freezing temps

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   Thanks to both of you. I'll be long-gone before there are lengthy periods below freezing. Once it's predicted I'm outa here (but this occasionally happens in Florida too). I'm planning for an unexpected overnight dip below what is forecast. Like, next week overnight lows are in the 50s but tonight it's predicted to get to 34.
I'm not staying in the camper except when I go camping so I can easily drain the freshwater tank to protect that hose to the pump. I'll put a heater inside too.

I appreciate the help.

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EchoGale Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 463	Topic: freezing temps Posted: 20 Sep 2020 at 1:28pm
	Thanks to both of you. I'll be long-gone before there are lengthy periods below freezing. Once it's predicted I'm outa here (but this occasionally happens in Florida too). I'm planning for an unexpected overnight dip below what is forecast. Like, next week overnight lows are in the 50s but tonight it's predicted to get to 34. I'm not staying in the camper except when I go camping so I can easily drain the freshwater tank to protect that hose to the pump. I'll put a heater inside too. I appreciate the help.
	Julie

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 20 Sep 2020 at 12:41pm
	Heating the interior will help with the internal lines but the feed line from the fresh water tank to the pump is exposed so is a freeze prone location. If you're on city water you can drain the tank and that should empty that line. Another exposed risk area is the low point drains, especially if they hang down pretty far like mine do. Not much you can do about those unless you drain the water system or fill it with antifreeze. If you're getting well down into the 20's overnight for long periods the safe thing to do is to winterize and use bottled water.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Colt Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 383	Posted: 20 Sep 2020 at 11:43am
	Freezing damage will come in the form of split hoses (maybe) and pump damage. A small electric heater inside should prevent that from happening. then you, mostly need to worry about the outside shower, if you have one. Cut off the water and drain all you can out of that circuit. Then, you only have to worry about short runs into the tanks. The tanks should not freeze for a day or 2, and probably won't be damaged unless full.
	John '16 R-Pod 180

EchoGale Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 463	Posted: 20 Sep 2020 at 10:44am
	Greetings: I live in Florida and haven't winterized my camper before. We do, occasionally in Jacksonville get below freezing temps. And I am, right now, still in Maine from the summer and planning to leave before freezes settle in. So I'm trying to sort out how low (and for how long) I can push things without risking damage. Clearly at 31 degrees for an hour over night isn't going to ruin stuff, but what will? Most winters we have a few nights that drop to 28 in Jacksonville. I can have the tanks empty (or low enough that expansion won't break them) so I think the most worrisome point is the pump, no? Any thoughts on how cold it has to be and for how long to cause damage? What if I turn on the heat? Or I have a small electric blanket I could lay on the floor (and the camper has 20 amp service here in Maine). I'm not looking to stay for the winter and avoid winterizing, just an extra little protection for marginal temps. Advice appreciated.
	Julie