Driving in very cold weather: pipes freeze?

[theroc]

Well, I got pummeled by others with my initial response to your inquiry but I was going by the coach you listed in your signature. I'd have to believe that a 2008 Tiffin is equipped with adequate insulation and (as you've noted) adequate basement heat that driving down the road with the furnace running when it's 20° outside (you didn't specify what you meant by "very cold weather") that you wouldn't be in too much danger but that's just a guess on my part.

I don't know if I deserved the criticism for my response or not but it is what it is on these forums ...just personal opinions, experiences, and sometimes unverified knowledge that sounds like the absolute truth. I'm known and commonly get criticized on the forum for sounding like an expert when I'm not an expert at anything so I guess in the end, I'm guilty

[2cyber71]

I leave Pennsylvania every yr with my motorhome winterized in December.
I winterize my motorhome in Savannah in January when I come back.
The Savannah South KOA knows us very well, we get there 2-3 pm, and winterize the motorhome by 5 pm.
I never drive in temperature below 30f with water in my pipes.
It’s very easy to winterize. We do it in about 1- 1 1/4 hours.
Last year I winterized 3 times because when we got back in March we got a cold wave the next day.
Here is My how to video
https://youtu.be/F7t7w6LPcnQ

Remember this, the day you have frozen RV pipes is the day you cry.

[Flyer15015]

Mine being an older coach with a pretty simple water system, I winterize mine in late October for her long winter sleep in the barn.
When I wake her up to go to Florida for 3 weeks in March, I put 6 milk jugs of water inside the coach for the trip. 2 for the puppy and 4 for me.
Heat a quart on the stove in the AM to wash with, and hit the road.
We boondock all the way down and back.
In Florida we fill the water system and use as regular folks.
Empty the system prior to departure for Colorado and refill the jugs for the trip home. It's usually still freezing at night up here in April.

Mike in Colorado

[House Husband]

Tiffin has heated wet bays for over 20 years.

Richard

[theroc]

Sure, winterizing is obviously a good thing to do and the safe thing to do. But if I'm taking a week or so traveling from Phoenix to Duluth in the winter and am going through some very cold regions to get there, I don't think I would winterize every night or on nights when I think the temperatures are going to be below freezing. Once I get to Duluth and maybe plan to stay there for a month, or even a week, I would obviously winterize if not staying in the coach.

Like I was assuming, I thought the OP is referring to driving down the road and being underway in a 2008 Tiffin. And if they're driving in sub-zero temperatures, I might have a different take on it. But we traveled a LOT in the winter and while underway, we never winterized as we wanted to use the toilet or use the sinks to wash dishes, or use the shower. This was when temperatures were in the teens and 20s but not below zero if that is what the OP is referring to as I can't remember traveling in below zero temperatures. He said "very cold temperatures" so we still don't know what he meant by that.

[Crasher]

Originally Posted by House Husband

Tiffin has heated wet bays for over 20 years.

Richard

Very true. However, I have always wondered why they blow heat in from the top on the wet bay when the pump is on the bottom sitting on fiberglass exposed to the outside with no insulation. They all do it. When I bought our 2003 Phaeton, I didn't think the basement floor was insulated and had the entire bottom sprayed with 2" of urethane including the wet bay. I later found out the floor WAS an insulation board. The result of my efforts was a basement that was very easy to heat in extreme cold and wind. Not everyone needs that kind of performance, but the $250 I paid to have it done gave me POM in any climate.

[High Road Travelers]

Originally Posted by theroc

Well, I got pummeled by others with my initial response to your inquiry but I was going by the coach you listed in your signature. I'd have to believe that a 2008 Tiffin is equipped with adequate insulation and (as you've noted) adequate basement heat that driving down the road with the furnace running when it's 20° outside (you didn't specify what you meant by "very cold weather") that you wouldn't be in too much danger but that's just a guess on my part.

