View 24J All Seasons?

[MikeB]

Hi to All,

New to RV'ing and looking to buy my first, 24J View. Sure this question will reflect my ignorance but was wondering if I will be able to use this in all seasons? Was hoping the cold and snow won't prevent me from exploring areas. Any coaching advice is most appreciated. Kind regards, Mike

[SarahW]

Hello Mike and welcome. The answer to your question is, "it depends." Most RVs are not built for severe cold and you'll have to learn how to protect your plumbing, etc. RVs have minimal insulation so they are harder to keep warm in extreme cold. In snow and ice, you will need chains or other safety equipment. There will be lots to consider for RVing in cold snowy conditions.

[NYBobbo]

I travel year round with standard tires. In snow you have to drive slower due to stopping distances etc. as well as it's high profile which can catch any wind.


If the temps get above freezing usually you can keep water in the tanks by using a small heater or light bulb in the wet bay, hot water heater on and use the lp furnace, most likely you would be good till the 20's. It's always safer to winterize when in doubt.


Consider carrying a small compressor to blow out the lines (and air the tires) on the road.


The real downside to winter travel is salt on the road, my upcoming project is to wire brush rust and repaint where needed.

[luvlabs]

The View/Navion are, at best, three season motorhomes. They really aren't designed to hang out in sub-freezing temperatures for long. Too little insulation and too many exposed water/waste system parts.

If you want to use it for four seasons, you need to just change your travel plans - north in the summer and south in the winter. Works well following that simple advice and you usually don't have to winterize the coach.

[Leevormelker]

I agree with the past reply's. There is a big "It depends" in the advice here. If you are in northern Florida and you are trying to survive a few 20° nights then the l.p. furnace will probably do all right. If you are trying to tour for weeks in north Dacoda and the temps are -25° that's a whole different situation. For that you need a "Real Four Season" camper like an Artic Fox or a Northern Lite camper.

[AJMike]

We make a point out of staying out of freezing weather when we camp, at least as much as we can. We camp in the southern US in the colder months and in the northern US during the rest of the year. We don't worry too much if the temperatures are only slightly below freezing as we have heat strips for the black and grey tanks, and assume that the temperature in the RV itself will do some to keep the fresh water tank from freezing, but we avoid seriously cold temperatures. We carry a small AC ceramic heater which we use if the temperatures threaten to drop below freezing but we stay away from places where the temperatures might drop below about 28 F. There is also the issue of snow and ice.

The RV furnace will use a lot of propane so we tend to avoid using it unless it is absolutely necessary, and we only camp in cold weather where we have access to shore power.

[PWRving]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Hi to All,

New to RV'ing and looking to buy my first, 24J View. Sure this question will reflect my ignorance but was wondering if I will be able to use this in all seasons? Was hoping the cold and snow won't prevent me from exploring areas. Any coaching advice is most appreciated. Kind regards, Mike

I recently traveled north to Delaware and Pennsylvania for ten days from my home in Northeast Florida. I have a 17V24J. It stays warm enough for comfort and the plumbing compartments and tanks are heated so no issues or areas of concern with freezing water lines. I will admit the floors are chilly when the temperatures reached the 20’s & 30’s.

The problem I encountered is that your rooftop AC/Heatpump doesn’t work in temperatures below the low 40’s. That was not a problem as the thermostat automatically starts the propane furnace. Here’s the only problem I encountered. The 13gal propane tank filled to 80% has actually 10+lbs usable gas. If you stay unplugged (boondock) for any length of time, you will use that propane quickly. If you are plugged in the heatpump works well as long as the temperatures don’t fall below it’s limits (check the manual).
For me, this experience confirmed my having the diesel generator over the propane generator. (BTW - I leave my fuel sipping diesel generator running frequently during hot weather while away from it for AC and refrigerator). This diesel/propane topic is highly debated. Propane suddenly become a precious commodity in cold weather for cooking and mostly heating. It’s far more convenient to fill the diesel tank than the propane tank. If it had a huge propane tank, that would be helpful.
Overall, my View did well in the colder climates. I would never consider it a winter RV due to limited heating potential, at least for boondocking. In fact, my wife and I said “forget it, never again”.

[Rhawk]

According to the dealer we purchased our Navion from, Winnebago tests the Navion at 21 F. Living in Colorado we find the 21 degree test temperature to be conservative.

If traveling in below freezing temperatures it is important to consider the items below:

1. When starting a trip be sure to pour some RV antifreeze in the toilet and sinks so that the antifreeze will settle in the drain valves.

2. Add an additional amount of water to each tank so the tank heaters can be used. DO NOT operate tank heaters when the tanks are empty.

3. If camping, choose a campsite with electric power.

4. Do not leave the gray and/or black drain valves open. Drain the tanks prior to departure and remember to add antifreeze after the dump.

5. Purchase a heated water hose if you are planning to use water from the campground hook-ups.

The Navion we purchased is our 7th RV. We have found the above to be helpful when traveling in winter.