Fresh water tank and freezing weather - Event Date: 07 Dec 2019

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   Pods are great little trialers but they are decidedly not 4-season campers by any reasonable definition.  I mean you can sleep under a tarp in -10 degree weather, so I guess you'd have a 4-season tarp, but depending on your attitude about it, I think you have complete justification in returning the Pod.  The salesman lied to you.  

All that said, what Stephen said is all good.  I stay in the pod in sub-freezing weather, but I have it winterized.  It's a toasty, comfortable place to spend the night, cook, watch TV, etc.  Depending on how cold it is, forget about plumbing though.  I wouldn't worry about overnight temps in the 20s if it warms up during the day, but in the teens or below for any time, you should winterize.

TT

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Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446	Calendar Event: Fresh water tank and freezing weather Posted: 07 Dec 2019 at 9:44pm
	Pods are great little trialers but they are decidedly not 4-season campers by any reasonable definition. I mean you can sleep under a tarp in -10 degree weather, so I guess you'd have a 4-season tarp, but depending on your attitude about it, I think you have complete justification in returning the Pod. The salesman lied to you. All that said, what Stephen said is all good. I stay in the pod in sub-freezing weather, but I have it winterized. It's a toasty, comfortable place to spend the night, cook, watch TV, etc. Depending on how cold it is, forget about plumbing though. I wouldn't worry about overnight temps in the 20s if it warms up during the day, but in the teens or below for any time, you should winterize. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Posted: 07 Dec 2019 at 8:02pm
	Congratulations and welcome! If you search the forum, (using the advanced search to be able to expand the date range), you will find lots of prior discussions of this. In a nutshell, overnight temps below freezing are okay if the temperature gets above freezing during the day. Extended freezing temps mean that you need to winterize the water system. You can carry water inside in where it is heated, but the tanks can freeze since they are exposed (yes, the salesman told you what you wanted to hear which is not the same as telling you the whole truth). That being said, we did camp in sub-freezing temperatures. We carried water in an 8 gallon Hydroller container and kept is in the Tow Vehicle (TV) when we were driving and took it into the 'Pod when we were inside it and the heat was turned on. We used RV antifreeze to flush #2 (not required for #1) and added some to the gray water tank. We used rest stop or other available facilities when available. In that regard, it was more like tent camping, but much more comfortable. If the elk camp has facilities available, you can use the 'Pod for other things like sleeping, cooking, lounging, but be aware that you will go through a LOT of propane if you expect to keep it at a toasty 72F. When we were winter camping, it was down as low as 4F with a lot of wind chill. A 20 lb tank would not last long (a day or two) if we tried to heat the 'Pod like we were in the house. It is well insulated, but not that well. Keep the temps cooler (65F to 68F or whatever you can stand) during the times you are inside and awake and turn it down to 50F or thereabouts when you are sleeping and use a good sleeping bag to keep warm. If you winterized, then you can turn the heat off to save gas unless you do have a water jug inside, then keep it as low as possible to keep the temps above freezing inside. If you have electricity available, take advantage of that and carry a small ceramic block heater. That will save you from having to hunt up propane tank refill places as often. Four season means enclosed tanks with heat pumped in via ducted heat. That may keep the tanks from freezing, but at the cost of a high propane use. There is the option of enclosing the tanks yourself, either via bales of hay as you stated, or finding a product to cover the tanks. I remember reading abut one person doing so, but I don't recall reading how well that worked out. Others have made a water circulation setup that puts a pump at the water heater and a valve at the farthest faucet. Hot water is then pumped through and then it empties back into the fresh water tank. This is set up on some sort of timer to let it run periodically. This gives instant hot water at the tap and helps keep the fresh water tank from freezing. Again, it is at the expense of much increased propane use. In the summer, the instant hot water is a big water saver since one does not have to waste that gallon or so of water trying to get hot water at the tap. I intend to make that modification one of these days.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Buffalohunter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 12 Oct 2019 Location: Bellingham, Wa Online Status: Offline Posts: 57	Posted: 07 Dec 2019 at 4:46pm
	Ok so I have a Toyota Taco V 6 and just bought a 2020 189 R-Pod. I use it for exploring the great western US as well as chasing after wild animals. I was told that it is a 4 season trailer by the salesman...I know they say anything you want to hear. The truck-pod are a good fit towing wise so I jumped on the buy. Now looking at the pod I am wondering if it can Handel the freezing cold of an elk camp. The fresh water tank is exposed under the chassis so in the butt cold of camp there is no reason why it would not freeze. Anybody here have direct experience with this issue? Should I carry bales of hay to enclose the underside? Is there some kind of low voltage heater that can be installed? What can be done to prevent the fresh water tank...as well as the black and grey tanks...from freezing during the winter forays into the mountains? Or is this just a fair weather pod that must stay home when the weather heads into the lower 30’s range? Inquiring minds want to know before it’s to late. Any thoughts and or experience with this delima?