Freezing: When do I hook up water again

[travelingjw]

Staying near Yellowstone at Grizzly Yellowstone RV, right outside the park (great park). It froze 2 nights ago and last night. Last night they had us unhook water hoses, etc. This is our first time where we had really cold weather. Lines in the trailer are frozen. I have a number of questions:

1. Water Regulator: Water regulator seems to have been damaged. I could not set the pressure yesterday evening. I kept it low, but it was showing 80, not 40. Could freezing temperature have wrecked the water regulator. It would seem to me that they should be made to withstand one night of freezing whether.

2. It is morning now: Temps are climbing but water in TT is still frozen, water pump won't even cycle. If I hook up water lines prior to ice in lines melting will I burst the lines or maybe damage the fitting seals. When do you normally hook up again after a freeze.

3. If I do disconnect water hose at night, should I drain the lines. If so, how do I do that without running the pump dry.

4. I have the "Glacier" package on my 2017 23MRB. I understand that the underbelly protection helps somewhat. Is there anything that I need to understand about camping in freezing whether. (Not snow, just cold overnight).

Awesome trip, despite being sideswiped and are "down" today until I can get a replacement driver's side window. Have to drive 3 hours to get it fixed, but all that counts is that we are safe and only mirrors and window were damaged. Really learned a lesson about RV drivers on curves; he crossed the line and hit my mirror with his mirror. Police said it happens 10 - 12 times per day.

[farnik78]

I don’t understand how you are freezing up inside especially if you have the glacier package. Are you running the furnace?

[bdreinv]

Exactly we camped in the 20s several times. The water in the hose from RV site hook up froze nothing in camper!

[travelingjw]

We don't understand either. Yes we are running the furnace. The only thing that I thought of is that the water in the freshwater tank also froze.

[Jagiven]

How cold is it getting at night? What camper do you have?

We camp often with night time lows are in the low 20s. We have an open underbelly. We have never had an issue.

One night, and one time freezing can and usually does do damage. Regarding your pressure regulator, if it is not leaking, good change it is only the pressure gauge, and a replacement is cheap. As for the hose, Un couple it, and use gravity to drain it.

I'm surprised the pump is frozen as they are usually inside. We keep the cabinet doors ajar that have plumbing in them just to ensure heat can get to the pipes. Are you sure there is water in the tank and the pump is turned on? We fill the fw tank full in cold weather camping, ice forms from the top down, and a large thermal mass must cool off before any ice can start to form.

[travelingjw]

The temperature was in the mid-20's. Great idea on leaving the cabinet door open. Put 10gallons of fresh water into the tank that afternoon, thought that would be enough to keep from freezing. Thanks, I will replace the gauge and see if that works. Am now uncoupling and drain the hose each night. We have a Whitehawk 23MRB and are as puzzled as all of you. Thanks for the suggestions, will try them all tonight.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by farnik78

I don’t understand how you are freezing up inside especially if you have the glacier package. Are you running the furnace?

I don't either, we've camped in temps that hit mid teens and nothing froze. Woke up one morning in Denver, 17 degrees and 7 " of snow and all was fine and all I use is space heaters, not even the furnace.

[farnik78]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

I don't either, we've camped in temps that hit mid teens and nothing froze. Woke up one morning in Denver, 17 degrees and 7 " of snow and all was fine and all I use is space heaters, not even the furnace.

16 degrees on Raton Pass New Mexico. Burned over half a tank of propane but nothing froze.

[wags999]

We camp in Colorado all the time. This weekend it's calling for 29 low...we have camped down to about 22 with zero issues..either allow the water to drip, or wake up a few times during the night and turn the water on for 10 15 seconds, never even had the hose freeze up and this is with a 40' run.. never had an issue with the fresh water or either waste tank. Your regulator may of froze inside and cracked something...again leave the water drip very slowly, moving water is difficult to freeze solid.. Good Luck..

[jd99336]

That is puzzling. In our motorhome we were in the low 20's for 3 nights at Bryce Canyon in mid-May. Kept the heat on, the cupboard doors open under the sinks and the tank heaters on (our tanks and plumbing is exposed). Other than disconnecting the hose, no issues. Many times, things can freeze without permanent damage, so keep the heat on then check fuses/breakers in case one popped on the pump. The regulator should not be an issue unless it cracked the housing (that should have came off and drained too). As mentioned, maybe the guage (Lowes/Home Depot irrigation). I have taken mine apart and it is just a big spring on the inside with rubber seals, so nothing to break really.

[Witt74]

Damn, could use some of that weather here. McLeod Park, Kiln MS., 95 degrees with a heat index of 113. No cool down in sight. Send some of that cold this way!

