Jump to content
Flash7481

Heating water "cabinet" while waiting on parts

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I've been waiting on parts at Freightliner for almost 3 months. It is parked in their lot, batteries are dead. Temperatures are slowly dropping, next week the low will be 28, 30, 34 at night and up in the high 40s in the day. I drained my water tank but I'm fearful of freezing something. I've heard that you can put a small propane heater in the "cabinet" to help warm things up. Any ideas about that or other ways to either winterize on a Frightener lot or keep that cabinet sorta warm? Thanks.

2000 Mountain Aire

 

Lee 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can you work with them to get you an air line out where your coach is parked? That way you could at least blow all the water from the lines and winterize with air.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Drain the water heater tank too, open all low-point drains, then open all faucets + shower. Then do as Richard advised; don't forget to attach the air hose to the city water inlet to blow out that line and the water pump.  Begin closing faucets at closest to the water pump.  Any remaining water should be in such a small quantity that freezing should not harm  your plumbing.

I really doubt water in  your plumbing will freeze hard enough to cause any damage anyway. Those lows only occur for approx. 1-2 hrs. prior to daylight

There will always be a small amount of water remaining in the fresh water tank and water heater, it is of no consequence; if it does freeze any ice will expand upward instead of outward due to the large surface area and shallow depth.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If you have an Aqua Hot, be sure it does not freeze!  There are 65' of copper inside the casing in a 450.  If that copper freezes, and splits you must purchase a new unit.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am with Carl. I don't understand the "NO POWER" at a dealer. I think I would be telling the dealer you need at least 30 amp power. I would also point out that because they didn't plug your coach in letting your batteries go dead may have ruined them.

Bill

Edited by wildebill308

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
11 hours ago, wildebill308 said:

I am with Carl. I don't understand the "NO POWER" at a dealer. I think I would be telling the dealer you need at least 30 amp power. I would also point out that because they didn't plug your coach in letting your batteries go dead may have ruined them.

Bill

Camping World of Indianapolis did that to our MH. The 1 yr old coach battery bank was ruined. When I spoke with the service manager he quickly said, " pull it around to the service check-in and I'll have new batteries installed. I did and he did; I was enroute back home in 2 hours.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know that you guys have newer rigs than mine, but don't you shut down the house systems when taking it to the shop? Especially if it will be there for an unknown period of time? This coach is not at an RV dealership, it's at Freightliner. Most of the truck repair centers I've been to cater to trucks and simply aren't equipped with a bunch of places to plug in vehicles waiting for service/parts.

If the batteries are charged and not subjected to parasitic loads they should be good for at least a few months on their own with no damage.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If it is a Freightliner "Oasis" dealer, it should have plug ins for RVs.  Oasis dealers are better equipped to handle MHs, they will have power and water.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, richard5933 said:

I know that you guys have newer rigs than mine, but don't you shut down the house systems when taking it to the shop? Especially if it will be there for an unknown period of time? This coach is not at an RV dealership, it's at Freightliner. Most of the truck repair centers I've been to cater to trucks and simply aren't equipped with a bunch of places to plug in vehicles waiting for service/parts.

If the batteries are charged and not subjected to parasitic loads they should be good for at least a few months on their own with no damage.

Yes, when I left them our MH I shut off the main disconnect. When they worked on it they turned it back on and never bothered to turn it back off. I even had a post-it note over the speedo.. They must do that regularly, because there was a full pallet of new batteries by the shop entrance from the service writers desk.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
15 hours ago, richard5933 said:

This coach is not at an RV dealership, it's at Freightliner. Most of the truck repair centers I've been to cater to trucks and simply aren't equipped with a bunch of places to plug in vehicles waiting for service/parts.

I don't care where it is or the age of the coach. I have the expectation that if they can't perform the requested work that it be maintained in a safe and secure condition. There isn't a  Freightliner dealer out there that doesn't know that you need to have a RV plugged in to maintain the batteries or to prevent freezing. 

Well once more the OP hasn't come back.

Bill

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Agree, Bill.  Not much has changed in the past 50+ years!  Now we have 50A, back in the 1960's-70's it was mostly 15A and LP for heat or fridge.  Several more chassis to choose from!  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/11/2021 at 10:48 AM, Flash7481 said:

Thanks all for your help! I did get it winterized - they jumped me - took it home. Now will return it and continue to wait and wait and wait for parts. 

I would tell them you need at least a 15 amp extension cord to hook up for power so you don't continue to have battery problems. They may have already damaged your battery's by letting them go dead. 

Bill 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting topic. 7 years ago we bought our DP. It had scratches on it and I took it to a local body shop for repair. The owner asked me if he needed to plug it in to protect my batteries. I told him no, they are switched off. When I asked him how he knew that his response was shocking. He has classic cars that sit. Over time they will ruin the battery if not plugged in, I assumed an RV would have similar issues if not plugged in. Needless to say I was impressed. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/11/2021 at 10:48 AM, Flash7481 said:

Thanks all for your help! I did get it winterized - they jumped me - took it home. Now will return it and continue to wait and wait and wait for parts. 

If you have a place to park it at home why not keep it there (plugged in) till they are ready to work on it?

Bill

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...