Frozen water lines...

[thirdktm]

Any suggestions for ways to try to prevent water lines from freezing?
It fell below freezing this past Saturday night. No damage, but it's disconcerting.

[Murff]

Open the cupboards, keep an electric heater running inside. Disconnect your hose.

Maybe winterize the RV?

Murff

[Jagiven]

Which MH do you have? Some have the water lines running under the floor, totally exposed. If that is the case, you need to insulate the pipes.

A lot of units have the line running inside, in the cabinets. I keep our doors ajar to allow a bit more heat inside the cabinets.

[Colorado]

Originally Posted by thirdktm

Any suggestions for ways to try to prevent water lines from freezing?
It fell below freezing this past Saturday night. No damage, but it's disconcerting.

Are you actually using the MH or concerned about pipes freezing during the winter? Keep in mind that water [I]starts [I] freeze at 32* it doesn’t automatically freeze solid. If you’re currently using the MH simply turning the water on for 1-5 seconds, once or twice during the night will prevent the lines from freezing.
Otherwise as mentioned simply winterize it and then in Spring, you could attach heating tape to exposed water lines and be prepared for below freezing temps next winter.

[thirdktm]

Thanks, everyone.
We use the RV year-round. After each use in the winter, I winterize it. I blow out the lines with an air compressor. That's what I have done with the two Class C's we've owned.
This past weekend, we had hooked the hose to the campground water spigot, knowing the forecast called for mid-30s. Well, it got colder.
As for insulation, what sort of products are available? Does heating tape effectively warm the pipes sufficiently?
Our unit is a 2017 Melbourne 24M. a Class C.

[JmsNMar]

Definitely disconnect the hose connected to the faucet. Drain the water from it and place it inside to keep it from freezing for use the next day. I concur with running a portable heater inside. Maybe 2 if you connect the second one to the microwave's dedicated power plug. I also keep bathroom door ajar and cabinets under sinks open overnight to allow heat to circulate there. Also if able to, a small 5 amp space heater in the wet bay storage to fight freezing of the water pump and lines.

[Rustynuts]

I have been using the foam pipe insulation and have boondocked in weather down to 10 degrees with no issues. I have done probably 75% of all the plumbing in the bays and under cabinets. Every time I have something open for a project and I see pex, I insulate it. I have also added a heat duct into the the wet bay where the drain valves are for when we are in that cold of weather.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by thirdktm

As for insulation, what sort of products are available? Does heating tape effectively warm the pipes sufficiently?
Our unit is a 2017 Melbourne 24M. a Class C.

We're in the same boat. We seem to freeze up around low 20's and high teens. I've put pipe insulation around every pipe I could find under the thing - but we still froze up last November when it hit 14*F.


I'm experimenting with heat tape but bear in mind it's not recommended for this. Some types get too hot for Pex. Plus, it's a real maze of pipes under our 31FK.


While I'm working on a solution, I think the best and easiest thing to do is to just carry $10 of antifreeze. And do a quick winterization before going to bed. Had I done that, I think we'd have had running water in the morning.

[RobieMo]

We got caught with our pipes exposed a few months ago. Took some of those hand warmer things and wrapped them around the one and only exposed pipe under the rig. Covered them with some foam pipe insulation and it worked like a charm. Thawed out the line and kept it from freezing.

Rob

[CAG]

If you search back a few days you will find an entire thread where this is discussed and pointers given.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ing-33291.html

[CreekLife]

Originally Posted by RobieMo

We got caught with our pipes exposed a few months ago. Took some of those hand warmer things and wrapped them around the one and only exposed pipe under the rig. Covered them with some foam pipe insulation and it worked like a charm. Thawed out the line and kept it from freezing.

Rob

RobieMo, I see that you have a MVP also. I just got a new 2020 MVP and also only noticed the one pex section under the MH. Is this where yours froze? I am heading out of PA in February and trying to get my ducks in a row because I want to fill with water and have it operational when I leave and head south.