Freezing temps for short period

[rschiodo]

How many hours below freezing does the rig start to be effected? If we hit freezing for 6 hours and then it warms up does that cause a problem?? Is it days on end with freezing (below 32 degrees) temps that cause lines to burst? We are parked for a few weeks in North GA.

[SSTraveler]

I have camped in areas with nightly lows of 28 and 40s during the day with no freezing line issues. So high 20s for 6 hours should be fine.

[grindstone01]

If the temp gets below 28F at night I will put some water in the fresh water tank and turn off the outside water valve. I only do this cause the outside water hose will likely freeze and stop flowing by morning. If the temp gets to 22F, I will plug in a 100W lamp I mounted next to the water pump/tank. We live in our fifth wheel full time and have seen temps in the single digits and have yet to freeze a camper water line. This is all done just using interior space heaters without using the LP furnace. The heat loss from the interior space keeps the underbelly pipes from freezing.
Usually low pressure water won't freeze and expand enough to burst a pipe until it gets in the teens. Now if the water is under pressure say 50 psi and freezes then it may burst pipes with temps in the mid 20's. So if you are concerned, then turn off the water source and relieve the water pressure (open faucet) in the exposed lines, no need to drain. Another trick is to park the RV with your water hose in the direct sunlight to thaw out quicker in the morning.

[rschiodo]

Originally Posted by SSTraveler

I have camped in areas with nightly lows of 28 and 40s during the day with no freezing line issues. So high 20s for 6 hours should be fine.

Thanks for the info!

[rschiodo]

Originally Posted by grindstone01

If the temp gets below 28F at night I will put some water in the fresh water tank and turn off the outside water valve. I only do this cause the outside water hose will likely freeze and stop flowing by morning. If the temp gets to 22F, I will plug in a 100W lamp I mounted next to the water pump/tank. We live in our fifth wheel full time and have seen temps in the single digits and have yet to freeze a camper water line. This is all done just using interior space heaters without using the LP furnace. The heat loss from the interior space keeps the underbelly pipes from freezing.
Usually low pressure water won't freeze and expand enough to burst a pipe until it gets in the teens. Now if the water is under pressure say 50 psi and freezes then it may burst pipes with temps in the mid 20's. So if you are concerned, then turn off the water source and relieve the water pressure (open faucet) in the exposed lines, no need to drain. Another trick is to park the RV with your water hose in the direct sunlight to thaw out quicker in the morning.

Great advice. I will give these solutions a try should we find ourselves in these temps. Thanks so much!

[joe-n-stef]

We are still newbies, living in 5th wheel full-time in Central TX. Gonna freeze 3 nights in a row starting tonight (28-32 degrees). It's a 2000 Travel Supreme 5th Wheel, we're absolutely ignorant about our systems, what all we have in it, etc. We're unsure how to know what our water pressure is.

Also, question: is "winterizing" only for people NOT staying in their RV in winter, or do we need to do something to get ready? I figured I'd wrap the outside water supply, put a space heater in the underbelly near the water pipes, & maybe drip water from faucet overnight, whenever temp drops below freezing. Any ideas, suggestions, corrections? Thanks!

[rarebear.nm]

Hard to say. Every rig is different and weather conditions vary, temps and wind speeds, ground temperature, etc. How much of your plumping is exposed opposed to enclosed in the underbelly. Is any of the underbelly heated? DO you have tank heaters? It gets complicated sometimes.

IMO if temps stay above 28F and only freeze for a few hours in the late night/early morning hours you "should" be fine if the day temps get backup near or above 40F. The city water hose can freeze up. So I'd just detach it from the RV. Many years ago I used a heated water hose that was wrapped in insulation and it was good down to under -20F. Using any heat source, light bulbs, heaters etc will greatly extend the operational limit of many RVs.

Some people winterize their rig and just don't use ANY onboard water/plumping while living in it. You just got to make other arrangements. Some RVs are rated for true 4 season use and others are built for summer time use only. Our Excel is good down to 0F while the Minnie is not rated, but I'd limit it to 28F plus.

[Chief Alen]

Heated hose ...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pirit-Hea...yABEgIQ3fD_BwE

Small heater in the wet bay.

Light bulb under a 5 gallon pail covering the spigot.

[JDT]

We are in a campground with the current temp 30 degrees. It's supposed to get down to 20 by morning. My personal rule is anything below freezing warrants disconnecting the water hose. Not because I'm concerned with damaging the hose but instead damaging the park's hook up. There is a notice in park office to disconnect your water hose in freezing temps and if there is damage to their hook up because you didn't you are responsible for the repair. Not worth the little effort it takes to fill the fresh water tank, disconnect the hose and turn on the water pump. Our tanks are enclosed and the area is heated by our furnace.

Before the sun went down I did notice some of my neighbors had not disconnected. We'll see how they fare overnight.

[dexters]

Originally Posted by rschiodo

How many hours below freezing does the rig start to be effected? If we hit freezing for 6 hours and then it warms up does that cause a problem?? Is it days on end with freezing (below 32 degrees) temps that cause lines to burst? We are parked for a few weeks in North GA.

Depends ...
First detach your fresh water hose.

Second ... keep your heat on to protect internal pipes.

More water in tanks ... the more time it takes to freeze them. Drain them and you should be OK

Other issues depend upon your 5th.

[clifford j]

@ Joe & Stef, your on the right track, learn as much as you can about your rig.
especially the plumbing since your in a area with continous days below freezing. I'm in a Monaco Pres. Suite , the wet bay is heated by the furnace but there is plumbing not heated. Last winter I had a kitchen drain freeze up. This spring I investegated and found the inch & half drain had an 8 foot section with a sag. Water collected and eventually built up a blockage. The drain AND water lines were above the coroplass belly and below the insulated floor. No thermo protection. My solution was to install a small space heater to keep the temp above freezing in that bay. I got crazy with indoor/outdoor thermometers to monitor temperatures ,three actually .If your equipment bay heats your tanks don't hesitate to use the furnace a bit. My windows are dual pane except I have a bay window that's single pane. I just installed a 4x4 sheet of clear plexi glass to create a thermo barrier.

CLIFF