Forum Discussion

forthefunofit94's avatar
Oct 22, 2013

Cold weather camping

Headed to the lake this w/e. The temps will drop to 28-30 degrees overnight. I have the heated tanks etc, but my question is the fresh water hose. Should I disconnect it overnight, or should it be OK?
  • We always unhook the hose if it is forecasted to be below freezing. We have left our hose out and it did freeze, but after a few hours in the sun, it was fine.
  • JaxDad's avatar
    JaxDad
    Explorer III
    forthefunofit94 wrote:
    Thanks, that's what I thought, but I tend to err on the cautious side.


    Yup, that's cautious alright. Not there's anything wrong with that.

    Water doesn't START to freeze until IT reaches 32 deg. not the air temperature does. Also, in the fall when the earth is still warm, a hose full of water laying on the ground will not start to even slush up let alone freeze till the temps are quite way below 32 degrees.

    It would take far more than the few hours it's below freezing by 2 or 4 degrees for the water to be affected.

    I've had no issues with water lines (in the fall) down to 25 deg. and tanks even colder. More liquid means more mass, more mass means longer till it cools to the freezing point.
  • We always full fw tank and operate from it in cold weather conditions
  • I would disconnect the hose overnight and when the temperature goes above freezing in the day hook it back up
    You can use your on board fresh water tank for any water you need overnight (toilet flush)
  • I would disconnect it or buy a heated line that you can wrap around the hose to keep it from freezing.

    Josh

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