# Getting ready for some dry camping.



## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

I have a nice 26' trailer with a slideout and I am parking it on the farm for hunting season. At least for a couple of weeks. There is no electricity so I am buying a Honda EU3000 inverter/generator this week (hopefully) two new deep cycle batteries and a Mr. Heater Big Buddy. The LP tanks on the camper can power the fridge, water heater and central heating system. I assume the heater fan will require electricity so I am primarily using the big buddy for heat instead of leaving the generator on all night outside. I have a 9 volt Cpap that will run off the new batteries which I can recharge during lunch. In the mornings I fire up the Honda and the Mr. Coffee fills the Thermos and I can microwave breakfast, Griddle breakfast or use the three burner stove and oven. I don't want to have on board fresh water due to the freezing temperatures so it's bottles drinking water and Aquatainers full of tap water. I'm going to need plenty of gasoline, 1 gallon LP bottles and an adapter for the big buddy so I can use the big tanks. The big issue is making sure I don't overload the generator as the coffee maker, griddle and microwave gobble power.

I have a military sleep system for emergencies. Do any of you have experience with cold weather camping? Any insights on what I may be overlooking? Thanks in advance.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I like to bring along a free standing awning. They are not terribly expensive and with a bit of paracord and some inexpensive tarps one or more side walls can be made. In inclement weather it is nice to have a dry area outside the camper.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

CSI-Tech;
Respectfully...You're in South Central TN/ C'mon man, getcha a good cowboy sleeping bag, a hot meal followed by a snip or 6 of Jack Daniels and you'll be just fine in that camper...it ain't that cold! :encouragement:


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Sounds pretty cushy to me! Microwave, griddle, stove, oven, coffee maker, Big Buddy heater, generator. Fridge, hot water heater, central heating - sheesh, that isn't camping! Just joking with you, but you do have it pretty nice. Our dry camping with the mules in winter involves 30 gallon water containers (fit under the gooseneck hitch), a propane camp stove, ice chest, battery powered lanterns, and down sleeping bags in the back of the horse trailer. (Swept out of course with a tarp laid down.) Potty bucket in the corner.


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## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

How cold are you expecting it to get? I've done a fair bit of winter camping in Northern Canada. The camper furnace will usually run on the batteries without the generator (for a while at least). A good mummy bag will keep you warm especially if you are in a camper and can have external heat (doubt you will need it) and extra blankets. Heat up a bottle or thermos of water and put it in your bag with you when you go to bed. It will keep you warm for a few hours and you will keep it from freezing later in the night. Also throw your next days clothes in the bag with you if possible, they will be a lot nicer to put on in the morning if they are warm. 

A tub to do dishes in so that you can throw the water outside after rather then having to let it go down the drain and have it freeze in the pipes.


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## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

Don't gas yourself with the big buddy heater. Seems like every time the pwer goes out for any period in the winter there is some idiot that kills themselves or their family because they don't open a window and let fresh air in. I would lean towards using the camper furnace for this reason if you need extra heat, you can turn it on and bring the temp up and shut it off again for a few hours to save the batteries.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Got to vote with Slippy on this one. I camped all over the NC/TN mountains in the winter for years with a 1 man tent and a sleeping bag. Polypropylene underwear, a good cap, and good warm socks is what you need.

Cold mornings just encourage you to get moving fast to warm up.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

One trip an unexpected ice storm hit and it dropped to 8 degrees (best as I can remember) while I was hiking Mt Mitchell in NC. My buddy sent the rescue squad up to find my frozen corpse with a body bag and tracking dogs. I met them and boy did they look disappointed to see me healthy and hiking back towards them the next afternoon at the trailhead just as they were starting up. I let them give me a ride back to my house which was a mile from the trailhead.

I'll admit it was incredibly cold when I woke up that morning so I got moving fast.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Slippy, I am an absolute candy ass. The idea here is not to rough it, not to test my mettle in the extreme conditions I've done all of that. I camped in 18 degree weather and extreme wind in a half shelter to se an eagle. I tent camped in 10 degrees with a blanket and a cardboard box mattress to see the Hale-Bopp comet without city lights. I even slept at the base of Mt. Hood in Oregon in February without a tent. Been there, done that. The object of true survival is to gain weight and prosper when the SHTF, not just survive. I'm getting old here. I like my coffee and my furry slippers with the claws these days.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

Every year a good friend of mine would hike into the Idaho back country and camp overnight for the new year. He did that well into his seventies. And yes I went on a few overnight cold weather excursions with him. It's not that bad once you get use to the idea. Central Tennessee in a camper? Well Uhm yeah okay...sounds like fun.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

(Slippy grins and agrees as Mrs Slippy adjusts the thermostat, hands Slippy a soft blankie and a cup of hot chocolate...brrrr 75 degrees inside is chilly:encouragement



csi-tech said:


> Slippy, I am an absolute candy ass. The idea here is not to rough it, not to test my mettle in the extreme conditions I've done all of that. I camped in 18 degree weather and extreme wind in a half shelter to se an eagle. I tent camped in 10 degrees with a blanket and a cardboard box mattress to see the Hale-Bopp comet without city lights. I even slept at the base of Mt. Hood in Oregon in February without a tent. Been there, done that. The object of true survival is to gain weight and prosper when the SHTF, not just survive. I'm getting old here. I like my coffee and my furry slippers with the claws these days.


