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Topic: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?) (Read 2390 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #20 –
Quote from: TurboXK –

I don't THINK I need to go through a complete winterization process with pink anti freeze and the works (with the furnace, heat strips and water heater turned on while I am plugged in the 50 amps), but I'd like to hear any real life stories from you experienced Foretravel owners.  How low can temps get and you would start to get worried?

1999 U270 Forty foot, no slides. (New to me this year)
No aqua hot, just a regular water heater.
Most likely you don't need to do anything. We are just up the road from you, near Temple, where we have stayed the last couple winters. I have had nights when it got down to 27-28 but I didn't expect it to get that cold, so I didn't do anything. The coach has been fine. Normally I run small heaters in the wet bay just to be safe. Two years ago it got down as low as 5 and all I had was the little heaters in the wet bays and two electric heaters inside, except when the power went out and I switched temporarily to propane. Everything was fine.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #21 –
I just drain all lines with pressurized air and add antifreeze to the drain lines. 
Question to you Grand Villa owners regarding outside weather beating hardware.  My unit has bold-rope track along the roof to wall seam the length of the exterior both passenger and driver sides.  Is this for installing an awning or roof covering for rain/snow?
TY
ML 

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #22 –
Quote from: Captain Mike  Build # 4027 –
My unit has bold-rope track along the roof to wall seam the length of the exterior both passenger and driver sides.  Is this for installing an awning or roof covering for rain/snow?
I'm not clear what it is you are asking about.  Can you describe in more detail, or post a photo?

AFAIK all GV models have a drip rail (rain gutter) that runs the length of the coach along the edge of the roof on both sides, but it sounds like you may be asking about something different?

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #23 –
During the 2021 freeze we were in Nac, it was COLD!
A 60 watt bulb (incandescent, rough service type) in the wet bay, remote temp sensor never went below 38.
'93 GV - no Aqua Hot.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #24 –
We have been on the road dry camping in our U240 at least a night or 2 when it got below 0*F.  We were in Kanab, UT at an RV park a couple of years ago and it didn't get above freezing during the day.  No problems at all.  The furnaces kept everything warm.  The front furnace had a duct to the wet bay and the rear furnace had a duct down on the other end of the tanks.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #25 –
Frank & Connie, Before we found 200-watt Lasko heater, we started with several incandescent bulbs, then found cages to go around these bulbs. Bulbs are very dangerous in that they get very hot and any combustible material that finds it way to touching bulb could cause a fire. One can never be sure that things don't move around and there is no guarantee the bulb will keep away from things.

We consider incandescent bulbs dangerous. 200-watt heater do not get hot enough to be dangerous.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #26 –
Good safety measures for sure!

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #27 –

I use a small ceramic heater in conjunction with a thermostatic outlet for my wet bay. The heater has tip-over protection so if you forget about it and take off, you've got a bit of protection.

Heater: Amazon.com: Amazon Basics 500-Watt Ceramic Small Space Personal Mini Heater...
Thermostatic outlet: Amazon.com : Feekoon Cold Weather Thermostatically Controlled Outlet On at...

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #28 –
When parked at home I use the Aqua-hot on electric to heat the wet bay and one electric
heater to keep the motor home set on the low setting. That's good down to 14F

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #29 –
Went out a check the coach and the electric part of the Aqua-hot is not working so for now it is
on diesel. It is 19F right now and it will remain cold for a couple more days and then it will get
back to normal which is rain. I will trouble shoot it when it's warmer. When it's freezing out I
like to check the coach every day.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #30 –
Peter
I did not know you could heat the wet bays ONLY with the electric side on only. This means I could turn off all heating IN the coach and it would still just heat the bays right?

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #31 –
Not Peter but,

Yes you can turn the inside thermostat off and still have the basement thermostat turned to a decent temp. and the A/H running on the electric element will heat the 2 basement radiators. NOW the electric element is only about 1650 or so watts in your age A/H. This will limit the amount of heat you will have available for use. So in bitter cold you could also turn on the diesel to make sure you don't run out of stored energy.

