Frozen Hot Water Supply Line

[glsorrell]

My name is Gardner and I'm brand new to this forum (2 year owner). I'm looking for advice on thawing out a frozen hot water supply line. I live in Eastern Tennessee and it's very cold right now. Have heated supply lines running to my 23' Imagine but it appears my hot water supply line (between inlet to camper and hot water tank) has frozen over night. My hot water tank is on and feels warm to the touch, I have the on furnace 75 deg F (working well and increased from 60 deg overnight), and have all panels in camper off (to the hot water heater valves / tank, under the shower access which looks like access to insulated underbelly through small square panel with a fan blowing warm air into the area, and all drawers / door open).

None of the fixtures has hot water but all now have cold water. Originally this morning, the kitchen sink (on back end of camper) had neither cold or hot water. Now the cold water is flowing freely.

Any suggestions to help further thaw out hot water lines? It's going to get colder this evening and I'm hoping to get all lines thawed and run a drip the next day until we break the cold spell.

[Country Campers]

The low point drains are frozen, red and blue pipe hanging underneath camper near your water heater. You can thaw with hair dryer or similar, hopefully.

Brian

[glsorrell]

Thanks for the suggestion! I put a ceramic heater up at those lines and boxed them in on 2 sides with some boards. We'll see if this gives me anything!

Thanks again!!!

[Cate&Rob]

There is a possibility that this is not freeze related. There is a check valve on the output of the water heater that can stick closed and create the situation that you describe. If thawing things does not help . . . that would be the next place to look. You can check for this by opening the water heater pressure relief valve to see if water flow is reaching the water heater.

Rob

[glsorrell]

Thanks Rob! I'll double check that as well!

[glsorrell]

There is a possibility that this is not freeze related. There is a check valve on the output of the water heater that can stick closed and create the situation that you describe. If thawing things does not help . . . that would be the next place to look. You can check for this by opening the water heater pressure relief valve to see if water flow is reaching the water heater.

Rob

Cate&Rob Earlier I also tried to use the Hot Water bypass to see if the water would flow through the spigot while bypassing the hot water heater. It did not work. Would that rule out the check valve that you mentioned?

Thanks, Gardner

[TenOC]

1. Years ago when people lived in poorly insulated houses the hot water line always froze before the cold water line. I do not know why.

2 It may be the cold water line to the water heater that is frozen. The last few feet to the water heater is often not well insulated.

[glsorrell]

The low point drains are frozen, red and blue pipe hanging underneath camper near your water heater. You can thaw with hair dryer or similar, hopefully.

Brian

Country Campers, I think that got it! Hot water is working and flowing again to all faucets. I will leave the heater on the low point drains for the next day as we get down to 3 deg F. Looks like there are no leaks so I don't think anything ruptured...so far!

Thanks so much! Really appreciate the guidance.

[glsorrell]

End of the story, I ended up with a leak apparently from somewhere near the shower. Keeping the camper from freezing became too much of a chore so I went ahead and winterized. When I was pumping the antifreeze (after clearing the fresh tank and city water inlets with air), the pump cycled fine while running antifreeze through the kitchen and bath room sink. The pump would shut off when I closed those valves. Then when I opened the shower OR the toilet valves put antifreeze through them, and turned them back off, the pump would cycle off an on, like it was losing pressure from a leak and kicking back on.

After looking outside, I noticed a little pink antifreeze in the snow off of an icicle at the bedroom door. Wasn't sure what caused the icicle originally as there were a couple. I also noticed a drip from the middle of the trailer bottom just a couple feet towards the back from the bedroom door. Didn't look like water had leaked there (no ice and it's been PLENTY COLD) but the gravels were pretty wet.

Regardless, got all the lines either cleared with air of filled with antifreeze and now have an appointment at LazyDays for them to check for a ruptured or leaking line up near my bathroom. Hope this does not turn into a money pit! Going to look for heating options as, IMHO, this design in not a 4-Seasons design when I can't keep lines from freezing in the winter.

[Cate&Rob]

glsorrell Hi Gardner

Leaks at crimped plumbing connections (particularly if the line is soft hose rather than Pex pipe) are a relatively common occurrence in RVs. Not that this is OK . . . it just "is". This is a much discussed topic on this forum but is common across almost all RVs because of the construction methods allowed by their governing body RVIA.

The discrepancy between the marketing pitch of "Arctic Package" insulation and the reality of cold weather requirements is another industry wide disconnect.

Rob

[Reacher]

I have the same rig and found I had a bulging underbelly last summer. I got very lucky and found that I did not have to drop the coroplast. While sitting on the throne I thought I could hear the faint sound of a water drip every 5 seconds under the shower area. I removed the shower faucets and checked for leaks. No leaks. I then removed the small square plastic cover between the shower pan and the floor which measures approx 6"X6" intended for P-trap cleaning. It exposed the shower drain P-trap. I removed the P-trap and was able to shine a small flashlight into the opening and discovered 2 Ts that joined the flex vinyl hoses for the shower with the PEX lines. The hot water one was leaking. The opening was so small that it only allowed me to use one hand. I cut the vinyl hose clamp with a diagonal cutter and installed a good quality water hose clamp and was able to snug it up tightly with a small 1/4 inch ratchet. At 67 I find I'm not as flexible as I once was but can still get the job done LOL.

[Reacher]

As a reminder for those intending to spend their winter in a RV in sub-freezing temperatures. Use under skirting and install a heat source in this area.

[guest2]

End of the story, I ended up with a leak apparently from somewhere near the shower. Keeping the camper from freezing became too much of a chore so I went ahead and winterized. When I was pumping the antifreeze (after clearing the fresh tank and city water inlets with air), the pump cycled fine while running antifreeze through the kitchen and bath room sink. The pump would shut off when I closed those valves. Then when I opened the shower OR the toilet valves put antifreeze through them, and turned them back off, the pump would cycle off an on, like it was losing pressure from a leak and kicking back on.

After looking outside, I noticed a little pink antifreeze in the snow off of an icicle at the bedroom door. Wasn't sure what caused the icicle originally as there were a couple. I also noticed a drip from the middle of the trailer bottom just a couple feet towards the back from the bedroom door. Didn't look like water had leaked there (no ice and it's been PLENTY COLD) but the gravels were pretty wet.

Regardless, got all the lines either cleared with air of filled with antifreeze and now have an appointment at LazyDays for them to check for a ruptured or leaking line up near my bathroom. Hope this does not turn into a money pit! Going to look for heating options as, IMHO, this design in not a 4-Seasons design when I can't keep lines from freezing in the winter.

FYI. The owners manual for our coach says it isn’t designed for use in freezing or subfreezing conditions. And using it in those conditions requires additional precautions. Consult your manual for instructions.
Ours has the arctic insulation 4 seasons package also.
Rich