Frozen MH pipes and taps. Advice please (1 Viewer)

[frogijock]

View attachment 216054 I think I have the same problem as the op...
This is my first van, people with more experience does this look as if the valve has opened?

Thanks

Paul

Yes

 

[ramsthom]

I believe a lot of members will be anxious about their motorhome water systems during this very cold spell. Iv'e done everything possible to minimise the risk such as -: Draining the boiler and leaving the drain valve open
Draining the fresh water pump
Open all taps in the midway position
Disconnecting the shower hose
Draining both fresh and waste water tank Covering the boiler and pump with old pillows and even covering the taps with some old thermal socks.
Checked early this morning and the inside temp is -5 deg C.
Will get it home next week and hope for the best.

 

[DL42846]

If your taps and pipes have frozen, best to leave them thaw naturally without blasting heat at them. Happen to me, I just left them and all was well. We had -14c here the last two nights. I have left a oil rad on the frost setting which has kept the chill out a little.

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[Richard n Ann]

Our van is in the garage at the side of the house (I raised the roof up so it would fit). Normally I wouldn't even think about the possibility of freezing but I went in last night and it was 0.6c . I've put the little 800w radiator on. It was 3.5c this morning.

 

[Ronny]

Yes I agree, get it thawed out now so you can assess any damage, water expands by about 9% when frozen so thawing it out won’t cause any further damage. If as you say you drained down fresh and waste there will probably be no damage unless the pipes contained water, you don’t say you purged your boiler though this is where the big money gets damaged. Always leave taps open whatever you’re draining down, outside tap, whole house even, you’ll never drain it thoroughly if you don’t.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

I don't understand this draining down for winter really I have a large slick of oily stuff under the van now about 100 litres and it smell like diesel?????????? The water was OK let it out on the road but there are motorbikes and cars skidding all over theplace , must be the ice but it is a pretty multicoloured liquid, must be ice. There is also a funny smell around still there even after the big cloud has dispersed, the fire brigade was driving arround after the town said there was a leak somewhere, gas board looking too. According to the local TV the town has been evacuated but nobody told me to go anywhere, not that I can because the van will not start now..

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[wingman]

UPDATE: Drove down to the storage again today as I was out anyway and halfway there. The snow drifts (see previous picture) have been parted Moses-like and with a shovel or two, I should be able to get the MH out. I did plan to do this tomorrow, but it’s been snowing again, with freezing rain thrown in Could probably get the MH out, only to bump into something on the icy roads!! Will reassess the weather tomorrow (Saturday)

As a footnote and as previously stated in my original post, I drained the fresh and grey water tanks, but because of time constraints, I didn’t do my customary full purge of the pipes and water heater with a Floë system and leaving all the taps open. I relied upon the dump valve operating at +4° and vowed to return to the van when commitments allowed. Unfortunately the dump valve DIDN’T operate and the ‘Beast from the East’ rolled in before I could get back to the snowbound van.

 

[tony dellar]

If the dump valve is outside or nearly so it probably froze first and held the pressure in ?

 

[g8ysn]

have ordered new replacement bathroom casset frozen/split has happened be4 [not for a couple of years as I was living in it ]

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[daveandsan]

If the dump valve is outside or nearly so it probably froze first and held the pressure in ?

The dump valves are normally near the water heater and dump at + 4c well before anything has got a chance to freeze.