Tanks and Pipes Below Freezing Weather

[Tony_B]

I have a Denali 293RKS with the Thermal Package. I am under the impression that as long as the furnace is running to keep the RV at 65*F inside, my tanks and pipes wont freeze at temps of 10-12*F. Is this a good assumption or was the salesman full of balogna? The dealership didnt answer my e-mail and the customer service guy was as useful as balls on the pope.
What is your strategy to keep pipes and tanks from freezing?

Thanks in advance

[Tony_B]

laknox wrote:
Tony B,.......Also, I've read that some people will also use small fans to force air from the living area into cabinets. ....Lyle

I just bought a small electric heater (250 Watt) from Walmart. Didnt realize it had no thermostat. I'm keeping this under the kitchen sink with the doors open. In the bathroom, i have a slightly iarger electric heater with thermostat. That keep the bathroom pipes warmer because the cab. door is kept open. Also, a lot of heat circulates from the bathroom to the bedrrom so the bedroom is toasty at night.

Now that I have heater under kitchen sink in cabinet, i replaced the missing foam insulation around the pipes where they exit outside and become the drain lines. I also put foam pipe insulation around the 8-10" length of pex tubing with the small shutoff valves on them. The only thing that is now exposed is the actual plastic shut-off valves at end of pex tubing. I'm sure this is where the freezing first occurred. Fortunately, we noticed the frozen lines before it bacame a serious problem

What else can I do to protect those small valves and is that piece of foam pipe insulation around the pex enough?

[laknox]

Tony B, I'll give a big x2 on opening cabinets to keep the under sink plumbing warm. Don't forget the bathroom sink, too! Also, I've read that some people will also use small fans to force air from the living area into cabinets. I'll also give a big x2 for having extra propane handy. Furnaces use a =lot= of fuel and you sure as hell don't want to run out!

Lyle

[time2roll]

www.ultraheat.com

In addition to pipe and tank heaters I added a hot water circulating system to keep warm water moving into remote areas.

Circulate hot water

[Tony_B]

Everything went good up until................

I have a rear kitchen and my sink is on the rear wall. Last night, the faucets in th kitchen sink wouldnt work. I checked the bathroom sink and it was OK. I looked under the rv from the outside and there was the hot and cold pex tubing for draining the tank. Those two lines were frozen. I used a heat gun to thaw them out and it only took a few minutes. The foam expanding insulation was gone and I could see straight into the rv under the sink. About a 3"dia. hole
Not knowing what to do, i decided to drain all my tanks. I bought some cheap foam, only king walmart had at the time and some pipe insulation - the tube type. It fir sloppy and loose so i used wire ties to hold them in place.
Note: We are living aboard, the furnace was running the rv was warm and the bottom cabinet doors were open. Now we know to put a small ceramic heater in there.
The small drain valves on the pex tubing are still exposed.
What else can I do to prevent this from happening?

[garyp4951]

This owner was in for a surprise when they returned.
Not the OP's

[Cameo_Phil]

If there is a farm supply store in the area you might want to try them for non-toxic antifreeze.

[Tony_B]

OK, so far last night went down to about 11*F and the high today was 24*F. We did use some aux. heat but not much. Didn't want the aux. heaters to get high enough so as not to trip the thermostat for the furnace. All seems good and we didn't make any special preparations other than run the furnace. Tomorrow moenig will be about 10*F and the high will bw about 25*F again.

It has been nerve wracking for me but I guess that comes with the learning experience. So, tonite I will sleep a little but better.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Ask for plumbing antifreeze.

Tony B wrote:
So far I have been to 3 Walmarts in the area and they dont have it. Maybe will try O'Reillys auto parts. Thanks for the info

[Tony_B]

So far I have been to 3 Walmarts in the area and they dont have it. Maybe will try O'Reillys auto parts. Thanks for the info

[GordonThree]

Tony B wrote:
I cant seem to find RV anti-freeze. Can I use regular anti-freeze in waste and gray water tanks and how much?

Absolutely not. Automotive antifreeze is toxic. You'll be doing everyone a disservice when you unload that into the parks septic system.

Walmart and every auto parts store will have RV antifreeze.

[Tony_B]

Yesterday, I called 3 different RV dealerships and explained the situation. They all said that given the weather conditions i will be experiencing in Central Arkansas this week, I should be just fine just running the furnace. The air ducts are run under the tanks. All i should need to do was to open the lower cabinet doors to let additional heat into the areas where some pipes might be.
I elected to believe them, foolish and trusting as I am. I figure the Thermal Package should be able to handle this cold weather. They do bill this and other similar anti-freezing packages as all weather camping. I dont know how cold is 'cold' to them because all i am interested in this time is my immediate concerns.
I am however going to get some anti-freeze today, just in case. That is why I asked about regular automobile anti- freeze. Hope it's OK to use.

[Tony_B]

I cant seem to find RV anti-freeze. Can I use regular anti-freeze in waste and gray water tanks and how much?

[Jim2007]

Hi.. I would winterize, to me it is just not worth the risk....jim2007

[pianotuna]

replace the cold air return grill with twin window fans. Add heat to the basement.

Add a 40 watt incandescent bulb to the fridge (outside but inside the grill)