Winter temperature limits for water

Vince and Charlette · 03-12-2018, 11:39 AM

We just bought a 2018 Berkshire 38A in January. We're experienced RVers but have not pushed the limits on temperature. Ultra-Heat tank heater Web site says tank heaters are good to at least zero degrees. We want to go on a brief 5 day trip where the temps are forecast mid to low 20s at night and mid to high 30s in the day. While I'm not worried about the fresh water or black or gray water, I am concerned about water heater (on-demand type) and the plumbing control panel with all those lines and valved just a few inches from the metal, basement door. Any advice? Trip is this week.

edgewant · 03-12-2018, 11:53 AM

Don’t have a whole lot experience with camping in cold temps but the Girard water heater has a winter use device (wud) that is supposed to keep it from freezing. I’ve camped in high 20 deg weather and never heard it function. Think it starts burner every so often to prevent freezing. Not sure about the other makes (Atwood & Truma).

edgewant · 03-12-2018, 11:54 AM

I keep a drop light in the wet bay to keep all that plumbing warm.

Vince and Charlette · 03-12-2018, 12:14 PM

Just got the answer to my own question. Service director said tanks are protected to at least zero degrees (as Ultra-Heat Co. said) because of the tank heaters. Water heater is protected by sensor that warms it up when it senses 41 degrees or lower in Ecco mode and 102 or below in standard mode; and the water control panel id protected by a heater vent in that compartment. In general, he said we could camp down to zero if really needed. Of course we'll need lots of propane for nighttime and good electric heaters for daytime to save on propane.

BILL49 · 03-13-2018, 01:18 PM

We recently bought a Berkshire XL 40B and drove it back from Indiana in snowy weather and temperatures down to zero degrees and below. While we have heating pads on the gray & black tanks, I don't think there are any on the fresh tank (but it's on top of the other tanks and some heat should rise). I put a small ceramic heater in the pump side bay and the heat flowed thru to the manifold side. I bought a weather monitor w/remote sensor (Acurite, approx. $40 at local Home Depot) and placed the sensor in the water manifold bay. My DW kept an eye on the monitor along side her seat as we traveled down the road. Before we got on the road, it would get up to 70 degrees in the bay, but as we traveled the temp would eventually drop down to 32 degrees (even with the heater running on generator) We'd then stop and let the heat recover (Good lunch and/or bathroom break) and then be back on our way again. We have an Atwood tankless HW heater and it's supposed to turn on in cold weather too. We found that the high temperature cutout sensor was constantly having to be reset (possibly defective ?) and preventing the heater to operate. Just something else to be aware of. ... The way things are "supposed" to operate is not always the way they do !

sasems · 03-13-2018, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BILL49

We recently bought a Berkshire XL 40B and drove it back from Indiana in snowy weather and temperatures down to zero degrees and below. While we have heating pads on the gray & black tanks, I don't think there are any on the fresh tank (but it's on top of the other tanks and some heat should rise). I put a small ceramic heater in the pump side bay and the heat flowed thru to the manifold side. I bought a weather monitor w/remote sensor (Acurite, approx. $40 at local Home Depot) and placed the sensor in the water manifold bay. My DW kept an eye on the monitor along side her seat as we traveled down the road. Before we got on the road, it would get up to 70 degrees in the bay, but as we traveled the temp would eventually drop down to 32 degrees (even with the heater running on generator) We'd then stop and let the heat recover (Good lunch and/or bathroom break) and then be back on our way again. We have an Atwood tankless HW heater and it's supposed to turn on in cold weather too. We found that the high temperature cutout sensor was constantly having to be reset (possibly defective ?) and preventing the heater to operate. Just something else to be aware of. ... The way things are "supposed" to operate is not always the way they do !

I just went through a period where my Atwood WH kept faulting. turn it off and back on it would heat up then fault. The overtemp switch (thermostat) "faults" the WH when tripped. The book says the primary is supposet to be 140 degrees (163 with the extended delivery WH) and the overtemp trips at 180 degrees. The set of thermostats is about $15. Replace them both. If the overtemp is shutting the WH off and the water is not scalding they may both be defective. Cheap fix!

BILL49 · 03-13-2018, 03:40 PM

Thanks for the info.. it sounds just like what happens to mine. The rig is in the shop for some (many) warranty issues right now, the heater being one of them. I'll pass that info on to them.

Welshes · 03-13-2018, 08:50 PM

We have a 34QS and found the tank heaters inadequate to protect the plumbing. I froze the water pump filter, whole house filter and the cold water manifold which cracked. I agree that a 110v heater should be in the bay and operated the whole time.

dave-g · 03-14-2018, 04:50 AM

I have only been in 20 degree weather once- it was the 1st night I had the rv- driving home- stayed in a campground over night- and started driving early the next morning. I did nothing- and I believe I was very lucky nothing froze. I has the tank pads on and that was it- ran the hot water every 2 hours or so when camped- every hour while driving.
I have now put a thermometer on the dash shows indoor temp with 2 outdoor sensors- I put one in the lp bay for outdoor and one in the water bay. This weekend with the heat on in the rv for 48 hours at 62 degrees- my low od temp was 24 my low water bay was 26! Thank God I 'm winterized. I did not have the tank pads on.
I have to add a heat source in there.

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