Better cold weather protection

[2010augusta]

Well this morning it was 20 degrees outside and we had the furnace set to 63 degrees and it ran quite bit so I figured the basement was plenty warm to keep the water works flowing. I tried using the fresh water tank(we had the tank heaters on too), but at 6:00 a.m. the water pump would not suck any water from the tank. I even looked behind the basement wall and could see that NO water was in the clear pre-filter. The suction line must have froze. I spoke with the owner of a Big Country a few sites away and he was having the same problem. He had the tank heaters on but the pump would not move any water. I will have to insulate the line better, but thought I would let the others and the factory know that this is an item to address.

I normally have a heated water hose, but that does not keep the campground supply lines from freezing.

 

[jbeletti]

Alan,

Sorry to hear about a frozen input line to the water pump. If you have a one of those remote thermometers, consider deploying one, temporarily, near the fresh water tank output so get a feel for what you have their for temp.

Then, see if there is any way you can better direct the heating duct that feeds the underbelly, to that area, then take another temperature reading. Perhaps is can be improved on that way.

Thanks also for the feedback. A heated fresh water tank does not help if the furnace is not heating the tank output line enough to keep it thawed out. I'll pass this to the plant so it can be considered for a future product improvement.

Jim

 

[jbeletti]

Alan,

I heard back from LM/BH Engineering with their thoughts on this. Here is their take:

The tank drain is the likely culprit, since it is exposed to the outside. I would recommend heat tape wrapped on the drain line. Once this freezes the ice can wick up to the tee that ties into the suction line on the tank.

That could be it.

Jim

 

[2010augusta]

The Campground was able to thaw their lines so we have water again. Once we get warmer weather I will have to take a look at the drain line. I did not realize the suction line was Teed off the drain line, but that makes since. I just figured that 63 degrees was enough to keep the basement lines thawed, and was very surprised to find out that we were froze.

 

[jbeletti]

The Campground was able to thaw their lines so we have water again...

Alan,

Are you saying that the cause for you and the Big Country both having "no water" was due to the Campground's water system being frozen?

Jim

 

[2010augusta]

The campground was have freezing issues, and had to turn off their well pumps to service some of the pipe stands, But while the water was working we )the Big Country owner and I) filled the freshwater tanks and turned on the tank heaters, so IF the campground had the water turned off when we (my wife and I) had to take showers and get ready in the morning we could just use our on-board water system. We got up and turn on the pump, it pushed all the water that was in the lines out, but did not suck any water out of the tank. I went outside and hooked up our heated hose and wrapped to end of the heat tape around the faucet and luckily the campground supply was turned on, so we were able to shower, but I was just surprised that the pump was not sucking any water. The Big Country owner did not have a heated or even insulated hose so they were relying on their on-board tank and pump to work and it did not.

Here in Washington we are setting record lows this week and many locals say they cannot not remember it being this cold this long. Many residential and other building are having freezing problems too.

 

[grizzlygiant]

Here in KY the temperature has been hovering in the high teens. The kitchen water in my Sundance has frozen and I am pretty sure it is due to the exposed low-point drains immediately under the sink. Frozen water wicking up as Jim says is probably the culprit. I'll insulate when it gets a little warmer. I would hope the factory could make a future product improvement to correct this defect.

 

[TXBobcat]

Temperature here in McKinney TX has been down to 21* a few times. I have a heat tape on my fresh water line and 2 150w light bulbs in my basement. I have a remote theometer outdoor on my pin box and one one in the basement back behind the wall. I do not use propane heating. So far my basement has not dropped below 60*. I am very supprised how much heat two 150w bulbs will put out with a aluminum reflector.

Feet get very cold in the trailer. I think the insulation in the slides is to little to keep that area warm.

BC

 

[JohnDar]

WUUF! You guys make me glad I'm snug and cozy in my sticks & bricks right now. It was 14F this morning when I left to drive up to Bay City for a meeting, 10F when I got there. It's something like 16F outside right now. Nice and balmy 68F here inside, though. And the water's running.

 

[jbeletti]

... I would hope the factory could make a future product improvement to correct this defect.

