Low Point Drain and Freezing Temps

piet10

Active Member
I have a 2011 Greystone with what the dealer called "Polar Package". The end of summer is here, but we want to do one more long weekend before storage. Daytime temps here in northern Minnesota are in the 50's, but night time can dip into the 20's.

Are the low point drains that hang below the coach going to give me a problem? I suppose the best solution is to find a way to tuck them up above the insulation, but just don't have the time this fall to do that.

If these drains freeze what issues will I have? I find it interesting that the dealer told me the Polar Package was tested down to 0 degrees, yet there is this seeming weakness.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Al
Heartland Owners Club #2260
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Does you 2011 rig have low point drains? Mine does not.
But if the the day time temps are in the 50's I dont think you will have a problem.
Just be sure to keep your furnace running so you get some heat into the underbelly.

Peace
Dave
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
They have eliminated the low point drains on most of the current models. If it just goes into the 20s there shouldn't be a problem. It would be interesting to know what the "Polar Package" includes. Most of them are just a few small upgrades in insulation and a sticker on the side of the trailer. Questionable if they are really much more than a marketing ploy..Don
 

piet10

Active Member
It probably is just marketing, but I did get the sticker?! Being new to this I didn't have enough knowledge to question the dealer about it.

If low point drains are being eliminated, what is the alternative design?
 

danemayer

Well-known member
tested down to 0 degrees,
I believe this means the coach has been "comfort" tested to 0 degrees. That is, you can stay comfortably warm inside at 0 degrees. It is not a statement about the plumbing.

Water in any line exposed to the air will freeze at below freezing temps. On the drains, the water sits immediately above the drain valve. There may be several inches of exposed water line above the valve. It will freeze. If it gets cold enough, the ice may also wick its way into the main line where the drain is tee'd in. But if temps stay in the mid to upper 20s, and you run the furnace enough, it will probably keep the main line from the fresh tank from freezing. And if it does freeze, as temps rise, things should start working again.

If you have an icemaker, you have a greater exposure. If the refrigerator is in a slideout, the icemaker water feed line is exposed to outside air and will definitely freeze, damaging the line. When the temps rise, you'll have a significant water leak - depending on where the damage occurs, you could flood the inside of the coach. The icemaker solenoid should be heated, but is also a weak point because there's water inside.
 

piet10

Active Member
Ah, "comfort tested", I'll bet you are right. I didn't catch the nuance at the inspection. No icemaker, so no worries there. But if we ever do upgrade, I'll remember your tip. This forum is great for information.

Al
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
You should be fine for overnight temps in the mid 20's. You might want to slide some tubular foam pipe insulation over your fresh water drain and secure it with a cable tie or hose clamp. If the fresh water drain line freezes it can easily migrate up to the 12 volt pump.
 

ILH

Well-known member
They have eliminated the low point drains on most of the current models. If it just goes into the 20s there shouldn't be a problem. It would be interesting to know what the "Polar Package" includes. Most of them are just a few small upgrades in insulation and a sticker on the side of the trailer. Questionable if they are really much more than a marketing ploy..Don

Although I've already winterized my unit, I wanted to point out that my 2013 Road Warrior has low point drains. If I go late into the season next year, I'll have to keep this in mind.
 

Lynn1130

Well-known member
As mentioned tape some insulation over them and you should be fine with daytime temps in the 50s. I have found that freezing of the low points was not an issue until the temps got into the teens and the daytime temps did not come up high enough to thaw them out. I had two nights during an elk hunt where the low points froze up and stopped water from moving. The "Big Buddy" heater under the trailer took care of the freeze up problem. The low point freezes back up to the T in the water line and stops the water. It has room to expand so it does not break lines but the water pump will run non-stop once that line is blocked.
 
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jbeletti

Well-known member
Low point drains can be a double-edged sword for RVers. Many want them and many hate them. They can be the weak link when camping in below freezing temps.

In plant 2, where Landmark, Bighorn and Big Country are made, due to retail feedback, a few years ago, we stopped putting in low point drains. Just too many complaints of freeze ups. Our other plants continue to install them.

You've gotten some good advice here on how to deal with them. I've heard of people eliminating them as well. One that I feel may be the compromise solution is to shorten up that section of vertical pipe such that the valve is very near the T in the underbelly. Then just make a flap in the underbelly so you can reach in and open/close the valve. Just a thought.
 

MTPockets

Well-known member
They have eliminated the low point drains on most of the current models. If it just goes into the 20s there shouldn't be a problem. It would be interesting to know what the "Polar Package" includes. Most of them are just a few small upgrades in insulation and a sticker on the side of the trailer. Questionable if they are really much more than a marketing ploy..Don

I'm not familiar with the "Polar package", but my Big Horn has the "yeti" extreme weather pkg. for low temps that among other things includes heat blankets under tanks and elec heater wire along inside intake water line.
 

piet10

Active Member
Thanks everyone for the replies. I like the idea of moving the valves up higher inside with the flap access.

Al
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
. I've heard of people eliminating them as well. One that I feel may be the compromise solution is to shorten up that section of vertical pipe such that the valve is very near the T in the underbelly. Then just make a flap in the underbelly so you can reach in and open/close the valve. Just a thought.

We did this. We used sharkbite brand replacement connectors for the pex pipes, removed the low point drains and shortened the fresh water drain line so we could enclose it in the underbelly.


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