Cold in Texas

BogieMeister

Over the next couple of days it will be well below freezing here in Texas. My T@b  320 is covered and parked beside the house, plugged into power. I have turned on the Alde and opened the shower and cabinets. Are there any pipes below the cabin that may not be warmed by the alde? I have drained my tanks.

DougH

@BogieMeister Yes there is a Pex line running from the fresh tank up to the water pump.  If you followed the forum winterizing guide and detached the input to the water pump and blew out that line, you should be okay for under cabin piping.

I'm in northern D/FW again for the moment, and we're forecast to be 0F at 6am on Tuesday morning.  0F.  In the metroplex.  Something about when heck freezes over.


Any fluid against black water or gray water exit valves will freeze, so if you've drained both those tanks, dump a half gallon of pink stuff down the toilet and the shower drain.  Some folks put a little pink stuff down and open and close the valves a few times to make sure there's only pink stuff in the various areas of the gate valves before closing them both up.

Also if you have the external shower, it won't be protected by the Alde.  Best to drain that hose too.

And at 0F and the 1kW Alde electric setting, the Alde may not be able to keep the sink, shower, and other cabin lines above 32F.  Might be a good idea to add another space heater, or just go ahead and do a full winterizing.

ScottG

I'd suggest opening the pump access hatch in the bathroom as well. Don't know how much difference it will actually make, but there is quite a bit of plumbing in the nether regions behind the toilet wall., and that area is pretty isolated from any heat supply.

dragonsdofly

If any of you who don't routinely winterize are considering trying, remember to drain and or blow the toilet valve clear. This is an easily forgotten item that will freeze and split either the valve or the toilet itself. Don't ask how we know. BTDT.

DougH

Well, gosh durn it all, we're in Texas. We shouldn't HAVE to ever winterize. 

Sharon_is_SAM

I would just go further south for a few days!

pthomas745

This is not just "cold".  This is epic cold.  Temps well below freezing from Sunday night through Wednesday morning, as low as 10F at one point. 

dragonsdofly

@BogieMeister, I'd suggest putting your t@b into heated storage for a week or so, but I imagine, given your geographic location, there aren't many of those kinds of areas available to you. Here, almost all enclosed storage areas are heated through the winter. Good luck and brrrrrr, everyone, brrrrr!

SubaruLou

I just logged on for this topic! My T@b is stored in a closed storage garage here in DFW but it’s by no means insulated. I always have it plugged in for the battery. Is there any reason why I couldn’t go to the storage unit and turn on the Alde heat for the next five days? It’s electric, not gas so no CO2 issue, right? I have about a half gallon of antifreeze but don’t think that will cover all the drains in this weather. It was 70 degrees two weeks ago! 😩

DougH

Forecast for the place I used to store the camper, just outside of DFW near I-35 (just north of this week's deadly pileup). Up to half a foot of snow Sunday, then 0F early Tuesday morning.  And yup, probably back in the 70s the week afterwards.  😮

Verna

Yes, @DougH, you guys are not being spared from this storm.  We have not been given any measurements for the winter storm. But, this is reminding me of the Blizzard of ‘78 forecast which closed everything down around Indiana for two days, and it took about two weeks to get live most back to normal. 

That accident was absolutely horrible😢. Black ice, especially on bridges is very dangerous. 

jkjenn

This cold weather is going got be historic, dating back to 1889 for anything that rivals it.

The cold will be more prolonged than people in Texas are used to experiencing. Sniw and ice will make this even more dangerous.

I would fully winterize and prepare similarly to what you do for hurricanes, making sure you ha e gas in your tank and a few days worth of supplies. The energy industry feels it and prices have absolutely skyrocketed over the last few days. There is some concern from people in the energy business about the weather impact on the unwinterized wind turbines in west Texas and its impact on the grid.

People traveling anywhere across the company should be aware of the weather as a coast to coast storm is going to bring significant ice and snow to many areas.

DougH

7PM.  Forecast for Northern side of DFW was just updated to be -2F instead of 0F.  For perspective, here's last year's temperatures and this year's figures so far for 2021 for Bedford TX next to the DFW airport, including the next few days. And as jkjenn indicated, we've been getting emergency alerts about potential infrastructure failures.  So I'm waiting for Governor Abbot to ask President Obrador if the majority of the state can cross the border for a week.  Shades of that 2004 movie "The Day After Tomorrow".

jkjenn

SubaruLou

Well, I answered my own question. Luckily Home Depot still had RV antifreeze so I picked up three gallons. When I got out to the storage unit, my T@b was a toasty warm 56. I had not turned it off after camping a couple months back. So, yes, apparently no prob to leave it heating in a closed garage! I bypassed the Alde water heater, poured some antifreeze down the drains and then poured the remaining 2.5 gallons into the fresh water tank to pull thru the water lines but I couldn't get the pump to prime. Just not enough liquid in the water tank? I left the heat on and opened cabinets, the pump door and the bathroom door, but I'm worried that water lines will still freeze if I don't get the antifreeze into them. Any suggestions?

jkjenn

I wonder if you have an airlock preventing the pump from priming? Wouldn't think it would take more. Winder if you have an airlock? Maybe trying raising and lowering the tongue jack a few times.

Sharon_is_SAM

@SubaruLou - Try adding more antifreeze to the fresh tank or just disconnect the intake side of the pump and draw directly from a bottle of antifreeze.  You are smart to do this because no telling if you will lose power.

SubaruLou

Sharon_is_SAM said:

@SubaruLou - Try adding more antifreeze to the fresh tank or just disconnect the intake side of the pump and draw directly from a bottle of antifreeze.  You are smart to do this because no telling if you will lose power.

One more gallon did the trick to prime the pump. Thanks!

