First hard freeze, what to do? - Montana Owners Club

nosticks · 01-03-2012, 01:43 AM

Asking for advice from those who camp in cold weather, meaning below freezing. This is, for me, unusual as we live in Florida. We have the unit in Homosassa, Florida on a semi-permanent site for several months. There is no skirting or any other "permanent" type modifications. Tonight it is expected to be in the low 20's for several hours.

This is what I did before leaving it Monday afternoon.
Removed the outside water hook up and drained the hose and filter canister.
Drained the fresh water tank, seldom used, but some water was present.
Dumped all three tanks.
Opened inside cabinet doors.
Set heat to come on at 50 deg.

Any other areas in need of attention before this evening. I couldn't think of any, and yes there is water in the lines, I did no attempt to winterize like what you would do if it was in storage. I guess we'll see what the "arctic joke package" does for inside preservation.

bncinwv · 01-03-2012, 02:05 AM

Sounds like you have it covered, the only other item that could be subject to freezing since it is exposed to the outside somewhat is the hot water heater. It is easy to drain even though it should be fine with the heat in the unit on. I would also consider opening the low point drains (all three) since they are exposed beneath the rig and freezing can damage the valves on them. Fifty degrees in the rig should protect everything else with no problems.
Bingo

Phil P · 01-03-2012, 02:14 AM

Hello Bingo

I am doing the same thing but what about the hot water heater and the low point drains?

Phil P

Lambchop · 01-03-2012, 02:24 AM

This has been a trusted way to evaluate a freezing problem. It has always worked for me.

If the outside temps stay at 32 degrees or below for 48 hours, you could have a freezeup in an unheated trailer. During the day, the temps go above 32 degrees, you won't have a problem.

This has always worked for me when I was in WI early winters or early spring. The RV dealers use this system up here. I never had a problem since 1969.

Roy

bncinwv · 01-03-2012, 02:34 AM

As purely precautionary measures, the hot water heater can be drained by simply removing the anode rod on the outside of the heater. The heater is exposed to the elements via the venting on the side of the rig, twenty degrees for several hours will possibly freeze water exposed to the elements. The low point drains are likewise exposed beneath the rig and can have water in them. If the water in the low point drains freezes, it is possible for the water to freeze up to the valves and damage the valves. It is not likely but it can happen. The valves are located in the convenience center which should protect them from freezing, but in my defense, I always take the safest measures. Personally, in my opinion, the low point drains are more of a risk than the hot water heater. It sounds like Dave should not have a problem with the fresh water low point drain since I am assuming he drained the tank with the low point valve. If you look beneath the convenience center you can see how the other two are exposed to the elements.
Bingo

nosticks · 01-03-2012, 03:29 AM

Thanks for the responses thus far. I didn't think about the low point drains in the convenience center. Since the HW tank sits directly on top of the furnace in the same cabinet, I figured that would be ok. I'm going back up Thursday for the weekend, so we'll see.

adelmoll · 01-03-2012, 03:31 AM

We have been thru this several times since we moved to Central Florida and all we do is disconnect the outside hose and cover all my plants or put inside our storage shed.. It has never been cold long enough to do any damage.. We don't expect this cold spell to be worse then other years..

Helen

richfaa · 01-03-2012, 03:35 AM

We are near Disney world and "freezing" temps are forecast here for tonite. We had freezing temps last year for a short time down to 27 degrees for a couple of hours. "freezing" temps in this part of Florida are a joke as at this time of the year up north 32 degrees is a heat wave.
Tonite we will go to internal water, disconnect our water hoses and cover them with a inch or two of sand since we are on a huge sand dune. Wife put her plants in the underbelly. A couple of hours of "freezing " temps will not be a issue with minimum precautions.

stiles watson · 01-03-2012, 03:49 AM

I use a water hose that has heater tape on it and is insulated. The tape is electrified and warms the hose @ 35 degrees and shuts itself off at about 42 degrees. I have two other hoses connected for the Sewer Solution, so I disconnect them and drain them without reconnecting them until ready to use them again.

Since the water heater is on, I don't worry about it freezing. Since your post seemed to address "cold weather camping", I assume you were needing info about camping in cold weather, not storage. Storage, when unoccupied, is another matter.

I make sure to chase out all the effluent from the discharge hose to avoid having to wait until it thaws to run wash water out or to drain the tanks. Since we live in the RV, our lowest temperature setting is 64 at night. Everything stays thawed and open. This has been tested with temperatures into the low teens.

oldelmer1 · 01-03-2012, 04:58 AM

I carry 2 trouble lights with the metal cover in the basement and turn them on when its suppose to get cold. The 60 watt bulbs will keep the basement a good 10 degrees warmer than the outside temps.

Lambchop · 01-03-2012, 05:30 AM

Another hint:
Tonight it is going down to 23 here in Bushnell, FL. We leave our water run in bathroom sink. Just leave the water run with a pencil tip size & your hoses & filters won't freeze. Also leave a wash towel below the water & you won't hear it running. Yes! leave your gray tank for that sink open to the sewer..........

Roy

**DQDick** · 01-03-2012, 06:15 AM

Since I'm too old and fat to want to try getting out the emergency exit I don't use lights in the basement. I drilled three 1" holes in the duct line that runs thru the basement to the bedroom. Don't notice a loss of hot air in the bedroom, but the basement gets a little bit more heat that way.

Phil P · 01-03-2012, 07:40 AM

Roy has it correct.

I have lived in Florida all my life. I also have for most of my life lived in rural Florida. In the areas away from population it seems to get colder that the reported temps. We have had it freeze hard enough to bust the well pump because the power went off.

I would recommend any one north of the keys to be careful about freezing.

Thanks Bingo.

Phil P

8.1al · 01-03-2012, 07:47 AM

Since you are leaving the heat on and the cabinet doors open you don't need to do anything other than unhooking the hose and filter. The tanks won't freeze and the water heater is inside.

ols1932 · 01-03-2012, 10:47 AM

We're living in freezing weather right now. We've never disconnected or drained anything. Our hose has a heat tape on it and the filters are inside an Igloo cooler which fits over the park standpipe. I put a short heat tape around the filters and put a small flexible desk lamp inside the box with a 60 watt bulb in it. Works well. The only problem we've had is freezing of the cold water pipe running from the shower down into the kitchen. We didn't have the furnace turned on and it got down to 11° which allowed the pipe to freeze. It thawed on its own.

Orv

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