R-pod Owners Forum Homepage

This site is free to use.
Donations benefit a non-profit Girls Softball organization

Forum Home Forum Home > R-pod Discussion Forums > Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Protecting Outdoor Shower in Cold Weather
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Calendar   Register Register  Login Login

Topic ClosedProtecting Outdoor Shower in Cold Weather
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Protecting Outdoor Shower in Cold Weather
    Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 8:48am
As we are about to take delivery on our Pod replacement, it occurred to me that the outdoor shower on the new trailer can be vulnerable to freezing even when the temperatures are not cold enough to adversely affect the interior plumbing and water tanks.  

Has anyone figured out an simple way to insulate the shower compartment?  It seems vulnerable to freezing long before any other part of the pluming would get that cold.  I was thinking of putting some fiberglass insulation in plastic bags and stuffing it into the shower compartment, but was hoping there were some better ideas out there.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
john in idaho View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 04 Nov 2014
Location: Eagle Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 611 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 9:58am
I am not sure insulation would help because it does not generate heat.  
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 10:29am
I was thinking it would help hold the heat in that area that comes from the inside of the trailer on the back of the faucet box, thus keeping it from radiating out so fast.  
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 11:23am
We put cutoffs on the lines, just turned it off and drained the lines when we got close to cold weather..
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 11:40am
Thanks, furpod.  I was thinking of still keeping it live, since out here in the west with such low humidity, it gets cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey in the early morning, then is in the high 70's in the afternoon.  But I like the idea of valves, though access would be a problem since they'd be buried in the wall behind the shower outlet with no interior access.  
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
furpod View Drop Down
Moderator Group - pHp
Moderator Group - pHp
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 12:24pm
Originally posted by lostagain

Thanks, furpod.  I was thinking of still keeping it live, since out here in the west with such low humidity, it gets cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey in the early morning, then is in the high 70's in the afternoon.  But I like the idea of valves, though access would be a problem since they'd be buried in the wall behind the shower outlet with no interior access.  


Yeah.. easier when you add your own and get to put it in a good spot.. Smile
Back to Top
GlueGuy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2628 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Dec 2019 at 3:13pm
I think the shutoff idea is probably your best bet. Trying to keep heat out at the extremity would be a challenge. Shutting off that branch of the system would be relatively simple.
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
Back to Top
offgrid View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2019 at 3:46pm
Lostagain, can you re-route the hot and cold feeds to the outside shower to a location that's more accessible? Since you'd have to close the inside valves, then open the outside valves to drain them, then reverse the process every time you wanted to use the outside shower, I'm not sure you'll find it convenient enough no matter how you do it. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
Back to Top
lostagain View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Dec 2019 at 5:42pm
The lines that supply the outside shower go under the inside tub/shower in an inaccessible area.  In order to put valves on the supply lines, I'd have to cut an access door in an exterior wall to reach them.  That's really not a very good alternative.  

I think if I put some fiberglass batting in some plastic bags and stuff them in the outdoor shower box, I can retain enough heat from the back side of the box, which is inside the heated area of the trailer, to keep things from freezing, at least up to the H and C valves.  It'd probably be best to drain the shower line and head and leave it disconnected if it's going to be below freezing at night.  Since we don't camp alot in the cold, I don't think it will be much of a problem.

I appreciate the suggestions and welcome any others yet to come.
Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.64
Copyright ©2001-2009 Web Wiz