Hi-Lo Winter Camping - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

rcr · 04-23-2010, 02:42 PM

I know that we're all looking forward to the warm season now....but I'd like to get your thoughts and experiences of winter camping in a Hi-Lo.

What was the coldest that you've camped in your hilo?
Are there any issues particular to a Hi-Lo to be aware of if taking out in the cold?

For a long time now, Hi-Lo has insulated their tanks with foam, I would imagine that would be effective to a certain degree...but is that really enough if your towing in say 25 F?

I'd appreciate your thoughts while the cold is not too distant of a memory.

Neal and Bev · 04-28-2010, 10:51 AM

rcr -

Dw and I haven't tried camping in freezing weather (yet). We have an indoor / outdoor digital thermometer. One night on our last camping trip the outside temp got down to 49, and without any heat on, the inside temp was 59. I flipped the gas heater on that morning to knock the chill off. We're very happy about how easy it was to keep the Hi-Lo warm.

I'd love to hear some information on camping in a Hi-Lo in freezing weather too. We may have to wait till this coming winter before anyone wants to talk about the white stuff again

Neal

Sam Shields · 04-29-2010, 08:42 AM

I camp year round, Louisiana does not get very cold often. but I camped in winter several years ago and got caught in a ice storm. In the morning I had to brake a 3" layer of ice off the door to get out. The steps had about 3 to 6 inches of ice covering them. The furnace worked grate, and the only problem we had was the water hose froze and split at the faucet. We keep a couple of large bottles of water in the tub to flush with when on the road. So we were ok until the ice taughed the next day.
Sam

rcr · 05-03-2010, 12:43 PM

Sam,

Nice story. Did you have your furnace on during the night?

I thought that the fresh water lines were always kept inside the rig - wouldn't that mean that if you keep your inside temps above freezing that the fresh water lines (not the tank) would be safe from freezing?

Sam Shields · 05-03-2010, 01:32 PM

Yes, I set the thermostat on about 65 deg. and nothing in the trailer froze. but the water hose did freze at the camp ground water faucet and split. Had to cut off the water at the faucet and replace the hose after the ice melted.
The water was spraying from the busted hose.
Sam

rcr · 05-03-2010, 02:59 PM

Thanks for the clarification. I wonder whether you would have had a problem if you had filled your fresh water tank.

I know the RV Park that I'm planning on visiting at Mammoth Mountain next winter doesn't allow direct water connection during winter. You can only fill up the tanks.

Sam Shields · 05-03-2010, 08:23 PM

I would add a heating pad to the water tank if you fill it in winter as my tank is under the front of the trailer and is below the floor. You can get a tank heating pad at camping world or your local dealer it is a common add on part. They can also be added to the gray water and black water tanks also.
Sam

dschulz · 05-10-2010, 08:33 PM

We camp in the high county in Colorado. We generally wake up to temps in the 30's every morning. We keep the inside temp at 60 during the night and turn it up when we wake up, before we cook breakfast. We get along great.

firemarshal · 05-13-2010, 11:21 PM

Great four-season trailer. I've spent the last several years trout fishing through the western states in all kinds of weather. Watch out for snow build-up on the roof, as the extra weight can and will snap a cable when you lower the top section on older trailers. Several inches won't matter, but a foot of snow should be broomed off to be on the safe side. How cold? When the LPG wants to stop converting to a gas, you know it's cold outside!

firemarshal · 05-14-2010, 01:42 AM

I was just in Mammoth in March, fishing the Owens. Here's a couple more pics.

rcr · 05-18-2010, 12:32 PM

Nice pics Firemarshal! That's what I'm talking about. What campground is that?

I'd like to exchange Intel on some nice camp spots. Since we're in the same 'neck of the woods.'

vannooch · 09-14-2010, 09:56 AM

Ok being new rv'er, I'm interested in the winter camping fun! Living in Southwestern PA it gets pretty cold around here through the winter, I was wondering how effective reflect-ix would be on the tanks? Also I was pricing Ultra-heat heating pads and pipe wraps, is there another manufacturer? I was considering the AC/DC pads and DC pipe wraps. Actually installing the pads and then the reflect-ix would probably be the ticket.

