Freeze-proof drinking water tanks

I've seen advertised on various RV and camper sites "freeze-proof drinking water tanks". Anyone know what that is? Insulated? Heated? Bubbler?
 

LivingtheDream

2009 LTV Serenity
In my post "Winter Sprinter" i am also looking for inputs on how to handle cold weather effects on water systems.

In my previous Pleasure Way, you could "pour in" water to the fresh tank, so I used 'food-grade' antifreeze (polyethylene glycol) which makes the water into a 'slush' at worst, it wont freeze. When the slush gets thick, the water pump has some trouble pushing it, at that point, I dont use the pump any more until I get back into some warmer weather.

In my current LTV there is no pour in, so I have to let my external fresh tank (50 gal) freeze and hope for the best. I do pour antifreeze into black and grey tanks via toilet and drains so those tanks do not freeze. I find that a gallon in each tank does the trick.

Anyway, I look also toward finding better solutions to cold weather RV traveling.

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile
 

NBB

Well-known member
Antifreeze of any sort in the water supply sounds really nasty.

A 50 gallon external tank sounds like a bad thing for winter camping. I assume this rig has a hot water heater? What about tapping the outlet to that and feading it over to the inlet to the tanks? Put a valve between and open this valve to circulate hot water. Depending on your level of sophistication, you could make this valve temperature controlled. Otherwise, just open it as experience tells you is needed. It seems to me this would be your simplest and cheapest option.
 

LivingtheDream

2009 LTV Serenity
The 'food-grade' antifreeze is quite safe. You can drink it but we dont. After the winter or after you are out of cold weather, you can drain the system, and rinse it out. It does not coat or stay... and after you rinse through, the system is just as it was prior to its use. We have done that several times already.

We dont usually drink the water anyway... we are from SoCal... where bottled/filtered water is the only option... just like Mexico... in the LA Basin, Dont Drink the Water! :cheers:

So, I like the water heater idea... I will have to look into how to route warm water into the fresh tank. Not sure how that would best be accomplished. There is no input other than a hose hookup that I can find...

Thank you for the input... and comments....
LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile
2009 LTV 3500 Freightliner Sprinter Base
 

LivingtheDream

2009 LTV Serenity
Two Additional Comments.... First, NBB your a genius!!!! :thumbup: Just got done planning with a friend of mine (who used to run maintenance in large hotels so he is a plumber extraordinaire!) how we can break into the water system just past the water heater, run through a recirculating pump (not the standard pressure based pump) connected to a thermostat in the fresh water tank, and run a recirculation system to keep the water at 45 degrees F. We plan to work it in the next month... as winter has a long way to go and to Live the Dream... you have to be ready to go at a minutes notice... in winter or any other season... :cheers:

Second comment, Hit the Road Jack suggested putting your tanks within the van.... with good planning you can find space for them I would guess, but I would caution for a couple of reasons. The water tanks should be over or behind the rear axle for stability and weight on the springs for ride comfort. Second is the premium of space. Having had a 2500 Sprinter B Class RV the space premium for having the tanks within may not be worth it, especially if you design for external tanks used in winter. My 2500 B had the fresh water inside in the sink podium...unfortunately that was in the middle of the van at the sliding door so the weight there made us less stable and the rear more bouncy, my grey and black were external... but pouring antifreeze down the drains and toilet took care of those issues in the cold. So at worst, only put the fresh inside...

Again, this forum is a great source of knowledge, ideas and challenges to make me think about options... Thank you...

LivingtheDream
Turn the Key and Smile
2009 LTV Freedom II Freightliner 3500
 

NBB

Well-known member
45 degrees might be a little ambitious for an external tank and bitter, sub zero weather - but experience will teach you. Heat loss will be exponential to the temperature difference between the water and the outside temperature.
 

NBB

Well-known member
Also - with a second pump, not using your first pump, in order for the water heater to work, I think you'll need to tap into both sides of it and also run a hose to somewhere before the main pump - perhaps the tank. I'm sure your plumber will figure it out. Seems like a good enough idea if your main pump uses a lot of power or operates at a much higher pressure. Good luck.
 

Kharrast

New member
I did this to my fifth wheel during a cold Idaho winter 3 years ago. It worked well and It was very easy to do but there is one draw back. When you open the valve slightly to let hot water trickle into the fresh tank it causes the water pump to run. So, with just a trickle the pump would kick on about every thirty seconds and just go bbbrrrrupp. Just enough to keep you from sleeping well.

Here is how i did it. I did the whole instal with no tools other than a utility knife. In my fifth wheel the pipe was PEX .5 inch. I bought a few parts from ace hardware. A press together T fitting a second T fitting with a PEX press fit end in the middle and the two sides were male 3/4 inch. I also bought about 15 feet of PEX to run from one side of the rv to the other. First I turned off the water pump. Then, I cut into the hot water line coming out of the water heater. I put in the PEX T connector on it and then added the valve about 3 inches away. Then i connected the long piece of PEX and ran it around to where the fresh water fll line came in to the rv. I cut the fresh water fill line and put the second T fitting in with hose clamps. I connected the PEX pipe to the T and I was in business. Whenever the weather was cold I would crack the valve open a little and the hot water from the hot water heater would run into the fresh water tank keeping it worm and the pump kept pumping fresh water to the hot water
heater circulating the heat. I didn't do any fancy heat sensor I adjusted the flow by running the cold water over my hand. If it was like ice water I opened the valve more. If it was like bath water I closed the valve more.
 

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