Heated water hose

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Use flexable copper tubing or pex instead

Ya know guys, I would love to be able to get all the material at Walmart, Lowes or Home Depot and make my own, which I have seen it done many times without incident. With that said, I still would be unconfortable having that plugged in to my rig in fear of a fire while I'm away. This is our home as we full time, not to mention we have two labs thats like our children waiting for us to get home. It would be to much of a risk in my opinion. If anyone knows of a heat tape that doesn't get that hot, please inform me. After all, we only need it to be above 32 degrees don't we ??

One other thought to this debate is to put a simple timer on the electric power cord. A person could set it to come on for a given amount of time and then turn back off.... Another thought: how about using flexible copper tubing and use heat tape on that with insulation. If you full time and stay in the same spot you just unroll it, set up and have no worries. Again just a brain storm. Not like you would be doing it every day or week.

 

[htneighbors]

As long as you have full hook up, leave the gray water tank valve open and let the tap trickle during cold weather and the hose will not freeze. We have done this up in Yellowstone and had no problems.

Hopefully! A co-worker of mine last year left Wyoming right before Christmas - with 2 gallons of RV antifreeze - frozen hard as a rock! He went to Moab, Utah for a few weeks and had left his water running in the kitchen sink, draining through the gray tank. He woke up to a frozen drain line and the sink running over into his floor. Maybe his water wasn't trickling fast enough! Bummer!

I went to do this same thing last year and was talked out of it by the guys at Home Depot and Lowes, both told me that the heat tape is not ment to be used with rubber/water hose cause it will melt the hose. If I recall they said the heat tape can reach temp of over 100 degrees. Did you find a heat tape that doesn't get that hot or just take your chances that it won't melt the hose ?? Thanks

IMHO a hose will not melt at 100 degrees. If it would all of the hoses sitting outside in the Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California summer heat would melt. I have been in temps up to 115 degrees and have never had a hose melt.

Jim's right; the guys at Home Depot and Lowes are not! I have my hoses heated with an industrial grade heat trace we use on my jobs, which is capable of reaching 150-180˚F. I had one of them plugged in all winter last year in Wyoming. At -30˚F, with about a foot of snow covering everything else, the hose was laying there with no snow within about 3 inches of it! I bought one but haven't installed it yet, but with a thermostat, you could control what temp it turns off. These hoses are not going to melt.

I do like the idea of a custom made one. It's probably not as bulky as the mass I carry around all summer! It seems that my projects keep me in frigid temps during the winter! Northeast Nebraska this year. 31˚ This morning; probably staying until near Christmas.

 

[SmokeyBare]

I've even read some folks use one of those Rope Lights... the kind sold at many stores for decoration... they run the rope light along side the water hose... wrap both with a large enough foam insulation... and plug it in.

There are a few different types of foam insulation... meaning ya get what you pay for... the very thin stuff works well enough but they make very thick or dense foam insulation as well... price reflects the difference.

My solution is to pack Up... and head south >>> before wicked winds of winter attack...

 

[Bobby A]

I've even read some folks use one of those Rope Lights... the kind sold at many stores for decoration... they run the rope light along side the water hose... wrap both with a large enough foam insulation... and plug it in.

There are a few different types of foam insulation... meaning ya get what you pay for... the very thin stuff works well enough but they make very thick or dense foam insulation as well... price reflects the difference.

My solution is to pack Up... and head south >>> before wicked winds of winter attack...

Now, I like that idea !!! Both of them !!

 

[westxsrt10]

The 40 foot hoses are on backorder with a shipping date of 7 november from Doctor Fosters. I'd like to have a hose with the plug on the other end...but, it's not worth $300+ to get it. Their price is good...and it's worth it to me to NOT have to make my own again.

Lefty....Hose adapters on each end will reverse the connections so the electric connections on your hose and match your unit . I bought my adapters at Ace hardware. http://www.plumbingsupply.com/hoseadap.html

 

[leftyf]

Lefty....Hose adapters on each end will reverse the connections so the electric connections on your hose and match your unit . I bought my adapters at Ace hardware. http://www.plumbingsupply.com/hoseadap.html

Thanks, I'm checked them out and their shipping and handling charges are outrageous. I'll try to find them someplace else now that I know what I'm looking for.

Thanks again.

 

[caissiel]

For all the trouble and chances of freeze-ups, I just fill my tanks when the weather gets cold. I keep my hoses in a warm area and fill when needed. Most days are warm enough that water hoses will not freeze. I spend a winter in my 5th wheel and never ran out of water that way, and dumped when the weather warmed up. The winter temperatures here get to -30F. I will be disconnecting my water line this week because it was 32F this morning.

 

[SLJKansas]

How about a temperature controlled outlet like this one.
http://www.shop.com/TEMPERATURE+CONTROLED+OUTLET-251318618-p+.xhtml

As far as revering the hose why not make them. They make replacement ends for hoses, just buy the ends and a piece of hose. the use the the outlet above and your done.

