# Living Year-Round In An Outback?



## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

Hi Everyone.

We have a 2007 Bunkhouse OB (26KBRS) that we've used for a number of 3-5K road trips very successfully for 3 seasons of the year.

Dh has accepted a new job outside Omaha, NE and since our house in WI isn't selling in this market, he's planning on moving into the OB fulltime for the winter. He's looking into building an insulated skirt around the bottom of the OB and will heat wrap and insulate all pipes and tanks (he'll have full hook-ups). We don't like the propane (smell), so we've used oil-filled electric radiators quite successfully in some below freezing, late autumn camping trips. We think the same will work for the winter - and maybe even put one in the "crawl space" he'll be building around the base.

Has anyone ever done something like this? If so, how should he prepare for a winter in Omaha?

Oh, and a related question is - since our OB has no side slides, it can get a little cramped when everyone is inside (there's 8 of us - the children range from age 14 down to 4). So, we're exploring the possibility of "upgrading" to a bunkhouse model with a side slide for this experience (Cougar and Laredo have appropriate models - if only Outback still did?!). I'm worried that wintering with more slides will make the rv colder. Does anyone know if this is true? The children and I will only be there intermittently, so we're not sure if the extra space is critical.

Thanks for any/all advice!
Jean


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## BamaOutbackers (Jun 12, 2010)

I have myself and my girlfriend and our little dog in my outback fifthwheel. It may be larger then what you're talking about, but I've been fulltiming in it for nearly 2 years now. I've living in several states with it. In a harsh winter, yes, you'll need to put some type of skirting around the bottom. I would also make use of the furnace.


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## BritsOnTour (Sep 15, 2006)

Hi, we have been living in our OB for the past year. We have 4 children, so family of 6; it's been fantastic (but we have been traveling around the US, not fixed in one place)!

Typically, we are hooked up to electric and we use 2 plug-in space heaters - if we've already paid for the electric, we figure we'll use it! They do a good job of keeping the trailer warm, just twice we've had to supplement with the propane. We have had to disconnect our water a few times at night but we just keep a 6 gallon container of water on the side for emergencies during those times. The biggest problem with the cold is the amount of condensation that gets on the windows, you really need to wipe them down every morning otherwise other f-t'ers have found they end up with a mold issue.

I'm not sure what NE winters are like, I'm assuming pretty cold! We spent a large portion of the winter in the south but have hit some snow and below freezing temps (northern AZ, northern TX, OR, northern CA.....).

As to slide-outs, probably they would be slightly colder but for us, it's been unnoticeable. Have you checked out the Outback 301bq? We traded our bunkhouse model for this new one back in November and the additional space it affords us has been wonderful. It has the 4 bunks, side slide queen (in a proper bedroom!) and 4ft slide for both dinette (Ushaped = more people) and sofa - you might NOT want to look at one, you'll be hooked!

Hope this helps, Ali


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## BamaOutbackers (Jun 12, 2010)

In colder temps, make sure you heattrace your water line. I have a winter hose and a summer hose. Or, leave the water dribbling in the sink.


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

BritsOnTour said:


> Typically, we are hooked up to electric and we use 2 plug-in space heaters - if we've already paid for the electric, we figure we'll use it! They do a good job of keeping the trailer warm, just twice we've had to supplement with the propane. We have had to disconnect our water a few times at night but we just keep a 6 gallon container of water on the side for emergencies during those times. The biggest problem with the cold is the amount of condensation that gets on the windows, you really need to wipe them down every morning otherwise other f-t'ers have found they end up with a mold issue.
> 
> As to slide-outs, probably they would be slightly colder but for us, it's been unnoticeable. Have you checked out the Outback 301bq? We traded our bunkhouse model for this new one back in November and the additional space it affords us has been wonderful. It has the 4 bunks, side slide queen (in a proper bedroom!) and 4ft slide for both dinette (Ushaped = more people) and sofa - you might NOT want to look at one, you'll be hooked!
> 
> Hope this helps, Ali


Thanks, Ali - you've helped a lot! I looked at the OB 301BQ. WOW! I don't know how I missed it before? The only thing the Laredo/Cougar have additionally is a small door into the bunk room that allows you to put in bikes. Still trying to figure out if that's really important or not (we have trouble finding places for all the bikes when we travel). I also like the possibility of the sofa/air bed for the bunk room and the slide in there instead of the master bedroom. Ahh, the choices!