[us71na]

Originally Posted by travelingjw

1. Water Regulator: Water regulator seems to have been damaged. I could not set the pressure yesterday evening. I kept it low, but it was showing 80, not 40. Could freezing temperature have wrecked the water regulator. It would seem to me that they should be made to withstand one night of freezing whether. It depends on the type of regulator, some types do not tolerate freezing

2. It is morning now: Temps are climbing but water in TT is still frozen, water pump won't even cycle. If I hook up water lines prior to ice in lines melting will I burst the lines or maybe damage the fitting seals. When do you normally hook up again after a freeze. Why was there water in your tank if you were connected to city water?

3. If I do disconnect water hose at night, should I drain the lines. If so, how do I do that without running the pump dry. You can open your low point drains and all faucets in the rv. Water will drain out of most of your system

4. I have the "Glacier" package on my 2017 23MRB. I understand that the underbelly protection helps somewhat. Is there anything that I need to understand about camping in freezing whether. (Not snow, just cold overnight).

See the comments in blue above.

[travelingjw]

Thanks, my only guess is that the diaphram may have frozen and cracked. The pump is now working fine; just started working after it got warm. Everything is now disconnected so I will test again in the morning. I agree with everyone that something seems "off." That why I enjoy this forum.

[travelingjw]

Thanks Grumpy, always appreciate your input. I always keep at least 10 gallons in my freshwater tank due to power outages, etc. I understand about draining the system. I chose not to do so because I want to find the problem. If need be I am willing to do some repairs while exploring this. It was colder than this in Bryce last year and we didn't have any of these problems. I am missing something. It just occurred to me that maybe I have an intermittent problem in the pump switch. Will test tomorrow.

[poohbear]

Why I like our heated hose. We haves been in 17 D & no problem with the water with this hose. We got ours at CW but may be cheaper on Amazon etc.

[travelingjw]

Woke up at 4:00 a.m. this morning, pump would work but flow was intermittent. Switch tested fine. Will replace gauge on regulator tomorrow.

I am wondering if air got into the lines when I disconnected the first night and mistook this for frozen lines in the TT. This is just a WAG, but this entire situation doesn't make sense. And, the pump was not cycling until it warmed up. The pump is self-priming so I still can't isolate the issue.

They make you disconnect your water lines at night here as it somehow can damage their valves at the site, so during the night it is only the pump.

Tonight I filled the fresh water tank to 2/3 full. It is supposed to hit the high 20's tonight. The pump is inside the TT so I am not concerned about it freezing. I will see what happens in the morning.

Summary:
1. No electrical issues at either the switch or the fuse box.
2. While water flows it do not flow "steady." It normally will "pulse" but now it is like a valve is lowering the flow every 1/4 second or so.
3. Could the "internal" issue be that the pump is failing?
4. When I reconnected fresh water this afternoon everything but the "gauge" on the regulator worked fine.

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions.

[travelingjw]

Thanks again to everyone; Final Post. It froze again last night, got down to about 27. We had no internal problems. Pump worked fine, water flowed fine. I did look up the directions for our regulator and clearly states that if it is going to freeze, bring it inside. Arrived in Idaho tonight and neighbor has a heated hose, says he uses all the time (thanks Poohbear!). We will hit two more freezing nights on the way home so there is an opportunity to learn some more. Thanks again.

[DMobley232]

Originally Posted by wags999

We camp in Colorado all the time. This weekend it's calling for 29 low...we have camped down to about 22 with zero issues..either allow the water to drip, or wake up a few times during the night and turn the water on for 10 15 seconds, never even had the hose freeze up and this is with a 40' run.. never had an issue with the fresh water or either waste tank. Your regulator may of froze inside and cracked something...again leave the water drip very slowly, moving water is difficult to freeze solid.. Good Luck..

We are thinking of camping in Yampa, CO (Approx 7k in elevation) from Oct 18-26, but I have never used the camper in cold weather. I see that it is getting down below 32, but only for a few hours. Do you think we will be ok? I have a 2017 Jayco Jayflight with no special winter package.

[spark of insanity]

I am reminded of something the grandparents use to do when it got cold. Open the doors under the sink and to the bathroom. Making sure where the pipes are they won't freeze. I know our hot water tank is under a seat and thinking I might open that up if need be. Good luck.

[mmuratet]

I have a 264BHW Featherlite. Driving across the country last winter it got into the low20s. Fresh water lines froze but there was no damage. Grey water drain pipe fitting cracked but I repaired it with a pipe bandage.

Has anyone tried to insulate underneath their trailer? Do you leave the water dripping with the pump on? I’ll try leaving the cabinet doors open.