Ice house questions

[Jignjerk]

Will be pulling the trigger on my first wheel house with in a week or so. Just have a couple questions and concerns to run by some of you. It is a 2014 Salem ice cabin, 24' with 8 holes and a closed off bathroom area. It comes with a 20,000 btu forced air heater and 2 20lb. Propane tanks. The hitch weight is 575 lbs. Dry weight 3997 lbs and gross weight is 5655 lbs. I realize all ice is different but with a single axle how much ice would you look for before pulling it out onto the ice? Also on average temps ( which I realize we don't have) how long would 2 20 lbs tanks run the heater? Also anything else a first time wheel house owner needs to know? Thanks

 

[raider]

we backed a 16' ice castle onto a small lake, unhooked it when the jack would reach the ice, and pushed it out on about 5" of ice every winter to start the season... this was a single axle on 2 tires and a jack... your 22' should be lighter in pounds per sf sitting on 4 tires and a jack... once you get past the popping and cracking you're home free...

once down, it will displace the weight easily...

 

[DirtyMike]

I usually pull ours onto the ice when I see a house bigger than mine on the ice.

 

[Jignjerk]

I guess I'm just a little worried about the weight of the house and it only being a single axle.

 

[7mmMag]

Its kind of a trial by fire deal. If it falls through then you will know for next year .:::

 

[JMF]

a 24' shack on a single axle trailer is going to have a pretty high PSI, personally I would need at least a foot, but I'm a chicken when it comes to ice. That long of a rig might be tricky to get onto the ice in a lot of places too, but I have no actual experience with one that big.

 

[hardwaterdriller]

I usually wait till 14-16' of ice. Once it is pretty safe with a truck. Houses are pretty heavy on the hitch to be moved with an ATV. A 20# tank will usually last 1-2 weekends depending on temps and wind. Mild weather can probably get 3 weekenders on a tank and that is with a 30k BTU heater. If you are able to bank it with snow real well, it helps tremendously.

 

[Jignjerk]

Thanks for all the info. I honestly never thought of the issues with length and getting it down and up a ramp and onto the ice. Good info on the propane usage as well. Thanks