Yes, we already know about the condensation - thanks for the reminder. We actually rarely camp in the summer - almost always in the spring/fall because the campgrounds aren't so crowded (we homeschool, so we travel when most children are in school). Condensation was a constant battle.

Jean


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

BamaOutbackers said:


> In colder temps, make sure you heattrace your water line. I have a winter hose and a summer hose. Or, leave the water dribbling in the sink.


We've left the water dribbling before when outdoor temps went into the 20s - but I'm not sure I know what a heat trace is? Is it similar to wrapping the water line with heat tape (that you plug in) and covering it with insulation?

Thanks for the information and suggestions! And I agree about using the furnace to heat the underbelly at times - just wondering if keeping an oil filled radiator down in the insulated skirt area would do a good enough job? The propane bothers the breathing of some of our asthmatics - so we try to avoid it, since it means we need to leave the camper while it is on.

Jean


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## BamaOutbackers (Jun 12, 2010)

I would be worried about having something like that plugged in below the camper.


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## Sweathog62 (Jul 28, 2005)

I did this some in Oklahoma between jobs one December 5 years ago. O'my, not again. I'd discourage it. The problem is wind. You just can't plug all the holes to avoid the wind blowing into the camper or underside which results in a freeze up. I decided it was not worth wondering if I was going to damage the trailer. I did not, and yes, I ran the heat tape up the hose as others mentioned. We used two electric space heaters and yes it was good to stay in it since I was making payments anyway and I loved the trailer. Well me and an AWACS pilot from Tinker AFB were the only people up at 5 a.m. in the coldest RV park restroom in the world...LOL. I walked there with snow on the ground and waited for the heater to come on before I could stand to shower. Can it be done yes, but I gave up and winterized the camper and just used the RV park facilities. The micro and TV worked great. I also installed 2 electric blankets for further comfort. I only wish I had a pic of my wife coming out of the unit dressed to the 10's for a formal christmas party. Rat's maybe next time.









Cheers.


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## Tangooutback (Apr 16, 2010)

Sweathog62 said:


> I did this some in Oklahoma between jobs one December 5 years ago. O'my, not again. I'd discourage it. The problem is wind. You just can't plug all the holes to avoid the wind blowing into the camper or underside which results in a freeze up. I decided it was not worth wondering if I was going to damage the trailer. I did not, and yes, I ran the heat tape up the hose as others mentioned. We used two electric space heaters and yes it was good to stay in it since I was making payments anyway and I loved the trailer. Well me and an AWACS pilot from Tinker AFB were the only people up at 5 a.m. in the coldest RV park restroom in the world...LOL. I walked there with snow on the ground and waited for the heater to come on before I could stand to shower. Can it be done yes, but I gave up and winterized the camper and just used the RV park facilities. The micro and TV worked great. I also installed 2 electric blankets for further comfort. I only wish I had a pic of my wife coming out of the unit dressed to the 10's for a formal christmas party. Rat's maybe next time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I thought about full-timing in a trailer during retirement years in order to wander around the country. I wondered about insulation issue with TT if parked in northern states. I guess the better option is to go with a bus like RV, which would provide better insulation?


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## BamaOutbackers (Jun 12, 2010)

I've stayed everywhere in my trailer. I've never had a problem in winter, in snow or anything. Keep the furnace going, even when driving, keep the propane full and enjoy life? My water never froze or anything.


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Jean,

We lived in Omaha for 3 years while stationed at Offutt. The winters can be very cold, but the worst part is the wind. It's a constant factor up that way. If you plan on staying fairly stationary for quite a while, you can do a lot of things to make your camper more cold friendly.

