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Old 12-23-2017, 01:37 PM   #1
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Low point drains

We are scheduled to go to Boone next week. The high on some of the days will not be above freezing and the low... well what’s that saying about a witch? I have a water softener covered with insulation that stays outside and heated water hoses. My problem is what to do about the low point drains. I guess I could use that rubber hose stuff around them but I am wondering what good they would do when the temp reaches 12 or so. Lowe’s sells this heat tape. Wonder if that would work and be a better choice? At any rate. What do you seasoned travelers do when it gets that cold and you want to protect exposed parts of your RV?

A guy from Florida was asking...
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Old 12-23-2017, 02:02 PM   #2
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We are scheduled to go to Boone next week. The high on some of the days will not be above freezing and the low... well what’s that saying about a witch? I have a water softener covered with insulation that stays outside and heated water hoses. My problem is what to do about the low point drains. I guess I could use that rubber hose stuff around them but I am wondering what good they would do when the temp reaches 12 or so. Lowe’s sells this heat tape. Wonder if that would work and be a better choice? At any rate. What do you seasoned travelers do when it gets that cold and you want to protect exposed parts of your RV?

A guy from Florida was asking...
You could use the heat tapes on them. But, the tape only covers the exposed part and not the part in the belly. Unless that is, you have one of those super heated bellies.
I had the gray water pipe freeze several years ago while the low points were exposed. Fortunately nothing broke, just all frozen for a time.
If it gets that cold you'll have more concerns about frozen pipes than just those two hanging down.
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Old 12-23-2017, 02:09 PM   #3
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You could use the heat tapes on them. But, the tape only covers the exposed part and not the part in the belly. Unless that is, you have one of those super heated bellies.
I had the gray water pipe freeze several years ago while the low points were exposed. Fortunately nothing broke, just all frozen for a time.
If it gets that cold you'll have more concerns about frozen pipes than just those two hanging down.
The underbelly of my RV is heated by the furnace which will stay on about 60 or so while we are gone. We have an electric fireplace and an immersion oil heater for the inside. Also a new down comforter from dewolfsen.
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Old 12-23-2017, 02:23 PM   #4
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The underbelly of my RV is heated by the furnace which will stay on about 60 or so while we are gone. We have an electric fireplace and an immersion oil heater for the inside. Also a new down comforter from dewolfsen.
I would take the temperature of the belly as soon as the thermostat shuts down the furnace. Or throw a digital thermometer in there and read exactly what the temperature is when the furnace shuts down. I bet the belly is no where the 60 degree set point. The ambient temperature inside the RV is what the thermostat senses for control.
It would be an interesting experiment at best.
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Old 12-23-2017, 09:51 PM   #5
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Exactly what I do. I have a remote thermostat sensor in my wetbay and it stays close to 15 degrees colder than the inside thermostat sensor. I watch it closely but have never had a problem at temps down to high teens so far. If it gets below 35 I have a small electric comfort zone from Amazon just for that purpose. I like to use electric heaters and our beautiful fireplace for most all heat, saves on propane too. As for the under belly, I have heat pads on all tanks and of course the furnace heat does get used grow 35ish or so to keep that warm some what. May have to get another remote thermostat just for u see there and pop it in taped to a choroplast seam I have access to. Good luck and stay warm!

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I would take the temperature of the belly as soon as the thermostat shuts down the furnace. Or throw a digital thermometer in there and read exactly what the temperature is when the furnace shuts down. I bet the belly is no where the 60 degree set point. The ambient temperature inside the RV is what the thermostat senses for control.
It would be an interesting experiment at best.
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Old 12-24-2017, 12:01 AM   #6
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Maybe just stick a bit of the foam pipe insulation over them? How far down to they hang? I would think that if the belly is heated to above freezing that if the pipes were covered they would keep warm enough. At the very least turn the water pressure off when it is coldest so if something does freeze you don't flood anything.

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Old 12-24-2017, 02:29 AM   #7
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I made a Lowe’s run this afternoon in waycross. Bought a couple of hose bib covers, some foam insulation to wrap around the pipes and some heavy rubber insulation for the pipes. I would love to put a heater under there but I have no “basement” or way to get into the underbelly. I have a small quartz heater I can put in the cubby next to the hot water heater but I don’t think that would be much good. I used to have heat lamps that I put close to the underbelly tanks. Didn’t work too well but it was the thought that counted. Those heat lamp bulbs are very fragile!
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Old 12-26-2017, 11:06 PM   #8
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Exactly what I do. I have a remote thermostat sensor in my wetbay and it stays close to 15 degrees colder than the inside thermostat sensor. I watch it closely but have never had a problem at temps down to high teens so far. If it gets below 35 I have a small electric comfort zone from Amazon just for that purpose. I like to use electric heaters and our beautiful fireplace for most all heat, saves on propane too. As for the under belly, I have heat pads on all tanks and of course the furnace heat does get used grow 35ish or so to keep that warm some what. May have to get another remote thermostat just for u see there and pop it in taped to a choroplast seam I have access to. Good luck and stay warm!

Hi, we are new to the RV world. Our Kodiak has the All Season Package and a Heated Underbelly. I would love to find out for sure that it works as advertised. A remote thermometer sounds like a great idea. Question is............where do you put it? How do you access the underbelly??

I have done some exploring behind panels and doors and the best place I can figure is under the kitchen sink? Follow some wiring or pipes into the belly of the beast?? Any suggestions?