Jim Larson · 09-18-2010, 09:59 PM

I am impressed you find it a good winter camper. . . the snow pictures are great. Would you mind going into more detail about what you did to insulate pipes, tanks, and use as souses of heat.

My tanks are not insulated. I am thinking about an inch of foam (roughly 4 = 7) sprayed underneath, putting a light bulb in the compartment with the water pump, and wraping exposed pipes exiting tanks with a heating tape (forgot) correct name). I am concerned about the battery fans for the furnace running down battery if not hooked up to power. Did you use your heater, or did you have electric power and use space heaters, such as a ceramic heater or two.

What ever you did, it looks like you isolated each potential problem, and developed a solution. Would you please share more of what you did, mistakes, what you learned, potential problems, coldest temperatures, etc.??

Thanks so much. We are new owners of a 2709, and have a lot to learn.

Jim Larson · 09-19-2010, 09:55 PM

We just got our rig this summer, and while we have a lot of tenting experience, we are RV greenhorns.

Would like to hear more about what you winter guys did to winterize this fair weather camping rig? Also curious about furnace consumption in freezing weather. I have 2 20 lbs tanks, and prefer not to go up to 30 lbs. Any changes to battery system, for those not plugged in? Seems to me the furnace fan would run the battery down overnight.

All recommendations to get me set up for winter camping. Problems you experienced, of course, help!

Jim Larson
2709-T

PopRichie77 · 09-20-2010, 06:09 PM

The furnace fan ran the battery down over night on our 95, and it used a lot of propane, didn't keep track so don't know how much for sure. When we leave PA in the winter for the south, we spend one night in the cold, in Virginia, woke up early 2 years ago and it was 19 out side, battery was down, the clicking of furnace trying to light, woke me, turned on a couple burners on the stove, till we ate breakfast and got going. I would not recommend any one doing this. Got caught in a snow storm last year, kept driving till we got out of the snow but we stopped at a WalMart for the night and the parking lot had a half inch of ice on it. Don't like winter camping with out electric but parks are usually closed in winter where it's cold.

goldman · 10-18-2011, 04:43 PM

noticed you have a cargo carrier on the roof,how and where did you anchor it where did you get the ceiling support beam layout or print diagrams,i have been looking for this for over a year now.

rhbauer78 · 10-18-2011, 05:27 PM

We have camped a lot in cold weather with our 86 22 FT HiLo. Been out as cold as 20 degrees. We DO NOT try to keep water in the tanks as they would freeze. Also I put antifreeze in the tanks and pump antifreeze in the pipes. Bring 5 gals of water in the tow van to use as needed Trailer works fine, but the furnace is a bit week below 35 degrees.

cav117 · 10-22-2011, 11:11 AM

I met up with Mr. Cold last week outside of FT Knox. I found out that his friend Mr. Wind found a way to get in during the night.

Apparently the weather stripping between the top half and the bottom half on the camper has about a half inch gap. I only have about 2 more weeks in the camper before I pack it up till March, so in the mean time I will use my sleeping bags, and keep the portable electric heater on high. (I am in a year round campground that is really a trailer park with about 20 lots for campers )

I am wondering if this gap is normal on the Hi-LO, or if my weather stripping needs to be replaced?

retiredcamper47 · 10-22-2011, 12:30 PM

There should be no gap between the top and bottom halves of the trailer. There are two possibilities - 1. The lift cables are not adjusted properly. 2. The seal is shot. Seeing how your unit is 23 years old, I would bet that the seal needs to be replaced. In the meantime, purchase lengths of water pipe insulation from any hardware store, Home Depot, Lowes, etc and push under the top to form a temporary seal. They come in 6' lengths and would have to be pulled out each time you lowered the top. Hope this helps.....................

Bob

Rolff · 10-22-2011, 04:54 PM

I have a little sag by the door and the wind on the awning actually bent the frame. So I use the foam pipe on the inside and use the bottom curtain (long since goners) holders to hold it in place. They stay in the whole time that way. In order to make a tighter seal I had to use two tubes linked. I don't want to spend the $$ for new seals and this works pretty well.