Mike

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #32 –
I used to keep the bathroom and the wet bay heated with the electric Aqua-hot but this
year I'm just using it for the wet bay. I think 1650 watts should be more than enough but
checking on it every day is a good idea as I don't winterize as I use the coach all winter.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #33 –
Peter's AH issue is why 3 or 4 Lasco 200-watt heaters are a life saver in cold weather. Having freeze protection is important as a frozen pipe or Aqua Hot boiler could cost much more than the cost of 4 Lasco heaters.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #34 –

Good thread, I have learned that 2 people are within an hour of me in ATX!

As I read through this, it is really 2 threads ongoing-

1- How do you handle cold weather on a coach that is parked/stored
2- How do you handle cold weather when the coach is actively used, either at a park or driving.

The first has been covered a considerable amount on here from my searching and time on this forum, so I won't address that.

The second I have not seen as much, and I would like to know more about this. If you are driving in a cold area, either passing thru or perhaps you are living FT and in a park, if you keep the coach warm enough for the occupants inside by whatever means (electric heater, gennie running, propane, AH), will that be enough to keep the basement area warm?  I know the propane has vents to the basement and assume the AH has the same? (IDK since I have never seen how the AH works/vents, so someone can chime in as I am curious about that). But if you use electric heater, either the standalone Lasko types or the roof HVAC, will the warm air in the living quarters be enough to keep the underside from freezing?  I think it is realistic to assume people will be at a RV park with an electric connection would not use their propane/diesel, unless the electric methods could not keep the basement warm. Specific concerns are all of the tanks/plumbing.

I supposed some wireless temp sensors underneath would be helpful to monitor.  I have 2 and been waiting for some time before giving a review on both. Of course, YMMV.

1- Amazon.com: ORIA Indoor Outdoor Thermometer, Digital Hygrometer Thermometer,... On recommendations of others, I got this last year. It works but the range is not as long as I would like. It struggles to go through numerous walls at 40 feet (coach>outside of house>2 inner walls).  I have had to get up and go to the window of the house closest to the FT and wait for it connect. Not ideal at 3AM and takes several tries. I would not recommend this unless you will be in the coach with it.
2- I recently got this from Ambient, it works great, much longer range than the above. No issues as all. It also has an audible alarm when it reaches a certain temp that you set, mine is set to 36F. As you may know, Ambient is a leader in weather stations and it says it can do 100 feet.  My only (minor) gripe is the monitor is not backlit, so in the dark it needs light. I just use my phone for a second in the middle of the night.  Robot or human?

As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #35 –
The only time I'm plugged in is at home, so if it is freezing I normally have the Aqua-hot on electric
and a electric heater or two inside. The Aqua-hot heats with hot water and in the wet bay there are
heaters that run off a thermostat that is on the passengers side of the wet bay. When on the road
I set the bedroom thermostat at 55 degrees and I keep that door closed except driving. The bathroom
I keep at 70 degrees all the time and when I'm out or sleeping I keep the main area at 55 degrees and
when I'm in the coach I have it comfortable. The Aqua-hot gets heated by the engine.
When I had a Monaco I put in 3 heaters that ran off engine heat. On in the wet bay and 2 in the coach
and that kept everything warm. With out that I would have kept the propane heat around 70 degrees
so things wouldn't freeze up. When driving you have wind chill factor to worry about. I do a lot of extra
insulation to help from freezing.

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #36 –
Quote from: Jason –

1.  If you are driving in a cold area, either passing thru or perhaps you are living FT and in a park, if you keep the coach warm enough for the occupants inside by whatever means (electric heater, gennie running, propane, AH), will that be enough to keep the basement area warm?

2.  I know the propane has vents to the basement and assume the AH has the same?.

3. But if you use electric heater, either the standalone Lasko types or the roof HVAC, will the warm air in the living quarters be enough to keep the underside from freezing?
Jason,
1. Yes except if you use space heaters inside as there is no real way to circulate heat in the basement.

2. No the A/H has at lesst 2 radiators and fans in the basement to heat it seperatly from the inside.

3. I doubt it, refer to #1 as there is no real air circulation to the basement except through the coaches with propane heaters.

Mike

Re: FREEZE WARNING! ( or, how cold is too cold?)

Reply #37 –
Found the problem with electric of the Aqua-hot. The terminal going on the thermistor is burnt off.