Just a little heat

[bswdds]

2015 3736 Dutch Star stored in rental non-insulated garage, hooked up to AC (I assume 15-20 A outlet). I can’t get her in for winterizing for another 2 weeks and temps looking like low-mid 20’s at night and 40’s during the day. I’ve drained the gray and black tanks and opened all low point valves. I am thinking of turning on tank heating pads or leaving some incandescent lights bulbs (150 W ?) on in the coach for a little heat in hopes of keeping any residual water from freezing. Any thoughts or other ideas? I know....I should have winterized her a few weeks ago!!!
Thanks

[agpopp]

Originally Posted by bswdds

2015 3736 Dutch Star stored in rental non-insulated garage, hooked up to AC (I assume 15-20 A outlet). I can’t get her in for winterizing for another 2 weeks and temps looking like low-mid 20’s at night and 40’s during the day. I’ve drained the gray and black tanks and opened all low point valves. I am thinking of turning on tank heating pads or leaving some incandescent lights bulbs (150 W ?) on in the coach for a little heat in hopes of keeping any residual water from freezing. Any thoughts or other ideas? I know....I should have winterized her a few weeks ago!!!
Thanks

There's nothing to it. Buy 5 gal of RV antifreeze and get it done. Enjoy the savings.

[Old-Biscuit]

Do NOT turn on tank heat pads with tanks drained>>>>>

[littlebob]

Did you drain the hot water tank ??

[bswdds]

We have the Oasis heating so I’ve been told there is no hot water tank to drain.....????

[NXR]

How well is that non-insulated garage built? Is it standalone by itself where winds hit all four sides? Or is it the middle one in a storage facility whee the only outside wall is the door? Metal or wood storage facility?

You could put a 1,500 watt/750 watt floor heater inside on Low and keep all cabinets and drawers open. You also could put a small electric heater in the wet bay. I use a Honeywell Heat Bud from Amazon; it's under $20 and 250 watts.

Ray

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by bswdds

We have the Oasis heating so I’ve been told there is no hot water tank to drain.....????

Having the oasis heat exchanger freeze is VERY costly damage. If you don’t heat the underbelly of the coach to prevent freezing, you must pump pink antifreeze through the hot water lines to protect the oasis.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by bswdds

We have the Oasis heating so I’ve been told there is no hot water tank to drain.....????

Oasis service and troubleshooting manual.
That answers your questions and eliminates conjecture.

[bswdds]

Thanks for the replies. Was able to locate and open Oasis domestic water drain valve (0.1 gal). Going to add some electric heat to the underbelly and inside the coach at night. Not going to wait this long to winterize next year.

[153stars]

The time its takes to do that, you could finish it getting it winterized. We used this part from Ace to hook right to pump inlet to 1\2 OD CPVC pipe that had 1/2 ID hose atached. To do my friends. If you have no winterize port hook up. He grabbed it looks like it will accommodate a PEX is the sleeve for hose or thinwall tubing.
You can use a hand held shower hose from bath or outdoor shower to pump also. We were hunting for anything that fit pump inlet .

[153stars]

Oops this was the part he grabbed to the best of my knowledge . I took pic on my next visit.

[sbleiweiss]

What about putting a space heater into the garage itself and keep it above 32 degrees?

[pasdad1]

Originally Posted by bswdds

Thanks for the replies. Was able to locate and open Oasis domestic water drain valve (0.1 gal). Going to add some electric heat to the underbelly and inside the coach at night. Not going to wait this long to winterize next year.

Wasn’t aware of valve on oasis to drain heat exchanger of water....could you elaborate (with a picture if possible) ?

I had previously read antifreeze needs to be pumped through hot water lines to protect the domestic hot water heat exchanger.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by sbleiweiss

What about putting a space heater into the garage itself and keep it above 32 degrees?

With 15 or maybe 20 amp power, I doubt a space heater would do much, if anything, in that big space.


I don't know anything about the Oasis system so will not try to give a yay or nay on what to do there. On my older rig with just the basic systems, I'd be perfectly fine draining the tanks and plumbing lines at the lowest points, especially if I was parked in an enclosed building. If temps are forecast to be 20° and below, then I'll place an incandescent bulb of around 75 watts in the wet bay where much of the plumbing is located.

Again, not sure of the Oasis,, but since 15 amp service is available, could you use a portable air compressor to blow out the lines? This would help to get any residual water out of the lines.

Another potential option: Being plugged into power, could you turn on the heat and put the thermostat way down? The thermostat on ours can be set down into the 30s which is perfect for when we have those few nights of below 20° weather. The furnace doesn't run that much but you would want to make sure you had plenty of propane before going with this option.

Of course you could have problems if the building loses power. If this is of concern, then Winterizing with antifreeze is probably the best bet.