Frozen water lines

[Golferdave]

Hi Everyone:

Frozen water line.

A question to all the long timers. Keystone advertises that all the
water lines are enclosed and insulated BUT my water feed line from
the fresh water holding tank to my pump is NOT enclosed and did
freeze.
Anyone else with this problem. We are from Alberta, Canada, and have
been RVing full time for going on 9 years. We have a 2013 Montana
3800RE and love it. Have only been to 1 rally in Jackson California
last spring. Thanks for the input. David

[Icehouse]

The only line we have had freeze is to our kitchen. Bernie dropped the belly and found it right against the steel frame. He insulated it himself and we have been fine since. Knock on wood! I will be watching this thread to see what others have to offer. Tammy

[bigskyjimmy]

We are Fulltimers and have been through a few really cold Winters in the NW and when it gets Below freezing I ALWAYS use the Propane furnace for heat(Especially at night) with electric so I heat all of the Underbelly, My first Winter the same thing happened to me because I did not use the Propane furnace(gets Expensive) enough and had to use a hair dryer to free the pump and lines up... Lesson learned, since then no problems,some people also use a small heater in the storage as well and do not forget to leave the kitchen cabinets open some

[jimcol]

None of my lines are insulated. I think what Keystone is advertising is the fact that the underbelly is insulated. (IE Artic Package) We have spent many nights with temps in the teens and never had a freeze up but we burn plenty of propane keeping that belly warm. Jim

[WaltBennett]

I thought there was only a furnace vent into the basement, not the actual underbelly.

[bigskyjimmy]

In my 2012 I have pulled out the walls in the storage area and seen the open duct pumping hot air INTO the underbelly I even redirected it to move more evenly around, in fact their is no tube that was even connected to that vent you see in the storage area that surprised me, at first I thought it fell off the vent but it will not even fit on it..Weird

quote:Originally posted by WaltBennett

I thought there was only a furnace vent into the basement, not the actual underbelly.

[jimcol]

quote:Originally posted by WaltBennett

I thought there was only a furnace vent into the basement, not the actual underbelly.

Walt, I can't speak for your unit but in mine the furnace vent is in the underbelly. Nothing into the basement. Most the water lines, pump, and holding tanks are in the underbelly. Jim

[Montana3800RE]

On our 3800 and probably like most of the Montana's, the water line from the fresh water tank runs along the frame, and there is a heat duct as mentioned above that just dumps into the frame cavity to hopefully force warm air along the frame toward the tank, if you are using electric space heaters, you will have a freeze problem, you need to use the furnace to circulate the air around the frame and into the cargo hold to keep things warm...

[Neil.M]

Our 07' 2955RL had a vent in the wall between the basement and underbelly but no duct connected to it. Our new High Country does not have a vent in the basement but there is an open duct in the underbelly.

[bigskyjimmy]

Kind of Dumb to have the vent on the wall in the basement if their is nothing connected to it, the wall in the basement does not go up all the way to the top so warm air does get in the basement no problem....but whatever

quote:Originally posted by Neil.M

Our 07' 2955RL had a vent in the wall between the basement and underbelly but no duct connected to it. Our new High Country does not have a vent in the basement but there is an open duct in the underbelly.

[Jeri H.]

Why leave kitchen cabinets open? We have 2006 Keystone and are full timers. Temps have been down around 15 degrees and line(s) are freezing even though we leave propane furnace on set at 56 - 58 degrees. We bought trailer used so trying to figure out where to start to look for problem. During day temps raise above freezing and lines defrost. No water leaks so far under trailer. Not using hot water heater as we have place to shower.

[Carl n Susan]

This is a 4 year old topic but is one of many that relate to the older Montanas. The 2005 - 2010 (or so) rigs were not well designed for freezing temps. Leaving cabinet doors open helps get warm air to the water lines in the kitchen and bath. The most common issue with your year is that the fresh water drains hang down below the coroplast and are directly exposed to the outside freezing air. The lines are Teed into the main line. The exposed down portion of the drain line freezes water up into the main line blocking the water flow.

[coachgrowl]

We have been in Bloomington for 4 weeks. First night water supply line froze and so we used on board water no problem. Purchased heated supply line and it froze solid. Turns out the 20 amp socket at post was not working. Hooked up 30 amp with adapter for 20 amp problem solved. Temps down into the teens all ok. Had difficulty dumping as valves were frozen so left both gray tanks open and just dump black every couple of days when it warms up to 40. Btw we use 3 electric heaters and only run the furnace when it is really cold from 5 am to 7 am.

[MARK A]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

We have been in Bloomington for 4 weeks. First night water supply line froze and so we used on board water no problem. Purchased heated supply line and it froze solid. Turns out the 20 amp socket at post was not working. Hooked up 30 amp with adapter for 20 amp problem solved. Temps down into the teens all ok. Had difficulty dumping as valves were frozen so left both gray tanks open and just dump black every couple of days when it warms up to 40. Btw we use 3 electric heaters and only run the furnace when it is really cold from 5 am to 7 am.

Your tank heaters should have kept the valves warm enough to operate?

Mark

[coachgrowl]

Do I have tank heaters?

[MARK A]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

Do I have tank heaters?

You should have, on the panel with all the switches.
There should be 3 rocker switches, marked tank heaters..

Mark

[coachgrowl]

Why can't I see them?

[MARK A]

Originally Posted by coachgrowl

Why can't I see them?

Forgive me, I just saw in your sig. that you have a High Country.
I don't believe they have tank heaters, Nor are they constructed the same.
Sorry for the bad info.

Mark

[coachgrowl]

No problem

[scottz]

Are the tank heaters DC powered?