Low point drains in cold weather?

[KyDan]

Since the weather is changing and winter is coming even if it doesn't feel
like it in much of the country-
I am going to be on the road some this winter with our rig.
We have under belly covering and I assume some furnace heat is going
to help keep the belly warmer than an open belly anyway.
What I often wonder about are those 2 low point drains that stick thru
the belly skin.
Also my fresh tank drain and water pump suction line are off the bottom
of the fresh tank and so they are vulnerable also.

I wonder about sticking something like this on them--
Standard Faucet Cover-1980 - The Home Depot

I further wonder if they would maybe be road worthy or should I remove
and replace them as we drive during the day and park at night?
Really- have any of you tried them or have other suggestions for protecting
low point drains in cold weather.
NOTE: I'm not trying to keep the trailer plumbing wet during severely cold
but just wondering about those nights when it dips into say the mid or
upper 20s and back above freezing during the day.

[timfromma]

Use bottled water and leave your RV plumbing winterized.

[KyDan]

Doesn't anyone try to frost proof their low point drains??
If so how?

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Doesn't anyone try to frost proof their low point drains??
If so how?

I don't, they are ready for use or full of pink.

If you pack an air compressor you can blow them out when you need to.

[timfromma]

Just open them up and any water inside will just drain out.

[KenHwy61]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Since the weather is changing and winter is coming even if it doesn't feel
like it in much of the country-
I am going to be on the road some this winter with our rig.
We have under belly covering and I assume some furnace heat is going
to help keep the belly warmer than an open belly anyway.
What I often wonder about are those 2 low point drains that stick thru
the belly skin.
Also my fresh tank drain and water pump suction line are off the bottom
of the fresh tank and so they are vulnerable also.

I wonder about sticking something like this on them--
Standard Faucet Cover-1980 - The Home Depot

I further wonder if they would maybe be road worthy or should I remove
and replace them as we drive during the day and park at night?
Really- have any of you tried them or have other suggestions for protecting
low point drains in cold weather.
NOTE: I'm not trying to keep the trailer plumbing wet during severely cold
but just wondering about those nights when it dips into say the mid or
upper 20s and back above freezing during the day.

I have thought about this as well trying to extend the season in Minnesota. I also thought about using some type of insulating covers that I could slip on and off as needed. I do know from experience the PEX tubing is quite freeze tolerant. Last winter I was doing some water line mods underneath the trailer and when I cut open a section of PEX some ice slid out but there was no tubing damage. I think in your scenario you will be ok. I suspect the worst that would happen is the plastic drain cap could crack. I plan to camp this November along lake Superior with full water tanks and will post if any freeze problems happen.

[GOTTOYS]

I don't know why those faucet covers wouldn't work. I plan to cut down the length of my low point drains and replace the screw on caps with valves. If they don't hang out so far I think the faucet covers would work fine. My previous SOB had a problem with the water line from the tank freezing. It was attached to a tee that went from the tank to the water line to the pump. I plan to cover this as well as the shut off valve for my ice maker which is partially exposed. I have no plans to use the ice maker but don't want to freeze up the water line. We will be spending part of the Winter in TX and know that it can get cold enough there in Jan at times.

[Delco Bobby]

I just put those very covers on the outside hose bibs of a relatives house this past weekend . They were using them for a few years. I was surprised as too how flimsy they are. Take a good look at how they are attached because you need to have something for the hook to grab on to otherwise you can not cinch them down. They are only effective if you have a flat surface so the cover can have a good seal. I don't think they will hold up to travel but may work if parked.

[rockfordroo]

Just remember that the faucet covers aren't worth squat unless there's some source of heat to the inside of them. Insulation will only keep heat in IF there's a heat source.

If you don't believe/understand this, put a bottle of water in a cooler and put it outside in the winter for a day or so. The water will eventually freeze.

(I had a friend who worked at a 7-Eleven. A guy he worked with stored a bunch of soda bottles in an outside, unheated, but insulated shed, then couldn't understand why they froze. "But it's insulated!" he said.)

This works in the "opposite direction" with your fridge. Pull the plug and see how long things stay cold.

[Witch Doctor]

I had to move or I should say install shut off valves to the inside belly. That keeps the water out of the exposed drain lines. I got caught in that freak cold and ice spell a couple of years ago in Pensacola Fl. When the weather broke I had a major leak inside the belly where the plex line turn 90 degrees and out the bottom. The Plex line connectors started to leak at the 90 degree. You need to wrap those two exposed lines with insulation that is the weak point of the whole system.....

[KyDan]

Thanks for the comments. I'm not trying to make it winter proof just wondering
about the occasional night were the temps dip a few degrees below freezing
for a few hours. We also are heading to TX and AZ for the first time and
I know it's possible to encounter those temps from time to time.

