Winter Use of FWC Hawk... Use and Protection of Water Systems Advice?

[Wallowa]

I know this is not a "new" topic; but I could not find any definitive answers to this question:

"How can the plumbing, hot water tank, water storage tank and out side shower fixture be protected and used in sub-zero camping in a Hawk?" Don't plan to use shower!

But do plan to take the Hawk into sub-zero weather this Winter and:

#1 Want to be able to use the sink water and hot water heater and on-board storage tank.

#2 Not freeze or split any of the water system.

Sooooo, any words of wisdom from those that have used their Hawk during the Winter in extreme cold conditions, please share your experiences.

Thanks...Phil

 

[longhorn1]

Don't use them. Keep them winterized and take a couple of 2 gallon containers. It works great. jd

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Phil, I don’t have a Hawk, and my Bobcat doesn’t have a water system, but here’s my 2¢ worth...

You’re obviously going to need to keep your furnace and water heater going at all times in sub-zero temps. Does your shower have a shutoff valve on the lines? If so, my approach would be to blow out your lines with compressed air, then shutoff the water lines going to the outside before you allow water back into the system lines. Protect your pump by keeping the cabinet doors open to allow heat to get to it. Your external tank drain might need protection as well. Insulate externally if you can, then keep things internal as open possible.

If you’re plugged in to shore power, a small ceramic heater would be a good addition, but I’d still run the furnace.

Candidly, if it were me, I would not camp in those temps with water in the system. I’d winterize then carry water in containers.

 

[rando]

We use our water system in our Fleet flatbed in the winter with no issues so far. I am not sure we have ever been down below zero (F) but have certainly been in the low teens. We have made a couple modification to allow us to do this:

1. Add internal shutoffs to the shower. The newer campers use pex plumbing, and these are the valves fwc uses. Very easy to install on the lines to the shower, you could add 3 way valve to make it easier to drain: https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-1725-seatech-in-line-valve-type-39-12-cts.aspx

2. Add an internal shutoff to the external tank drain line.

When we are out camping we take a couple of precautions:
1. Obviously blow out the shower, shut off the internal valves and don't use it.
2. If it will be below freezing during the day - leave the hot water heater on. The water heater very effectively heats the cabinet where all the plumbing is. 6 gallons of hot water does a great job of keeping it nice and toasty, even if the water heater shuts off during the day or over night
3. Drain the hot water heater back into the fresh water tank once a day - this keeps the main water tank nice and toasty.
4. When you are done camping, pull the inlet filter from your water pump, run the pump dry and dump the water out of the filter cup.
5. Leave the furnace set ~45F over night and the cabinet doors open.

It is pure luxury to have hot and cold running water in the middle of winter, and one of the primary reasons we bought a fancy camper.

 

[TrapperMike]

Very thorough response Rando. If I had a water system, I would follow exactly what you did.
Mike

 

[Wallowa]

We use our water system in our Fleet flatbed in the winter with no issues so far. I am not sure we have ever been down below zero (F) but have certainly been in the low teens. We have made a couple modification to allow us to do this:

1. Add internal shutoffs to the shower. The newer campers use pex plumbing, and these are the valves fwc uses. Very easy to install on the lines to the shower, you could add 3 way valve to make it easier to drain: https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-1725-seatech-in-line-valve-type-39-12-cts.aspx

2. Add an internal shutoff to the external tank drain line.

When we are out camping we take a couple of precautions:
1. Obviously blow out the shower, shut off the internal valves and don't use it.
2. If it will be below freezing during the day - leave the hot water heater on. The water heater very effectively heats the cabinet where all the plumbing is. 6 gallons of hot water does a great job of keeping it nice and toasty, even if the water heater shuts off during the day or over night
3. Drain the hot water heater back into the fresh water tank once a day - this keeps the main water tank nice and toasty.
4. When you are done camping, pull the inlet filter from your water pump, run the pump dry and dump the water out of the filter cup.
5. Leave the furnace set ~45F over night and the cabinet doors open.

It is pure luxury to have hot and cold running water in the middle of winter, and one of the primary reasons we bought a fancy camper.

