Will a 30 gallon fresh water tank freeze?

[truxpin]

Go FOR IT!! We spent our first year in ours through the Kansas Winter. Yup, not as easy as the other 3 seasons, but still awesome!
We supplied the Airstream completely with a copper water supply wrapped w/ heat tape and insulation up to the inlet.... Borrowed a couple 100 pound propane tanks and extended the supply lines to reach.... Put a heat lamp bulb in the water closet access to keep the black tank flush from freezing.....Left the grey tank valve open ALL the time ( you can always run the hot water to break up any frozen blockages) One particularly cold week of below freezing temps we had the P-Trap in the shower freeze up & the black tank valve froze shut! (Both remedied with Hot water)
We used a good electric heater inside to supplement the propane in the evenings, but still went through about 100 pounds a week! It was only for a few months....
The only time we had condensation issues was when we were cooking specific things on the cook top ( most things were grilled outside anyways) and a bit of vent fan can fix that in a hurry.
The area you're in has relatively mild winter, not like MN. or Wyoming with their bitter long cold spells.
PS.... Lining the underside of the Airstream with bales of hay does wonders for keeping the tanks clear of freezing temps and can be done for a relatively small sum...
GOOD Luck!!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Obviously, the location matters. Winter in the Florida Keys is not the same as winter in Fairbanks AK. It also varies a *lot* with the specific winter. Some years it gets into the -20's range in the midwest. In other years, you barely get a good hard freeze.

If you block all the windows that reduces condensation. It also eliminates solar gain. You can get an AS quite warm when it's in the 40's just on solar gain. You improve one thing and degrade another. Turn down the furnace at night to save propane = pipes have less protection when the need it most. There are lots of tradeoffs.

In some cases damage is not obvious. The water pump now runs every 15 minutes ... the pressure regulator doesn't regulate .... there's a drip under the floor .... this pipe comes loose from that one a ways down the road. Knowing what caused what is impossible.

Lots of variables.

Bob

[Len n Jeanne]

Also think about the small couplings where a small amount of water can get in, freeze, and expand. If you don't have a way to heat or insulate it, I'd disconnect the water line at night, possibly shaking out the hose or bring it inside. (We had one freeze solid once: inconvenient till it thawed out later that morning.)

Our AS mechanic told us we should be OK in cold weather so long as the temps got above freezing during the day.

We found that another issue of cold-weather camping was simply the amount of condensation that tends to collect inside on the walls and windows if you haven't got good ventilation when everything's closed up for the night.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Also think about the small couplings where a small amount of water can get in, freeze, and expand. ...

Hi

One classic example of this -- take a look at where your winterizing system dump valves are on the trailer. A lot of models have two brass valves hanging under the trailer by the wheels. Those valves have water in them. The water can freeze. If it freezes solid, brass valves can crack.

Hanging down under the trailer by the tires is normally a well sheltered location while parked. Getting that area cold overnight is not going to be a typical event. Toss in a strong wind from the "wrong" direction and you have a problem. Drive down the road for hours with it in the teens ... you may have a problem.

Bob