I don't know if I deserved the criticism for my response or not but it is what it is on these forums ...just personal opinions, experiences, and sometimes unverified knowledge that sounds like the absolute truth. I'm known and commonly get criticized on the forum for sounding like an expert when I'm not an expert at anything so I guess in the end, I'm guilty

theroc, what motorhome do you have?

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by theroc

Well, I got pummeled by others with my initial response to your inquiry but I was going by the coach you listed in your signature. I'd have to believe that a 2008 Tiffin is equipped with adequate insulation and (as you've noted) adequate basement heat that driving down the road with the furnace running when it's 20° outside (you didn't specify what you meant by "very cold weather") that you wouldn't be in too much danger but that's just a guess on my part.

I don't know if I deserved the criticism for my response or not but it is what it is on these forums ...just personal opinions, experiences, and sometimes unverified knowledge that sounds like the absolute truth. I'm known and commonly get criticized on the forum for sounding like an expert when I'm not an expert at anything so I guess in the end, I'm guilty

He asked for opinions, you offered yours.
BTW, I once read, an expert is anyone over 200 miles from home.

[twojayhawks]

Originally Posted by theroc

Well, I got pummeled by others with my initial response to your inquiry but I was going by the coach you listed in your signature. I'd have to believe that a 2008 Tiffin is equipped with adequate insulation and (as you've noted) adequate basement heat that driving down the road with the furnace running when it's 20° outside (you didn't specify what you meant by "very cold weather") that you wouldn't be in too much danger but that's just a guess on my part.

I don't know if I deserved the criticism for my response or not but it is what it is on these forums ...just personal opinions, experiences, and sometimes unverified knowledge that sounds like the absolute truth. I'm known and commonly get criticized on the forum for sounding like an expert when I'm not an expert at anything so I guess in the end, I'm guilty

These "should I winterize" threads are pretty common and I thought your post was spot on. I have never and hope to never in the future travel even for a short time without water in a coach. I like my hot showers, warm water for hand washing, cooking etc. We traveled for 20+ years every TG and Christmas staying in the midwest to be with family. Funny thing is that was in lesser coach's than our current. The DS is the best insulated I've ever had. We have been to Elkhart IN two years in a row with this Newmar, delivering it in December and picking it up in January. We saw cold (and not many CG's open) that most would not camp in. The DS handled it with ease. I choose not to winter travel in a motorhome now as we're older & don't want to. The snow, sleet, salt, cold temps, takes a toll on a coach, tow equipment, etc. Cars are built for it RV's not so much.

[ArtJoyce]

Our unit is a four season build. In a perfect world i'm good. But If it's in mid teens and below I winterize before driving. You just need a little air leak at 65 mph and the little heat in those areas surrounding the pluming will quickly be lost and drop into freezing.

Broken pipes and fitting on my unit will be a PITA to fix. It's simpler to winterize. I always carry everything I need to winterize.

[Jim_HiTek]

FYI, inanimate things are NOT subject to wind chill. Only warm blooded creatures are. So you can drive 100 MPH with the basement door open and only the relative ambient temp would make any difference. Wind chill has no effect on plumbing.

In fact, the molecules of air striking the plumbing would likely impart a small bit of energy, WARMING the plumbing.

[wolfe10]

Unrelated to plumbing issues, but important to coach operation in very cold conditions:


CHECK TIRE PRESSURE and figure on adding air. If last checked in the summer, it will be well low. Yup, straight physics (PV=nRT).

[shootist]

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

FYI, inanimate things are NOT subject to wind chill. Only warm blooded creatures are. So you can drive 100 MPH with the basement door open and only the relative ambient temp would make any difference. Wind chill has no effect on plumbing.

In fact, the molecules of air striking the plumbing would likely impart a small bit of energy, WARMING the plumbing.

More molecules more cooling, think radiator.

[pduggs]

My coach has never been winterized, by me or the original owner. Of course I’ve not had the coach in cold weather much. We did drive from northern Indiana to New Orleans in late November one year. The Aqua Hot did its job keeping the basement warm. I did place a light bulb by the water pump/hose reel and beneath and behind the residential frig, to keep ice maker water line from freezing.