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Stephen's |
| First we need heat! It isn't common but temperatures in Flagstaff AZ can drop well below zero for weeks at a time. In 2006 we had some 15 below weather (-15F) and this is harsh if you are camping. Shown here is our 100 gallon propane tank. We are "routed" which means they come around and fill it before it gets empty and leave a bill on the door. Also shown is the tank for our Motorhome. |
| Popane Connection I leave my valves off on the on-board tanks. I know the valve is designed to switch over automatically but I would rather know when the big tank is empty so I can call for service. That leaves me two full tanks if they can't get to us in a storm. We had to buy a high-pressure regulator and hose that connects the tank to house gas. This connection is through the trailer regulator where one of the OEM tanks would normally hook up. On the motorhome we have an Extend-A-Stay valve for this purpose. |
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| Water & Sewer This shows the heat-taped and insulated water hose. It also shows the rigid sewer cover. The park requires a rigid cover in case of hail. A 4" sewer pipe fits over the standard flexible sewer line very nicely. This also answers the issue of supporting a long run while maintaining a slope. I have two 4' pieces, two 2' pieces and various couplers and bends to deal with almost any sewer puzzle. You can see a power cord wrapped around my dump valve, more on that later. Still have water and sewer flow... |
| Water Connection You can't see it in this picture but I put a 90 degree fitting on to take pressure off the hose. This after the brass fitting broke at about 2 AM one morning. The insulation is standard pipe insulation for 3/4" pipe or 1" copper. Make sure you get heat tape that shuts off once it is warm enough. If it is working properly it never gets over 40F or so; eliminating the risk of melting the hose. I got my supplies at Hunt's True Value. Just lay your heat tape along the hose. The insulation is slitted on one side so you can just press it on over the heat tape and hose. You will then need to duct or electrical tape it to keep the slit closed. I wrapped it every foot or so but when Marnie was helping she mummified it as shown. |  |
 | Park Water This is one way to do it. The Park has the hose faucet underground and packed with insulation. The first site we were in was above ground but wrapped with heat tape and insulation. |
| Frozen Waterlines Waterlines froze solid. Investigation showed that at the bathroom sink, instead of darting the four feet accross the underbelly, the line dropped outside and a total of 30 uninsulated feet around to the head. This is Thor's idea of an "Arctic Package." |  |
 | Fixed Waterlines The fittings are very hard to work with, especially with arthritis. This took me several weeks and lots of bruises from squeezing into areas a couple sizes too small for my body. The lines now go through the heated underbelly and I wrapped them in insulation too. So far no freezing even at 15 below zero. |
| Dump Valves Our Dump Valves froze and I actully pulled the handle extension off the gray water valve trying to open it. Luckily this is a set screw and just needed tightening. I read on the forum that putting a light bulb in the belly can heat the area enough to prevent freezing. When I went to take a look I found that there was not enough insulation on the black water valve. I added a "heavy duty" 75 watt trouble light from Checker near the black water tank and valve and added some fiber insulation from Hunt's. The light wasn't enough on the motor home and the waterline froze inside the bay. The bays are supposedly heated but if so, not enough. I found a spot for a very small space heater inside the water bay and set it on it's lowest setting so that it never really got hot enough to melt anything or start a fire. That means I had to run an extension cord into the water bay. Water and electricity don't mix! I used my outdoor outlet protected by Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) so that if there was a sudden water leak the breaker would trip without starting a fire. I don't recommend this method but I was too broke to buy a heat blanket designed for use on water tanks. |  |
| Slideout Awnings & Heavy Snow Warning! The purpose of the awning over the slideout is to keep rain, snow, leaves and other droppings off your slideout and out of your rig. We got a record fall of wet, heavy snow and it built up faster than we could do anything about it. It then started melting and refroze creating unbelievably heavy build up, enough to tear the awning material out of the keeper! What we thought was an advantage in snow turned out to be a liability. What to do? We will have to get this awning repaired but the new rule is to bring in the slide before a storm. It is inconvenient but being stuck in a storm because you can't bring in your slides is more inconvenient and dangerous. We were lucky with the amount of damage. |
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| Guinness' view out the front window | 6:30AM - I de-iced the satellite antenna with hot water | 7:30AM - Still no picture... |
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| That is the driveway, in theory. | Neighboring Rig | Ron's Rig |
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