Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Brrr it's cold outside! Winter Camping
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-08-2022, 07:21 AM   #1
SLVan
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 5
M.O.C. #31950
Help! Frozen pipes!

Ideas on thawing water pipes? We're in a 2022 Montana HC 5th-wheel. We have a heated hose, working fine. Found that the metal pressure gauge, where the hose attaches to the RV in the convenience panel, was frozen. Thawed that out, put a small heater in the convenience compartment overnight and still no water.
 
SLVan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2022, 08:26 AM   #2
Camp CA
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Bencia
Posts: 537
M.O.C. #25828
Before heated hoses were avaible I fabricated my own with electrical heat tape and pipe insulation and used it while camping in South Lake Tahoe for two winters. Is important the shore water supply is also electrically traced and insulated.
__________________
2020 Montana 3780RL fifth wheel
2016 F-350 6.7L Diesel Crew Cab Long Bed DRW
Camp CA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2022, 10:12 AM   #3
rohrmann
Montana Master
 
rohrmann's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,677
M.O.C. #12947
Did you have the propane furnace running? If not, you might turn it on and the heat might thaw the plumbing out. We've been in subfreezing temps and with the furnace running have never had a frozen pipe. There is usually a duct into the belly area that provides heat to keep that area warm.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
rohrmann is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2022, 01:18 PM   #4
DutchmenSport
Montana Master
 
DutchmenSport's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,544
M.O.C. #22835
I agree with rohrman (above). Turn on your furnace and let it heat the underbelly. Beyond that, there's not much else you can do, except pack up and head South out of the freeze zone.

Montana High Countries are "rated" to zero degrees. But in order to make that happen, the furnace has to be running to keep pipes from freezing and your tank heaters need to be turned on.

On mine, I never pushed the water limit test to anything lower than 20 (above). This last Spring we had the fresh water tank freeze up enough water would not pump. That happened because we ran out of propane in the middle of the night and didn't realize it. I switched over to our 3rd back-up propane tank, got the furnace running again, and in about 4 hours we had water running again. I will admit ... I was worried. But it turned out just fine!
__________________
Who you are right now is a sum total off all you use to be.
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax, 6.6L Dually
DutchmenSport is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2022, 02:33 PM   #5
mlh
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Salem
Posts: 7,528
M.O.C. #2283
Cut your furnace on and relax. They’ll thaw.
Lynwood
__________________
www.harrellsprec.com
Lynwood Harrell
323 RL HC 2008 F250
mlh is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2022, 03:55 PM   #6
Daryles
Montana Master
 
Daryles's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,654
M.O.C. #24086
Run your furnace.
Take down the corner panel under your kitchen island. You will see where the pipes come up from the underbelly.
Put a hair dryer down the hole and blow hot air down there for a while.
Also putting a small ceramic heater blowing towards your convenience center will help too.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Island gap 2.jpg
Views:	33
Size:	95.0 KB
ID:	13595   Click image for larger version

Name:	Island gap 7.jpg
Views:	37
Size:	77.3 KB
ID:	13596  
Daryles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-09-2022, 11:14 PM   #7
SLVan
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: Kalispell
Posts: 5
M.O.C. #31950
Thanks for all the advice everyone.
SLVan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2022, 01:18 PM   #8
bcrvman
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Qualicum Beach
Posts: 665
M.O.C. #26399
Quote:
Originally Posted by SLVan View Post
Ideas on thawing water pipes? We're in a 2022 Montana HC 5th-wheel. We have a heated hose, working fine. Found that the metal pressure gauge, where the hose attaches to the RV in the convenience panel, was frozen. Thawed that out, put a small heater in the convenience compartment overnight and still no water.
Besides heated hose I use heat wrap (the special adaptive kind), severe duty light bulbs, and a 750/1500 watt heater in basement. Here is Canadian Amazon link, just change to com if USA
https://amz.run/67Oq
__________________
2018 Keystone Montana 3811MS
2017 Ford F450 diesel dually
600AH Battle Born Lithium Batteries, 1,080 watts solar
3,000 watt hybrid inverter with 120A charger
bcrvman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2022, 07:19 AM   #9
pmck
New Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2020
Location: Thumb of Michigan
Posts: 4
M.O.C. #26668
I am living full time in eastern PA and I have installed a “No Freeze”water hose that has a 1ft heat trace on each end which you can wrap around fittings on end of hose. So far no issues. I also run my furnace which puts heat down in the basement/storage area. I also run a remote thermometer up through the water line openings into my bathroom so I can monitor temp down there. If for some reason the furnace quits I have installed a reptile heat lamp underneath which is controlled by a thermostat. You can get the whole package on Amazon
pmck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2022, 05:40 PM   #10
Bad Moon
Montana Fan
 
Bad Moon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Medford
Posts: 498
M.O.C. #18546
“ Montana High Countries are "rated" to zero degrees”

Now that’s funny. Unless you mean zero degrees Celsius. Below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, you will freeze your butt off, unless you have shore power and a couple of portable heaters . We are boondocking on our property without shore power but with sewer and water. and it is getting down to the low 20s at night. We have insulated our water hose, and keep it running at a trickle all night. So far no frozen pipes.
__________________
2016 Montana High Country 310RE
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD LT CC 4x4 Duramax
Bad Moon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2022, 04:50 AM   #11
RMcNeal
Montana Master
 
RMcNeal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 2,117
M.O.C. #25165
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bad Moon View Post
“ Montana High Countries are "rated" to zero degrees”

Now that’s funny.
I had a sleeping bag that was rated to 40 below and named after the first guy to scale Mount Everest.
You may not freeze to death at 40 below, but you will likely pray for death at some time during the night.
__________________
Robert & Diana McNeal
2019 Montana Legacy 3791RD 20th Anniversary Edition
2014 F350 4x4 6.7L SRW
RMcNeal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2022, 08:28 AM   #12
Creeker
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Charleston
Posts: 452
M.O.C. #23094
Campers and zero degrees don't even sound good in the same sentence. Can't imagine trying to live in one during that type of weather.
__________________
2019 Montana HC 310RE
2010 Wildcat 29RLBS
2014 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7
Creeker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-20-2022, 10:50 AM   #13
OldJimi
Established Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 49
M.O.C. #31788
You have to run the furnace on propane to keep the basement warm, block the pass through hole in the bottom of the utility cab, I use a plastic bag filled with a few rags and stuff it into the hole around water hose. In the past, I have used large pool noodles with a slit down the side to protect my water line and recall one occasion where I got up, unhooked, and got on the road while the guy in the next spot was still busy with a torch. The absolute best solution, however, is called "Tropical Latitudes".
__________________
'22 Montana 3231CK, TST TPMS, LevelUp, Furrion Vision S, Wingard 360/GW1000, '19 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7L DRW 4x4, Timbrens, Pullrite 2600-1P
OldJimi is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:58 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.