Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

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Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

December 06, 2017, 07:52:21 am

Here in south Louisiana it rarely gets below freezing so I will run an electric heater in the bathroom and kitchen on those few days.
But since the water heater tank is partially (I think) exposed should I just turn it on? or not worry about it?
I plan to get the inside around 50 or so.
Thanks.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #1 – December 06, 2017, 08:41:21 am

If the outside temperature is only going to hit the upper 20's, say 28-29 deg for a little while, keeping the inside of the rig warm will work. Open all the drawers, and doors inside the RV. That will allow the air to circulate around the areas that hold the fresh water tank and the lines to the water pump. In a mid bath, opening the drawers will allow air to circulate around the lines to a hot water heater. Ideally your black, and gray tanks would be empty. This is what I do when I go camping and the temps drop to (or a little below) freezing overnight.
The worry with this plan is the waterlines that run in the floor to and from the hot water tank. They must absorb warmth through the floor and through the water left in the system. In the event of a prolonged drop below the freezing mark, a full day or more or very cold weather, you will want to get water out of the lines or have the inside comfortably warm.
It is not that hard to blow air through the water lines and the manual describes the process perfectly. Then your set for very cold wether. The mother ship sells an adaptor that attaches to the water line just after the pump.
I hope this helps.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #2 – December 06, 2017, 08:49:30 am

We use at least two (2) temporary strategies to include pulling the water plug and draining the tank. According to my instructions with the water heater, the remaining water will not damage the tank when it freezes. I leave the pressure relief valve open and leave the plug out. It takes 10 seconds to pull the plug.

Or, run the water heater the night before and allow it to heat until it automatically stops. Next morning, turn it on again. I don't use this last strategy unless we're in the RV. During really cold temperatures, we run the water heater several times during the cold periods.

Hope this helps.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #3 – December 06, 2017, 09:42:13 am

The adapter to blow out the water lines that we got when we picked up our 2017 does not work. It allows air to escape around the female fitting even though I made sure it was tight.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #4 – December 06, 2017, 10:21:13 am

Quote from: Ross and Beverly Taylor - December 06, 2017, 09:42:13 am

The adapter to blow out the water lines that we got when we picked up our 2017 does not work. It allows air to escape around the female fitting even though I made sure it was tight.

My guess is your have a defective blow out. I've used it many times. We like to winter camp. On average I do many two or three winerizings a year.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #5 – December 06, 2017, 10:41:24 am

Quote from: Ross and Beverly Taylor - December 06, 2017, 09:42:13 am

The adapter to blow out the water lines that we got when we picked up our 2017 does not work. It allows air to escape around the female fitting even though I made sure it was tight.

use a bit of teflon plumbers tape. make sure the tape is not near the beginning of the thread (so bits of tape do not get into the water system.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #6 – December 06, 2017, 12:09:15 pm

I stretched the (Ohio) season a bit this year until just past Thanksgiving. I used farm-style IR heat lamps directed to vulnerable outside spots: holding tank drains, tanks, outside shower, city water inlet. Kept the inside warm, too.

From a labor/time standpoint, it would have been easier to air-blow the water lines, and just worry about the drain system. I'll take that approach next time. I did end up putting heat tape wrap around the holding tank drain lines and valves. That's something I'll just leave on, even though they are now empty & antifreez-ed. (antifrozen? antifrozed?)

On the water heater, I used a drill-mounted pump to suction out the remainder, although it's not necessary according to both the manual and conventional wisdom. Shop vac with skinny nozzle would work, too.

Did the whole checklist 'for real' when we returned.

Chip

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #7 – December 06, 2017, 12:29:08 pm

Quote from: John DaCrema - December 06, 2017, 10:41:24 am

use a bit of teflon plumbers tape. make sure the tape is not near the beginning of the thread (so bits of tape do not get into the water system.

Good advice, John, as many folks do not know the proper way to use plumber's (teflon) tape. I learned it as a young pipe fitter while in the Navy. Here is an entertaining video which demonstrates the proper method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0kBeMNfWx8

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #8 – December 06, 2017, 05:17:40 pm

I fulltime in my Midbath. The first winter I had it, I had the furnace on, the water heater on, and I had a radiant heater plugged in, keeping the inside temps to the mid-70's. The outside temperature was below zero for a week, dropping as low as 20 below. As suggested above, the drawers and doors were open, including the panel giving access to the water pump and the lower panel at the back of the bathroom wall.

After a week, I was headed for Florida, but my grey tank was a solid block of ice and my black tank was frozen from the dump valve to the tank itself. I cleared the black tank in Virginia Beach, but I still could hear a block of ice in the grey tank for three more days, when I was in Florida.

Bottom line, all my systems were ok. The water feed lines did not freeze. Since then, I winter in southern New Mexico. Nights that get below freezing are unusual but not rare. Nights that drop to the single digits have happened. When I know really cold weather is coming, and the temps will be below 20 for more than one night, I make sure to dump my waste tanks before the freeze. I will then be good for at least a week, and it has never been really cold here for more than a few days. On those few days, with my waste tanks empty, I just open the water pump access panel and keep the interior at about 70. That has worked well for 9 years.

You said you will keep the inside around 50 or so. I would go warmer on those unusually cold nights, targeting something around 70. The water heater is fairly well insulated so if you let it get up to temperature in the evening, and again the next morning, as Ed suggested, I think you will be fine.

Ken F in NM

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #9 – December 07, 2017, 12:51:08 pm

Quote from: HiLola - December 06, 2017, 12:29:08 pm

Good advice, John, as many folks do not know the proper way to use plumber's (teflon) tape. I learned it as a young pipe fitter while in the Navy. Here is an entertaining video which demonstrates the proper method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0kBeMNfWx8

RE: "...an entertaining video..." In the beginning I wondered if Uncle Knackers had been in contact with "eternabong"--but good info because I've made the mistake of applying clear to the end of the threads in the past, but I'll remember Uncle Knackers in the future.

Thx for sharing.

Lynne

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #10 – December 07, 2017, 06:01:27 pm

Thanks for the advice. I'll have the inside warm with electric heaters, and maybe the furnace as standby, and tomorrow will turn on the water heater. We'll have about 8 hours in the mid 20's early Saturday morning.

Re: Not winterizing but occasionally down to freezing?

Reply #11 – December 12, 2017, 08:27:31 am

Well I survived. The temps were in the mid 20's for about 8 hours with snow. I had 2 small electric heaters on low, furnace set to 55 F as backup, water heater on. The inside temp was 71 F. The LP gauge didn't show any usage so the water heater didn't use anything noticeable.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

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