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Old 12-28-2009, 08:01 PM   #1
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Freezing temp ext. Water line

Hello Forum,
Need your expert advice on my exterior water line. I am on a trip and the temp tonight will drop to 17 degrees. This is all new to me and I am asking if I should be taking any precautions. My furnace is on. Should I let the faucets drip or disconnect the ext. water line completely? Thank you in advance for your help!
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Old 12-28-2009, 08:14 PM   #2
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Disconnect and drain the outside hose. At least you can hook it up in the morning and have running water. Leave any interior doors (closet, cabinet, drawers, etc) open where interior water lines are located so that some heat will get to them. And build a big campfire.
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Old 12-28-2009, 08:17 PM   #3
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We've camped in the mid teens with no problems. I just drop the water supply line and run the heat.
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Old 12-28-2009, 09:18 PM   #4
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If we are traveling in the really cold.... we drain our whole water system and pretend we are tent camping and use bottles of water. It is a bit inconvenient, but not nearly so as the pipe or drain that will crack or break that is always at the most difficult place to get to!

Keeping the heat on inside and opening the cupboard doors as well as draining the outside pipe will go a long way to keep things "running" I am sure.
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Old 12-28-2009, 09:38 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaP View Post
Hello Forum,
Need your expert advice on my exterior water line. I am on a trip and the temp tonight will drop to 17 degrees. This is all new to me and I am asking if I should be taking any precautions. My furnace is on. Should I let the faucets drip or disconnect the ext. water line completely? Thank you in advance for your help!
Hi, there are several choices or ways of handleing this situation. From my experiences:

(1.) Open the gray tank valve and let the faucet drip all night.

(2.) Leave everything connected and when your fresh water hose freezes, turn on your water pump and use water from your tank. Note: my hose has been frozen several times and I have not had any damage.

(3.) Remove your fresh water hose and reconnect it when things get warmer.

(4.) Buy or make a heated water hose and plug it in when temps start to get too low.

(5.) In all cases of freezing temperatures, run your furnace and make sure you start with full propane tanks.
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Old 12-29-2009, 07:36 AM   #6
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NoFreezeWaterHose (No Freeze Water Hose - Eliminate Water Line Freeze)

I've used this in New England over the last winter, and it worked great. A bit pricey, though.

It weaved with self-regulating heating material (designed to only conducts electricity in colder temp, thus the hose becomes heated as the temperature plunges).

I believe this to be more reliable than typical 'EasyHeat' heat tape (sold at HomeDepot), which is On-or-Off by a temperature sensor.
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Old 12-30-2009, 06:38 AM   #7
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Thanks everyone! We have managed the cold. We filled our fresh water tank and disconnected the hose. Everything has worked out great. I do love the idea of the heated hose . I think I will invest in one when we get home. This Airstreamining is fun stuff. Once you think you have it all figured out you learn something new! What would we do without this handy forum! Our trail on this trip ...Dallas, Santa Fe, Gallup, Sedona,Phoenix, Big Bend and home. Happy trails!
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Old 01-13-2010, 09:27 AM   #8
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Aother suggestion which has worked down to -3. Take the water hose and cover with pipe insulation (black foam stuff that comes in 6 ft lengths, split along one edge, available at Home Depot, Lowes ect), tape securely with good old duck tape. Buy enough sewer hose with connectors for the hose length. On really cold nights, put the insulated water hose in the sewer hose, sealing the ends around the park connections and at the Airstream. I have placed a pipe heater in the sewer hose if I was really worried (18 ft length about $25). Unless it is going to be real cold (below 20, that is cold where I live) the insulated water hose works just fine without the sewer hose. During the warm season I store this water/sewer hose and use a regular water hose. Never use the sewer hose for it's intended purpose!
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Old 01-09-2011, 02:02 AM   #9
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Any ideas on how to get electricity outside the trailer without leaving a hatch open? This in order to supply a heater hose with electrons.

In my '72 Ambassador, to only outside 120 supply is inside a curbside hatch. In order to run the electron hose from there means I have to leave the hatch open. This would expose supply lines and drain lines, not to mention the bunk right above. Plus snow and sleet can get in.

I thought about installing an exterior 120 outlet to that hatch door, but do not like the idea of cutting a hole and altering the Airstream that way.

I also though about punching a hole from the rear compartment into the bumper compartment and running the line out the bumper hatch the same way the electric supply comes in. I have electricity in my rear compartment through a line run from the bathroom outlet.

Any big ideas?
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Old 01-09-2011, 02:06 AM   #10
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Or should I be looking at coupling/adapting and drawing electrons from the electric supply box on the pole outside?
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Old 01-09-2011, 07:21 AM   #11
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Tarheel,
I installed a 110v exterior outlet on my '72 Sovereign. It was extremely simple to do. I used the wiring for the old 110v outlet mounted on the inside of that hatch. You can find the exterior aluminum 110v kit at either Home Depot or Lowes.
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Old 01-10-2011, 02:45 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mello mike
Tarheel,
I installed a 110v exterior outlet on my '72 Sovereign. It was extremely simple to do. I used the wiring for the old 110v outlet mounted on the inside of that hatch. You can find the exterior aluminum 110v kit at either Home Depot or Lowes.
Looks good, Mello. That's what I'm gonna do. After the snow melts . . .
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