Temp in the teens overnight, kitchen hw froze

[aquiring signal]

Woke up this morning to find the kitchen hot water not working. All other water in the trailer works fine. I'm sure it's frozen. We had the under cabinet doors open to help prevent this.

This will be the first winter using our new 2008 Bighorn 3670 but we've winter camped in our old fw, which did not have a sealed & heated underbelly. We have lots of experience avoiding freeze ups in temperatures WAY lower than this, but thought this sealed and heated basement would make life easier.

I guess I need the plumbing schematic so I can figure out where the lines run and find a way to get some heat to them to prevent this in the future.

Anyone else ever have this problem or know where I can get a picture showing the plumbing routing? Suggestions? Thanks!

 

[jpmorgan37]

You didn't say if you were running the furnace or were you using electric heaters. If you weren't running the furnace you weren't putting any heat into the basement or underbelly which could account for the freeze up. I will forward this on to Heartland for their input.

John

 

[aquiring signal]

Yes, furnace running, inside temp in the mid to upper 60's all day & night. Outside hose insulated and heated, too, fwiw.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

More than likely it occurred in the docking center or just behind the DC. There are a couple of valves that are used to drain the system and are exposed to the cold. The heat to the area behind the docking center is minimal. Access is in the basement off door side. A panel held in by a few screws. Most plumbing is accessible there. 1st place to check.

 

[jpmorgan37]

Maybe a lamp with a 15w bulb in the dc would solve that problem. I have friends that do that in their Class A.

 

[aquiring signal]

Thanks, good input. I've heard of & used the "light bulb for heat" method before, but never thought I'd need to do that in a heated space.

I know the panel you're talking about that when removed reveals the space behind the docking station. I have an indoor digital thermometer that comes with wireless battery powered sending units. I plan to put one behind that panel and start monitoring my basement temperature to prevent future occurrences.

Also, I have been in touch with Heartland & my dealer and we have an appointment set to have them take a look. Check for gaps and possible air infiltration into the heated basement area, maybe add some insulation if need be, etc.

 

[sidney dreyfus]

Aquiring signal,

We have just about the same rig and havn't had a problem. We have our 2008 3670 parked in the Pocono's where the temp has been going down to 18 and 19 degrees. I just keep the temperature at 65 degrees and have a portable heater down below behind the basement partition wall. The portable heater hasn't been used because the furnace has been throwing enough warm air into the belly. I winterize the camper with antifreeze before we leave for home. The only problem I had was when I overfilled the water tank. I saw water coming out the bottom of the camper. The water probably went into the vent hoses. The I winterization process doesn't put antifreeze into the fresh water holding tank or it's vent hoses. I guess that one of the reasons we shouldn't overfill the water tank. Oh well everything is a learning process.

 

[SmokeyBare]

I've plugged in an Electric heater in the basement. I used the electric plug at the docking station to power the heater... and I aimed the heater toward the round inspection hole behind the Docking station on our BigHorn. The heater moved enough warm air around the plumbing lines to keep things flowing.

All it really takes is a little wind blowing in the right direction to cause a frozen pipe. There are always a risk when the temps are in the Teens... a little precaution takes the worry out of not having water for the Coffee Pot... in the frosty mornings.

My best tip of course is..... Make those wheels roll SOUTH BOUND !! There's far better places to be parked than where it's in the Teens...

 

[Bob&Patty]

After reading this, I thought I would put in my 2 cent. I have noticed that our tin heat duct to the bedroom is accessable from the basement. I was thinking about getting the plastic vent used for the battery, some flex tubing, cut a hole in the docking station and run some hot air into the docking station. Might work, what do you guys think. Bob

 

[katkens]

After reading this, I thought I would put in my 2 cent. I have noticed that our tin heat duct to the bedroom is accessable from the basement. I was thinking about getting the plastic vent used for the battery, some flex tubing, cut a hole in the docking station and run some hot air into the docking station. Might work, what do you guys think. Bob

Bob, I think if I was going to tap into the heat duct , would just have it blow on the back side of the docking station. If its warm on the back side the front should be fine and the extra warm air stays inside...Ken

 

[Pulltab]

I don't see why you would be having problems in the docking station. It is in the cargo bay right? That is open to the living space thru the vent by the furnace. My cargo space is basically the same temp as the inside of rv. I believe you will find freezing is occuring in the underbelly, the lines run along the frame rail and are exposed to that cold. I insulated all my water lines with foam insulation and added better heat ducting to the basement. I have 2 temp sensors in the basement and it usual stays at 60* both front of the uderside and rear. Of course you have to open the bottom up and in the winter that certainly is not a good option.