If you see other brands doing it better on low point drains, please email me details (brand, model and what they are doing). I too feel there must be a better way. Maybe someone else has seen a better way on a production unit.

So for those of you in freezing weather now, maybe look around at other brands for specific ideas for me to pass along on this.

For what it's worth, low point drains have been removed from some of our brands. I thought it was LM/BH.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[2010augusta]

How about a factory installed heat tape on those lines all the way to the drain, that turn on with the tank heating pads. That would be the simple but eligant fix.

 

[caissiel]

Every fall and spring in Canada we have to spend time in our RV during cold frosty weather. We keep the water tank filled and we keep the fresh water hose disconnected. I keep the hose in the garage and always free of water. We have a 3/4" line that runs downhill to the unit and always let it drain out after refilling the freshwater tank during warm days. I drain the gray tanks in my septic washer drain line, with a 1/2" hose 150Ft long. There again I make sure it empties while its above freezing. So fare it has never let me down and we keep washing with our W/D until we head south. The only exposed valve or line is the tank drain that I cover with a 12" x 12" open top insulated box. In the low 20's are often at night, but it warms up again in the daytime.

 

[aatauses]

Hey TXbobcat---where did you put the 150W bulbs---where they just in the basement or did you put them behind the "wall' where most of the plumbing is located?
thanks
al

 

[jmgratz]

If I figured this right ... 150 w light bulbs x 2 bulbs x 24 hours a day x 15.5 cents per kilowattt hour = about $30 per month.....so be prepared.....

 

[2010augusta]

Jim, y'all need to get out of Texas where electricy is resonable. In Washington we are paying less than half what we were in Texas.

Brownwood, TX 16.8 cents/kWh
Uvalde, TX 17.4 cents/kWh
Gig Harbor, WA 7.0 cents/kWh

 

[Macattack]

Last week in our Augusta the temps got down to +4*. The water to the kitchen sink froze off first with the water to the rest of the trailer working fine. then the water to the rest of the rig froze off. The water to the rest of the rig froze off between the tank and pump as the pump would come on and pump what was in the line out and then pump nothing. I don't know what the temp was behind the wall in the basement. I set the thermostat on 78* and covered up all but 2 of the vents in the rig to force as much warm air to the underside as possible. After about 3 hours of continous running, the line thawed out and water would pump at all faucets. It is supposed to get to +2* tonight and I have covered the drain line so will see what happens.

 

[jtcfishing]

The low point drains on our landmark were really long so I cut them off as short as possable and put one of the plastic insulated focet covers on it and have not had any problems with freezing,also removed the access door to plumbing in basement and run a ceramic heater at 55 deg. setting for safety for all the plumbing. Have been fulltiming for a year and about 8mos. in kc mo. it was -4 here 6days ago!

 

[Macattack]

How funny jtc, We are in Garnett,Ks---About 70 miles from KC Mo.

 

[Retired CPO]

We are up here in the Northwest of Washington state at Jim Creek. The Temps this past week hit 11/12 degrees F and stayed under 32 all day for three days. No frozen plumbing so far, but we did read up on winter full timing living in our BigHorn prior to the cold weather hitting.
We prevented the under belly from the cold freeze by installing a custom made vinyl skirt all around. This keeps the low points safe and the under-belly fairly warm as it creates a breeze free warmth underneath. The Skirting was made in Chilliwack, BC, Canada. It comes in ten or more colors, we choose Navy Blue - Go figure. They also threw in an Airconditioner cover. Cost is about 2K canadian $$.
We also ordered a 25' No-Freeze water hose cost about $300 US. They come in lengths of 15' 25' or longer and either end can be the male with the cord on that end. Then we wrap every part of the park faucet a heater wrap and R13 insulation and duck tape it all.
Inside we have (3) yes three elect ceramic heaters and rarley used any propane (which we only pay $1.91 gal) We keep them set at 70 and most of the basement stays at around 65. I took some pic's for you jim. Let me know what think. Link for the water hose is below.

(www.nofreezewaterhose.com)

Gary

 

[danemayer]

Looks like these discussions are from last winter. Our Rushmore is being built this August (2010). Will it have any improvements for cold weather?