2015 Redhawk My Pipes Froze

[myflyertrains]

On the way to AZ I was forced to stay at Stockton, TX where it went down to 22 degrees over night, it was 29 degrees when I got there at 5 pm. Campground hosts said just disconnect your hookups over night, and run your heat, and everything will be fine.

I got up at 4 am and noticed there was no water running anywhere. When I crawled under the coach I was surprised to see long lengths of water hose running between a large tank and the bottom of the floor, totally uninsulated! It was not to be above freezing until noon, so we hit the road. After a couple hours of driving we started to get water flow, and apparently no water pipes damaged. During the whole thing I went to check the control center panel to check for water in the tanks and such, and all indicators had 1 light, even the battery. Could I really have empty fresh water tank, it seemed unlikely. Later I found that if you have the exterior light on, the indicators all read 1 light, turn the light off, and normal.

So finally reached a KOA that wasn't going to freeze, and started to set up for the night. First thing, the large slideout wouldn't move, which ended up being a blown 30 amp fuse under the bed. But wait, the large drawer under the stovetop where an oven should have been put, would not open. It is a very sturdy drawer accept the bottom is only made of thin paneling. It had cracked under the weight of the dishes and everything had fallen down onto the furnace. Took out the adjacent drawers, and finally fished all the dishes out. I am thinking plywood might be a better bottom for that drawer.

We are camped here at a KOA in AZ for a second night trying to decompress after all of the events mentioned above happened in a single day with our 2 month old 2015 Redhawk.

Is this the way it is supposed to be?

Chuck
Home base, Winter Park, FL

[Ustabslim]

Sounds like normal camping trip to me.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by myflyertrains

I got up at 4 am and noticed there was no water running anywhere. When I crawled under the coach I was surprised to see long lengths of water hose running between a large tank and the bottom of the floor, totally uninsulated!


Chuck
Home base, Winter Park, FL

Unfortunately the Red Hawk is an entry level unit so the un-insulated pipes is not out of the ordinary,

[The Logans]

Sorry that happened!


Did you have your tank heaters on? They kept the tank water warm for us, and we kept the kitchen faucet dripping so some water was moving thru the pipes.
I'm going to put some insulation on the water lines in the spring.


Our salesman let us know about not putting too much weight in that large drawer... so all we keep in it is large aluminum pots and pans, bulky stuff, but not much weight.


You'll have fun when it all gets settled down!


Be safe!

[myflyertrains]

Originally Posted by The Logans

Sorry that happened!


Did you have your tank heaters on? They kept the tank water warm for us, and we kept the kitchen faucet dripping so some water was moving thru the pipes.
I'm going to put some insulation on the water lines in the spring.


Our salesman let us know about not putting too much weight in that large drawer... so all we keep in it is large aluminum pots and pans, bulky stuff, but not much weight.


You'll have fun when it all gets settled down!


Be safe!

Yes, we had the tank heaters on. The campground hosts had us fill, dump and disconnect, Otherwise I would have had everything dripping, maybe I could have anyway?

I am looking at 3/4 x 1/2 foam insulation that Ace Hardware sells that has a R2.7 rating and looks pretty easy to put on. We are headed to Quartzsite, AZ where the weather should be mild maybe I will feel like crawling under there and installing it.

My wife and I discussed heading to south Texas where it was not going to freeze. It would have been 400 miles out of the way but might have been the better bet. We we left Florida for AZ we were neither prepared or expecting to be in a hard freeze situation.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's comments, this is a real learning experience!

Chuck
Jayco 26XD, wife and one shivering Boston Terrier
Headed for Quartzsite, AZ

[Ustabslim]

I buy this product off eBay and zip tie it to my water hose. They sell different lengths off eBay and at better price. Not needed on my current RV water lines but I have in the past zip tied it to water lines under some RVs. It solves all the problems and wonce zip tied on a perm fix for when it's needed.
I use it under a 27 step flight of stairs at my home stapled underneath and it keeps my stairs ice free.
http://t.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-...RC60/100187093

[Clayton4971]

Welcome to the world of camping ! I have been traveling west for the winters for about five years now and the one thing I learned is you never know what you will run into for weather. I don't de-winterize until I know it's not going to freeze. I just use campgrounds for showers . The toilet I just take a couple jugs of windshield fluid . Always works for us . Your biggest job is going to be keeping the wife from thinking they have to have all the heavy China and settings for 16 . I have had a friend that his rear cabinets ripped off the wall from too much weight. Have fun in Quartzite we usually go there and ride ATV's . Stay just outside their at Black Rock Rv. We stayed home this year because of the wife's mom was Not doing good. I am glad we did she passed away last night . Enjoy your stay in Quartzite everyone should see it just once.

[bgermane]

Everytime we go cold-weather camping, I learn something new. I though we had our coach and our process pretty dialed-in until last December when it hit -6 in Williams, AZ. We use a heated water line to feed the motor home, which worked flawlessly. The problem was just on the other side of the sidewall from hose connection. There is a void space that is inside the motorhome but covered by a false panel. Apparently, it doesn't get enough airflow, and the water lines inside that space froze.

Point is, there are a lot of lessons to be learned. Some will irritate you. With each one, your expectations are lowered just a little bit more, and eventually, nothing irritates you.

[fielro]

Chuck hate all that happened to you. Warmer weather is in sight. Happy camping