Forum Discussion

F4Jock's avatar
F4Jock
Explorer
Sep 17, 2018

How Do You Keep The Waste Compartment Pipe From Freezing?

For those of you who are year-rounders or camp or transit in cold weather, how do you keep the waist discharge compartment piping from freezing? My compartment does not seem to be heated, is yours? If not, what do you do to keep.the waste in the pipes from freezing?
  • 100w light bulb in a clamp-on work light. One in each compartment.
  • These work real well and do not put out light. I used a 4/O box and keyless fixture with a cord mounted in 3 compartments where water pipes and the sewer are most exposed.
  • Hi,

    I added a 120 volt outlet and use a thermostatically controlled heater.

    Don't forget to protect the fridge as well.
  • F4, if you have a basement with the tanks in it, it probably has a duct from the furnace for heat. We have boon docked in the winter, while snowmobiling, with the MH. The temperature in the basement remained in the mid 40s, even at night. We found that heat seemed to migrate to the basement without any motive force. Your mmv.
  • I bought a thermostatically controlled heat tape and wrapped it around the waste valves. My waste compartment is separate from the water compartment so in the water compartment I put a small forced air heater.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Ok my wet bay (Both fresh and waste) is heated by the furnace which I don't use

    So I have a string of C-9 Christmas Tree Lights. 30 lights each 9 watts (these are the old outdoor lights look like the more common C7 (Night light size) but bigger) note DO NOT go to 15 watt lamps they will melt plastic the C9s do not.

    I have a 100 watt rough service lamp on the end of the string in the waste compartment this is caged. I have a 150 watt "World's smallest space heater" if it gets real cold.. at 11 degrees (Outside) the cold water pipe froze.. Middle of the run (Pex does not mind that) next AM when it got up to about 22 it thawed and I could flush the toilet normally again. hot did nto freeze.
  • We have stayed in below zero temps and we just put a thermostatically controlled INCANDESCENT 100 watt trouble light in the wet compartment. The trouble light is what was used in garages and provides a place to install a bulb that has a wire cage around it for protection. This 100 watt bulb provides enough heat to keep all of the water lines, our water pump, and our drain connection from freezing. We usually keep the fresh water tank topped off and only hook up once a week or so to empty the waste tanks. Since the water hose is only hooked up to top off our fresh water tank, we don't have to be concerned about it freezing.
    Thermostat outlet plug for light