Holding tanks frozen. Now what?

[Pete Masterson]

I had my valves freeze -- couldn't get them open -- and I've had my valves very difficult to open due to early morning freezing temperatures. 

Once you have ice, there isn't much you can do except get the bus to a warmer place. The trick is to (try to) avoid forming ice in the first place. The times I've been caught were when I didn't realize that I'd get hit with freezing temperatures during the early morning hours...

Although on my '95, the basement is heated (which protects most of the plumbing) the dump valves are somewhat exposed by their location and by the hole where the slinky hose exits the "utility" compartment. (Earlier 'Birds may have more exposed pipes.) When freezing temperatures are expected, I put a heaping cup or two of rock salt into both the black and gray tanks just after emptying them. I run the salt down the bathroom sink (for the gray tank) with warm water, and just flush the rock salt down the toilet for the black tank. This seems to keep the dump valves from freezing -- and by putting the salt in the empty tank, it tends to move down to the valve area. Since all the salt won't immediately dissolve into the water, it will 'hang around' the valves, increasing the salt concentration there, keeping them from freezing.

If moving to a warmer place isn't practical, you might try using a hair dryer -- but that might take too long. I'm not familiar enough with heat tape to know if it's a good idea or not. I did see some heat tape on a plastic pipe (in a normally hidden wire/plumbing chase) in my coach when I replaced the carpet with bamboo wood flooring. So, I guess it won't damage the plastic.

Expect it to take several hours to thaw with the heat tape. Inspect the pipe carefully for leaks. Hopefully, the ice formed in a way where the expansion moved up the pipe rather than cracking it.

Pete Masterson

'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42 (For Sale)

<http://www.aeonix.biz/BBforsale.html>

El Sobrante CA

"aeonix1@mac.com"

On Jan 3, 2009, at 5:52 PM, Ryan Wright wrote:

Maybe not the entire tanks (not sure how to tell), but the drains are  

frozen, anyway. I got the grey valve open and I know the tank is half  

full but nothing comes out. Can't even budge the black valve. Any ideas?

Has anyone wrapped their drain lines with heat tape?  Good idea?