Frozen Hot Water

[214skier]

We have a Grand Design Reflection 308BHTS TT and have lost hot water while camping in 10'. Does anyone have any ideas for short term remedy? Interested in permanent fixes after we get home as well.

Thank you

[rbpru]

I can get to the back side of my water heater to control the intake, output and bypass valves behind the bath room drawers. If I need to heat the pipes that is where I would start.

[profdant139]

SMKettner gave you some links to some good solutions. Here is a link to a crude, cheap, effective solution:


Run a hose from the hot water faucet to the fill pipe

It really works -- we camped for a week in Yosemite recently, and it never got above freezing the whole time.

If you do a lot of very cold weather camping, go with a more sophisticated solution, not my amateurish method.

[pianotuna]

I'm glad it resolved itself.

They run the pipes along the outside edge of the RV. It may be difficult or impossible to insulate between the pipe and the floor or wall. Air flow from the heated space is what is needed.

matt_r wrote:
After returning home and to more temperate climate the hot water resumed operation. I presume this is an insulation issue?

[214skier]

CavemanCharlie wrote:
I'm glad the situation seem to work it way out. I'm sorry I have to be a smart alack but, the title of you thread is "Frozen Hot Water" and every time I see that I have to laugh. How do you freeze hot water ?

I apologize for interrupting your thread. Sorry I had nothing helpful to add. And , thanks for the laugh. 🙂

No apology required what-so-ever. I very much appreciate all the responses and the thinking about my problem. I am grateful for the dialogue and the chance to tap your wisdom.

[CavemanCharlie]

I'm glad the situation seem to work it way out. I'm sorry I have to be a smart alack but, the title of you thread is "Frozen Hot Water" and every time I see that I have to laugh. How do you freeze hot water ?

I apologize for interrupting your thread. Sorry I had nothing helpful to add. And , thanks for the laugh. 🙂

[time2roll]

Circulate warm water

Truck camper version

www.ultraheat.com

[214skier]

After returning home and to more temperate climate the hot water resumed operation. I presume this is an insulation issue?

[Old-Biscuit]

Just to make sure hot line flows.......open 'bypass' valve and then see if cold water flows thru hotside of faucets.
If it does..check valve
If it does NOT..frozen hot line (which I doubt)

Then check hot line coming out of WH tank........
Turn off water supply......then crack connection on hot line at the tank and see if you get water

Check valve is internal of nipple that is screwed into tank.
They fail....cheap junk
When they fail.....no water can flow out of tank

[214skier]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

matt_r wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

amandasgramma wrote:
Just an added fyi here. We thought our hot water line froze the other day. Turned out the annode was burned up......cold water ran, ansolutely no water in the hot water. 🙂

:H

Anode rod is just a sacrificial rod used to protect Suburban water heater steel tank from rusting out,
Has NOTHING to do with heating of water

Electric heat element.......if burnt out no heating BUT propane should still heat water.

I wondered if it might be empty (no cold water in). I hit the purge valve and hot water flushes out... A good sign I presume?

Hot water coming out of T&P Relief Valve when you opened it means WH tank was full and water was heated.

Are you not getting hot water from ANY of your faucets/shower?
OR just from certain faucet???

None of the faucets.......
Check valve in Hot outlet on WH tank can be faulty/failed
Only certain faucet....
Faucet hotside could be faulty

I am getting no hot water out of any sink

[Old-Biscuit]

matt_r wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

amandasgramma wrote:
Just an added fyi here. We thought our hot water line froze the other day. Turned out the annode was burned up......cold water ran, ansolutely no water in the hot water. 🙂

:H

Anode rod is just a sacrificial rod used to protect Suburban water heater steel tank from rusting out,
Has NOTHING to do with heating of water

Electric heat element.......if burnt out no heating BUT propane should still heat water.

I wondered if it might be empty (no cold water in). I hit the purge valve and hot water flushes out... A good sign I presume?

Hot water coming out of T&P Relief Valve when you opened it means WH tank was full and water was heated.

Are you not getting hot water from ANY of your faucets/shower?
OR just from certain faucet???

None of the faucets.......
Check valve in Hot outlet on WH tank can be faulty/failed
Only certain faucet....
Faucet hotside could be faulty

[214skier]

WNYBob wrote:
You can try "instant hot water solutions" by adding a circulatin pump, which moves water from the hot water tank through the HW tubing and back to the HW tank via the cold water tubes.

Pump control could be thermostatic or timer.

[pianotuna]

Get a box fan that will fill the opening and blow warm living quarters air into the cabinet. I use twin window fans on a mechanical thermostat. I've field tested to -37 c (-34 f).

[214skier]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

amandasgramma wrote:
Just an added fyi here. We thought our hot water line froze the other day. Turned out the annode was burned up......cold water ran, ansolutely no water in the hot water. 🙂

:H

Anode rod is just a sacrificial rod used to protect Suburban water heater steel tank from rusting out,
Has NOTHING to do with heating of water

Electric heat element.......if burnt out no heating BUT propane should still heat water.

I wondered if it might be empty (no cold water in). I hit the purge valve and hot water flushes out... A good sign I presume?

[Old-Biscuit]

amandasgramma wrote:
Just an added fyi here. We thought our hot water line froze the other day. Turned out the annode was burned up......cold water ran, ansolutely no water in the hot water. 🙂

:H

Anode rod is just a sacrificial rod used to protect Suburban water heater steel tank from rusting out,
Has NOTHING to do with heating of water

Electric heat element.......if burnt out no heating BUT propane should still heat water.