Will water lines freeze?

[Rxkjm1]

We will be heading to Utah (from Minnesota) for a week and Are trying to decide whether we fill our tanks before we go.
The overnight temps for the first 2 nights are forecast to be in the low 20s. After that, it should be above freezing.
I’d we fill our tank, will our lines freeze overnight if the inside of the camper is heated to 65 degrees and it warms up during the day?

[dedmiston]

Mixed messages from Lwiddis:

Don't chance it with filling your tanks ahead of time.

~ and ~

Don't chance drinking the water from the parks because it will kill you.

[snowedin]

Why take a chance, leave it winterized so you don't have to worry about it. If there is a ball valve on the fresh water tank it will freeze and break, don't ask me how I know. The low point drains will be exposed and freeze, the grey and black water drains will be exposed.

[Edd505]

BarabooBob wrote:
Why haul all of that weight 1200 +/- miles? I would never trust weather forecasts to be that accurate. If the forecast is off by 10 degrees, your pipes can easily freeze up. I would drain the fresh tank and blow the lines out with air. Fill. your water tank when you get to camp.

This is the best advice here, leave it winterized until you get there. Why take a chance something freezes. Carry a refillable water jug, I use 3 gallons and carry a couple. You will have water to flush, drink and cook enroute. Even in good weather I only carry about 15 gallons of fresh, for toilet, washing hands etc. other tanks empty. You can figure about 5 gallons a minute on average filling.

[Huntindog]

From my experience, run the furnace and you will be fine into the high teens. I did this a lot with TTs that had exposed plumbing. The temperture close to the TT will be higher than the surrounding air.... BUT.... Run the furnace at 68 degrees. Camping in freezing temps is not a time to cheap out on propane cost.

[Lwiddis]

“Why haul all of that weight 1200 +/- miles?”

Because you never know, Baraboo.

[BarabooBob]

Why haul all of that weight 1200 +/- miles? I would never trust weather forecasts to be that accurate. If the forecast is off by 10 degrees, your pipes can easily freeze up. I would drain the fresh tank and blow the lines out with air. Fill. your water tank when you get to camp.

[Bumpyroad]

I would not leave the fresh tank full. leave a little room for expansion.
bumpy

[valhalla360]

2 days and it's already winterized...I'd probably leave it winterized until you are clear of freezing (or at least lows in the upper 20's with heat on at night).

That said, it's probably going to be OK. I would try to keep the waste tanks empty at night and the fresh full. What pipes are not in the cabinets? Usually the line from the fresh water goes directly into the interior and then pipes are run in the back of cabinets.

PS: consider running the hot water heater at night.

[Lwiddis]

WIthout an enclosed underbelly I wouldn’t chance it.

[Rxkjm1]

Thanks for the advice!

[HappyKayakers]

Depends on how you're heating the camper. If you're using the furnace and the lines are all in an enclosed underbelly, you should be good. If you're using space heaters/fireplace for heating, that heat will NOT go under the trailer. Remember to leave your cabinet doors open below sinks either way.

[Rxkjm1]

The tanks are on the underbody, which is not heated. I’m not really worried about the tanks though because of the volume and small amount of time exposed to low temps.

[Bumpyroad]

are all pipes/tanks inside the heated area?
bumpy