Hey, great ideas folks and appreciated...draining some hot water back into the main water storage tank, I have done that already on cold nights and it really works..

Question: Where do you install a shut off valve in the line leading to the rear of the camper for draining the water system?

I will find the shower lines and install the recommended shut offs.

I also used velcro to install 2" rigid foam insulation strips along the bed of the Tundra and against the Hawk under the over hang of the camper; along sides and at front closing the gaps between the truck bed and the Hawk...limits rain and hopefully limits cold air circulation and retains some heat inside the bed around the Hawk...metal truck bed only has a Rhino liner and unfortunately conducts heat like crazy...

Hot water is less an issue for us to have for our use than having 25+ gallons of on-board water in the system....we could heat water quickly on the stove...but as pointed out a hot water heater goes a long way in preventing the freezing of the system...

No magic here, but thoughtful preparations and procedures could save a lot of problems..

Thanks again and keep the ideas coming!

Phil

 

[longhorn1]

Phil, if I remember you have a newer FWC. There is a knob to shut of the hot door shower
The left knob is the shower and the right knob is the hot water heater drain back into the water tank. jd

 

[rando]

I have a flatbed, so the drain is different to the slide in camper - but on mine there is a short braided hose that runs from the main 'outlet' port of the water tank out to the drain cock on the side of the camper. Just cut that line and add a valve.

Again, I am not sure about the slide in models, but with the flatbed models, all the water stuff is in one cabinet in the front left corner of the camper, including the hot water heater and one end of the water tank. I didn't realize when I ordered the camper just how useful the water heater would be for keeping the entire water system warm in the winter. It is much easier and uses less power and propane just to heat the water cabinet than trying to keep the whole camper warm all the time.

 

[Wallowa]

Phil, if I remember you have a newer FWC. There is a knob to shut of the hot door shower
The left knob is the shower and the right knob is the hot water heater drain back into the water tank. jd


Yes, our FWC is a '16 Hawk...but the outside shower does not have two knobs but a single lever that controls temp and and on'off.

Will prowl around inside cabinets to see what is where...

Thanks...Phil

Close

 

[rando]

Phil, if I remember you have a newer FWC. There is a knob to shut of the hot door shower
The left knob is the shower and the right knob is the hot water heater drain back into the water tank. jd

I think you are thinking of the valves to fill/drain the hot water heater, which is independent of the shower.

I have a 2016, and as it comes there aren't any valves on the shower, which is fed by a cold line from the output of the pump and a hot line from the output of the hot water heater. Luckily they are easy to add.

 

[Wallowa]

I think you are thinking of the valves to fill/drain the hot water heater, which is independent of the shower.

I have a 2016, and as it comes there aren't any valves on the shower, which is fed by a cold line from the output of the pump and a hot line from the output of the hot water heater. Luckily they are easy to add.

"easy to add"? I assume you are referring to shut offs on hot and cold going into shower controller....at what location did you install the valves in these two lines? [Behind what door/drawer?]

I have zero plumbing experience and know less about Pex lines...but assume from the vendor website for valves you posted [thanks!] that there appear to be a compress/slip fit...is the valve you listed https://www.freshwat...-39-12-cts.aspx the correct one to order and use in the Hawk lines?

Thanks for all the information folks....appreciated.

Phil

 

[rando]

Again, the configuration on a flatbed is likely different, but I put the valves in the back of the small cabinet to the right of the fridge and below the sink. Both the hot and cold pex lines run through the back of the cabinet. You simply cut out a section of each line (~1") which is the length of the valve body with a utility knife or plastic tube cutter and then push the cut ends into each fitting on the valves. Less than 30 minute of work including cleaning out the cabinet and putting everything back in. The braided drain line is a little harder as you need to use barbed fittings and hose clamps.

 

[longhorn1]

FWC has 1 knob to shut off water to the out door shower and one to drain the hot water tank back to the main water tank, 2014 Grandby. jd

 

[Wallowa]

Great...appreciate the specifics...will go hunting in the cabinets tomorrow...many thanks!

Once scoped out and with valves in place my plan is to blow out the drain line and then shut that line off inside the camper in an area I can heat...likewise for the shower feeds...

Phil