ThePewterPalace Our Love Affair with Avions

4 responses to “What is “The Pewter Palace”?”

1. 

   Colleen Barton

   February 26, 2025

   Hi. I recently purchased a 1987 Avion 34 W to live in, for now. Been watching some of your You Tube videos about insulating for cooler climates as I live in the mountains of NC.
   Wondered if you know any Avion owners near Asheville, NC that I could touch base with to learn some tricks & techniques for fixing items on the camper. She’s in pretty good shape but needs some sprucing up. The previous owner did some cosmetic work now it’s time to get to more functional stuff (water, power, propane etc).
   Would love to hear back from you.
   Thanks,
   Colleen

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   1. 

      pewterpalace87

      February 28, 2025

      Hi Colleen!
      Thanks for reaching out!
      As far as Avion owners in NC your best bet is to put that question out on the several Avion Facebook groups and ask if anyone nearer to you.

      For winter there are a few critical things.
      1 purchase a heated water hose and do not use any exterior water filter systems bc they will crack and freeze. Just use the hose.
      2. Only put your sewer hose out when you are dumping your black and grey tanks. Rinse it as normal with the grey water after dumping the black. Be sure to get as much water out as possible before storing. Then coil it back up and store it away from bad weather. If you have a shed, put it in there, or at least in a tote out of cold, snow and ice.
      3. Get the Reflectix from Lowes or home depot and cut and fit into all windows and your roof vents. It gets placed on the inside of trailer. I cut ours 2 inches bigger to allow it to fold and snug into the interior window frames.
      5. Monitor your inside the trailer humidity. Ideally you want it 30 to 50%. You may need a dehumidifier.
      6. Be sure to run your LP gas furnace that came with the rig. The heat ducts provide cirital ambient heat around your water tank, black and grey tanks and plumbing. Do NOT rely completely on electric portable heaters! The trailer underbelly won’t get any of that heat and quite frankly they are dangerous. We have one but only use to take chill off in AM in kitchen and never ever leave on over night. We also installed a dedicated 20 amp outlet to plug it into so it does not tax the original electric system. Don’t use a heater that draws over 1400 amps, ck it’s sticker.
      6. Some people in extreme cold do skirt their trailers. That does help. Use vinyl or ones made for RVs. Don’t use bales of hay or straw as they attract varmints.
      7. Speaking of varmints, your nice warm trailer is a fav place for them. Wr have had excellent results with using FreshCab natural sachets. Found at ACE and TC Tractor or on Amazon. Place them underneath and behind cabinets, in drawers etc.
      Lastly, if possible position your trailer so that your “wet bays” where your sewer discharge etc is and face that so the morning sun to afternoon sun is on that side. That is also where most or all of your plumbing runs inside the rig on that side. The aluminum will heat up and help to keep pipes from freezing. Wr also wrap plug in heat tape around our Valterra Valves where the handles are for emptying your black and grey as those PBC pipes can freeze. Be careful to follow directions how to wrap. You only need a fairly short heat tape and do not overlap itself on itself. We also put a rectangular sheet of reflection on the inside of that bay door to block wind and cold.
      Hope all this helps!
      Luise

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      1. 

         Colleen M Barton

         February 28, 2025

         Louise,

         Thanks so much for all your good ideas and suggestions. I will search this area for other Avion folks. Really enjoy your videos on the camper.

         Colleen Baarton

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      2. 

         pewterpalace87

         April 11, 2025

         Colleen,
         Great to hear from you and thank you for the lovely comment. We have just posted a SAVE THE DATE for a National Avion rally we are hosting in September 2026 in honor of the 70th Anniversary of Avions being made. Hope you find our content helpful and hope you may be able to attend the rally in 2026!
         Be well,
         Luise and Kevin

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