I've replaced the caps with plastic ball valves but those make the part
hanging down even longer. As mentioned the faucet cap probably isn't
deep enough to work for me. I sure wish the manufacturers would think
these things through a little better.
What good is an enclosed underbelly when they hang vulnerable plumping below it?!?

I guess I'll shut off the water and open the low drains on nights where
it's likely to get that cold. Of course my slide is right in front of them so
it means I have to crawl on my hands and knees for a few feet to get to them!
Like I tell my wife-- it's all part of the adventure!

[mtnlvr]

I was at the hardware store yesterday looking for a good spray foam insulation. I wanted to add it to the weak areas of the under belly of my MH which already came with foam insulation. I didn't buy anything- anyone have suggestions??

[sailski]

Originally Posted by mtnlvr

I was at the hardware store yesterday looking for a good spray foam insulation. I wanted to add it to the weak areas of the under belly of my MH which already came with foam insulation. I didn't buy anything- anyone have suggestions??

I bought some black foam called Touch and Foam for Landscaping Exterior Filler on Amazon that I liked. Be careful it sticks like crazy. Don't get it on anything you treasure or you'll spend a lot of time cleaning it up. It was advertised as being for ponds so it should work under your RV.

[mtnlvr]

Originally Posted by sailski

I bought some black foam called Touch and Foam for Landscaping Exterior Filler on Amazon that I liked. Be careful it sticks like crazy. Don't get it on anything you treasure or you'll spend a lot of time cleaning it up. It was advertised as being for ponds so it should work under your RV.

Thank you- I'll check it out.

[NMWildcat]

If you are worried about TX/AZ........ We camp all winter in the southwest (mainly NM and AZ) and never had any problem with our low point drains that hang several inches below the belly with ball valves. Unless you are in a freak cold snap where everything freezes, I wouldn't worry about it so much. It has to be way below freezing for several hours to cause any concern, and it just doesn't happen much here. I did have to use the hair dryer on a black tank valve once to be able to open it, but it still didn't crack. But do what makes you feel better!!!

[pmsherman]

I had the same issue the first Winter I travelled in my Georgetown. To temporarily avoid problems, I wrapped the low point drains with aluminum foil then used spray foam to build up a 3-4" thick shield around the pipes. The aluminum foil made it easy to remove the foam when I was ready to winterize again.

The following Summer, I installed shutoff valves in the plumbing compartment which never gets cold enough to freeze. It stays warm from waste heat from the water heater and the 300W gutter heater strip I installed that's attached to all of the pipes. The heater strip has its own thermostat and I have a shut off switch for the AC power to it located inside the rig. When I'm driving, power for the heater comes from the 1kw inverter I had installed and at night, we always stay a an RV park where there's AC power available.

Phil

[Flybob]

The faucet covers simply help hold any heat from the wall/floor they are mounted to in the space under them. Unless there is some source of warmth on that wall the heat will eventually be lost and the temp inside the cover will be the same as outside. They do not generate heat. If you have a heated belly and use the furnace ( not aux electric heat) there should be some heat between the floor and the Coroplast bottom. This should work for a few degrees below freezing for a few hours, but not for 20 degree weather overnight. If you need to use the water, you can try fastening the container end of a small foam cooler with a 10W bulb in it to the underside over the drains. Don't forget you may need to do something with the black and gray drain lines hanging below the unit.

[elind]

On my way to Arizona the other winter we de-winterized in Texas so we could start camping. We had our water hose freeze, but no problems with the low point drains.

[DKRITTER]

We bought the foam noodles for all the exposed pipes and zip tie them on. When we go north at Christmas I wrap all exposed pipes with additional insulation and use the faucet covers once we are parked.

I don't care if it's overkill, we have never had an issue even in to the low teens for most of the night.

[l001952119]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Since the weather is changing and winter is coming even if it doesn't feel
like it in much of the country-
I am going to be on the road some this winter with our rig.
We have under belly covering and I assume some furnace heat is going
to help keep the belly warmer than an open belly anyway.
What I often wonder about are those 2 low point drains that stick thru
the belly skin.
Also my fresh tank drain and water pump suction line are off the bottom
of the fresh tank and so they are vulnerable also.

I wonder about sticking something like this on them--
Standard Faucet Cover-1980 - The Home Depot

I further wonder if they would maybe be road worthy or should I remove
and replace them as we drive during the day and park at night?
Really- have any of you tried them or have other suggestions for protecting
low point drains in cold weather.
NOTE: I'm not trying to keep the trailer plumbing wet during severely cold
but just wondering about those nights when it dips into say the mid or
upper 20s and back above freezing during the day.

Use the gray foam pipe insulation to protect the two pipes. Secure with a wire tie, etc.