Freezing Overnight and Hoses

[PancakeBill]

For tonight, disconnected and drained.  Low tech, works every time.  However, pain in the butt to do every night.In the past I have used a DIY heated hose, a regular hose with a heat tape covered with pipe insulation.  This had worked well for many years, but pain in the butt, the insulation would break, or snag, it did not like to unroll, but it worked. 

That brings me to now.  I wasn't planning on being in snow when we left Yellowstone and that old crappy hose was left in storage, now I am in Santa Fe NM for 3 weeks and tonight is forecast to 15 deg.  With Amazon Prime I can get a Pirit heated hose in 2 days.  Reviews are all over the board.

So, anyone here use one?  Good bad or indifferent?  Is there another option?

 

[NY_Dutch]

We fill our onboard fresh tank in those conditions and just use that for several days at a time until it needs topping off again.

 

[skydivemark]

I would agree with Dutch with a bit of added info; After you fill the fresh water tank, try to drain the supply hose as much as possible so when you go to use it again it (hopefully) won't be frozen solid.

 

[PancakeBill]

Well I ordered one.  filling tank and draining hose is what I did for tonight, but long term prefer the other hose. 

Having had the heated hose for many seasons, vs. getting wet each time seems like a better idea.

 

[John From Detroit]

I fill my on-board 80 gallon heated tank either upon arrival or just before departure. I don't need to use tho hose for 1-3 weeks. so it's stored .. Drained.. Likewise back and gray last over a week (2 to 3) so only dump when needed. that hose I leave hooked up but drained.

 

[UTTransplant]

We have an 80 gallon water tank too so we only fill it every 4-5 days. There are a lot of trailers and motorhomes with only 35-50 gallon tanks however, so frequent filling is more of a necessity for them. I can definitely see the advantage of a heated hose.

 

[PancakeBill]

Have to look up my water capacity, I don't think 80, I think maybe 50.  I like the extra pressure from the hose.

 

[Senator]

Just leave an inside water faucet on a slow trickle.  As long as you have a sewer hookup it will work.  You only need one faucet running a little bit to keep the city water hose fluid.

A lot cheaper option than paying $100+.

 

[PancakeBill]

Have done that, but with grey closed.  3" of grey water in the tub, but that was a long time ago.  We learn.  Another way to do this is too put splitter at intake and crack open the unused side.  Need a short hose to lead away from pad though.

New hose should be here in 2 days.  Camco heated hose has 2 female end and include a male-male fitting so you can use in either direction. 

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Just leave an inside water faucet on a slow trickle.  As long as you have a sewer hookup it will work.  You only need one faucet running a little bit to keep the city water hose fluid.

A lot cheaper option than paying $100+.

I know someone who did that and left the gray tank drain valve open. He called me and said his tank was plugged. I went over and checked the drain hose had become a solid chunk of ice. ;D
Bill

 

[PancakeBill]

The winter I spent at Grand Canyon, I had the sewer hose heat wrapped as well.

 

[jims94vmx]

I am using the Pirit. Been good so far. Only had about 2 months. Saw 8* one morning and only issue I had was low point drains.  In my rv the low point drains do not have a shut off valve inside the heated storage unfortunately.  I used a exterior faucet cover and loose insulation up inside at the Ts and inside the cover. We shall see.  Had water in bathroom but the low point drains connected to the line going to the kitchen island sink is where the flow stopped. 

The Solitude line has shut off valves inside the heated wet bay. We have the Reflection.

Jim

 

[PancakeBill]

Thank you!  I should have my hose in next couple days.  Camco had a couple features I liked.

 

[glen54737]

I know someone who did that and left the gray tank drain valve open. He called me and said his tank was plugged. I went over and checked the drain hose had become a solid chunk of ice. ;D
Bill

I had that happen too.
I use the pirit hose now make sure the thermostat is outside of your water bay

 

[lynnmor]

When keeping a heated on non-heated hose connected, what keeps the hydrant from freezing?

I know of one campground that is open year round that has a sign posted telling all to disconnect.  Any violation will get you a disconnect and a lock on the hydrant.

 

[Larry N.]

...what keeps the hydrant from freezing?

Many parks in colder country have heated hydrants (don't unplug that 20 amp connection they have there) -- even those will suggest you disconnect your hose, though.

 

[UTTransplant]

When keeping a heated on non-heated hose connected, what keeps the hydrant from freezing?

I know of one campground that is open year round that has a sign posted telling all to disconnect.  Any violation will get you a disconnect and a lock on the hydrant.

When my daughter had a baby two years ago, we spent a week in an all-year campground in Iowa. They had a few spots with heated water connections, and they said if you froze up the connection by not unhooking they charged you $50 to thaw it. They used the freeze proof faucets you sometimes see in FS campgrounds - the ones where you raise a big lever to start the water flow. That was really cold weather though. We had temps in the single digits the week before the campground when we were ?camped? in my daughter?s driveway. The few sites the campground had set up for winter camping were full of construction workers who had units with skirting and big external propane tanks. Nice place.

 

[jymbee]

I would agree with Dutch with a bit of added info; After you fill the fresh water tank, try to drain the supply hose as much as possible so when you go to use it again it (hopefully) won't be frozen solid.

Perhaps I'm missing something... If the overnight temps are that cold, isn't there some concern that the water supply lines inside the coach can freeze? Assuming of course one doesn't have heated storage compartments. Or if the daytime temps rise above freezing is the thinking that the lines aren't cold enough for long enough to freeze?

More than idle curiosity as we'll be venturing out on our first extended trip headed south from NY in January.  ;D

 

[WILDEBILL308]

Perhaps I'm missing something... If the overnight temps are that cold, isn't there some concern that the water supply lines inside the coach can freeze? Assuming of course one doesn't have heated storage compartments. Or if the daytime temps rise above freezing is the thinking that the lines aren't cold enough for long enough to freeze?

More than idle curiosity as we'll be venturing out on our first extended trip headed south from NY in January.  ;D

If you are in NY you probably have the coach winterised, right? Most would take some gallon bottles of water to flush with till you get down to warmer temps. Then you can add some water to your tank and de winterise.
One tip on using a non heated water hose is to fill your tank then  unhook it, drain it and store it inside so will be ready for the nex time.
I haven't had a problem with lines freezing as long as the heat (including water heater) are on, but your luck may vary.
Bill

 

[glen54737]

When keeping a heated on non-heated hose connected, what keeps the hydrant from freezing?

I know of one campground that is open year round that has a sign posted telling all to disconnect.  Any violation will get you a disconnect and a lock on the hydrant.

Usually they have heat tape on the hydrant or a garbage can with a light bulb inside.
The park I'm in now will disconnect non-heated hoses.
They use a bucket of straw to keep the pipes from freezing I didn't think it would be enough but it works.
This is in Indiana just across the Ohio river from Louisville, KY.