R-Pod survives 9 hours of subfreezing temperatures

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   You have to pull out 1 btu per lb of water to drop its temp by 1 degree F. You have to pull out 144 btu per lb to freeze 32 degree water. Put another way, you have to pull out less energy cooling hot water from your tap down to freezing than you do to turn that freezing cold water to ice. 
The point is that its not easy to get water to freeze (or thaw once frozen). So if its only a few degrees below freezing its going to take awhile for things to freeze up. Overnight lows in the mid to high twenties for a few hours are not likely to be a problem, especially if it was fairly warm the day before and if there isn't much wind in increase the heat transfer rate.  We get lots of frosty nights in the high twenties around here this time of year and I don't worry about it at all. 

But if the temps are forecast to get to the low twenties or stay in the 20's for a prolonged period then eventually things will freeze up. That's when you need to winterize. 

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offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Topic: R-Pod survives 9 hours of subfreezing temperatures Posted: 16 Oct 2020 at 10:56am
	You have to pull out 1 btu per lb of water to drop its temp by 1 degree F. You have to pull out 144 btu per lb to freeze 32 degree water. Put another way, you have to pull out less energy cooling hot water from your tap down to freezing than you do to turn that freezing cold water to ice. The point is that its not easy to get water to freeze (or thaw once frozen). So if its only a few degrees below freezing its going to take awhile for things to freeze up. Overnight lows in the mid to high twenties for a few hours are not likely to be a problem, especially if it was fairly warm the day before and if there isn't much wind in increase the heat transfer rate. We get lots of frosty nights in the high twenties around here this time of year and I don't worry about it at all. But if the temps are forecast to get to the low twenties or stay in the 20's for a prolonged period then eventually things will freeze up. That's when you need to winterize.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Pod_Geek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2019 Location: Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 260	Posted: 16 Oct 2020 at 9:56am
	Well, the unwinterized R-Pod is parked out front, ready for a late-season adventure. The forecast said a low of about 34 last night. Ha. My weather station indicates that it hit 31 before midnight and got down to 26 for several hours. It just crawled above freezing about 20 minutes ago (about 8:30 AM). Went out at about 7 AM and the inside temp was 29. Tested the outlets and commode...leftover water was running just fine (had pretty good pressure, too...interesting since it hasn't been hooked to city water for a couple weeks). Guess it takes longer than 9 hours and/or lower temps to start freezing the water in the lines. Just a data point for y'all...guess the little buggers can take a bit of freezing weather, but sure wouldn't want to push my luck again with a longer/colder freeze.
	2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L