Frozen Pipes

[Giesis]

I was in Dead Horse SP last week and we had a few night with temps between 19 and 21. The first night the water lines in the bathroom were frozen. I was using the furnace all night. The kitchen sink was working but had no hot water. The water heating was on so I didn’t freeze. Using a space heater in the bathroom thawed the lines. The following night I left the space heater in the bathroom and nothing froze. My question is: I thought the heater underbelly would prevent this from happening. What am I missing?
By the way, I am working on a permanent fix to heat the back of the underbelly.

[Country Campers]

If your low point drains are near the bathroom lines that froze that could be the problem. There should be open small heating ducts that blow hot air on the tanks and underbelly but the exposed low point drains will be allowed to freeze. If there is no duct blowing near the low point drains then the freezing temps and water could travel up thru the lines. The Artic package is less than stellar across all manufactures.
Just a thought.

Brian

[Giesis]

If your low point drains are near the bathroom lines that froze that could be the problem. There should be open small heating ducts that blow hot air on the tanks and underbelly but the exposed low point drains will be allowed to freeze. If there is no duct blowing near the low point drains then the freezing temps and water could travel up thru the lines. The Artic package is less than stellar across all manufactures.
Just a thought.

Brian

Good info Brian. Never thought about the low drain points.

[howson]

Giesis -- an insulated cover over the low point drains that extend past the coroplast may help. An example, like those made for an outdoor spigot, is below (there's many, many options).

[JohnD]

Is there a good reason for constantly having water in the low point drains? I'm redoing my plumbing, and considering putting shutoff valves accessible in the cargo compartment such that the low point drains will only have water in them while I am actually draining them. In other words, I would leave the pipes where they are, but put shutoffs a couple feet above inside the cargo area. It would certainly be easier than crawling underneath and opening the valves.

[howson]

Is there a good reason for constantly having water in the low point drains? I'm redoing my plumbing, and considering putting shutoff valves accessible in the cargo compartment such that the low point drains will only have water in them while I am actually draining them. In other words, I would leave the pipes where they are, but put shutoffs a couple feet above inside the cargo area. It would certainly be easier than crawling underneath and opening the valves.

I don't see an issue with the plan. But as with all things plumbing I'll defer to Cate&Rob .

[Second Chance]

Is there a good reason for constantly having water in the low point drains? I'm redoing my plumbing, and considering putting shutoff valves accessible in the cargo compartment such that the low point drains will only have water in them while I am actually draining them. In other words, I would leave the pipes where they are, but put shutoffs a couple feet above inside the cargo area. It would certainly be easier than crawling underneath and opening the valves.

This is the way our 2020 Solitude came - there are valves for the low point drains inside the heated utility compartment and only an uncapped piece of Pex extends through the floor of the compartment to the outside. Your idea makes a lot of sense to me - as long as the valves are in a heated location and easily reached.

Rob

[Giesis]

Giesis -- an insulated cover over the low point drains that extend past the coroplast may help. An example, like those made for an outdoor spigot, is below (there's many, many options).

Something like that it what I was thinking. Thanks

[loneranger]

My bathroom keeps freezing as Giesis described but my kitchen is now frozen as well. Temps have been O degrees last few nights. Pass through storage area where nautilus is is nice and warm as I have a space heater running in there so the lines are not frozen there. Furnace is running and have been keeping thermostat on 78 or so for extra heat to underbelly. Took panels down last night in pass through storage area because I thought there would be more of an opening for hot air to move through underbelly but looks like only moves throw the vent tubing. Any suggestions on how I can access underbelly from the interior of rig itself to get heat down there? Or other thoughts? I am sure my low point drains are frozen but why does that make a difference on the running water in the rig (or maybe I didn't understand the above thread)?

2016 Solitude 379FL

[Jlawles2]

loneranger Once water freezes, it continues to transfer heat from the non frozen water. This results in completely frozen lines. The low point drains may have pulled just enough heat out of the main lines to cause an ice plug that is preventing water from moving.

Since you have the basement (passthrough heated nicely) you may be able to pull the back wall of the area and find the location where a plumbing drain lines passes into the under belly and use a small fan to move heat down into the area.

If you can heat the low point drains to the point of thawing out (leave them full of water as a heat transport medium) you may be able to get water flowing back through the system.

Rob (cate&rob) posted a link to an install he did where he put a heater in the underbelly of his Reflection 5er to help maintain heat. He did an excellent job with the write up including pictures showing the heat shield that he installed also.

[loneranger]

great! Thank you! Ready for Spring!

[Country Campers]

loneranger

After you get the low point drains thawed insulate them as best you can. There is a foam outside spigot cover that I have seen used before but can not find it now of course. A frozen low point drains will cause all kinds of issues as Jlawles2 has mentioned.

Brian

[Canyonlight]

loneranger

After you get the low point drains thawed insulate them as best you can. There is a foam outside spigot cover that I have seen used before but can not find it now of course. A frozen low point drains will cause all kinds of issues as Jlawles2 has mentioned.

Brian

Brian - is this what you are thinking ? Doing a search (I use Bing) came up with all kinds.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CompanyBox-...88a8416e56d30f

Dan

[Country Campers]

Brian - is this what you are thinking ? Doing a search (I use Bing) came up with all kinds.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CompanyBox-...88a8416e56d30f

Dan

Yes that is it. I have seen others using this for the low point drains and seems to work. Thanks for the find Dan.

Brian