First thing is to heat the underbelly. That's where most of your cold related damage is going to occur. If you plan on upgrading to a new camper, you may want to ask the dealer to install a few tank heaters. The OB's have heated tanks by virtue of the furnace ducting running through the belly---not the most efficient setup, but it does work---as long as you run the furnace. If you can't use the furnance, your best option is to get the electric tank heaters. I know I've read at least one post about someone putting a 150 watt light bulb in the underbelly. Cheap, but you have to run it all the time and worry about if it's burnt out.

You'll for sure want to heat and insulate your water hose. Some CG's actually cut off the water at a certain time of year and drain the water lines to prevent damage. May want to check with the CG you're considering to verify. I know Two Rivers SRA does this...don't ask. There are some pretty nifty heated water hoses that you can buy aftermarket, but they aren't cheap. A google search came up with a heated 20' hose for $80. You can likely make one cheaper.

Skirting would make a big difference in how cold your floors are. Essentially, anything to block the wind... If you get creative and wait until it snows, you may just try piling some snow around the base.







Other than that, you should be able to purchase some thin plywood or luan to act as a wind barrier. Pretty much anything will work as long as it blocks the wind.

The side slide in my camper does allow some colder air to come in around the base. I don't know if it's a bad seal or what... If I were camping someplace for an extended duration, I might try sealing it with some towels or something of that nature.

Have a good time in the Omaha area. Aside from the winters and snow, we liked the area. You have to go and check out the zoo while you're there. My favorite exhibit was the jungle dome. The roof is held up by two(?) large columns shaped to look like trees.


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## JLAnderson (Sep 13, 2008)

I don't know about full-timing, but we have a small dehumidifier (a small Soleus) that we run pretty much any time it's cool out. It sucks up an amazing amount of water. I don't know if it will beat out the windows for condensing water when it's below freezing, but in above-zero weather, it works great. We figured 4 people and a dog or two can exhale a lot of water overnight; we wanted to get some added insurance against mold in a small, fairly well sealed environment.


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

BamaOutbackers said:


> I've stayed everywhere in my trailer. I've never had a problem in winter, in snow or anything. Keep the furnace going, even when driving, keep the propane full and enjoy life? My water never froze or anything.


Great suggestion about keeping furnace going while driving - we drained stuff and blew it out with air instead!

Jean


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

Justman said:


> First thing is to heat the underbelly. That's where most of your cold related damage is going to occur. If you plan on upgrading to a new camper, you may want to ask the dealer to install a few tank heaters. The OB's have heated tanks by virtue of the furnace ducting running through the belly---not the most efficient setup, but it does work---as long as you run the furnace. If you can't use the furnance, your best option is to get the electric tank heaters. I know I've read at least one post about someone putting a 150 watt light bulb in the underbelly. Cheap, but you have to run it all the time and worry about if it's burnt out.
> 
> You'll for sure want to heat and insulate your water hose. There are some pretty nifty heated water hoses that you can buy aftermarket, but they aren't cheap. A google search came up with a heated 20' hose for $80. You can likely make one cheaper.
> 
> ...


Thanks for all the suggestions and insights!

Yes, the cold is rough, but the wind is awful!!! For the skirting, we're planning on using pressure treated 1x6s and 2x4s that we took down from a fence around our house. They still have some life, so we'll bring the chop saw and start building!
Once that's in place, we'll insulate the inside of the skirting with 2" hard pink foam insulation and cover the ground under the TT with plastic. We'll keep a thermometer down there and will monitor the temperature of the space remotely. We'll add a heater if necessary.

Another wind barrier we're considering is putting up one of the temporary garages (sized for rvs) over & around the TT. We'd put up the roof and walls on the N, W, & E sides, leaving the South side exposed for some thermal gain (?) and natural light. If he's still there in the summer, we'll take down the rest of the walls and leave the roof for extra protection from the sun.

As for the heated water pipe - I never heard of one! Thanks. We'll check it out and see if it's the same as wrapping our existing water line with heat tape.