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## Mish (Nov 5, 2013)

Dry camping?! Does that mean without alcohol?! Why would you do that?!


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Oh, God no. Libations with tiny umbrellas will be served . This is all inclusive. Dry meaning only no electricity, septic or water on site.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

We've done a fair amount of cold weather (20+ F) camping in our custom built motor home.
We also use a Mr. Heater instead of the propane furnace... doesn't eat battery and it sips fuel compared to the furnace... just crack a window or two and all is well.
Our fresh water tank is inside, so no problems there. The Black and Grey tanks are not, so we pour a couple gallons of RV antifreeze into each of them after dumping in cold weather.
The rig is fairly well insulated, but my wife made some nice fabric panels with an internal layer of Insul-Brite to hang on the walls around the bed... makes a noticeable difference.

Good batteries and efficient electrical componenets can make a big difference in how much you'll need to reply on other power sources. Replace all lights with LEDs!
We used to run Trojan batteries for the house, but they're flooded batteries and require maintenance... I'm lazy. We now run Odyssey batteries all around... two under the hood for the chassis and four in the cabinet for the house. If we start an adventure with all batteries fully charged, we could dry camp for a few days before needing to charge. Since adding solar panels we're pretty much good for as long as we wish. We've stopped bringing a generator with us unless it's real hot and we want to run the A/C.

We're generally very conservative with the house water supply when dry camping for more than a few days, using paper plates/cups, drinking beer/scotch/mead :idea:

Cold weather camping can be a lot of fun if you're prepared... sitting around a roaring campfire while it's snowing is a wonderful thing  have fun!


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

^^^Winner winner chicken dinner!^^^
This is where I want to be.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

From nearly 40 years of RVing, I've stolen a few tricks from other RVers. The "insulating" film you stick over the windows helps immensely. Your furnace will use 12 VDC from the batteries to operate and I'd recommend it over the Big Buddy Heater (BBH). The furnace consumes outside air for combustion, BBH uses the air you breath. You will be throwing off a lot of humidity from breathing and cooking inside. The BBH will add tons more from combustion of the propane. If you don't have a carbon monoxide detector in the trailer, get one. But they won't detect low oxygen if your BBH uses up too much oxygen. 

I'm only guessing but I'd bet a dollar to a donut that your fresh water tank is under the bed or under the sofa, so it's inside and won't have a problem with temperature. Even if the water were to start to freeze it would only freeze an inch or so right next to the tank wall and that would take many days, (from experience). When I was getting ready for a big trip in freezing weather, I found the sell a very thin heating pad (12VDC) for tanks. Had to remove the fresh water tank and install and wire up. I think is used about 1 amp per hour as long as it was turn on. So small, it had no thermostat. On the motorhome, it came equipped with heater pads on the outside black and gray water tanks. Instead of antifreeze in the waste holding tanks, I've seen a lot of people use rock salt. Never tried it, but it should work. 

Two golf cart batteries can last a long time, but check the onboard converter/battery charger. It could be as low as a 2 amp to 10 amp charger circuit for the batteries. They started using these so the batteries wouldn't boil dry from being plugged in all the time, but it takes forever to charge a twin battery setup. When I dry camped for 2 week intervals, I took my regular 30A battery charger with me. Disconnect the batteries negative cable and hook up the big charger. I took a new twin size inflatable air mattress and fixed up the 1 inch diameter inflation connection with a water hose connection (they sell these "tanks" too). I put the mattress in the back of the van and could put about 60 gallons of fresh water into it to haul to my trailer. With my motor home, I had to add a small pump to get the water up from my little station wagon's level to the taller water connection on the motorhome. 

Have fun.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Mish said:


> Dry camping?! Does that mean without alcohol?! Why would you do that?!


We don't know this man, anymore, do we?


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

You sound just fine. Just have wool stiff (socks, blankets,etc) under armor. With what you have you should be comfy. After all we're not talking extreme conditions.


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## GrumpyBiker (Nov 25, 2015)

Well CSI-Tech, 
How did it go?
Learn anything for next years hunting season ?

My wife & I have been into Motorhome traveling for a while & love it.
We bought a new 2012 Georgetown & ordered it with the Artic Pack.
Heated water lines & heated tanks ( black, grey & fresh water).
But there are time like this year when we're still snow & salt free but the coach has been winterized, that we still want to sneak out.
So we go without running water thru the lines. That's as close to camping as this Marine prefers to get unless I have to.
I've never put much weight in training to be uncomfortable, I still have very good memories of the desert & jungle.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

cdell said:


> How cold are you expecting it to get? I've done a fair bit of winter camping in Northern Canada. The camper furnace will usually run on the batteries without the generator (for a while at least). A good mummy bag will keep you warm especially if you are in a camper and can have external heat (doubt you will need it) and extra blankets. Heat up a bottle or thermos of water and put it in your bag with you when you go to bed. It will keep you warm for a few hours and you will keep it from freezing later in the night. Also throw your next days clothes in the bag with you if possible, they will be a lot nicer to put on in the morning if they are warm.
> 
> A tub to do dishes in so that you can throw the water outside after rather then having to let it go down the drain and have it freeze in the pipes.


When the battery dies,I've had good luck jumping it from the tow vehicle.


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