No wonder so many people complain about the dump valves!! Holy crow...

[BarkingCrow]

Just venting...

We're full-timers living on a small farm in central Tennessee, and it has been COLD this week! Our weather station (mounted on a pole about 50 feet from the RV) had a low temp of -8 the other night. BRRR! I thought I had everything heat taped, insulated, double wrapped, etc., but there's something I couldn't get to for that kind of thing - the actual valves for dumping the tanks. I guess the heat from the furnace rolling around down there wasn't enough because all three of the valves froze shut. Nothing ruptured, and dropping the underpinning wasn't too bad (except that it's 19 outside!), but then I saw how the valves are actually installed.

You open the basement door on the back to get to the convenience center where the water hookups and handles for the valves are, right? And then you open those valves by pulling the handle OUT, toward the rear of the RV, right? Guess what? The connection at the valve where the cable pulls the pin to slide it open moves toward the FRONT of the RV. ???? What? So, somehow, that braided airplane cable routes through in a 180 degree loop to connect to the valve pin. What a stupid design...

Venting complete!

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Damon & Denise
2019 Montana HC 331RL

[newowneroldmontana]

Originally Posted by BarkingCrow

Just venting...

We're full-timers living on a small farm in central Tennessee, and it has been COLD this week!

I hear ya! I spend most of my time in my Montana on small acreage in Alabama, and it is COLD here too! Froze up myself, night before last!

[High5er]

We don't have Montana cold here, but we often drop into the teens, sometimes single and negative digits, and have issues with our valves freezing. Last year, I bought a Brooder lamp and some Ceramic Infrared heating bulbs. I have the lamp pointed at the point where the large drain pipe comes out the bottom of the trailer and have it plugged in to a smart-plug. It can take an hour or two (or more if really cold) for the valves to completely thaw, but it has worked every time. The longest it has taken was 4 hours, and I've put my bare hand on the outside of the pipe to make sure it isn't getting too hot. It doesn't. It gets warm to the touch, but never any danger of fire or any other damage.

I set up an Alexa routine, so I just say "Alexa, defrost the valves" and the lamp will come on. After 1 hour, and 2 1/2 hours, Alexa reminds me that the lamp is still on. After I'm able to drain, I just say "Alexa, turn off the heat lamp" and I'm all done. The winters have been a challenge, but we're learning more each year about how to make it easier to deal with.

[AZ Traveler]

Our rigs have wheels on them which allows you to move to more favorable weather conditions.

[newowneroldmontana]

Originally Posted by AZ Traveler

Our rigs have wheels on them which allows you to move to more favorable weather conditions.

Lol!! Edited to add: You must have the fancy upgrade package. Don't go bragging on here; it's rude.

[Daryles]

While you have your basement walls down, look for a Furnace duct laying on the floor. Take it and put it down the hole your plumbing goes down. Try to put it between the tanks as far back and pointing down and aft. This will put warm air on your tanks and valves. It will help prevent them from freezing.
I took the coroplast down on the front drop down to change the black tank valve seal. After finishing that I added R23 insulation around the perimeter inside the frame, then covered the entire bottom with it. Then put the Reflectex (R3) and coroplast back up.
I have yet to do the back end covering the freshwater and galley tank.
Sorry, dirt picture is upside down.

SmartSHIELD -20mm 48"X25ft Reflective Insulation Roll, Foam Core Radiant Barrier, Thermal Foil Insulation Panel - 0.8 Inch Thickness, R-23 https://a.co/d/2yQ4f9a