Community Forums

BVThunder · 12-15-2012, 06:05 PM

Here is my dumb stupid cheap solution. I purchased a 3' heat tape and just wound it around inside the compartment making sure the thermostat end is exposed to the outside air. Have used it down in single digits numerous times with no issues.

firedoc · 12-15-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I have one of those, have never used it yet. Not sure if 38° is soon enough to warm the area up using just a light bulb.

When it comes on at 38 it does not have to warm it higher than that it just needs to hold it from getting colder. Have used one for two years and no problems.

TLRegister · 12-30-2012, 09:24 AM

I'm in Colorado right now where the temps are around 20 during the day and below zero overnight. I have a heated water hose that I wrapped with foam insulation. This keeps the water supply going. My water bay is heated and I placed a light in it for a little added insurance. This seems to work for the most part.

The part that is an issue is that my water bay is mid-coach. My water heater and washer/dryer are in the rear of the coach. Pipes running to/from these two appliances are not necessarily in the heated space.

The washer wants hot water, but the hot water heater is not putting out any water. I've opened up the panels in the coach so that these lines get some heat. Unfortunately.... Not a drop of hot water.

Other than head for a warmer climate, any suggestions?

Thanks!

T

deSanford · 12-30-2012, 12:26 PM

Instead of a cold shower maybe you can wrap the pipes with heat tape, and foam installation. Removing the panels should have helped. A warmer climate is not a bad idea. deSanford

RonNBama · 01-04-2013, 07:41 AM

After reading some of these posts, our upper-teen temperatures seem like a heat-wave. Went to Wally World and picked up a couple of 750/1500W space heaters. One in the bay and one in LR (already had one for BR) and our furnace has not kicked on one time unless I wanted a quick-rise in the interior temperature.

danes-on-tour · 01-04-2013, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toneumanns

Lowes sells a thermal cube that turns the light on at around 38 degrees.

Excellent information

We are heading to Breckenridge in Colorado in mid February and this cube will come in handy. Found them here at a good price. Home Depot wants more than $30 each for them.

We will connect this small heater to the thermo cube and put it in the wet bay.

Drifter · 01-04-2013, 11:09 AM

Is this the same one.

Amazon.com: Farm Innovators TC-2 Cold Weather Thermo Cube Thermostatically Controlled Outlet - On at 20-Degrees/Off at 30-Degrees: Patio, Lawn & Garden

danes-on-tour · 01-04-2013, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drifter

Is this the same one.

Amazon.com: Farm Innovators TC-2 Cold Weather Thermo Cube Thermostatically Controlled Outlet - On at 20-Degrees/Off at 30-Degrees: Patio, Lawn & Garden

It must be. It's patented. On Amazon you could get free shipping, but "my place" is cheaper per unit. Did you notice that I took your advice on the heater?

RonNBama · 01-04-2013, 01:42 PM

How does the TC know what the "outside temperature" is? I assume the writeup refers to the ambient temp where the thing is plugged in?

JC2 · 01-04-2013, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonNBama

How does the TC know what the "outside temperature" is? I assume the writeup refers to the ambient temp where the thing is plugged in?

Exactly. We have one of these in the garage bathroom at our lake property. Even though we drain the toilet/sink for the winter and put in rv antifreeze, we don't want the room to get below freezing as the pressure tank for the well is there. We have one of these thermo cubes with an small electric heater plugged to it and when the temp falls around 36 degrees or so, the heater kicks on and runs till the temp goes up to the low 40's.

wa8yxm · 01-04-2013, 06:22 PM

I will describe my protection system......

Under the fresh water tank is a string of C-9 Christmas tree lights, These are the large outdoor type, they are weather resistant and unlike 15 watt lamps they do NOT get hot enough to melt plastic around them so they can lie on the floor of the bay with no problem.

On the end of that string is a short extension cord (A trouble light or drop light would work even better) to a 100 watt shielded bulb (trouble light type sheild) in the valve compartment, this is all the same bay

Measurement with a remote thermometer shows about a 10 Degree improvement in compartment temp w/o the furnace.

On the fresh water hose.....

I got my hands on a rope light, Good old fashion incandescent lamps not the modern LED type (This is important) and a couple of rolls of fancy duct tape.

The hose is about 25' (By measurement)

The first rope (Version 1.0) was a bit short, and taped with Type Dye,, Well in trying to "Graft" some more onto the rope I did some major damage.

The only rope I could get was a 30' one And it was the only non LED one the store had!!!! (Big lots at that, the major "NEW" stores had only LED)

The Duct Tape is Polkadot

This is plugged into a thermostatic outlet (You get those at Home Improvement stores (Lowes, home deopt) or Farm stores (TSC, Farm & Fleet) and many hardwares, I have 2.

Later tonight, it will turn on those lights and that hose gets both pretty and .. just a bit warmer than the air around it, I have not tested it to 20 degrees (yet) but I've been dang close a few times.

The excess rope is looped around the park's plumbing and/or my park end regulator (which I'm not using in my current configurations, Regulator #2 (A Sur-Flo) is in line) at the RV end of the hose).

I choose Polka Dot for roll one and Rainbow (Since they only had one PD) for Roll 2, Bright Primary colors make the hose easier to trip over,, er, easier to AVOID trippign over don't you know.

336muffin · 01-04-2013, 06:32 PM

I use a Thermo Cube along with a "My Heat" from Walmart. ThermoCube from Tractor Supply, gives power at 35* and off at 45*, My Heat is a 200 watt very small heater. Works great. I have a temp sensor in the water bay that I can monitor from inside the coach. $25.00 for all.

Gorlininc · 01-05-2013, 07:33 AM

My diplomat came with a 300 watt heater in the water bay. Works great. At temps below 32 I use the furnace to keep the inside plumbing and bays from freezing. A broken pipe would be a disaster. I keep the water heater on.
I don't do that much cold weather MH traveling. But when I do, I don't want any headaches.

TLRegister · 01-07-2013, 06:25 PM

Great posts!

I had a space heater blowing into the space where some of the pipes exist, the furnace was on, and I had a drop light in the water bay. Unfortunately, the hot water was frozen... water compartment is mid-coach and water heater is rear-coach.

After messing around with removing panels inside of the coach and trying find where a pipe was frozen... I found the root cause to why the heating wasn't keeping it from freezing.

The duct from my furnace (heater) was blowing down on the fresh water tank in a single spot. It was pressed up against the one spot. I moved it so that the warm air was blowing throughout the water compartment AND... WAIT FOR IT... after a couple of hours, we had hot water again. It never froze again.

Thanks for all of the ideas!

T