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cabinnewbie
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 09:12pm
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hey everyone,
I'm planning out my cabin build for the summer (first time) in New England. I'm thinking of only insulating the floor the first year. And I probably will only stay int the cabin in the spring/summer.
I'm worried whether it's bad to leave a cabin unheated over the winter though? I'm in New England and it's been below zero often.
I know obviously water lines would be possibly an issue. And I hear lithium ion based batteries would be bad in the winter. Any other concerns?
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happilyretired
Member
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 09:44pm
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There are hundreds of thousands of cabins that are closed for the winter. As long as the basic winterizing steps are taken you'll be fine.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 09:52pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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We are in South Central WI (44* lat), cabin is poorly insulated and unheated/rarely accessed in winter.
Off grid, dry (no running water)
No plumbing, nothing to drain except dump the 40ish gal rain barrel.
Have 600W of solar array, LED lights, 300W PSW inverter (for light duty 120vac) and a 1700/2000W inv/gen (for big stuff).
LFP battery (LiFePO4) is what I have now, used 'marine' deep cycle (FLA) bats for decades. The FLA I used to leave hooked up to stayed topped up by the solar over winter because they were too miserably heavy to take home.
LFP can stay all winter below freezing at about 60-80% charged and even be lightly used (like for the lights). BUT Do Not Charge Them Below Freezing.
My 2 100Ah LFP's are under 30# each, easy to move, so I am currently taking one back & forth, recharge at home. (our 'season' is just starting here).
My solar is going to be re-done this year since I have it, if I didnt I could run those 2 bats back & forth easily or even top up with the gen after 2-3 days.
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cabinnewbie
Member
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 09:57pm
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If the indoor temperature where the batteries are stored goes above freezing, is it safe to reconnect the LFP batteries and charge via solar?
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 20 Mar 2022 10:11pm
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Yes, as long as the batteries have 'warmed up' to ambient temp.
Because LFP does not offgas you can have them in the living space where they can warm up as you heat the cabin, then hook them up to whatever 'charger'. They dont have to be kept fully charged at all like FLA and pretty much all the Ah's are usable.
Do you have 'solar experience'?
Any of the components? Or are you thinking AIO?
Be aware that the elec power system is a specialty above and beyond the complexity of building the structure.
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 07:00am
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The cabin won’t mind. Been done for hundreds of years.
Some decent ventilation would be worth planning. I always leave vents open when not there to keep moisture issues at bay
Otherwise just winterize and don’t charge lithium batteries if they are cold.
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jhp
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 11:45am
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Don't leave any liquids you drink other than liquor.
Water jugs and bottles will freeze, expand and break. When they thaw out they will make a huge mess. Beer and soda cans the same. Canned food is hit or miss but is a messy gamble.
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BRADISH
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 02:30pm
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I can't speak much to water lines or batteries as our current cabin has neither - but in terms of the cabin in general - ours goes from -40F to +80F a dozen times throughout the winter with no perceptible impacts to the building itself. Typically its usually closer ambient to 20F when we're up there, but regardless it's seen some very big temperature changes rather quickly and been totally fine.
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Fanman
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 05:44pm
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I drain the pipes, pour antifreeze in the traps, and leave any water jugs in the shower so if they break they won't make a mess. The shower trap is under the cabin so even if it does break (happened once in 15 years) it'll just drain on the ground without hurting anything.
Got up to the cabin briefly yesterday for the first time since last fall. Everything is OK, no mouse poop anywhere and no mice in the bucket traps. That's unusual but I'll take it. 
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 08:35pm
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Got to ours today, no mice sign, poison in boxes arent chewed on and the Red Squirrel 'abatement' I did seems successful.
Two clamps to the LFP bat, flip switch On for inverter and we had lights and fan.
LP wall furnace fired up, 30K btu's right away
No pipes to mess with, 1 jug of utility water and 1 of potable, good for the day.
Gravity 'out' still works fine.
Ran the gen and my wife vacuumed while I rearranged the furniture so she could get everywhere. Spring cleaning is done!
Leaving was just loading up and gone.
That is how easy it can be unless you want to complicate it.
Btw, we are 70ish, been cabining since '83 (2 diff places) and none of the way we do this is a hardship.
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frankpaige
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 10:02pm
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I go up once a month, at least. Colorado. 9500 feet. It is cold in the cabin when I arrive. Open curtains, flip the solar switch, get chair for deck and you are all good! No plumbing. Only liquids are Jameson and Benadryl. Neither freeze. Enjoy!
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shingobeek
Member
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# Posted: 21 Mar 2022 10:57pm
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We have a place in N MN, dry, no solar, temp swings from -45f to 95f....cabin has been there since 61. Vertical log style.....just leave the liquor, take all the food as mouse like it and it can freeze. I do leave some dry food as emergency needs, mac/cheese, dry soup, etc.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 22 Mar 2022 08:05am
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Mine does fine, I have no plumbing, if you do, drain it. I have no issues at all, drier climate, but below 0 F temps in winter. Laminate snap in flooring and its all good every time.
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