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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / March 2006Holding tanks in cold weather?
We bought a rig for winter snowmobiling use. On a recent trip, some of our fellow "campers" said they used salt and RV anti freeze in the holding tanks. They do not use the fresh water system in the winter (water tank, water heater, water pump - all that is winterized. The people at Camping World in Denver didn't have a clue. Temp got to 26 below Fahrenheit. We were OK. No salt, just that pink stuff. Suggestions welcome. Charles Even cheaper to flush with the winter windshiled washer fluid it too is good for cold weather. This is not to be put into your water system just used to flush with. They also make stick on tank heaters, remember your only have to heat it to above freezing. Tom >We bought a rig for winter snowmobiling use. On a recent trip, some of >our fellow "campers" said they used salt and RV anti freeze in the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Charles > Temp got to 26 below Fahrenheit. Aw, that's just CRAZY cold unless you have enclosed and heated tanks. And even then you should put antifreeze in them - if use them at all. I think I'd use a 5-gallon "jerry" can of water and perhaps even get a good portable toilet. > We were OK. Yeah, but at sub-zero temps, you are particularly vulnerable to freeze damage somewhere. > No salt, just that pink stuff. Salt? If it's so cold that I must put SALT into a holding tank, it's time to stay home. In any case, my RV place recommends dumping a gallon or three of that cheap, 99c/gallon windshield washer fluid down the toilet and drains if freezing is a concern. So, with the fresh water system winterized, can I assume they're flushing the toilet and drains with a bucket? Get a porta potty and a dish pan and leave the drains and holding tanks ALONE when it gets down to -26F!  Signature:\ JR > > Temp got to 26 below Fahrenheit. > > Aw, that's just CRAZY cold unless you have enclosed and heated tanks. And > even then you should put antifreeze in them - if use them at all. I think I'd > use a 5-gallon "jerry" can of water and perhaps even get a good portable > toilet. Colder than we would have liked but there was a snowmobile event that weekend and that was what it was. > > We were OK. > > Yeah, but at sub-zero temps, you are particularly vulnerable to freeze damage > somewhere. All valves are inside the "crawl space" and heater tubes are in there. > > No salt, just that pink stuff. > > Salt? If it's so cold that I must put SALT into a holding tank, it's time to > stay home. Purpose of this was for snowmobiling, where there are no motels near the riding area. So staying home is not an option. If it is warm, we can't go snowmobiling! So it *WILL* be cold. > In any case, my RV place recommends dumping a gallon or three of that cheap, > 99c/gallon windshield washer fluid down the toilet and drains if freezing is a > concern. Now that is a constructive comment! Should I get the kind with Rain-X in it? > So, with the fresh water system winterized, can I assume they're flushing the > toilet and drains with a bucket? Get a porta potty and a dish pan and leave > the drains and holding tanks ALONE when it gets down to -26F! No room for porta-potty in a truck camper! I wanted one with no toilet/shower and just a closet for porta-potty but we found this one and liked it. Charles > We bought a rig for winter snowmobiling use. On a recent trip, some of > our fellow "campers" said they used salt and RV anti freeze in the [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Charles Your biggest worry won't necessarily be with the tanks but with the dump valve(s). With an enclosed underbelly, there'll be enough heat leakage through the floor to keep the tanks from freezing but, remember, the valves are exposed to the weather. BTDT! If you're going to be set up for more than a day or three, rig something for a windbreak around the undercarriage of the trailer - tarps, hay bales, banked snow? - and you'll find that the heat leakage will keep the temperature in the enclosed area far warmer than that in the unenclosed area. > > [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > At -26 it is a whole nother ball game. No water in lines. all dump valves open. pink stuff cycled through system and drained *two times*. That includes all "P" traps. get plastic jugs for water," do not pour in sink or any other drain. Get one of the old tent plastic bag potties. SignatureBill P. just Dog & ME At this time in life all that remains is left overs, some can be cherished as good others bad, but the only definite is that they are all that remains, main course is over. William Boyd <williamboyd@cableone.net> wrote in news:43f55d55$0$11369 $6d36acad@titian.nntpserver.com: > At -26 it is a whole nother ball game. No water in lines. all dump > valves open. pink stuff cycled through system and drained *two times*. > That includes all "P" traps. get plastic jugs for water," do not pour in > sink or any other drain. Get one of the old tent plastic bag potties. As usual, you're spouting nonsense. -26F isn't bad at all IF your rig has an enclosed belly-pan and you insulate the plumbing that extends below it. For extended stays, as RAM³said, rig up a windbreak around the perimeter of the RV. >William Boyd <williamboyd@cableone.net> wrote in news:43f55d55$0$11369 >$6d36acad@titian.nntpserver.com: [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > How much experience do you have with the standard designed and built rigs. To take one of these in to that cold of weather the furnace is not big enough to provide the required heat. With out any heat blankets and tape on the plumbing system it will freeze. Even though you have the enclosed floors. No heat is ducted to that area below the floor and with the standard furnace air ducted to the basement storage areas where many of the water lines are at will not remain above freezing. You are talking about 58 degrees below freezing. SignatureBILL P. 2004, 2500 SLT Quad Cab, Dodge Ram, SLT, SWB, 2WD, 5.9 HO Turbo Diesel, 48RE Auto Trans, Anti-Spin 3.73 Dif.Rhino Liner, Husky 16K. Voyager Controller 2005, 27RL Wildcat, DT/PC Wi-Fi. Trojan Batteries, 600watt Inverter Dual EU2000i Hondas Just Me and Dog William Boyd <williamboyd@cableone.net> wrote in news:43f749bd$0$14378 $6d36acad@titian.nntpserver.com: > How much experience do you have with the standard designed and built > rigs. To take one of these in to that cold of weather the furnace is not [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > of the water lines are at will not remain above freezing. > You are talking about 58 degrees below freezing. BTDT! <G> Spent a month in an area with the HIGH temps at -20F or less. You *really* do need to learn a bit about cold weather camping. <VBG> Happy TROLLing, Hoppy! RAMł wrote: > > We bought a rig for winter snowmobiling use. On a recent trip, some of > > our fellow "campers" said they used salt and RV anti freeze in the [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > floor to keep the tanks from freezing but, remember, the valves are exposed > to the weather. Valves are inside where the tanks are. Just need to add AF or salt or something to keep it from freezing until we get home to dump it. I have a question pertaining to dumping. Where will you dump and is there any concern about dumping the antifreeze or window washer solvent? I guess I would have more of a concern if it's dumped into someone's septic system. Paul |
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