Tabzilla

I'm just north of San Antonio and we're also expecting sub zero temps.  I drained all the water in my Tab (opened all drains and blew the lines) but you guys are scaring me.  Too late to get the right kind of antifreeze.  I guess I don't quite understand the risk to dry pipes.  Fingers crossed I guess.

Sharon_is_SAM

@TABZILA - if you were very thorough with blowing your lines - including the toilet water valve (easy to forget) and exterior shower, then just add antifreeze to the shower and sink drains and get some into the grey and black tanks on both sides of the gate valve.  The shower and sink drains have p traps that trap water and they will freeze and rupture the pipes.  

WilliamA

Hmmmm..... -28 here this morning heading for a daily high of -14. They say we'll be out of negative numbers in 5 more days. It's been more than 2 weeks since I saw the temp above zero. 
Took the T@G out yesterday to test the new raised spindles and snow tires. Roads are ice underneath, covered in hard packed snow. You Texas folks.....Take the win....
WilliamA

SubaruLou

Lol @WilliamA, yeah, I grew up in WI but have spent the last 30yrs in the southwest. We’re just not built for this weather! 🥶

Denny16

Well, if your Tab heated and is at 56F, just open the lockers, bathroom door, and lift off or prop up the bunk/bench lids.  You only need to poor enough antifreeze into the shower drain and toilet to get the stuff in the gray tank/black tank lower drain lines and the gate valve, once the pink comes out the holding tank drains (use a bucket to catch the stuff) you should be good to go.  The galley sink drain is not going to freeze, if the trailer is heated, nor the toilet, but doesn’t hurt to leave some in it.  I

If your RV is not heated, then draining your low point drains, and Alde a hot water tank will prevent water line damage, even if a little water is remaining, pipes are not full, have air space, and leaving the taps open allows air to escape as any small amounts of water freeze up. For better protection, just blow,the water lines out with air, including the water pump and toilet valves, and outside shower valves, if you have one.

The only pipes that can f be damaged by a hard freeze, are those with pressure or full water lines that are a closed system, not vented.  A full holding or water tank may get damaged in a hard freeze if full, but not easily, as they are vented and a partially full tank has room to expand up, air vents out.  

Freezing a water or waste tank takes time at temps well below freezing.   If a partially tank does freeze, you only need to wait for it to warm up before you can use it, or drain it.  This is why you want to drain them first, less hassle, and not having to wait until spring for them to unfreeze. 

Cheers

DougH

2.5 Million without power so far in Texas, and many houses down to the 40s already.

We're trickling the water in the bathrooms, leaving cabinets open, using Mr. Buddy heaters to keep bath areas warmer, and using a generator on the porch for the most critical resource: morning lattes. 😁   No rioting or looting reported yet. Some areas are on rolling blackouts, and some areas (with electric heat only) have been without power since 1am. Fingers crossed that folks down here all stocked up on ways to keep their pipes from bursting for the next four days.

https://ground.news/article/69dd9f48-5869-478a-94d7-2360eb81534c

A few sources have said some of the wind farms for this area weren't designed for days of -10F to 10F weather. Other sources say we've lost 10-50GW of power in Texas just from aging infrastructure, and the inability of substations to be cycled on and off. Just insufficient reserve capacity for the most part.

bergger

My living room is usually in the 40s every winter morning until I turn the heat up!  Just part of life living in an old home here in the mountains.  But I feel bad for those down south that are not used to it or prepared for it.  

Verna

@DougH, if you have enough propane, you can camp out in the T@B. One tank would last me a week or so in my former T@B S Max when I spent my winters in AZ. Yes you are colder than I was, but two tanks should make it through the week for heat and cooking. I believe you have enough solar to eek out some solar to keep your batteries going.  Of course, you’ll need a regular routine to keep the snow off the solar panels. 

I made sure my two 20 lb propane cylinders were full, and the 10 lb tank is mostly full. I am thankful that I spent the money last fall on a whole house backup generator. The power goes out too frequently out here in the boonies with all the trees around. My saving grace is that I am on the same electrical leg as a military installation, and they are a priority.  It doesn’t stop the trees from falling (doggone Emerald ash borer!), but the longest outage was 6 hrs last year and most of that was waiting on the underground cable locators.

DougH

Yup, I'm reserving one full tank for the T@B at the curb, just in case if we have to live in it a while. The other one is in the house powering a Mr. Buddy heater on low. That should go a couple days at least. I'm more concerned for all the elderly in homes with no generators and no propane catalytic heaters.  😯

pthomas745

Couple of FB threads this morning on frozen tanks, etc.  Many hear the advice to "just open the cabinet doors and turn up the Alde" and go for it.  It might work ok at 29 degrees...but when it has been below freezing in San Antonio for 3 days and below 20 degrees for almost 24 hours.....

Pretty rough out there.

DougH

Yikes. PrincessCraft and other nüCamp dealers might get a lot of extra work replacing cracked fittings, tanks, and gate valves in the next month.  At least it's climbed to 7F here finally.

jkjenn

Nw over 4 million in Texas without power, now.

This doesn't end tomorrow in Texas, either. 

Meanwhile....3 solid hours of freezing rain in Western PA and a few more hours to go.

Denny16

My sympathies to those without power and heat in the cold weather.  Not fun.  Where I am, winter lows are in the mid to high 20’s, several years ago, outside daytime temps dropped to 24F, nighttime 10F, then Christmas morning a big storm hit, knocked out power for around 10 days, I had tress down on our property, hit the water pump/tank building, so no electricity, no water (we are on a well).  

My saving grace, was when we moved in we got rid of the pellet stove (requires power) and installed a wood burning stove, which I had going 24/7 to keep main living area in house in the mid 60s.  Glad we had installed the wood stove, which kept me warm and I was able to cook on it.  Kitchen was all electric.
cheers