Freezing H2O tank??

[jk_and_dog]

What do you think the chances are of the fresh water holding tank freezing and becoming damaged. I'm in south east VA and weather here is normally mide enough to keep tank 2/3rds full without problems. I keep power to coach and maintain 60 deg inside during winter while at home. I use the coach about once every two weeks to go north in the Baltimore area for one or two nights. Engine keeps hot water while on road trip and electric keeps HW while sitting at home. I do get concerned about the main water tank though here when temp goes into mid to low twenties. I also maintain light bulbs in the waste compartment, water fill and pump compartments just to make sure they do not freeze.

Your thoughts???

thanks
jk
07 36G Journey.....

[ua40j]

jk, normally, it takes a hard freeze to damage a water tank. A couple of days below 25. But the lines to and from the tank are where you might get into trouble if you weren't heating the compartments.

So unless you lose power for a day or two and the temps stay below 25, I'd say you're ok. But I wouldn't want to test that theory.

[Bill Adams]

You have to pay the most attention to the water lines from the tank to water pumps, the pumps and the lines leaving the pumps. These will all freeze very easily if you do not have some amount of heat going into these areas. There should be no worries about anything freezing while you are using it. The times of concern would be while it is parked and unoccupied.

[steelheadbluesman]

I can't imagine freezing your fresh tank with 60 deg heat inside. You say you've got light bulbs near the water pump and in the wet bay for heat, which along with your other precautions should do the job just fine. I home base in the Oregon cascades and have had my rigs in many super cold winters, several feet of snow for weeks at a time, and temps in the teens, sometimes single digits. I never worry about the fresh water tank, as heat migrating from the living space will keep the large tank from freezing. Like you, I keep heat in my rig, and run light cords into a couple of "at risk" compartments. If things get too severe, I drain it down completely (not a big deal) and turn off the w/h. I still keep the heat on to combat moisture.

[DAN L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jk_and_dog What do you think the chances are of the fresh water holding tank freezing and becoming damaged. I'm in south east VA and weather here is normally mide enough to keep tank 2/3rds full without problems. I keep power to coach and maintain 60 deg inside during winter while at home. I use the coach about once every two weeks to go north in the Baltimore area for one or two nights. Engine keeps hot water while on road trip and electric keeps HW while sitting at home. I do get concerned about the main water tank though here when temp goes into mid to low twenties. I also maintain light bulbs in the waste compartment, water fill and pump compartments just to make sure they do not freeze. Your thoughts??? thanks jk 07 36G Journey.....

i have 3 indoor-outdoor wired temperature gauges from harbor freight in my basement water compartments.
3 channel wireless gauges are available.
no more guessing for me!

[BubbaJePH]

I winterized my coach with the pink antifreeze and dumped the tanks. Wanted no chance of problems with my new Itasca. I'm in Hampton Virginia. We are having too many inches of 'Global Warming' otherwise known as snow.

[DSouthw524]

When you state that you "maintain 60", do you use the furnace to maintain it? If so, the compartments are heated well enough to prevent freezing the tanks well below the 20s and harming the plumbing.

[wa8yxm]

If it is not completly full I"d say the odds of damage are low.. Not zero but low If it is "Full to the brim" then the odds get higher, much higher.