Moving to Fort Wainwright come December...Have questions... (Fairbanks: houses, buy)

[islandiva]

hi everyone...i am so excited to see alaska...i heard so many things about alaska...i know that where we are going it is very cold...so i need to ask what good winter clothing is needed...the reason i ask this is we are from the island of guam & its very warm there...so this will be a big transition for us...we are coming from south korea & moving to ft wainwright...i know for a fact that the weather in korea is nothing compare to alaska...so please any help is appreciate it for our new & exciting move to alaska...need to know the right winter clothing...where to get a block heater for my car & what else is needed for my car...what i should be prepared for...any info that will help us will be awesome...well, i can't wait to hear what you all have to say & thank you for your help...

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by islandiva

hi everyone...i am so excited to see alaska...i heard so many things about alaska...i know that where we are going it is very cold...so i need to ask what good winter clothing is needed...the reason i ask this is we are from the island of guam & its very warm there...so this will be a big transition for us...we are coming from south korea & moving to ft wainwright...i know for a fact that the weather in korea is nothing compare to alaska...so please any help is appreciate it for our new & exciting move to alaska...need to know the right winter clothing...where to get a block heater for my car & what else is needed for my car...what i should be prepared for...any info that will help us will be awesome...well, i can't wait to hear what you all have to say & thank you for your help...

Before we spend all your money, tell us about the weather in Korea, if it is anything like in the TV show Mash you will have most of what you need. Winter here is mostly -20 to 20 above with a few weeks of -30 and colder. Unfortunatly December is usually when the bottom tries to drop out. Usually right after Christmas. Lots of Polarfleece is worn, and in layers. Boots are the big thing, especially for people who like a warmer climate. Plan on getting what you need here, there are lots of imitations that look good but don't work well up here.

If you husband is mechanically inclined he can winterize your car for less, especially at the selfhelp autoshop on post. Having it done locally can run up to $400 depending on the car and such.

Winterize the car list in order of importance. Assuming manual transmission.

Frost plug heater, (block heater) 2 on big block v8s
winter weight motor oil, check your owners manual for viscosity.
Winter weight diffrential and transmission fluid if gear oil. (some use synthetics or Auto transmission fluid which don't need changed.
Silicone heater for engine oil pan
Silicone heater for manual transmission
Battery blanket or silicone heater for Battery
Wheel bearing greese that is good to -60 ( bummer when the non drive wheels wont roll at -40.
Most cars have antifreeze in them, so make sure it is good to -60.

Optional items that make life more comfortable,
Autostart, (remote control that starts car and heater. Runs for about 20 minutes then shuts car off, has other features that make it worth the $$$.
GARAGE!
Grill cover to block air flow to radiator while driving down road, think wind chill factor.... Not actually but gives you the idea.
Interior heater, helps keep the interior finish and seats from wearing out too soon, (may not be allowed on post due to electrical demands)
A Timer for each vehicle to save electricity when your not going out. Mainly good for overnight and having the timer turn on plugged in car about 2 - 3 hour before you need to start it.
This is a start.

[Glitch]

Stop by an Army Surplus store and pick up their Extreme Cold Weather outfit. Like Articthaw said, it is mostly polar fleece, in layers. If you have the money, North Face makes some very nice cold weather outfits.

Also buy a few extra halogen lamps for the home. There are only a few hours of daylight at Ft. Wainwright in December, and one of the biggest problems you may experience (being from Guam) is the lack of sunlight. Just sitting in a very well lit room for 30 minutes a day can make a big difference in your attitude. Not to worry though, by December 21st we start gaining around 5 minutes of sunlight per day.

[c.adam]

I wouldn't use Halogen Lamps. you want proper sun lamps if that is found to be necessary. you can purchase bulbs that will provide the right type of light.

You want Warm clothing, think in layers. It gets ALOT colder than -20, for days on end. Coming during December you need to do a few things immediately:

1. get yourself the warm outerwear, some thermal underwear, wool or polypro socks. For you and your family.

2. Car needs winterized and properly prepared (IM, etc...).

3. Embrace what is. It's going to be cold and harsh. but you also have the Northern Lights, the Stars... warmth inside at local coffee houses. Live music that is cozy as a fire.

You'll do fine. Your family have a military sponsor yet? I don't if the Army has that like the Air Force does... but they would be a good person to get with.

Once you make it through winter... the 2nd one won't be as bad.

[jessehoff]

What do you guys think about just gluing a silicon heater onto the antifreeze tube. Instead of using a freeze plug....thought this might be an easy fix...I just don't want to go through the mess of cutting the tube and putting an in-line heater in there....

