1st time camper in freezing weather

[USNMA1]

Well not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but recent experience in Montana. My pipes froze within 3 hrs after dropped below 32. It stayed warm in the North Point (68 degrees), but underbelly not so much. A part of the problem was Jayco forgot to finish sealing the underbelly. When I called them they stated, they do not recommend using their Rv under 34 degrees, I was taken aback since I have a climate comfort package, that Jayco brags was tested a 0 degrees for 8 hrs and it remained fully functional. Once I sealed it up temporarily with insulation and put an extra heater in the basement, pipes thawed (5 hrs) and everything remained fully functional down into the single digits. Final outcome was Jayco covered the insulation but they clearly stated they wouldn’t cover any damaged due to frozen pipes.

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by CAG

After 15-20 years of elk hunting at 8000+ I came to learn (it took a couple of frozen lines) that the low points are the problem.



Water in the low points freezes and the ice wicks up the line to the T in the water line. That stops all water flow in the lines. You get up in the middle of the night, visit the bathroom, flush the toilet and the water pump starts and does not stop because it is getting no water. The line is stopped up.



The low points, and any water line hanging below the underbelly is going to freeze first and will freeze up to the T in the line and beyond. Water stops moving. I learned after about the third time, that I needed to wrap the water lines hanging below the underbelly. Funny, but that stopped the problem of frozen lines.

Yup! This Is exactly what happened to us last December while camping in northeast PA. Woke up to use the potty in the middle of the night, nothing, zippo! My wet bay water valves froze, we are caught up in a cold snap low was not supposed to drop below 37, woke up to 26!

Making the same trip this year, but I’ve put an electrical outlet in my wet Bay with a small 170 watt heater plugged in to a thermostat plug to go on 37 off @ 50. I have put heater coil cable on all my exposed cold and hot water lines and foam insulation, wrapped them secured with wire ties. I also wrapped the black and gray drain lines with heater coil and wrapped them in fiberglass aluminum foiled insulation with an extra layer of gorilla duct tape! Come and get me Jack Frost!

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by USNMA1

Well not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but recent experience in Montana. My pipes froze within 3 hrs after dropped below 32. It stayed warm in the North Point (68 degrees), but underbelly not so much. A part of the problem was Jayco forgot to finish sealing the underbelly. When I called them they stated, they do not recommend using their Rv under 34 degrees, I was taken aback since I have a climate comfort package, that Jayco brags was tested a 0 degrees for 8 hrs and it remained fully functional. Once I sealed it up temporarily with insulation and put an extra heater in the basement, pipes thawed (5 hrs) and everything remained fully functional down into the single digits. Final outcome was Jayco covered the insulation but they clearly stated they wouldn’t cover any damaged due to frozen pipes.

No surprise there to me. Poor quality seems to be a feature rather than an exception in the RV industry. Very interesting from a business perspective that competition and supply & demand allows that to continue.

I had to insulate and seal up this massive hole in the bottom of my 185RB in order to keep the waterbay equipment from freezing.

[USNMA1]

Originally Posted by USNMA1

Well not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but recent experience in Montana. My pipes froze within 3 hrs after dropped below 32. It stayed warm in the North Point (68 degrees), but underbelly not so much. A part of the problem was Jayco forgot to finish sealing the underbelly. When I called them they stated, they do not recommend using their Rv under 34 degrees, I was taken aback since I have a climate comfort package, that Jayco brags was tested a 0 degrees for 8 hrs and it remained fully functional. Once I sealed it up temporarily with insulation and put an extra heater in the basement, pipes thawed (5 hrs) and everything remained fully functional down into the single digits. Final outcome was Jayco covered the insulation but they clearly stated they wouldn’t cover any damaged due to frozen pipes.

Oh I had the extreme cold package with tank heaters too. Funny thing too, when I picked up the Rv in March of this during my PDI I discovered the tanks were never plugged in at the factory. Glad I caught that, imagine the nightmare.

[Toad]

Don't mean to hyjack your question but maybe an answer might help the both of us.

We also camp in the northern climate and though we have an enclosed underbelly it is not heated. We have had some issues with freezing tanks. Just recently in LaPine Oregon when the temps over several days hovered around 16 degrees FH.
I am thinking of cutting a 3 or 4 inch hole in the floor under our sofa where the furnace is located in our 232RB and venting hot air into the enclosed underbelly. Has anyone any thoughts if this might help/hurt or has anyone done same?
Thanks


QUOTE=Ericl;921937]I will be heading to one of our state parks tomorrow in South East Texas, Wednesday the temperature is supposed to drop below freezing (29-30). We have never camped in freezing weather, I’ve read that people put antifreeze in their holding tanks, fill the fresh water tanks, open cabinet doors, Wednesday is the only day showing a freeze. My instinct is to open the holding tank valves, And stream a little water out of each fixture, Wrap the valves in towels. Any advice from my northern brothers is surely appreciated. The RV is a 28 RLS.

Thank you[/QUOTE]

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Toad

Don't mean to hyjack your question but maybe an answer might help the both of us.

We also camp in the northern climate and though we have an enclosed underbelly it is not heated. We have had some issues with freezing tanks. Just recently in LaPine Oregon when the temps over several days hovered around 16 degrees FH.
I am thinking of cutting a 3 or 4 inch hole in the floor under our sofa where the furnace is located in our 232RB and venting hot air into the enclosed underbelly. Has anyone any thoughts if this might help/hurt or has anyone done same?
Thanks


QUOTE=Ericl;921937]I will be heading to one of our state parks tomorrow in South East Texas, Wednesday the temperature is supposed to drop below freezing (29-30). We have never camped in freezing weather, I’ve read that people put antifreeze in their holding tanks, fill the fresh water tanks, open cabinet doors, Wednesday is the only day showing a freeze. My instinct is to open the holding tank valves, And stream a little water out of each fixture, Wrap the valves in towels. Any advice from my northern brothers is surely appreciated. The RV is a 28 RLS.

