Community Forums

Hwschef · 03-21-2023, 10:29 AM

One of the things that that they did tell us about was getting caught in a cold weather freeze without having the rig winterized. The previous owners indicated that the PVC pipe and valve, for draining the fresh water Holding Tank had cracked and had to be replaced. After getting the Coach home, after a month, I tried filling the Fresh Water Holding Tank and there was water draining from beneath the coach all over the place. I've read that these pipes won't freeze in cold weather, if you have the heater running (which they did not) because the ducts and the pipes run together in a subfloor area. The heating ducts basically keep the pipes from freezing. Is this correct? If so, then how can I access that sub-floor area? I've looked and there is no access from below; as a matter of fact there are electrical lines and other stuff, that would have to be moved out of the way. Is this one of those, "Take it to a Fleetwood Service Center so that they can tear up the inside floor to repair the pipes" kind of things?

Jim_HiTek · 03-21-2023, 11:12 AM

1) The water that leaked out when you tried to fill the tank was likely from the drain valves. The lowest point in the wet bay will have two drains, one for the fresh water tank and the other from the plumbing from the house and pump. Find those and close them and you'll likely have no more leak.
2) Yes, RVs of your type very likely has a passive (or sometimes active) heated air forced into your wet bay. This helps keep the tanks from developing ice.
3) Yes, the plumbing of a modern RV with milky white, red or blue PEX is resistant to freezing. But don't press your luck too much. When you winterize, blow out the water to keep them safe.
4) Most RVs of the Class A style are resistant to freezing down to 20 F. If you keep the basement cabinets closed, and sealed a bit. Maybe keep a heater or two ($8-$12 at Walmart for tiny 'personal' thermostat controlled forced air heaters) in the wet bays. Maybe put heat tape around the waste valves if you're cold camping.
5) No, most RVs do not require the floor to be ripped out to fix a leak. The runs are short, and often only hidden in a few inches of travel. Like from the water manifold up to the bathroom sink. There are often raceways for plumbing under the floor and if you remove a panel down in the wet bay basement cabinet you can find them. That's also where the warm air comes from when the furnace is running. Then the plumbing for the kitchen is under the floorboards of the kitchen cabinets. Easily removed. Yeah, typically, it's all accessible.

Tha_Rooster · 03-21-2023, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hwschef

One of the things that that they did tell us about was getting caught in a cold weather freeze without having the rig winterized. The previous owners indicated that the PVC pipe and valve, for draining the fresh water Holding Tank had cracked and had to be replaced. After getting the Coach home, after a month, I tried filling the Fresh Water Holding Tank and there was water draining from beneath the coach all over the place. I've read that these pipes won't freeze in cold weather, if you have the heater running (which they did not) because the ducts and the pipes run together in a subfloor area. The heating ducts basically keep the pipes from freezing. Is this correct? If so, then how can I access that sub-floor area? I've looked and there is no access from below; as a matter of fact there are electrical lines and other stuff, that would have to be moved out of the way. Is this one of those, "Take it to a Fleetwood Service Center so that they can tear up the inside floor to repair the pipes" kind of things?

No such thing as a sub floor. You have inside and you have Bay Area. Fleetwood either runs ducts in bays or around the walls. If you see a square box running around floor of wall, probably has duct work and water pipe in them.

Hwschef · 04-12-2023, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

1) The water that leaked out when you tried to fill the tank was likely from the drain valves. The lowest point in the wet bay will have two drains, one for the fresh water tank and the other from the plumbing from the house and pump. Find those and close them and you'll likely have no more leak.
2) Yes, RVs of your type very likely has a passive (or sometimes active) heated air forced into your wet bay. This helps keep the tanks from developing ice.
3) Yes, the plumbing of a modern RV with milky white, red or blue PEX is resistant to freezing. But don't press your luck too much. When you winterize, blow out the water to keep them safe.
4) Most RVs of the Class A style are resistant to freezing down to 20 F. If you keep the basement cabinets closed, and sealed a bit. Maybe keep a heater or two ($8-$12 at Walmart for tiny 'personal' thermostat controlled forced air heaters) in the wet bays. Maybe put heat tape around the waste valves if you're cold camping.
5) No, most RVs do not require the floor to be ripped out to fix a leak. The runs are short, and often only hidden in a few inches of travel. Like from the water manifold up to the bathroom sink. There are often raceways for plumbing under the floor and if you remove a panel down in the wet bay basement cabinet you can find them. That's also where the warm air comes from when the furnace is running. Then the plumbing for the kitchen is under the floorboards of the kitchen cabinets. Easily removed. Yeah, typically, it's all accessible.

Good to know, thanks. I'll look for these access points.

Hwschef · 04-12-2023, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

No such thing as a sub floor. You have inside and you have Bay Area. Fleetwood either runs ducts in bays or around the walls. If you see a square box running around floor of wall, probably has duct work and water pipe in them.

Excellent, this takes away a lot of concern on my part. I'll look for those access points.

Hwschef · 07-23-2023, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

No such thing as a sub floor. You have inside and you have Bay Area. Fleetwood either runs ducts in bays or around the walls. If you see a square box running around floor of wall, probably has duct work and water pipe in them.

Another forum member suggested that I look above the frame, behind the major slide-out for panels that can be removed. They were there and they do lead to a heated sub-floor area, which holds the fresh water tanks and fresh water fill line. I was able to access, remove and repair the cracked, and broken, water lines through these access panels. If yours doesn't have this sub-floor area, then I guess that they are not all built the same.