Cold weather/frozen lines?

[msteeler]

Hello -

So I'm doing this race in Virginia City, NV this weekend and I took my trailer up there a couple days ago to get a spot (it gets packed up there for this race). Well last night it got to about 23 degrees. I have water in the lines, water heater, etc., but at what point would think the lines might freeze inside the trailer? Since I'm not up there I don't have the heats on. I do have an enclosed underbelly so I'm not worried about the tanks, but more so the lines and water pump. It's a Forest River Stealth and I'd say it's not the most insulated trailer out there.

So if it's 23 outside I'm wondering what it migh have been inside and how cold would it have to be and for how long before lines would freeze? Just looking for a general idea since it really depends on the trailer. I don't think they froze but now I'm curious at what temp and for how long it would have to be at that temp before lines inside a trailer would freeze? Thanks

[Triguy]

You should be okay.

Around here, we have had days in the 40s with nights dipping down below freezing and then it warms up again. That kind of cold is not going to freeze your pipes.

It is possible, though, your lines would freeze over a couple of days of temps below freezing or maybe with a night well into the teens, but a few hours at 23 degrees isn't going to do it.

Also, the problem that occurs with frozen lines is the expansion as the water freezes. You probably have PEX lines and they are somewhat forgiving under freezing conditions.

In the future, the simplest thing is to open kitchen faucets, let off the pressure and then leave them open. The reduced pressure means that there will be more room for expansion in case the water in the lines does freeze.

[Herk7769]

I agree. One night of below freezing "should" not damage an "unwinterized" camper UNLESS there was a very strong windchill.

Exposed pipes (like the outside shower) could become much colder much faster than pipes the are on inside or close to the holding tanks.

[msteeler]

Thanks for the replies. I friend of mine was up there at 5am and said the temp from his trucked showed 32 outside. I think it'll be ok but I'll find out shortly.

[LadyWindrider]

Lou, I hate to disagree, but windchill will not freeze water. You can blow 33 degree air at 100 mph across a refer ice tray day long, and even a week, and it will never freeze. Windchill only affects things that are alive and generate heat, warm blooded animals, humans, etc., and electronics, cars, but you won't freeze radiator, it just cools better with cooler air moving through it.

Now don't have time to hunt the facts, the yard needs mowing, but if I'm wrong, you'll let me know.

Sorry for hi-jacking a thread.

[Herk7769]

Huh, must be my week for learning things.

[OldCoot]

Windrider is correct it was derived for the effects of cold temperatures and wind combined on human skin.

The human body loses heat through convection, evaporation, conduction, and radiation.[1] The rate of heat loss by a surface through convection depends on the wind speed above that surface: the faster the wind speed, the more readily the surface cools. For inanimate objects, the effect of wind chill is to reduce any warmer objects to the ambient temperature more quickly. It cannot, however, reduce the temperature of these objects below the ambient temperature, no matter how great the wind velocity. For most biological organisms, the physiological response is to maintain surface temperature in an acceptable range so as to avoid adverse effects. Thus, the attempt to maintain a given surface temperature in an environment of faster heat loss results in both the perception of lower temperatures and an actual greater heat loss increasing the risk of adverse effects such as frostbite, hypothermia, and death. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[LadyWindrider]

After the part that said, Windrider is correct, I'm not sure what he said. Almost sounds like lawyer talk. Anyway, the main thing is Windrider is correct. It is 12:30 am. should I get my wife up and show this to her?

Only joking. At least it proves I made physics class one day, and paid attention.

Thanks for the responses.