Cold Weather Concerns

DoubleT · 02-28-2015, 11:45 AM

Heading east from Texas next week with stops in central LA Weather forecast in the 20's at night. Not planning on using water system due to freezing concerns on the plumbing. Any suggestions about plumbing system while camping in these lower temps would be greatly appreciated. This is our first trip in our 2014 2720 QS Silver Trail. Never camped in cold temps like this in our 2008 2619 and have obvious concerns. Guess looking for do's and don't based on your experiences. Thanks

LoveToCamp · 02-28-2015, 12:52 PM

I have had my 2417 out a couple weekends when it was cold. Normally down to about 20° overnight, but one night down to 9°.

The only problem I had was opening my gray-tank drain valve. It was frozen. I towed for a while with the sun on that side, then was able to open it to drain.

Don't know where your water tank is, but mine is in the rear storage area, so it gets less heat from the living quarters than if you have yours under the couch bench. Also, if your fill spout is next to your outdoor shower (both assumptions), you could run hot water into your fresh tank each evening before retiring, to give it more heat before the cold of night.

If temps will be above freezing each day, and overnight lows are in the 20s, I don't think you will have a problem. Open the cabinets where water lines run through, and you will let even more heat access the lines.

Good luck!

**Bill** · 02-28-2015, 01:08 PM

If you are staying in a campground with full hookups - electric/water/sewer - temperatures in the 20's don't have to be a big deal. And you should be able to use your water system. In most cases, it just takes some thinking about each aspect of your system, to clarify what to do. A hair dryer with a sturdy extension cord will be your best friend.

The fresh water hose from the campground spigot to your TM will freeze if left connected and full of water. So before you go to bed, fill your fresh water tank, and then disconnect the hose - both ends - drain it, and lay it out on the ground near its original route. In the morning, just hook it up again. Although the hose will be stiff, and may crackle with small amounts of ice from water left inside it, it will be easy to hook up since you left it near its original position.

Any water that is in the sewer drain pipes under the camper will freeze. So before you go to bed, open both valves, and thoroughly drain at least the gray tank. My preference is to close both drain valves, but some people leave them open. Residual moisture in those valves will cause both of them to freeze closed (or open) during the night, but won't hurt them. To thaw them in the morning, either use the hair dryer, or run a bit of hot water down the kitchen sink and some more into the toilet. When the water hits the valves, it will thaw them.

Any water that is in the sewer hose (slinky) from your TM to the campground's sewer connection will freeze during the night. So before you go to bed, after you have drained the tanks, disconnect and drain the hose thoroughly, then reconnect it. One non-obvious thing is this. When you drain the slinky hose, small amounts of water will stay in the spiral crease of the hose, and this water will freeze into small sharp crystals. If you bend or flex the hose, these small crystals will puncture and tear the plastic, causing small leaks. If this happens, you must buy another hose. So don't touch that hose until a significant amount of water has passed through it to melt the crystals.

It will be warm inside your TM, so none of the plumbing that is exposed to this warmth will freeze. This includes the fresh water tank, the water heater, the water pump, and all the plumbing under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, as well as the black water tank in the toilet. During the night, leave the cabinet doors and the bathroom door open so the warm air from the room can circulate around those items. Leave the water heater turned on, of course. In the morning, you can switch on the water pump. It will pump water from the fresh water tank, so you can shower, brush your teeth, or wash dishes as usual. In each of those cases, when the warm water runs down the drain, it will thaw the dump valves if they have frozen closed.

There is one more thing that few have considered, but many have paid for (including me). Your TM has an outside shower, and there will be water trapped in the shower head and the faucets. So before you go to bed, at a time when there is no pressure in the water system, open the compartment door, pull out the hose, and unscrew the shower head. Allow the hose to drain. Open the hot and cold valves to allow them to drain thoroughly, then close them. Either take the shower head indoors, or shake the water out of it and replace it on the end of the hose. Then, push the hose back into the compartment, and close the compartment door.

That's about it. Temps well below zero can be a different story, but for modestly freezing temps, it is not too hard.

Bill

02-28-2015, 03:06 PM

The only slight change I would make to Bill's excellent post is:

Don't lay your fresh water hose open on the ground. If it rains or snows it can become contaminated. After draining the hose, loosely screw it back onto the trailer connection and the campground spigot. If any leftover water freezes and expands, the displaced air can escape from the loosely threaded ends, and the hose will remain clean.

**Bill** · 02-28-2015, 04:10 PM

I like it, MisterP. Thanks.

Bill

tentcamper · 02-28-2015, 06:39 PM

I would pick up a 1,500 watt elec heater. Find the right setting and keep it on. Set the furnace to come on just at a temp a bit lower.

Depending on your travel plans and weather forecast after camping in LA. You may want to re-winterize before you hit the road.

We normally when winter camping, only fill the holding tank and put the hose away.

**kempert** · 03-01-2015, 07:52 AM

IMHO - The best type of electric heater is one with a thermostat so that you can set the temperature. The ones with just settings like "HIGH" and "LOW" are not nearly as good.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 03-01-2015, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kempert

IMHO - The best type of electric heater is one with a thermostat so that you can set the temperature. The ones with just settings like "HIGH" and "LOW" are not nearly as good.

I bought a nifty programmable plugin thermostat that operates just like the one in many homes. Plug it into the wall and then any heater into it, and presto.

I am on my phone now but I can get the link if anyone is interested when I get to my computer.

Dave

tentcamper · 03-01-2015, 10:30 AM

Our's are the type that you adjust temp, but no numbers. Once I find the right temp. I mark the dial for future use. I like the idea of thermostat like Dave has. I have been messing with the adjustment on heaters for too many years. I will have to look up these plug thermostats.

clan_salmons · 03-01-2015, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

I bought a nifty programmable plugin thermostat that operates just like the one in many homes. Plug it into the wall and then any heater into it, and presto.

I am on my phone now but I can get the link if anyone is interested when I get to my computer.

Dave

Here's mine.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...262#post111262

I think Dave and I use the same model.