Heat Tape Wrapped Water Lines

[bob n pam]

Steve, Bob removed the belly of the Monty and used heat wrap tape from Menards on all the ridged plastic pipes in the underbelly. He followed the directions on the package - spriral wrapped heat tape around both hot and cold water lines together and covered it with 4" fiberglass insulation secured intermittently with electrical tape. The heat wrap runs from out of the water pump downstream to where the pipes disapper into the walls. He ran the electrical plug up through the floor using the same hole the waterlines run through to the pump. He installed an outlet using the A/C circuit and plugged a power strip into that. Into the power strip he plugged the heat wrap tape and the plugs for the 3 tank heaters - the black tank, main grey tank and water tank. From the fresh water tank to the pump Bob used the foam wrap alone. This kept our water unfrozen throughout the rig down to about 15 degrees over an extended period and below that only the bathroom (upstairs) froze. Bob thinks it froze up in the wall somewhere. He used the foam wrap on all exposed waterlines in the storage area, too. He says to make sure to cover every single piece of pipe you can - don't leave even a smidgen exposed! He says he's not taking the belly off again to take pictures!! Let us know if you have any other questions.

Pam

[sreigle]

I've looked at the belly pan and it is not an easy thing to remove. Too many other things hanging from it. There is one piece I can remove relatively easily so may start with that and see what I can do.

Your year/model has the low point drains hanging below the belly like ours. That was one of the freeze points on ours. When it got cold enough to freeze back into the belly where that line tees into the main lines, that stopped water flow. I heat taped and insulated those low point drains on ours. The new models have these drains in the basement where they're less likely to freeze. But then the new ones have the water lines up near the flooring and not laying on the frame like ours.

What amperage does Bob figure for the combined heat tapes, since they'll all go through a single outlet? Where we spend Nov/Dec we have access to a 20-amp outlet in addition to the 30/50 for the main coach. I use that one for the low point drains heat tape. Also for the heat tape I put on the park's water spigot/post if we're in a site not already taped. I don't think the heat tapes draw very much individually but whether a 20-amp outlet would work depends on just how many heat tapes are attached.

Thanks for the info.

[bob n pam]

I can't remember the ampherage number for the heat tape strip, but it wasn't very much. I only used one on the water lines under the rig. The only way to get to the lines was to remove the entire belly pan, and, yes, it was a difficult (read pain in the rear) job.

Bob

[sreigle]

Thanks, Bob. I have heat tape on our low point drains. It seems to me it was less than an amp for the 3-foot tape. I'm just not sure how much heat tape will be required. I'll probably just use the foam pipe insulation and we'll make sure the furnace runs enough to keep heat in the belly like we'e done the other winters. Then hope that's good enough. November is usually not bad in Kansas City. December can be another story but then we're out of there right after New Years.

Thanks for the info. That's a big job.

[Garin1]

remember to skirt the unit completely. If it snows, let it pile up. It will create a pocket of warmer air that will help keep everything from freezing. The heat trace tape is great for the outside lines also.

[drhowell]

I may have missed something on this post but are you talking about non arctic package equiped units? I have the arctic package and although it may not give total protection it appears to have the heat tape and another layer of thin bubble wrap covering the belly. Just curious since we don't use ours during the winter yet!

[Illini Trekker]

Bob & Pam You are right when you said pain in the butt. Did the same to mine this summer, ran tape from inlet to where it goes though floor (first tape). Second tape 20'er covered low point drains then worked forward through basement area. I found 3"x1"x8' foam pipe wrap to cove pipes! With underbelly down I added 1.5" fiberglass insulation to the top of underbelly and let it wrap up on the steel frame. May have did the wrong thing but I also created a insulation dam just behind the three holding tank, though this would help keep the heat from the furnace in a confined area. Bob make sure the thermostat's are exposed to the air so at 32 degrees they will come on. I work construction and have worked out of other RV's through 4 winters in Illinois, doing this will help!

[vickir]

Farmer Don ... we do have the Arctic Package on our Montana, but these additional measures are necessary since we spend November and December in Independence, MO. Although historically speaking, those months generally don't experience prolonged frigid weather, we have sustained frozen water lines during the last two years so Steve is looking at what more we can do to make life a bit more comfortable during those months.

[sreigle]

Don, as Vicki said, we have the Arctic Package as does nearly every Montana sold. The older Montanas are spec'd to not freeze down to only 28F, according to what Keystone told me. The problem in ours is twofold:

1. The low point drains hang below the belly. If it gets cold enough (like upper teens to low twenties from our experience) these will freeze up into the belly to where they tee with the water lines and will shut off water flow.

2. The water lines lay low in the belly area and often lay on the frame. They will freeze despite the furnace running if the frame gets cold enough.

The newer models have the low point drains in the basement storage area and the water lines just under the floor where they won't touch the frame. We were showed this when we took the factory tour in May. We were told this was a result of having read about these problems on this forum. I would think these measures go a long way towards reducing cold weather freezing.

I have heat taped and insulated the low point drains hanging below the belly. I've heat taped and insulated our water hose. And if the park's spigot isn't already done I do that, too. We also run an electric heater in the bedroom area at night but shut off the one downstairs and set the furnace on 50 or 55 to make sure heat will be fed to the belly to help keep the lines from freezing. With all this we were ok with a week in the teens and upper single digits and one night down to 3 degrees F. But when that same night later went to 5 below we again froze up. I plan to insulate the water lines in the belly before this winter.