Frozen water line

[McIver]

I wrote earlier about running out of propane while away from my Montana and finding if frozen solid when I returned. Had all that taken care of but this morning awoke to no water again. The outside bib and hose are well insulated with heat tape. We are pumping warm air into the belly from the storage area (partitions have been removed) with a space heater and fan. The fresh water tank seems to be still frozen.
I think there may be one line that has frozen and I am looking for suggestions.

[bncinwv]

You may also want to check the low point drain that is probably located beneath the tank itself. They are usually uninsulated and exposed to the elements beneath the rig. It will act as a starting point for ice formation and will eventually allow for ice formation well up into the tank. This has been documented previously on the forum and may be worth checking into.
Bingo

[McIver]

I am running on city water. The fresh water tank was being used before I had the freeze problem. With city water I thought that tank was out of the system ???

[McIver]

This getting rather discouraging and expensive. The repair guy I have been using is about to put a hit out on me for calling him with the continuing problem. The wife just wants to wash the dishes and may be calling the divorce lawyer ... again. Hate when that happens.
Skirting will take place this week (about $2800).

[DQDick]

My guess would be the skirting should help a lot.

[Irlpguy]

The most likely place for the freezing to occur when connected to city water is at the convenience center or just behind it. The fresh water tank may be frozen but that will not affect the city water. If your convenience center is the same on the 2011 as the 2012 then you should have two valves that drain to the outside bottom of the convenience center, these are the low point valves, if you open the cold you should have water coming out of it if there is water getting into the piping behind the center. That is the area I would concentrate the heat.

Is your supply line insulated and with a heat tape all the way into the convenience center, I assume you have confirmed water is getting to the convenience center. I also assume the sensor for the heat tape is open to the cold air so the heat tape is actually working.

It is possible to have a frozen line to the kitchen sink and still have water elsewhere in the unit, I assume you have no water at all.

I would make sure the hot water tank is off until you have a flow of water again so that you don't damage the tank.

My wife and I lived in a mobile home for a number of years and I have spent a lot of time thawing frozen lines, it is not fun. Skirting will help for sure, hope it solves your problems.

[wingerphil]

I agree with the checking the low point drains. Ours was located just under the convienance center and hang down a few inches below the rig. If one or the other is frozen a hairdryer should get the water running to prevent the divorce and the skirting "may" prevent it from happening again, once skirted though you could place a trouble light with a 100 watt bulb near them and that should keep them thawed.

Phil

[McIver]

Thanks everyone. I will put a trouble light in the convenience center as suggested. I have removed the panel from the forward side and the carpeted one next to it which encloses all the water lines. A small ceramic heater is in the laundry basket and a small fan blows toward the back of the belly. I feel that I could not do more to warm the back side of the convenience center but have done nothing for the front side. Will give it a try.

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by McIver

I wrote earlier about running out of propane while away from my Montana and finding if frozen solid when I returned. Had all that taken care of but this morning awoke to no water again. The outside bib and hose are well insulated with heat tape. We are pumping warm air into the belly from the storage area (partitions have been removed) with a space heater and fan. The fresh water tank seems to be still frozen.
I think there may be one line that has frozen and I am looking for suggestions.

Our rig has the water line coming in to the toilet first, then over to the wash basin, then the shower and then down to the kitchen where the water heater is. The cold water line from the shower going down to the kitchen and the water heater has frozen and that prevents any hot water from going back to the bathroom wash basin and shower. We have never had the fresh water tank freeze. (50 gallons of water would take a pretty low temperature in order to freeze.)

We had our RV dealer wrap those two pipes running from the shower area to the kitchen with foam tubing and this year the freezing only occurred once. That was when I forgot to set the furnace so that it would blow heat in the underbelly.

Don't know if this helps you or not; it was just the problem we had.

Orv