Snow camping

[214skier]

Just back from 4 nights snow camping in eastern Washington. Daytime highs of 15' - nighttime 9'. Rig performed well. We were warm and toasty in doors and all systems operated as expected with the following exceptions:

1. No hot water. First night our hot water stopped working. Tank was full and hot. System resumed operation after returning to warm and home. Very perplexing. Need more insulation?

2. We could not dump. The grey water drain lines continue to be an issue. Because of line length and the relative level angle they don't fully drain...if the dump station is not perfectly level, some water will be caught In the drain line. After you resume towing again up to 1/2 gallon of grey can build up against the drain cap. This is an issue snow camping. That 1/2 gallon of water freezes and creates a plug. GD needs to look at this design flaw.

Overall I was pleased. Me moved up to GD from an Outdoors RV and I was concerned I may have compromised insulation. I did not find this a factor on this trip.


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[214skier]

One more comment. The hot water issue was very perplexing. Need to add more insulation?


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[Cate&Rob]

Hey Matt,

I have also encountered the problem of the last of the grey water freezing the drain cap in place. Solved this by chasing the last of the grey water with some plumbing antifreeze poured into the grey tanks.

Several people have reported that the hot water line always freezes first. This could be on the cold feed to the water heater where the water passes through the bypass selector valve. (just guessing at this one).

Rob

[TucsonJim]

Great idea on the antifreeze Rob. I'll have to remember that one.

Jim

[214skier]

Hey Matt,

I have also encountered the problem of the last of the grey water freezing the drain cap in place. Solved this by chasing the last of the grey water with some plumbing antifreeze poured into the grey tanks.

Several people have reported that the hot water line always freezes first. This could be on the cold feed to the water heater where the water passes through the bypass selector valve.

(just guessing at this one).



Rob

Where is the bypass selector valve? Are you aware of any remedies here?

The antifreeze idea is a great one. Thank you for that.

[Cate&Rob]

Where is the bypass selector valve? Are you aware of any remedies here?

On the Kantleak system, the water heater bypass valve is to the right of the main selector valve on the Kantleak panel.
I can't think of a specific reason why this valve or the lines to it should freeze first . . . just a guess. This is a piece of the puzzle that is in the hot water circuit but not in the cold water circuit.

On the Nautilus panel, the instructions (that I have seen) show where each valve should be for each configuration, but do not explain which valve is doing what. This system would seem even less likely to have a reason for the bypass to be the freeze point.

I mentioned earlier (maybe in another thread?) that the water system drains might be the freeze point since these extend outside the insulation and certainly will freeze. Been here before . These could be drawing the cold up into the lines above and causing a blockage . . . although this does not explain why the hot line would be more susceptible than the cold one.

Rob

[214skier]

Thanks Rob. I will continue to investigate. Interesting that the bypass valve is behind the kantleak system. I almost put an electric heater near that to heat that area.

I am going to contact GD to see what I can do to prevent this. Someone on RV.net suggested a continuous recirculation pump.

[Cate&Rob]

Interesting that the bypass valve is behind the kantleak system.

Just to be clear, the Kantleak system water heater bypass is a valve on the panel (not behind it).
The bypass valve is all brass . . . I was just thinking that if the panel area dropped below freezing, the brass would quickly transfer this freezing temperature to the water inside/passing through this valve.

By comparison, the body of the selector valve on the left, is plastic and would not transfer cold into the water as quickly.

Rob

[WhittleBurner]

warm water freezing before cold water is called the Mpemba effect, it is a scientific fact.

[WhittleBurner]

Just googled it.