And yes, we will definately be upgrading. Unfortunately, the OB 301BQ is perfect for us - but too heavy for our 1/2 ton Suburban. Alas, we can't afford to upgrade both the RV and TV at this time :-( So, we're looking at the Cougar X-lite 29BHS. I hope we'll still be welcome on these boards after we make the switch?! Anyway, we'll talk to the dealer about heaters for the tanks as an extra precaution.

Jean


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

JLAnderson said:


> I don't know about full-timing, but we have a small dehumidifier (a small Soleus) that we run pretty much any time it's cool out. It sucks up an amazing amount of water. I don't know if it will beat out the windows for condensing water when it's below freezing, but in above-zero weather, it works great. We figured 4 people and a dog or two can exhale a lot of water overnight; we wanted to get some added insurance against mold in a small, fairly well sealed environment.


This beats drying down all the windows and walls every morning with a towel(which is what I had to do when we camped at the Grand Canyon in November last year - temps were in the 20s-30s.) 8 people exhaled an awful lot of moisture! Can't wait to try your suggestion!


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## Justman (Jul 22, 2006)

Momof6 said:


> I don't know about full-timing, but we have a small dehumidifier (a small Soleus) that we run pretty much any time it's cool out. It sucks up an amazing amount of water. I don't know if it will beat out the windows for condensing water when it's below freezing, but in above-zero weather, it works great. We figured 4 people and a dog or two can exhale a lot of water overnight; we wanted to get some added insurance against mold in a small, fairly well sealed environment.


This beats drying down all the windows and walls every morning with a towel(which is what I had to do when we camped at the Grand Canyon in November last year - temps were in the 20s-30s.) 8 people exhaled an awful lot of moisture! Can't wait to try your suggestion!
[/quote]

Isn't the "Dry" setting on the Carrier AC built to act as a dehumidifier? Obviously can't run both the "Dry" setting and the furnace at the same time, but it may help when using electric heaters and such.


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## Momof6 (Aug 5, 2010)

Justman said:


> I don't know about full-timing, but we have a small dehumidifier (a small Soleus) that we run pretty much any time it's cool out. It sucks up an amazing amount of water. I don't know if it will beat out the windows for condensing water when it's below freezing, but in above-zero weather, it works great. We figured 4 people and a dog or two can exhale a lot of water overnight; we wanted to get some added insurance against mold in a small, fairly well sealed environment.


This beats drying down all the windows and walls every morning with a towel(which is what I had to do when we camped at the Grand Canyon in November last year - temps were in the 20s-30s.) 8 people exhaled an awful lot of moisture! Can't wait to try your suggestion!
[/quote]

Isn't the "Dry" setting on the Carrier AC built to act as a dehumidifier? Obviously can't run both the "Dry" setting and the furnace at the same time, but it may help when using electric heaters and such.
[/quote]

We used the dry setting - and not the furnace - and it wasn't able to keep up with us in PA + NY in November (2 years ago). We didn't try it when out West last year - the blowing air felt cold and we were cold enough as it was - LOL!. NE seems to have a little less humidity than we had out East (or here in WI, for that matter), so it might work. We'll try that first.

Jean


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

Justman said:


> I don't know about full-timing, but we have a small dehumidifier (a small Soleus) that we run pretty much any time it's cool out. It sucks up an amazing amount of water. I don't know if it will beat out the windows for condensing water when it's below freezing, but in above-zero weather, it works great. We figured 4 people and a dog or two can exhale a lot of water overnight; we wanted to get some added insurance against mold in a small, fairly well sealed environment.


This beats drying down all the windows and walls every morning with a towel(which is what I had to do when we camped at the Grand Canyon in November last year - temps were in the 20s-30s.) 8 people exhaled an awful lot of moisture! Can't wait to try your suggestion!
[/quote]

Isn't the "Dry" setting on the Carrier AC built to act as a dehumidifier? Obviously can't run both the "Dry" setting and the furnace at the same time, but it may help when using electric heaters and such.
[/quote]
You can, but you have to split the furnace from thr A/C. I did this by cutting the T-stat wire and adding a new thermostat. The new thermostat controls the furnace while the A/C is in Dry mode. I spent 3 weeks in the OB in CNY in March with the boys when their sister was in heat. James


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