Thanks
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Old 12-26-2017, 11:34 PM   #9
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There are the wireless and wired digital versions available. Neither one is very expensive.

The down side of the wireless is the batteries in the transmitter have to be changed occasionally whereas the wired version has the battery in the display module.

You probably have water lines that penetrate the floor somewhere where you could possibly shove the sensor into the belly. The wired version has a fairly long lead on it so you should be able to view the display module at a comfortable location.

Mostly anywhere below the floor where the sensor will be in free air will give you a good reading of the belly.

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Techno...perature+gauge

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Precis...h+wired+sensor

Just a sample of what's available. I used the wired one from Radio Shack for years in different applications. I've had the wireless ones also, the application usually determined which I would use at the time.
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Old 12-27-2017, 04:31 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by sundancer 87 View Post
There are the wireless and wired digital versions available. Neither one is very expensive.

The down side of the wireless is the batteries in the transmitter have to be changed occasionally whereas the wired version has the battery in the display module.

You probably have water lines that penetrate the floor somewhere where you could possibly shove the sensor into the belly. The wired version has a fairly long lead on it so you should be able to view the display module at a comfortable location.

Mostly anywhere below the floor where the sensor will be in free air will give you a good reading of the belly.

https://www.amazon.com/Crosse-Techno...perature+gauge

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Precis...h+wired+sensor

Just a sample of what's available. I used the wired one from Radio Shack for years in different applications. I've had the wireless ones also, the application usually determined which I would use at the time.

Ok Thanks. I will just bury it as far as I can

Thanks
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Old 12-27-2017, 10:33 AM   #11
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Ok Thanks. I will just bury it as far as I can

Thanks
Bill
FWIW I have the first one the wireless and plan on replacing it with the wired so I don't have to change 2 sets of batteries every time. I have mine tied to a string and dropped it down a small hole by the wet bay plumbing access hole. All my wires and plumbing go down there. Love seeing the difference between in there and the coach.

Right now it is 30 outside 74 inside and 52 in the belly.

Sent from my LGLS676 using Tapatalk
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Old 12-27-2017, 03:50 PM   #12
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FWIW I have the first one the wireless and plan on replacing it with the wired so I don't have to change 2 sets of batteries every time. I have mine tied to a string and dropped it down a small hole by the wet bay plumbing access hole. All my wires and plumbing go down there. Love seeing the difference between in there and the coach.

Right now it is 30 outside 74 inside and 52 in the belly.

Sent from my LGLS676 using Tapatalk
Great! I will try that.

Thanks
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Old 12-29-2017, 11:46 AM   #13
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Well. It’s 11 outside and the low points froze (as well as the waste valve I added). I thought I was going to have a day to set up when I got here and winterize but it was below freezing when I got here. I kept the heater on at 60 and nothing in the belly froze. I added a gallon of antifreeze to the gray and black tanks. I have not found an access point to get to those areas or tanks (except for the black).

I used this for the low point drains. It fit pretty well. Probably too late to prevent any more damage..

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Creative-Pl...Cover/50427108
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Old 12-29-2017, 05:13 PM   #14
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Well. It’s 11 outside and the low points froze (as well as the waste valve I added). I thought I was going to have a day to set up when I got here and winterize but it was below freezing when I got here. I kept the heater on at 60 and nothing in the belly froze. I added a gallon of antifreeze to the gray and black tanks. I have not found an access point to get to those areas or tanks (except for the black).

I used this for the low point drains. It fit pretty well. Probably too late to prevent any more damage..

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Creative-Pl...Cover/50427108
Ouch 11!

Good luck!
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Old 12-29-2017, 07:25 PM   #15
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It's been butt cold here lately, it was in the low 50's last year on Jan 1st, supposed to be a high of 25f and a low of 5.
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Old 12-29-2017, 07:57 PM   #16
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It's been butt cold here lately, it was in the low 50's last year on Jan 1st, supposed to be a high of 25f and a low of 5.

Guess I wont complain about the 18 we are supposed to get New Years Day
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Old 12-30-2017, 02:47 AM   #17
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PEX Plumbing

Since were ere discussing freezing our underbellies haha.

Our 2018 Kodiak has "PEX" Plumbing pipes. I was told by the plumber who worked on our House Plumbing that "PEX" is fairly impervious to freezing. At least in SC anyway.

Anyone confirm that or have any experience with "PEX" in RVs???

Bill
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Old 12-30-2017, 03:13 AM   #18
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We live in SC also. It isn't the PEX, it's the plastic fittings. One year we cracked a shower faucet because I didn't drain/blow out the water in the hose going up to the shower nozzle. Outside shower faucet is the same story. It was a $12 part, a 20 minute fix, from Amazon.
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Old 12-30-2017, 03:44 AM   #19
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We live in SC also. It isn't the PEX, it's the plastic fittings. One year we cracked a shower faucet because I didn't drain/blow out the water in the hose going up to the shower nozzle. Outside shower faucet is the same story. It was a $12 part, a 20 minute fix, from Amazon.

Hindsight huh
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Old 01-01-2018, 11:50 PM   #20
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Brrrrrr. It’s 10 degrees here in Boone today and getting colder (it’s 1900 hrs). So far, the only issue I have is that the toilet quit filling. I bought some heat lamps for the belly and will install them tomorrow.. got 2” of snow also and the faucets are frozen from the campground so all the water I have is what is in the fresh tank.

Sure wish I had a diagram of the plumbing so I could trace out the line for the toilet. Looks like it comes out from the dreaded underbelly!
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