Winter Camping/Freezing Water Lines

[loriscribe]

I have a 26' 2005 Itasca Cambria motor home and am leaving rainy Oregon for Arizona soon. While I plan to be staying mainly around the Tucson area, I am attending a conference in Sedona the last week in December. Sedona is 4300 feet. All the weather averages show daytime temperatures in the 50s and 60s with nighttime lows in the 20s. In addition to insulating as many fresh water connections as can be reached from underneath, what can I do to keep lines from freezing? Will the lines freeze up in the night if daytime temps are in the 50s/60s? From what techs tell me the water lines generally follow the ductwork for the heater which keeps them warmer and less apt to freeze. Do I just not use my fresh water and rough it for a week? A large body of water such as the fresh water tank should freeze slower than a nearly empty one, seems to me. Should the rig be winterized before I go there? I'm staying at a nice RV park with all the amenities in downtown Sedona. I just don't know how to do this to protect the water lines. I need some good advice from some of you old-timers -- or even young-timers.

[desertdeals69]

Usually the water lines inside the motorhome don't have a problem. The outside hose could freeze and you could wrap it or use a hose heater. Shouldn't be too much of a problem since the day time temps are high. If it never got above freezing during the daytime then you would have to do more.

[rossboyer]

i would put water in my fresh water tank to use my pump and store my hose. You sewer hose can stay connected and out, just keep your valves closed until about 3/4 full and then dump.

[RVerOnTheMove]

If you will be using your furnace, some of that heat is ducted into your holding tank bays and keep them plenty warm. If you use a bunch of space heaters to save on propane you could subject yourself to frozen water lines (not tanks).

I agree with mrboyer. I simply connect a hose, fill my tanks, disconnect and drain the hose and use the water pumps for water. You DO NOT need to rough it, your coach should be all setup for this kind of use. You also DO NOT want to winterize your coach as that involves getting rid of all water and replacing it with antifreeze so you have no water of any kind to use.

It will be fine. We spent Christmas in 4 degree weather in Flagstaff and had a great time just the same as we would have had in 50 degree weather. Just a bit of common sense and you will have a great time as well.

[loriscribe]

mrboyer, desertdeals69, and RVerOnTheMove -- thank you all very much. It was sort of ruining my trip worrying about this stuff since I had absolutely no experience with it and sure didn't want to cause water leaks from broken lines by doing something stupid. So I'm loading up with water, packing my fresh water hose away just to be on the safe side, and goin' for it!!!

Safe travels to you all!!!

Lori

[RVerOnTheMove]

You are welcome. You will have a great trip. We are currently in Idaho Falls, ID. It's 6pm and the temp is 32 degrees. The low tonight? 21! No worries!

[whiteeagle]

A lot of folks also just run a 100 watt light bulb into the water fill/compartment bay. It will keep the entire compartment relatively warm as long as you have power to do so.

On a previous Winnebago Voyage, I had run 110 power to both water compartments and even traveled with a 100 watt bulb in a trouble light shielded cord in each one. That way with the shore power or the generator on, I was good to probably 5-10 outside temps.......

[akadeadeye]

A lot of folks also just run a 100 watt light bulb into the water fill/compartment bay. It will keep the entire compartment relatively warm as long as you have power to do so.

On a previous Winnebago Voyage, I had run 110 power to both water compartments and even traveled with a 100 watt bulb in a trouble light shielded cord in each one. That way with the shore power or the generator on, I was good to probably 5-10 outside temps.......

I have done this as well. I also put a light bulb in the compartment behind the frig to keep the icemaker line from freezing.

Don

[dwightginnyputzke]

FEAR OF UNKNOWN TEMPERATURE = or = EASE OF MIND

ACURITE wireless THERMOMETER = Indoor / Outdoor Temperatures model #00380W $10.=

1. Outdoor Remote Sender can be located in compartment with fresh water tank / pump

2. The exact time when battery's are installed in Indoor Unit starts the 24 Hr timer to record maximum & minimum daily temperatures and automatically resets for new temps 24 Hrs later.

Walmart $10.00 Buy two and locate one in the grey & black water dump valve compartment.

[captainjustice]

On 11/21/2012 at 11:45 AM, dwightginnyputzke said:

FEAR OF UNKNOWN TEMPERATURE = or = EASE OF MIND

ACURITE wireless THERMOMETER = Indoor / Outdoor Temperatures model #00380W $10.=

1. Outdoor Remote Sender can be located in compartment with fresh water tank / pump

2. The exact time when battery's are installed in Indoor Unit starts the 24 Hr timer to record maximum & minimum daily temperatures and automatically resets for new temps 24 Hrs later.

Walmart $10.00 Buy two and locate one in the grey & black water dump valve compartment.

Don't the base units try to read both sensors? They're both 433Mhz frequency and probably on the same channel.

[wolfe10]

There is only one remote sensor.  The other sensor is in the monitor itself (the one that is inside the coach).  The remote is the same one we use inside the refrigerator in the summer-- monitor on the dash while driving.