 

[htneighbors]

The 40 foot hoses are on backorder with a shipping date of 7 november from Doctor Fosters. I'd like to have a hose with the plug on the other end...but, it's not worth $300+ to get it. Their price is good...and it's worth it to me to NOT have to make my own again.

Hey Sarge,

In case you're still looking, this guy has the K&H hoses in stock and ready to ship. 20', 40', and 60'. I just ordered a 60' and (2) 20' from him last night over the phone. He's shipping them out this morning and I should have them before the end of the week. The 20' ones are for some coworkers; I'm sitting 50' from my water supply right now! $81 for the 20'; $134 for the 60' + shipping. $26 to ship them all.

I figured the 60' would probably take up less rooom in storage than my current 50' that I heated and wrapped myself - it's like carryiing a spare tire in the storage bin.

My website is www.jandmpetsupplies.com I will be able to give you better pricing and service by handling this directly “man to man” ….Thanks….JJ Miller 843.858.4957

 

[2010augusta]

Well, I just made my "winter" hose. I had a 20' spare section of 1/2" with no ends, so I got a nice set of brass crimp-on ends and 3 6' sections of 1/2" wall poly-insulation and an 18' heat trace with auto shut off. I used high temp electrical tape to attach the heat trace to the hose, then put the pipe insulation on and wrapped the whole thing up with duct tape. Look pretty good. I have to wait a few more weeks before we get cold enough weather to need the heated hose.

 

[leftyf]

Hey Sarge,

In case you're still looking, this guy has the K&H hoses in stock and ready to ship. 20', 40', and 60'. I just ordered a 60' and (2) 20' from him last night over the phone. He's shipping them out this morning and I should have them before the end of the week. The 20' ones are for some coworkers; I'm sitting 50' from my water supply right now! $81 for the 20'; $134 for the 60' + shipping. $26 to ship them all.

I figured the 60' would probably take up less rooom in storage than my current 50' that I heated and wrapped myself - it's like carryiing a spare tire in the storage bin.

My website is www.jandmpetsupplies.com I will be able to give you better pricing and service by handling this directly “man to man” ….Thanks….JJ Miller 843.858.4957

Figures...I got notification that they shipped Monday with a Friday arrival here in Norfolk.

Appreciate the info tho...with RV parks todays marvel is tomorrow's re-order.

 

[plumberdude]

hi everybody
new to this 5er game but know a little about frozen pipes. there are some good products out there for the right app. the whole thing is room to store it untill needed.
t stat hoses i have not used. just might buy one to try out. but like one of us said when it starts to get cold head south.(good one marv). we have an 09 3914 toy hauler told the wife have tools will travel work for food(fuel) well have fun as much as you can se ya on the road
pat

 

[leftyf]

hi everybody
new to this 5er game but know a little about frozen pipes. there are some good products out there for the right app. the whole thing is room to store it untill needed.
t stat hoses i have not used. just might buy one to try out. but like one of us said when it starts to get cold head south.(good one marv). we have an 09 3914 toy hauler told the wife have tools will travel work for food(fuel) well have fun as much as you can se ya on the road
pat

I'll be reporting right after the 1st cold snap. Anyone have anything on what to do with the low point drains?

They were my achilles heel last winter here.

 

[2010augusta]

Anyone have anything on what to do with the low point drains?

Remove them. The newer trailers do not have them, so your don't need them either.

 

[westxsrt10]

I'll be reporting right after the 1st cold snap. Anyone have anything on what to do with the low point drains?

They were my achilles heel last winter here.

Last thing I'd do is remove them as you will never be able to 100% drain the tanks. I insulated mine with 1" worth of foil/foam FrostKing insulation tape from HomeDepot....that should handle down to 0 deg. if your a fulltimer with inside heat running. What happen to your drains last year?

 

[2010augusta]

couple thoughts:

I do not believe that the low point drains have any direct attachment to the tanks, except the one drain on the fresh water tank. (we leave the fresh tank drain open in the winter and stay connected to city water)

With the spaghetti loops of the water pipes/hoses in the basement, there is no way to have gravity drain the fresh water system, One must use compressed air and/or antifreeze to flush the lines out.

If one is full-timing, there is very little need to winterize, and a much greater need for the trailer to handle sub-freezing temps, so in a trade-off between draining water and freezing pipes, I will og with no drains.

 

[leftyf]

Last thing I'd do is remove them as you will never be able to 100% drain the tanks. I insulated mine with 1" worth of foil/foam FrostKing insulation tape from HomeDepot....that should handle down to 0 deg. if your a fulltimer with inside heat running. What happen to your drains last year?

froze. the temps got a little low.

 

[leftyf]

couple thoughts:

If one is full-timing, there is very little need to winterize, and a much greater need for the trailer to handle sub-freezing temps, so in a trade-off between draining water and freezing pipes, I will og with no drains.

I'll get my SIL to add the insulation.