Fresh water hose and freezing nights

[eawotr]

Hi,

This is the first time we are using our Classic for fall camping and the weather forecast is calling for nights in the lower 30's and upper 20's. I'm wondering what I should be doing with my fresh water hose when nights dip below freezing?

We love our new Classic and I don't want to make another rookie mistake.

Thank you in advance for the advice.

Have a warm and wonderful night.

[mixedpuppy]

drip drip drip the faucets if it's going below zero.

I also use one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Pirit-PWL-03-.../dp/B008VM889E

And if you don't have an accumulator tank installed already, they are useful for handling pressure changes in the water lines, esp. if you are not diligent in maintaining the water bubble in the hot water tank.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N9VF6Q/

[Len n Jeanne]

Detach your hose before it freezes either at your inlet or at the pump.

Keep your furnace on at night, as it will direct heat to pipes under the floor.

This assumes the weather will get above freezing during the day. When it's not going to anymore, you have to winterize. You can still camp in a winterized RV, it's just more of a hassle: no showers, lots of water bottles, and put some sort of mild anti-freeze down the toilet when you do your (manual) flush, as well as down the sinks. Windshield washer fluid works.

[CRH]

My fall night camping trips usually dip down to 25 or so overnight. I never worry about the hose. I have never had one freeze.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Fill you fresh water tank and use your pump. Disconnect the hose. Nothing in the tanks will freeze at 26 if it's warming during the day.

[eawotr]

Hi thanks for all the advice, we truly appreciate it.

Enjoy your Sunday.

[alantbird]

There are heated hoses at most dealers

[Gamehawkers]

They make a heated fresh water hose that will not freeze.

[rvb]

Originally Posted by Gamehawkers

They make a heated fresh water hose that will not freeze.

My trailer came with a heated hose the PO left for us. It is a nice very heavy duty hose with a heating element inside. We normally just fill the tank and not hook up the hose until we need to refill. With the heated hose, you will need a 120V outlet near the water faucet, but, you can use it like a normal hose below freezing.

[Bill M.]

I have had the hose frozen quite a few times. two weeks of it on and off the first time I went to Florida. Now I detach it from the trailer and drain it in the evening. Hook it back up during the day if needed. Have not had one break. We do not hook up the sewer except to dump so I do not leave anything dripping on purpose.

[CRH]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

I have had the hose frozen quite a few times. two weeks of it on and off the first time I went to Florida. .

Your hose froze in Florida?

[NevadaGeo]

Originally Posted by CRH

My fall night camping trips usually dip down to 25 or so overnight. I never worry about the hose. I have never had one freeze.

Some folks are lucky, some aren't so much. If something is telling you to protect from freezing, do it and then just wonder down the road if you really needed to. You can have pockets of freeze next to something that doesn't freeze. Or just believe your trailer is immune to freezing cause someone else hasn't had theirs freeze. I've seen water hose freeze solid while running before, but also had steam lines freezing too.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by CRH

Your hose froze in Florida?

The only time pipes inside my trailer have frozen was at the GA FL border. A copper line split. Heat was off and not winterized. I know better now! I either winterize or leave the heat on.

I've had a water hose freeze solid in the upper 20's.

[eawotr]

Thanks y'all for all the insightful info. I am on the hunt for a heated hose. Our 2017 classic has 'tank heaters" and I believe those will keep my tanks freeze free. So once I have the heated hose I'll be all set.

I hope you all enjoy your fall camping! Stay safe and keep the rubber side down.

[Len n Jeanne]

Our philosophy of precautions is, if the chance of something going wrong is small, but the consequences of that thing going wrong would be major, we take the precaution.

[mandolindave]

I have winter camped. Just weekend trips because you can't shower. I bring a porta potti and jugs of water. I didn't bother with the fridge, and just put a cooler outside.

[m.hony]

When we camp in sub-freezing temperatures we just don't bother to run the hose for the city water connection, but we park near a bath house in a campground.
It will just freeze unless you have the entire hose wrapped in electric heat tape.
That might be worth the effort for full-timers, but not worth the effort for weekend campers.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by eawotr

Thanks y'all for all the insightful info. I am on the hunt for a heated hose. Our 2017 classic has 'tank heaters" and I believe those will keep my tanks freeze free. So once I have the heated hose I'll be all set.

I hope you all enjoy your fall camping! Stay safe and keep the rubber side down.

Heated hoses have been discussed on other threads, and should be easy to find. Don't forget that the exposed hose bib at the campground may be the weak link in the chain here, as it and the pipe leading to it will freeze quite easily unless water is moving through them constantly. It may pay to disconnect and store the hose, then leave the hose bib faucet dripping overnight, if the CG permits.

PS -- Edit -- See link in Post #2 for heated hose and welcome to the forum!

[m.hony]

I have seen campgrounds place inverted 5 gallon buckets stuffed with pink insulation over the spigots.

[mixedpuppy]

Originally Posted by mixedpuppy

drip drip drip the faucets if it's going below zero.

lol. of course I meant 0C, not 0F.