heated water hose concerns

[MissouriCamper]

I use our rv a lot in the winter months and have made up a water hose with heat tape a few years ago and to this point have had no problems. A buddy of mine told me I had to wrap the hose with the aluminum foil tape or I was in for trouble. Anyone hear of this and should I redo my hoses?

[papap]

It would work better with something wrap around it to hold the heat in.

[CVan]

I was told the same thing. I believe it was to keep the heat line from melting the hose when being used. However, with the temperatures nearing zero when we used it, I failed to see how it could get hot enough to be a concern. When the hose fittings started leaking, I replaced it with one that wasn't wrapped. So far..So good.
Chuck

[MissouriCamper]

Originally Posted by papap

It would work better with something wrap around it to hold the heat in.

I do have the foam pipe insulation sealing the tape and hose. To this point I haven't had trouble with freeze ups or anything else just wondering about the aluminum foil tape my friend was talking about. I don't think with water in the hose any damage or failure would result but I'm a long way from a expert on this type of thing.

[cedar creekin]

I used the soft black rubber pipe insulation over the heat tape on my hose. ($4-$5 per 6' section at Home depot) Didn't have any freezing issues for the three months I was stuck Camping in snow.
IIRC the heat tape I used looks like a flat extension cord, & topped out at 65 degrees. So there is no worries about melting anything.
I'm not sure about foil heat tape?

[Ovair]

You wrote that you have been using it for some time already. No problem? No problem!

[MissouriCamper]

Originally Posted by Ovair

You wrote that you have been using it for some time already. No problem? No problem!

True, wouldn't have worried about it if Tim had not been so adamant about using the foil, so I thought I throw it out here for opinions.

[jimh]

it would be easier to see if the foil was wrapped with the hose and trace inside. the foil normally is used to block infa red radiation. the foil would tend to keep the heat in. the foam would still need to be there for the dead air space.
i would like to know the why and how logic behind it also.
i camped twice in freezing weather: the first trip out and the hose froze; a few years later and the campground shut the water supply down.

[Bill_C]

Heat tape generally has a thermostat built into it, near the plug, to keep it from over-heating. Otherwise, it would be on all the time. I stretch the heat tape along the water line and hold it in place with electrical tape. Then, you take a roll of insulation, about 3" wide that already has the foil on the outside, available from your local building supply store, and wrap the whole thing in this. Overlap by 1" with each wrap. I use ty-wraps to hold the insulation in place. Our electrical heat tape is left plugged in all winter long. Even with no water run for 12 hours or so, when you turn on the cold water it is just warm for a few seconds showing the thermostat is working. The foil just reflects the heat back in, like an emergency blanket does for a person wrapped in one.

[dezolen]

Without insulating water pipe with heat trace you may as well skip heat trace altogether. Heat will barely hit the water hose especially with windy conditions. Any wrap is better than nothing.

[The_Stuff]

this for the long sections


this for any turns and sealing up joints of the above stuff


Really why throw the heat out there? it just wastes power! lol

[cfsoistman]

PIRIT Heated Hose : The Only Cold Weather Heated Hose

Saw this at the Hershey RV Show. Real nice set-up, a bit pricey but it's manufactured with the heat coils within the hose jacket itself.

[MissouriCamper]

Originally Posted by The_Stuff

Really why throw the heat out there? it just wastes power! lol

I'm afraid some misunderstood my question, my hose has heat tape directly on the hose with pipe insulation on top of that. Never had a freeze up. At a campground a buddy of mine insisted that aluminum foil tape needed to be wrapped around the hose first then the heat tape and insulation or I was in for certain failure. As I said I've never had a failure despite a lot of winter rv'ing. Just thought I would through it out for opinions.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by MissouriCamper

I'm afraid some misunderstood my question, my hose has heat tape directly on the hose with pipe insulation on top of that. Never had a freeze up. At a campground a buddy of mine insisted that aluminum foil tape needed to be wrapped around the hose first then the heat tape and insulation or I was in for certain failure. As I said I've never had a failure despite a lot of winter rv'ing. Just thought I would through it out for opinions.

In my opinion you are fine and your friend has been sniffing the glue that hold his foil tape on.

[rawlus]

i would not put foil between the hose and the heat tape - i think that would reflect the heat away from the water you're trying to keep from freezing. OVER the tape, fine. UNDER the tape? no.