Possible busted pipe

[dgerfan]

Good Morning,
We are currently in East Texas and last night the temps got down into the single digits. In preparation for these temps we filled up the fresh tank and removed water hoses, keep furnace running at 50 degrees or greater all night and tank heaters on. At about 3PM in the afternoon the kitchen sink froze however all the water lines in the bathroom worked. When I woke up I tried opening up the kitchen sink approximately 15 times and then turned on the water heater. About an hour later when I turned the pump back on I noticed it was continually running. Hopefully one of the pipes didn't bust!

Would appreciate any troubleshooting tips to determine the cause of the continually running water pump. I have already inspected the area behind the false wall in the pass thru and found no evidence of a water leak there.

[TucsonJim]

Are the bathroom fixtures still running? If not, the line to the pump may be frozen and since the pump can't get enough water to build pressure, it keeps running.

Jim

[dgerfan]

TucsonJim The bathroom fixtures are not running.

So assuming its a frozen pipe and not a broken pipe is my only option to continually run the furnace in hopes of thawing out the frozen line?

[Jlawles2]

Water under vacuum (suction from tank) can freeze at a higher temperature. As mentioned the lines to the pump may have froze. If you can using the power fill, add water to the tank as I think the water line from the panel to the tank and the suction line from the tank to the pump are the same.

[ajw1970]

Similar problem here with 2022 295RL. We had heated hose and were on city water last night. Had kitchen sink dripping and just now (11 am) the kitchen faucet stopped. I switched over to using the pump with fresh water tank and drained my heated hose. We have water working in bathroom faucets still.

[dgerfan]

Jlawles2 Unfortunately all the water lines in this park are frozen but I will try them once they thaw out. Thanks

[Cate&Rob]

The water line from the tank to the pump and from the water system to the kitchen island are the most likely to freeze. They are farthest from the furnace and there is only one small heating duct (which is often partially crushed during assembly) providing heat to the tank and island area.

The Pex or soft hose lines can survive freezing, so hopefully there is no permanent damage. The only way to get heat down there is by way of the furnace. If you can get the lines thawed, keeping the trailer at significantly higher than 60 F will cause the furnace to run more often, putting more heat into the underbelly.

Rob

[Country Campers]

Check the low point drains, these are one of the first to freeze with cold temps if they are not insulated. With furnace on I would guess that the lines in the underbelly would be kept from freezing but the low point drains are open to the outside air and freezing temperatures.

Brian

[ajw1970]

I ended up turning off our fireplace (electric heat) and turning the furnace up. The water started flowing from the kitchen sink again within about 2-3 hours. Keeping the fireplace off until we get back up above freezing. Also keeping the sink and a trickle instead of just dripping.

[dgerfan]

The water line from the tank to the pump and from the water system to the kitchen island are the most likely to freeze. They are farthest from the furnace and there is only one small heating duct (which is often partially crushed during assembly) providing heat to the tank and island area.

The Pex or soft hose lines can survive freezing, so hopefully there is no permanent damage. The only way to get heat down there is by way of the furnace. If you can get the lines thawed, keeping the trailer at significantly higher than 60 F will cause the furnace to run more often, putting more heat into the underbelly.

Rob

Thanks Rob, we had the furnace running all day and still aren't getting flow to any of the fixtures. Will hope that eventually the affected pipe thaws out. I did disconnect the water pump from the Nautilus and ran the input and output hoses into a bucket of water. The pump moved water so the issue is frozen pipe(s) or busted pipe(s).

[dgerfan]

Check the low point drains, these are one of the first to freeze with cold temps if they are not insulated. With furnace on I would guess that the lines in the underbelly would be kept from freezing but the low point drains are open to the outside air and freezing temperatures.

Brian

Brian, I don't see any leaks coming from the outside exposed portion of the low point drain however I guess there could be a leak inside the coroplast. In the meantime I will rap it with some insulation.

[dgerfan]

I ended up turning off our fireplace (electric heat) and turning the furnace up. The water started flowing from the kitchen sink again within about 2-3 hours. Keeping the fireplace off until we get back up above freezing. Also keeping the sink and a trickle instead of just dripping.

Glad to hear you are up and running. I should have dripped all the faucets. Won't make that mistake again.

[Cate&Rob]

Be careful “dripping the faucets” in an RV . . . this will fill up the holding tanks faster than you would expect.

Rob

[Cate&Rob]

There is one 2” duct that brings furnace heat to the entire underbelly. It will have Ts at the front tanks and then continue on to the water tank and kitchen island area. This is not a lot of heat to start with. During the assembly process, this soft duct can get “squashed” which dramatically decreases air flow. Not something that can solve the immediate issues, but if/when you have to drop the coroplast for any reason . . . be sure to examine the routing of this small duct, from furnace to water tank area.

Rob

[Cate&Rob]

An additional thought on “dripping the faucets” to prevent freezing . . . this works in a residential situation when the incoming water is from below ground and substantially above freezing temperature. If this water is coming from a near freezing RV tank this will be less effective. Moving water will not freeze as quickly as still water, so that will still help.

Rob