 

[SmokeyBare]

Pulltab,

One reason may be.... leaving the docking station open where the hoses and cables pass through the bottom of the RV. That's a pretty big hole if they don't stuff something in it to block the cold and wind from entering the opening.

I'd bet they probably disconect the water line from the docking station... but find it difficult to disconect the Cable/Satellite wires which pass through the opening.

I stuff a towel in that large opening after I am set Up.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Ken, you may be right, but on our coach it would a very short run to the DS. I just thought it would keep the water filter from freezing. I am going to figure out something to plug the hole in the bottom of the DS besides a towel. Bob

 

[crs2fer]

I leave an electric heater in the cargo area to keep the lines from freezing. I hook up a water hose to the city water hook up for a few hours in the evening for showering and such. I use my rig for work and in temps as low as -20 below zero. I cannot keep the fresh water tank from freezing but I don't have a heated tank pad either, I may have to install one. I have added blown in insulation to the front nose cone and underbelly which has helped greatly.

 

[aquiring signal]

froze again

Well, it happened again. Overnight temps in the teens, 70 degrees inside the trailer with the furnace running. Only the kitchen hot water froze.

The only thing different this time is we left the kitchen faucet trickling hoping to prevent this. I had the faucet lever straight up (between hot & cold) and turned it on intil I had a stream about half the thickeness of a pencil. Now that I'm sure the hot is my weak link, I think if I had it do over I would crank the lever all the way towards hot, turn on a little stream, then slowly move the lever towards cold and thicken the stream. That way I'd be sure there was water moving in that hot water line.

A few weeks back we made an appointment at the dealer for less than a week from now. They're going to open up the belly and see what can be done. While it's open, maybe I should put a heater in there that I can activate in extreme cold situations. Any sugestions on this? I've read where some add heaters to the basement, but as I said above, the forward part seems okay, it's under the kitchen I'm concerned about.

 

[linuxkidd]

Hello aquiring signal.
I just had a similar experience with my 08 Landmark. It turns out that the low point drains are connected via a T connector. This T connector is RIGHT at the underbelly of the RV. Take a guess where the Kitchen gets its water from... YEP.. The same T connector.

On mine, I hit the Low point drains with a heat gun and within a few minutes, my Kitchen water was flowing again.

I plan on insulating that area a bit more when it warms up this weekend. Hope this helps!

LK

 

[aquiring signal]

Thanks, Linuxkidd!

I was just posting on your thread before I read your post to mine. I'm at work but I called my wife at home & she's going to aim the hairdryer at the low point valves and see what happens. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks again!

 

[linuxkidd]

Ya.. I noticed the post over there a few minutes ago..

It may take a few more minutes with a hair dryer than mine did w/ a heat gun. But, have her look at the underbelly liner right where the Low point Drains are... If they're like mine, she'll see the T connectors and be able to hit them directly with the heat..

Good luck!
LK

 

[jbeletti]

LK,

How about using a thermostatically controlled heat tape on the low drain points, Tees and nearby lines? Then cover the lines nearby with pipe insulation.

Whatever you do, please consider taking pictures so we can see what you did visually.

You're looking at 58 degrees on Sunday

Jim

 

[aquiring signal]

Bighorn 3670RL kitchen hot water status

Wife reports she's had the hair dryer on the low point valves for 15 minutes, nothing yet. She went in to warm up & will try again soon....

Btw, I asked her if she could see the Tee connectors and she could not. Says just the two drain lines sticking out of the underbelly surounded by spray foam.