Here lately in cold weather I find myself just putting water in my fresh water tank at campgrounds and pumping from the tank that is heated in the bay instead of putting a hose out, to me this serves two purposes it both keeps fresh water changing out in the tank and also keeps me from having a frozen or busted hose. Why do I see so many people come into a campground and hook up to fresh water with a hose knowing its going to be 20 degrees that night and then they act shocked the next morning when their hose is frozen solid and they have no water to use ? I don't fill the tank completely so im not carrying extra weight when traveling but I do keep enough in there so it can get me through if I end up at a campground that has water completely shut off in winter so I can atleast have a shower and water to flush the toilet.Its funny to me that when I suggest this to people in cold weather where freeze potential exists and in most cases they don't seem to even know how to fill their tanks, I mean do that many people never use their tanks and only rely on city water connections ?

X2 on fill the tank and take hose off.Many people also do not know that if a serious storm is predicted it's another reason to fill the water tank to the top!Last CG I was at when there were storm warnings issued, I made sure I had a full tank of water. When the storm came thru and took out the power to the CG for a couple of days.....I was very surprised to find out that I was the only one that had water to use during those couple of days! :B

We always carry at least a 1/3 of a tank of water. We also unhook when the temp gets down to freezing. It is just common sense.We were at Anastasia State Park last week and the water went off overnight. It had no effect on us though other campers had issues.We were in South Carolina three weeks ago and the temps dipped down into the twenties. Also didn't bother us but there were some frustrated campers there, too.We also carry water just in case the water where we are going is questionable. On more than one occasion, we have run into quality and clarity problems (brown water, cloudy water, boil advisories); the water may be potable but we don't want it in our tank.

We usually travel with a full or near full fresh tank, and even in good weather it's not unusual for us to skip hooking up the water hose for a one or two night stop over. And I have seen folks wake up with frozen water hoses, even when the park had a sign posted at check-in advising unhooking due to cold weather and a park employee had come around advising everyone they saw of it. One camper told me he didn't think it would freeze because the hose was connected to a freeze proof faucet! Amazing...

Commerce wrote:Here lately in cold weather I find myself just putting water in my fresh water tank at campgrounds and pumping from the tank that is heated in the bay instead of putting a hose out, to me this serves two purposes it both keeps fresh water changing out in the tank and also keeps me from having a frozen or busted hose. Why do I see so many people come into a campground and hook up to fresh water with a hose knowing its going to be 20 degrees that night and then they act shocked the next morning when their hose is frozen solid and they have no water to use ? I don't fill the tank completely so im not carrying extra weight when traveling but I do keep enough in there so it can get me through if I end up at a campground that has water completely shut off in winter so I can atleast have a shower and water to flush the toilet.Its funny to me that when I suggest this to people in cold weather where freeze potential exists and in most cases they don't seem to even know how to fill their tanks, I mean do that many people never use their tanks and only rely on city water connections ?I have been doing this for over 5 years of full time. This is winter number 6 and I have never had a frozen hose. After I fill my fresh tank and unhook my pressure reducer which I put in the basement, I unhook the hose from the RV and stretch it out on the ground with one end lower than the other. It drains and is ready for use the next morning when all else may be frozen.I also keep my fresh water tank full at all times when in any campground regardless of season. This is the first thing I do after hooking the water up. You never know when a park will have a water line break and you are without city water for a period of time. This past summer while hosting at a state park in Florida we were without city water 9 times and one of them was overnight. I had no issues. I do use this onboard water periodically even when hooked up and refill just to keep it fresh.

We have an electric hose just for these conditions. but, we also put water in the fresh water tank just in case the power goes off. Always drain a little just before departure to reduce weight.Dave

Hook up a hose or fill fresh water tank in cold weather ?

Dutch_12078
Explorer II
Jan 29, 2016
We usually travel with a full or near full fresh tank, and even in good weather it's not unusual for us to skip hooking up the water hose for a one or two night stop over. And I have seen folks wake up with frozen water hoses, even when the park had a sign posted at check-in advising unhooking due to cold weather and a park employee had come around advising everyone they saw of it. One camper told me he didn't think it would freeze because the hose was connected to a freeze proof faucet! Amazing...
dahkota
Explorer
Jan 29, 2016
We always carry at least a 1/3 of a tank of water. We also unhook when the temp gets down to freezing. It is just common sense.

We were at Anastasia State Park last week and the water went off overnight. It had no effect on us though other campers had issues.

We were in South Carolina three weeks ago and the temps dipped down into the twenties. Also didn't bother us but there were some frustrated campers there, too.

We also carry water just in case the water where we are going is questionable. On more than one occasion, we have run into quality and clarity problems (brown water, cloudy water, boil advisories); the water may be potable but we don't want it in our tank.
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Jan 29, 2016
X2 on fill the tank and take hose off.

Many people also do not know that if a serious storm is predicted it's another reason to fill the water tank to the top!

Last CG I was at when there were storm warnings issued, I made sure I had a full tank of water.

When the storm came thru and took out the power to the CG for a couple of days.....I was very surprised to find out that I was the only one that had water to use during those couple of days! :B

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Hook up a hose or fill fresh water tank in cold weather ?

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