Need advice on when to fill fresh water

mikim wrote:
We go to Mammoth Lakes every year skiing. Temps can get down to 0 and stay below freezing during the day. We keep the furnace on and never had the water freeze. We use the grey and black sparingly as that has frozen. We do keep the water tank filled.

But you have a Tiffin. The OP has a Thor. Tiffins are built to handle temps down in the 0s. Don't know that you can say that about Thors.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Warm it up well before you leave. Get everything else stowed away. Add water, and drive. Keep the furnace on, until the night time temperatures stay above freezing.

X-2,

Hi JimM,

Look for rough service bulbs--they have a much longer life as they are rated to run on 130 volts. They also may heat a little better, too.

JimM68 wrote:

I have 100 watt light bulbs:
behind the fridge
In the passenger side of the tank bay (takes a screwdriver to get in there)

I've been checking the lightbulbs at least every 2 days. We've had several burn out.


Before I put the light bulb in the wet bay, it stayed pretty cold, 35-40 degrees. The system heater failed, and the water froze. I put in the bulb and fixed the system heater, all good now.

Thanks for all the responses. I am going to add water, keep the heat on and hit the road.

jorbill2or wrote:
Looks like those who say empty do it because thy are worried about freezing not because they say it DID freeze and those who run full tanks and keep the furnace on say no problem . Seems you have an answer.

Sure does look that way, doesn't it?

I'm experimenting this year with not winterizing the Knight.
We do have 50 amp power, and I brought in a 300# propane tank to be sure we never run out.

I have both furnaces on, set to minimum (40 degrees)
The Monaco "system heater" in the wet bay is on. It turns on at 35, off at 45.
I have 100 watt light bulbs:
behind the fridge
In the passenger side of the tank bay (takes a screwdriver to get in there)
In the bay where the whole house filter is (I think this is a weirdity to our 40SKQ floorplan, the filter is in a small basement compartment just ahead of the tanks on the passenger side, opposite the drivers side propane tank)

I've been checking the lightbulbs at least every 2 days. We've had several burn out.

The fridge water is frozen, has been for a while, did freeze thaw and freeze again once end of november.

Before I put the light bulb in the wet bay, it stayed pretty cold, 35-40 degrees. The system heater failed, and the water froze. I put in the bulb and fixed the system heater, all good now.

A few weeks ago, after watching the propane dissappear at an alarming rate, I turned the electric fireplace on low.

Our temps are holding steady at 50 inside the bus, and 48 in the wet bay. Not using a lot of propane. Fridge water still frozen, hoping forecast warm weather will thaw it out.

Still trying to talk the DW into some winter camping.....

We have heated bays and just fill all water lines and fresh water and go. Leave the furnace on below 35 degrees. Been doing it for 12 years.

We were in Pa a couple weeks ago and it got down to freezing. We had full water tank. Our bays are heated though. We put RV antifreeze in the grey and black tanks. We then drove from Pa back to Fl with our water tank half full. Never had any problems with the water freezing.

Looks like those who say empty do it because thy are worried about freezing not because they say it DID freeze and those who run full tanks and keep the furnace on say no problem . Seems you have an answer.

Fill it up now! Turn on the furnace and keep everything just a tad warm. I have been running in some really cold weather for the last 2 winters and have no issues at all. Janet recently purchased this weather station with a remote temperature sensor that I keep in my wet bay. While I knew things were fine in there, it's always nice to have a visual confirmation that your plumbing is safe.
http://www.oregonscientificstore.com/Oregon-Scientific-BAR208HGA-Advanced-Weather-Station-with-Atomic-Time.data

Filler up!!! I travel with my truck camper with temps close to zero and of course wind chill temps and never had a problem.