Another newbie question. In this sub freezing weather (8 degrees with windchill of -4 overnight) is there a need to let inside faucet drip? Our trlr has an enclosed bottom, tank heaters, heated water supply hose with extra insulation around it and around both connections (campground faucet and hookup on trlr )
GENECOP said
01:11 PM Dec 7, 2013
If things are set up as you described no need to let anything drip.
I also have the entire hose bib wrapped and heated, if you have any possible freeze points fill your fresh water tank, disconnect your hose, and run off your tank for the night......
-- Edited by GENECOP on Saturday 7th of December 2013 01:15:07 PM
Grams said
01:16 PM Dec 7, 2013
Thanks! Hubby didn't think we needed to, but in my early adult years I lived in a mobile home and had to use the drip method to keep water from freezing. Our RV is brand new and the furnace works great, the floors are even warm when it has ran so I guess I give up the old fears.
Grams said
01:21 PM Dec 7, 2013
Heated hose is wrapped in a pipe insulation that lowe's salesman said was the best they sold.
Workinrvers said
02:33 PM Dec 7, 2013
x2 what Gene said, we have been using this method for several years and weathered temps below 0 degrees, you should be fine.
Phil
53 Merc said
07:09 AM Dec 8, 2013
Horror story I read about on another forum once. They were to be gone overnight, temps were low, so the drip method was used. Problem was, the stinky slinky froze up. See what is coming? Yep, they returned to a ruined camper. Floor was covered in an ich of ice, and when melted, the floor was destroyed. Total wreck.
I think the stinky slinky ridges give ice a place to grow, like anchor ice in the nrthern rivers. Attached to the bottom and everything adds from that point.
If faced with cold, fill the fresh tank, disconnect the outside shower, stuff the hole with insulation, put the supply water hose in the storage bay and hope for the best. Hopefully the campground has its water hose bibs protected.
Lucky Mike said
07:57 AM Dec 8, 2013
Also keep in mind.....your coaches water system was designed to be heated by the onboard system. if you are running electric heaters to save on fuel it can cause problems during severe weather.....water lines within the coach are run alongside ductwork and heat lines to keep from freezing below the floorline.....electric heaters only warm the room area and freeze up can happen quickly at those temps
Ive wintered in Northern New England ...Maine ...New Hampshire...Vermont........ask me how I know!
-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Sunday 8th of December 2013 07:59:39 AM
Bill and Linda said
04:32 PM Dec 8, 2013
Most RV Furnace systems will use some of the utility area in the basement as the return plenum. This puts some heat into the basement area by default and, as Mike indicated, some that have enclosed fresh, gray and black water tanks have smaller ducts from the furnace piped into their under belly area.So if you don’t run the furnace they will not get any heat to speak of.Naturally the hot water heater takes care of itself.But what doesn’t is the little outside “shower” head some RV's provide for cleaning your hands.Although it should drain, some don’t in the water value manifold and you can get a freeze up in the hot and cold water values for this little fixture.Depending on the physical arrangement, (space) an old fashion 60 - 100 watt light bulb (a real bulb, not a CFL) in this area will usually produce enough heat to keep water from freezing.A little heat goes a long way.
One additional comment – If you’re staying put for sometime then putting some kind of skirting around the bottom of the trailer to keep the wind from blowing under the rig and what heat there is “in” will go a long way to keeping the tanks above freezing.
-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Sunday 8th of December 2013 04:36:36 PM
Lucky Mike said
04:58 PM Dec 8, 2013
Like Bill and Linda said...
Skirting in cold weather is a huge plus!!!............you will save on fuel ,your coach will be alot warmer
a simple plastic skirt will work......cheap foundation foam panels found at lowes and homedepot are the best option.....
I met someone who used four 200 watt heaters and outlets spread across his RV basement, on a 15AMP circuit you could use up to 7.
Grams said
10:44 AM Dec 9, 2013
Thanks for all the recommendations! We've been at freezing temperatures for 5 days now and all is well, except that the gray tank valve was frozen one early moring, but opened by late morning. We've been running the furnace. We thought about skirting but plan to pull out at the end of January ... so wasn't sure it was worth the cost.
Is there anything out there like an alarm that sounds when the inside temperature drops below a certain temp? One of our neighbors froze everything up on Saturday night when they ran out of propane and woke to a 30 degree trailer. Not sure how you sleep thru those temperatures!