Thank you

[/QUOTE]

Sounds like a good idea if that heat won’t escape the area your sending it in to. But I would look in to the BTU rating on your furnace for your size rig first. I’m sure the furnace is rated for a certain size space. You might not have enough air flow in rest of the system to heat properly. But I could be wrong.

[Bayoutalker]

We live in our Jayflight in southeast Texas. Those temps are normally only a couple hours just before dawn. You shouldn't have any problems until it gets below mid-20s. The one thing I do is wrap my water hose in pipe insulation, the foam tube kind. That keeps the hose from freezing. As for the cabinet doors, I do keep them open a crack . If the humidity is high, which is normal, cabinets on the outside walls may sweat. By having them open and heat turned on you should be fine. Airflow is your friend.

[DamonBecky]

One other note, be aware that some of our southern campgrounds turn off water supply if it gets below freezing.
We have been in pretty good shape even at low Temps for days w our Northpoint, which has Climate Shield.

[Cavie]

Originally Posted by skids

Wrap the the low point point hoses with what?

pool noodles

[8ballldl]

Originally Posted by Ericl

I will be heading to one of our state parks tomorrow in South East Texas, Wednesday the temperature is supposed to drop below freezing (29-30). We have never camped in freezing weather, I’ve read that people put antifreeze in their holding tanks, fill the fresh water tanks, open cabinet doors, Wednesday is the only day showing a freeze. My instinct is to open the holding tank valves, And stream a little water out of each fixture, Wrap the valves in towels. Any advice from my northern brothers is surely appreciated. The RV is a 28 RLS.

Thank you

We have camped in cold weather in our Greyhawk several times without problems with overnight lows in the teens - really pushing it - but daytime temps getting above 32, usually into the 40's. I don't worry about our holding tanks for a few hours of cold, but the water lines seem more vulnerable, with our wide open under-carriage. Once - early on - we left our hose hooked up to the campground water supply and it froze and burst the external filter canister - don't do THAT anymore. A few hours of moderate cold doesn't seem to be a problem. We are from the great frozen north and full time in our RV and try to avoid winter weather as much as possible - been there . . .

[Johnynorthland]

I wouldn’t Chance freezing my exposed water lines or my wet bay/compartment ever again!. Not worth the risk! Be a boy scout and always be prepared. Besides insulating and heating the above mentioned, I carry 2 electrical heaters, a small snow shovel, tire cables and an assortment of spare pex Plumming parts! You never know!

PS... also bring in any liquids you store in your outside compartments!

[RoyB]

Curver900 ".. rule of thumb is one hour to freeze up for every degree below freezing."

Help me understand this, at 30 degrees it takes 2 hours to freeze (32-30=2), but at 20 degrees it takes 12 hours to freeze (32-20=12)? Seems like it would freeze faster at lower temps.

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by RoyB

Curver900 ".. rule of thumb is one hour to freeze up for every degree below freezing."



Help me understand this, at 30 degrees it takes 2 hours to freeze (32-30=2), but at 20 degrees it takes 12 hours to freeze (32-20=12)? Seems like it would freeze faster at lower temps.

I don't believe that is the way it works. I'll be interested in the explanation.

[Johnynorthland]

32 and below is freezing. If you want to tempt faith good luck from someone that had a freeze over in one night of supposed 37 degree forecast, that freakishly went down to 26!

I would avoid the lower temps unless your rig is setup for it. Your sleeping in something a little better insulated than a shed with Plumming!

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Ericl

I will be heading to one of our state parks tomorrow in South East Texas, Wednesday the temperature is supposed to drop below freezing (29-30). We have never camped in freezing weather, I’ve read that people put antifreeze in their holding tanks, fill the fresh water tanks, open cabinet doors, Wednesday is the only day showing a freeze. My instinct is to open the holding tank valves, And stream a little water out of each fixture, Wrap the valves in towels. Any advice from my northern brothers is surely appreciated. The RV is a 28 RLS.



Thank you

Which park did you go to? How did it handle the temps?

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Cavie

pool noodles

3 ft. Foam Pre-Slit Pipe Insulation


https://www.homedepot.com/p/205181986

[Bayoutalker]

Originally Posted by Johnynorthland

3 ft. Foam Pre-Slit Pipe Insulation





https://www.homedepot.com/p/205181986

That's what I use to insulate my water hose. Works fine to the low 20's.

[norty1]

All my low point drains have a valve on the inside that prevents them from bursting where they hang out.

We camped last Friday and Saturday in below freezing overnight weather. low 20's. Friday, I disconnected, drained and stored my water hose inside the heated storage. All was well, we used the water pump and fresh water supply.

On Saturday, I messed up and wrapped the regulator and faucet with towels. Woke up in the morning with outside hoses iced up. Had to go out and operate valves to "Normal" and use the onboard water supply until it warmed up and thawed out the hose.
No damage to hose or regulator, just my pride.

[Ericl]

Originally Posted by Bayoutalker

Which park did you go to? How did it handle the temps?

Bayoutalker,

lake Livingston, still here Until Tuesday, disconnected the water supply. Everything worked out fine. We live in Port
Neches so not to far from you

[Zenar]

Originally Posted by Bob K

Pressure is what causes lines to burst. If you're worried about freezing, just turn off the pump and open each one of the spigots to relieve standing water pressure in each line. That'll give any ice plenty of room to expand.

No... Pressurized lines require lower temperatures to freeze. So more pressure is better. Often fittings are what fail as the ice freezes and pushes like a piston eventually it hits a valve or 90/bend