Originally Posted by Arcticthaw

Before we spend all your money, tell us about the weather in Korea, if it is anything like in the TV show Mash you will have most of what you need. Winter here is mostly -20 to 20 above with a few weeks of -30 and colder. Unfortunatly December is usually when the bottom tries to drop out. Usually right after Christmas. Lots of Polarfleece is worn, and in layers. Boots are the big thing, especially for people who like a warmer climate. Plan on getting what you need here, there are lots of imitations that look good but don't work well up here.

If you husband is mechanically inclined he can winterize your car for less, especially at the selfhelp autoshop on post. Having it done locally can run up to $400 depending on the car and such.

Winterize the car list in order of importance. Assuming manual transmission.

Frost plug heater, (block heater) 2 on big block v8s
winter weight motor oil, check your owners manual for viscosity.
Winter weight diffrential and transmission fluid if gear oil. (some use synthetics or Auto transmission fluid which don't need changed.
Silicone heater for engine oil pan
Silicone heater for manual transmission
Battery blanket or silicone heater for Battery
Wheel bearing greese that is good to -60 ( bummer when the non drive wheels wont roll at -40.
Most cars have antifreeze in them, so make sure it is good to -60.

Optional items that make life more comfortable,
Autostart, (remote control that starts car and heater. Runs for about 20 minutes then shuts car off, has other features that make it worth the $$$.
GARAGE!
Grill cover to block air flow to radiator while driving down road, think wind chill factor.... Not actually but gives you the idea.
Interior heater, helps keep the interior finish and seats from wearing out too soon, (may not be allowed on post due to electrical demands)
A Timer for each vehicle to save electricity when your not going out. Mainly good for overnight and having the timer turn on plugged in car about 2 - 3 hour before you need to start it.
This is a start.

[Grannysroost]

I have a son in S Korea also, he is now on mid-tour leave in TX...told him he should have come to Alaska!!! I would get the clothing up here, where you can have someone in the know give you advice and get the best you can for the dollar...It will be an experience

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by jessehoff

What do you guys think about just gluing a silicon heater onto the antifreeze tube. Instead of using a freeze plug....thought this might be an easy fix...I just don't want to go through the mess of cutting the tube and putting an in-line heater in there....

If your idea was easier and a better fix we would of suggested it already. Requesting advice from this forum is like drawing on lifetime experiences in all parts of Alaska. I would suggest one heeds the advice of those before you and install the block heater not the radiator hose model, else you may be the one begging a ride to work or worse broken down on the side of the road in -30 degrees. Don't forget to install the silicone pad heater to your oil pan. These two items are the minimum for Cold winters in Alaska.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by islandiva

hi everyone...i am so excited to see alaska...i heard so many things about alaska...i know that where we are going it is very cold...so i need to ask what good winter clothing is needed...the reason i ask this is we are from the island of guam & its very warm there...so this will be a big transition for us...we are coming from south korea & moving to ft wainwright...i know for a fact that the weather in korea is nothing compare to alaska...so please any help is appreciate it for our new & exciting move to alaska...need to know the right winter clothing...where to get a block heater for my car & what else is needed for my car...what i should be prepared for...any info that will help us will be awesome...well, i can't wait to hear what you all have to say & thank you for your help...

Well if you are going to be in the Fairbanks area, are you driving up or shipping your car? If you are driving, you should have at "Least" a freeze plug heater installed as Arcticthaw pointed out and change the oil to a synthetic oil like Mobil One 5W-30 for cold weather starting, adding 100 watt heater pads to the oil and transmission pans is even better. If you drive up along the Alcan, a -50F morning isn't uncommon and Fairbanks will hit that temps a lot.

Only takes one -50F (or colder) morning to mess your day up when you hit the starter and the engine just "clicks" because the oil is like glue and won't allow the engine to turn over.

As far as clothes go, your best bet is to have lots of layers like other's mentioned, but buy the really warm clothes here, you may buy stuff down south that looks good but doesn't do the job. Make sure you carry some road flares on the drive up, worst case is you can use them to start a fire in an emergency, even if it is your spare tire. Good sleeping bags and other warm stuff, the Alcan is a really lonely place after dark....

Good luck on the trip!

[Nigel Rush]

Hiya

I found Wainwright on Google earth a while ago now and for some reason I keep going back to it. Have you moved there now? How is it going?

[icarian]

Nigel,

Wainwright or Fort Wainwright...several hundred miles apart. Never been to Wainwright, but I can imagine that might pique someone's interest.