy!)

One solution is to work antifreeze into the gate valve mechanism by opening it and closing it while antifreeze is in the tank (maybe with the drain cap on, or maybe while draining the antifreeze).

Sharon_is_SAM said:

..... and put some antifreeze in the shower trap and grey/black tanks.

rkj__ · October 2018

We do some winter Camping. We don’t use the trailer bathroom or water systems. The Alde heats the cabin nicely.

Winter Usage?

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