Bill and Linda said
11:08 AM Dec 9, 2013
Grams wrote: Is there anything out there like an alarm that sounds when the inside temperature drops below a certain temp?
Usually my wife announces this event - high or low temp. Subtle and very kind, but extremely reliable. Came with the package.
Bill
bjoyce said
11:11 AM Dec 9, 2013
We have an Acu-Rite refrigerator thermometer that will alarm, so I expect they also make normal ones that alarm.
Edit: I you have a Tractor Supply close by, check what they have.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 9th of December 2013 11:16:30 AM
Grams said
08:46 AM Dec 10, 2013
Bill and Linda wrote:
Grams wrote: Is there anything out there like an alarm that sounds when the inside temperature drops below a certain temp?
Usually my wife announces this event - high or low temp. Subtle and very kind, but extremely reliable. Came with the package.
Bill
Thanks for the chuckle! Great way to start the day!
If things are set up as you described no need to let anything drip.
I also have the entire hose bib wrapped and heated, if you have any possible freeze points fill your fresh water tank, disconnect your hose, and run off your tank for the night......
-- Edited by GENECOP on Saturday 7th of December 2013 01:15:07 PM
Phil
I think the stinky slinky ridges give ice a place to grow, like anchor ice in the nrthern rivers. Attached to the bottom and everything adds from that point.
If faced with cold, fill the fresh tank, disconnect the outside shower, stuff the hole with insulation, put the supply water hose in the storage bay and hope for the best. Hopefully the campground has its water hose bibs protected.
Also keep in mind.....your coaches water system was designed to be heated by the onboard system. if you are running electric heaters to save on fuel it can cause problems during severe weather.....water lines within the coach are run alongside ductwork and heat lines to keep from freezing below the floorline.....electric heaters only warm the room area and freeze up can happen quickly at those temps
Ive wintered in Northern New England ...Maine ...New Hampshire...Vermont........ask me how I know!
-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Sunday 8th of December 2013 07:59:39 AM
Most RV Furnace systems will use some of the utility area in the basement as the return plenum. This puts some heat into the basement area by default and, as Mike indicated, some that have enclosed fresh, gray and black water tanks have smaller ducts from the furnace piped into their under belly area. So if you don’t run the furnace they will not get any heat to speak of. Naturally the hot water heater takes care of itself. But what doesn’t is the little outside “shower” head some RV's provide for cleaning your hands. Although it should drain, some don’t in the water value manifold and you can get a freeze up in the hot and cold water values for this little fixture. Depending on the physical arrangement, (space) an old fashion 60 - 100 watt light bulb (a real bulb, not a CFL) in this area will usually produce enough heat to keep water from freezing. A little heat goes a long way.
One additional comment – If you’re staying put for sometime then putting some kind of skirting around the bottom of the trailer to keep the wind from blowing under the rig and what heat there is “in” will go a long way to keeping the tanks above freezing.
-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Sunday 8th of December 2013 04:36:36 PM
Skirting in cold weather is a huge plus!!!............you will save on fuel ,your coach will be alot warmer
a simple plastic skirt will work......cheap foundation foam panels found at lowes and homedepot are the best option.....
I prefer using a real heater instead of a 100 watt bulb, it doesn't burn out. This one is 200 watts - http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2.
Plug it into a temperature controlled outlet like this one, http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-TC-3-Thermostatically-Controlled/dp/B0006U2HD2/ref=pd_sim_lg_1, it turns on when it gets to 35 degrees and off when at 45. Add a wireless thermometer and you know it is working.
I met someone who used four 200 watt heaters and outlets spread across his RV basement, on a 15AMP circuit you could use up to 7.
Is there anything out there like an alarm that sounds when the inside temperature drops below a certain temp? One of our neighbors froze everything up on Saturday night when they ran out of propane and woke to a 30 degree trailer. Not sure how you sleep thru those temperatures!
Usually my wife announces this event - high or low temp. Subtle and very kind, but extremely reliable. Came with the package.
Bill
We have an Acu-Rite refrigerator thermometer that will alarm, so I expect they also make normal ones that alarm.
Edit: I you have a Tractor Supply close by, check what they have.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 9th of December 2013 11:16:30 AM
Thanks for the chuckle! Great way to start the day!