-10° huh

[oldbird]

Well, it was -8 the other night in the Black Hills of SD. I saw the forecast so I hung a trouble light 100 watt bulb in front of the water manifold thinking that would do it, wrong! The next morning no water so I resorted to a small electric heater and in a couple of hours still no water. I then pulled off the filter housing thinking if that's froze I'm screwed. It wasn't? It was a little low in water so I filled it back up to the top and away she went, water! Ive had a few filters on cars that you had to prime or it wouldn't prime its self. Oh well, no damage so we were happy!

[Cummins12V98]

Coincidence

[oldbird]

Coincidence

OK Ron, LMAO :cool:

[wingnut60]

Glenn,
I can't explain it either--made it a month in Denver Feb '19 at -11 and below freezing for several days. Took awhile, but basically having a space heater in the basement and a light bulb in the service bay, kept us going. Had several different freezeups, before figuring out the cold spots, but no permanent damage. I don't care what the mfgs say is "4-seasons" or "Arctic Package" or what--it isn't just routine to live in a fiver at those temps and length of time.

[oldbird]

Hi Joe, what cold spots did you figure out? I'm looking at three more nights of it being cold then its suppose to warm up. I'm going to put a small space heater in the basement to try and avoid problems. Hope everybody is safe!

[Notanlines]

I believe Cummins is correct with the 'coincidence' comment. The air in the filter would have no effect on the frozen pipe problem. I believe leaving the slide open with an electric heater on low in the basement is the best idea. And the Arctic Package is bogus as a football bat!

[oldbird]

Jim, I never doubted Ron, just thought it was a strange circumstance. This morning the fan came on for the bedroom A/C with the thermostat mode off and the button on the bottom of the thermostat off. I had to turn off the breaker for the bedroom A/C!


Edit: It snowed six inches last night. Maybe snow got under the A/C cover and ...........

[wingnut60]

Glenn,
Was not in our old TK3, but newer RSSA--the single biggest help was placing a Vornado heater in the basement facing into the manifold area. That heater has a temp control and I set it at 45d--it ran constantly. Had a mechanics trouble light in the service bay, and also the Camco heated hose. Heated hose worked well, but still could not leave it connected as the spigot would freeze. Other trouble spots were the black and grey drains freezing--solved that when needed by running hot water into the grey tank, using an extra valve at end of the drainpipe to hold the hot water in the line. This worked well until I figured out the basement heat would keep the black water line unfrozen.
It was a constant battle until the weather warmed into the 40s. Having sunlight during the day on the service side was also a huge help.
Hope you survive--what in the world are you doing that far north this time of year?

[Notanlines]

Glenn, we too were wondering what brought you to that part of the country in April. We get cold on days we don’t have to run the AC.
Any chance your thermostat has seen better days? The air coming on like that would be hard to figure out...

[Cummins12V98]

YES a small space heater in basement with sliding door open will do the job. Fill fresh tank and unhook hose and keep it in the basement so you can use it even it it's freezing out to re fill the fresh tank.

[oldbird]

We have a place in the southern hills which we bought in 1977 and never got rid of. Complete isolation, can't even see any neighbors. My wife has almost zero immune system. If someone has a cold or flu a mile away she will get it. In Arizona where we winter at California is just across the Colorado river and reports that a million people could get this virus motivated us to leave.

Thanks Joe, that is what I'm doing now. I found out the first night at -8° the trouble light wasn't enough! I also have my service side on the sunny side which helps a lot.

[oldbird]

YES a small space heater in basement with sliding door open will do the job. Fill fresh tank and unhook hose and keep it in the basement so you can use it even it it's freezing out to re fill the fresh tank.

Yep! Got the sliding door open and a small space heater going. Every night after filling up with water I disconnect the hoses and drain them. I use water from a 450 gallon pickup tank that I fill weekly at Custer. Another challenge is keeping the tank outlet unfrozen. I put a heat tape on that and isolate with styrofoam, wrapped again with fiberglass insolation then a blanket. So far so good on that.

[Cummins12V98]

Custer, OK???

[oldbird]

Custer SD in the Black Hills of SD. Maybe 20-30 miles south of Mt. Rushmore.

[wingnut60]

That is certainly isolated. Should be getting warmer before long. Very tough for your wife, I can imagine. As Cummins said, as you are doing, fill tank and disconnect/drain hose. Only other labor-saving thing I can offer--get a heated hose, use it to fill, disconnect it but don't let it drain/raise the outlet higher than the spigot. It will be ready to use when needed, if elec doesn't go out.
How much land do you have?
You are tougher than I am...

[oldbird]

We have about a section of land here that we rent out the pasture. In 1977 this place was cheap, you can easy spend more on a house now then we did in 77. We raised our kids here and never wanted to get rid of it. On a normal year we will spend about a month and a half here in the spring and the same in the fall. In between we go to Omaha to see the grandkids, then to Michigan to see my wife's family. Ten K miles round trip back to AZ for the winter. Its been a good way of life until this crap going around. Nothing like having a bulleye on your back.

If you spent a month in CO Joe in this kind of weather then your just as tough! As far as the old house goes, just like everything that sits for a long time its going south. If things get really bad we could move a wood stove into the house and stay in it over winter. Boy I hope it doesn't get that bad!!!

Thanks for all your advise guys!

[oldbird]

Happened again last night and today I never could get the water running. Pulled filter housing so I could get at WP easier and pulled the strainer off of intake side of WP. Started pump and I have great suction on the pump by putting my hand under where the strainer mounts. I pulled off the hose that feeds the pump and I couldn't pull any water with my mouth. Got the air compressor out and I couldn't blow air down into the hose. I think I'm froze up down near where the sewer line comes out the bottom, at least that's what I'm guessing when I traced the inlet hose down with my flashlight. With the low temps and high winds I gave up for the day. Its suppose to be warmer tomorrow so I'll drop that cover for the sewer pipe and see what I can see and do. Maybe that area lost its insulation????

