Planning trip to Florida in the fall. I live in Indiana. What if on return trip...in mid October I get caught in freezing weather for one day or evening. Assuming its as low as 27-28 degrees can I put some RV antifreeze in the tanks as assume I will be ok? What would be the best solution for the one day or two problem of a mild freeze. At what temperature should you get concerned? I would not think there would be damage if only in high 20's in evening and warms up during day?
Freezing weather on return trip question
- Thread starter joindy
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Re: Freezing weather on return trip question
Water freezes as 32 degrees. There is no way around that. The only variables are volume and time. A large volume will take longer to freeze. The shorter the exposure time below 32 degrees, the less chance of freezing. Small volumes of confined water will freeze quicker than large volumes. I'd be more concerned about your small water lines than I would your water tank. Chances are that your tanks will not be full. If they are not full, then water has room to expand as it starts to freeze. Your water lines are pressurized and full. There is no room for expansion of freezing water. That could mean a burst. You don't tell us anything about your coach. Do you have an outside shower? Outside water faucet? Do you know anything about where your lines area run? How many are outside the body of your coach? Etc, Etc, Etc. All of that is necessary to know what your risk is. Driving through cold air with the wind blowing can be worse than sitting in a parking lot as well.
Water freezes as 32 degrees. There is no way around that. The only variables are volume and time. A large volume will take longer to freeze. The shorter the exposure time below 32 degrees, the less chance of freezing. Small volumes of confined water will freeze quicker than large volumes. I'd be more concerned about your small water lines than I would your water tank. Chances are that your tanks will not be full. If they are not full, then water has room to expand as it starts to freeze. Your water lines are pressurized and full. There is no room for expansion of freezing water. That could mean a burst. You don't tell us anything about your coach. Do you have an outside shower? Outside water faucet? Do you know anything about where your lines area run? How many are outside the body of your coach? Etc, Etc, Etc. All of that is necessary to know what your risk is. Driving through cold air with the wind blowing can be worse than sitting in a parking lot as well.
Re: Freezing weather on return trip question
Most RV's can take the 27 or so temp as long as it warms to above freezing during the day. I have had mine for several days at below freezing in a row with no heat other than the sun and it was fine. So with heat and just the overnight low you should be fine. Wind is also a factor when it comes from the water bay side.
LEN
Most RV's can take the 27 or so temp as long as it warms to above freezing during the day. I have had mine for several days at below freezing in a row with no heat other than the sun and it was fine. So with heat and just the overnight low you should be fine. Wind is also a factor when it comes from the water bay side.
LEN
RE: Freezing weather on return trip question
I agree with Len, I have taken my MH hunting dozens of times when it has dropped to freezing overnight but warmed up during the day and have never had a freezing problem. Even in strong freezing winds overnight, having the coach warmed up inside and then having it warm back up or heading out traveling the next day has always worked ok for me.
I agree with Len, I have taken my MH hunting dozens of times when it has dropped to freezing overnight but warmed up during the day and have never had a freezing problem. Even in strong freezing winds overnight, having the coach warmed up inside and then having it warm back up or heading out traveling the next day has always worked ok for me.
akjimny
Senior Member
Re: Freezing weather on return trip question
I have had my hose freeze up a couple of times on the trip North this spring but as long as it was reasonably warm in the motorhome, I had no problems with the water tank and pipes. Pain in the butt rolling up the hose in the morning though.
I have had my hose freeze up a couple of times on the trip North this spring but as long as it was reasonably warm in the motorhome, I had no problems with the water tank and pipes. Pain in the butt rolling up the hose in the morning though.
joindy;73485 said:
I think this would depend on how well insulated the bottom of your RV is and just how cold it gets. The last thing you want is burst pipes.
But what about the outside shower? I believe that would freeze first. To be on the safe side, why not winterize before you leave one of the warmer states on your way north. Dump the water - add the pink stuff. We're heading for FL from TN the end of December. We'll winterize her if it's below freezing here in TN. Last winter we didn't need to, and we left TN in a sleety snow storm. It was just a tad above freezing. We'll leave the pink stuff until we're south of Atlanta. If the weatherman in Atlanta doesn't call for below 32F, we'll un-winterize her there at one of the truck stops, spend the night, and move on. By the second night we'll be in northern FL and wont need to worry about a 32F freeze - I hope. We always check the weather as we move south or north in winter.I have to change my sigfile as we sold the 19' Zinger and bought a NT28-BRS North Trail. We'll be snowbirding as long as our health holds out. We needed something larger for the 3 winter months we'll spend in FL.
