Invention needed

[Bob_Vaughn]

Last week we had a couple of nights in the 20's and our electric heated water hose froze at the faucet. Some one needs to invent a waterproof mitten to protect the water faucet including the handle as one night the faucet handle could not be shut off because it was frozen open.....I got it thawed out and wrapped it with a towel covered with a velcro strap. I do not normally camp in the coldest months of the year but we had to attend a funeral. I am sure some one has a solution for the faucets freezing.....

[valhalla360]

Campgrounds open in the winter often use frost proof valves. The actual valve sits a couple feet below the surface and only the activator is above ground.

But as others have suggested many options:
- Heat tape on the valve and pipe.
- Put the hose away and run off the tank
- Cover with insulation (short duration not too cold scenario)
- Cover with light bulb for heat (not florescent or LED)

[2oldman]

GordonThree wrote:

K Charles wrote:
Our campers have always had a tank and a pump. When it's that cold the hose is put away and doesn't freeze.

x2 easiest solution it would seem to me.

x3

[discovery4us]

Faucet beanie I think is the name. I have good luck with good ole foam pipe insulation and some duct tape.

[GordonThree]

K Charles wrote:
Our campers have always had a tank and a pump. When it's that cold the hose is put away and doesn't freeze.

x2 easiest solution it would seem to me.

[Bobbo]

When DW had a greenhouse that needed water all winter, I wrapped the heat tape around the hose AND around the faucet head/handle. Then I covered the faucet head/handle with a lot of newspaper to insulate it, then with a small garbage bag to waterproof it.

[Bob_Vaughn]

DownTheAvenue wrote:

Bob Vaughn wrote:
Some one needs to invent a waterproof mitten to protect the water faucet including the handle as one night the faucet handle could not be shut off because it was frozen open

Someone has invented it, and it is called a heat tape. They come in many different lengths- merely wrap it around the pipe to be protected and plug it in. Complete with a thermostat, it only turns on when temperatures approach freezing to prevent the water in the pipe from freezing.

Wrong response.......I had my heated hose hooked up and on but the faucet was very close to the ground and the handle was exposed to the cold air and it froze.....Once it thawed and I wrapped it with a towel every thing was ok except the towel was sopping wet....

[DownTheAvenue]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
Some one needs to invent a waterproof mitten to protect the water faucet including the handle as one night the faucet handle could not be shut off because it was frozen open

Someone has invented it, and it is called a heat tape. They come in many different lengths- merely wrap it around the pipe to be protected and plug it in. Complete with a thermostat, it only turns on when temperatures approach freezing to prevent the water in the pipe from freezing.

[K_Charles]

Our campers have always had a tank and a pump. When it's that cold the hose is put away and doesn't freeze.

[azrving]

Our site has a bulb and a 5 gallon bucket. It's also obvious when it's on and they guy comes around and shuts them off.

[Bob_Vaughn]

donn0128 wrote:
Already been done Bob. Its called an incendescent bulb, drop light and empty 5 gallon plastic bucket. Have used this trick for years in temps down into the teens with no freeze ups?

What about those drippy faucets?? Water and Electricity do not mix.....

[GordonThree]

So many different shapes and sizes for water outlet... Towel or buckets, or just don't forget to disconnect before you drift off.

[donn0128]

Already been done Bob. Its called an incendescent bulb, drop light and empty 5 gallon plastic bucket. Have used this trick for years in temps down into the teens with no freeze ups?

[Fizz]

One winter at Xmas time we were in Las Cruses NM. It went down to freezing every night. All I had was a 5 gal pail full of crumpled up newspaper inverted over the faucet. Not the best but it worked. Mind you it wasn't bitter cold but I had too drain the white hose every night.