[wingnut60]

Glenn,
Can almost guarantee you have a freezeup in the suction line...my solution to that was to make sure the insulation is away from the line so the heat from the space heater above can reach it. Follow it down as far as you can to see if any insulation is keeping the heat from getting to it. Extra heat for some period of time may help to get the plug thawed, then make sure heat can get to get all way to tank area. Or set a blow dryer in area for a while...
Good luck. I absolutely hate cold weather.

[oldbird]

I do to Joe! brrrrr One more really cold night so I'm going to try something new. Just after my last post it finally broke loose (4 PM) and we had water. We used a fair bit of water then I went back down there and pulled the filter housing off and disconnected the WP's inlet hose that goes down to the tank. I figure in theory by disconnecting the inlet hose the water in the line will drain back into the tank. I'm still going to leave a heater running and I'll see in the morning if it will pump water. I looked down there the best I could and couldn't see any insulation near the inlet hose.

Its simple in my mind, of course I have a simple mind, take the suction from the WP off the inlet line from the tank and the water will drain back to the tank. I'll see in the morning!

[wingnut60]

Don't know what else to do--in my case, the insulation around the inlet hose was preventing heat from reaching it. Sounds odd--remove the insulation to thaw the line, but that is what worked. Just keeping a good flow of warm air ought to do the trick. And, yes, draining the line will keep it from freezing, THEN just hope the pump primes.

[Cummins12V98]

Agree with move insulation out of the way!

Does your heater have a fan so it's blowing the hot air or is it just radiating??????

Radiating, replace it!

[oldbird]

Yes, it has a fan. Last night it got down to 4° and after I had disconnected the inlet line (suction line) it still froze. Tonight it's suppose to be about 16° but instead of just disconnecting the suction line I'll blow it out and see what happens tomorrow.

[wingnut60]

Glenn,
Are you using the furnace and/or space heaters? If you are using the furnace a lot, there should be a 2" flex duct hanging loose in the area behind the doors that may help to aim it down into the area where the tank line comes from. Somehow cold air gets to the area (duh) and some warm air needs to be directed there. Man, what a hassle this type of fight is...how does the song go? When it's springtime in the Rockies, it's 40 below!

[oldbird]

Joe, we never use the furnace but maybe in this case I should. I've been thinking since I posted last that there is probably a check valve in the suction line so like the other night it will not do any good to blow it out. Thoughts?

[wingnut60]

Should not be a check valve in the line from the water tank unless someone has put it in--the OEM setup relies on the internal check valve in the pump itself.
If you have been surviving without the furnace, or minimum use, you are a way tougher guy than me. I have always used the furnace + space heaters when in really cold temps, no way could I have kept the basement and the interior livable. Altho propane use is expensive, I have found it the only way to survive even with 50amp service. I had a 3rd 40# tank to swap with the outboard tank, but this assumes you have a propane supply within decent driving distance.

[oldbird]

I guess we just like our space heaters, lol. I just now made a bigger effort to blow the line out. If its frozen in the morning I'll turn on the furnace until it thaws out. I appreciate the help!! Warmer weather ahead!

[Cummins12V98]

Another good reason to have CheapHeat if connected to shore power in COLD WEATHER!!!!!

Underbelly gets blasted with hot air every time furnace cycles.

[oldbird]

I've read about it Ron and cheapheat does sound good. I never installed it because I spend six months in AZ wintering in our home. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have to escape AZ in my 5er in the cold! Anyway, this morning my WP took right off. I don't know if it was because I used compressed air into the suction line before bedtime or the fact that I built a small temporary insulated 'box' around the sewer pipe drop down area from the ground up. If this wind will ever quit I'm going to remove that drop down box and see if I can find the suction line and maybe put a heat tape on it.

[wingnut60]

Well, wait long enough and warm weather will solve it all....hope you get it working.
Joe

[oldbird]

Thanks Joe, hope your enjoying your new Tiffin! In many campgrounds I have talked to people and they love their Tiffin and the support they get.

The problem with waiting it will be fall before you know it and I'll be right back into the same situation. Once I open that area up I'll be able to see if a heat tape will be any help. Or, sometime this summer install cheap heat. Of course I don't know if heat tape on a garden hose type suction hose works or if its not recommended on that type of hose?

This is supposedly the last cold day for the ten day forecast. Up to 70's later in the week!

[MTK46]

Glenn
Not sure what part of Arizona you left early. But it was 95 yesterday here around Palm Springs Ca. 90 in Quartzsite AZ. yesterday

[oldbird]

Glenn
Not sure what part of Arizona you left early. But it was 95 yesterday here around Palm Springs Ca. 90 in Quartzsite AZ. yesterday

Mike, we left Lake Havasu City and the house sitter told us about the heat coming. Makes no difference because what I've learned is that it takes 152° to kill the virus. In the Black Hills here its getting into the 60-80° range now.

I did drop down that sewer hose area cover and I couldn't believe my eyes. I could see the whole suction hose coming down from the WP and disappear at the bottom to where the fresh water storage tank it. I put a heat tape on it but don't plan on using it unless it gets really cold. The cover itself didn't have any insulation in it and I insulated it all around. Also put some insulation above the cover but was careful not to put any near the heat tape on the hose. I caulked around the cover and I should be in a lot better shape now.

[MTK46]

Lord willing we are going to be in the Black Hills around the third of July for ten days.
Wife is from SD and our daughter now lives in Worthington MN. We were back there last year when our first grandson was born. :D