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RV Doctor ColumnRV Doctor #297 Dear RV Doc, we have a Class C motorhome. We have used it quite often this winter and have resisted winterizing it because we use the shower and toilet and such. I have heated it through the winter so far without any problems, but during a recent cold snap the bathroom plumbing froze. I believe the problem is where the water lines run under the floor to the opposite side of the cabin. Interior heat, I suspect, was not enough to keep the lines from freezing under the floor. To thaw the lines, I am using a bullet heater under the motor home outside to try and get the floor temperature above 32 degrees. In the living area I have added a ceramic heater and fan and have opened all the drawers to get heat back into the recesses of the bathroom. So far I have been able to unfreeze the hot water line, but not the cold water line yet. What can I do to keep this from happening again? I cannot find any diagrams telling me exactly where the water lines run under the coach. Is my only solution to winterize those lines? David Belanger, (Butler, KY) David, winter RVing is indeed enjoyable - especially if the family is into the snow toys and/or slope activities. But, as you say, it can be difficult if the plumbing succumbs to below freezing temps. I would be surprised if the water lines truly are routed via the exterior under the coach. Typically they will route in and through cabinets or in voids through the walls and maybe under the top flooring. Some coaches, however, are better insulated than others, so it could be an insulation issue. If you can trace the lines, it may be possible to wrap them each in foam-type insulated jacket available at most home supply centers. There is also heat tape that can be wrapped around them in those tough areas. Accessibility is the key however. Also remember, running water is less likely to freeze. If possible, when you are connected to a dump assembly in a campground for instance, leave the cold water seeping just a little through the bathroom faucet. The gray water will continually drain and this will minimize the chances of the cold line freezing. All this advice from a guy raised in and still living in sunshine! But it may help. Other than that, winterization is the only other viable option when the coach is not in use. Dear Gary, I recently bought a 32-foot motorhome with two roof air conditioners. Recently I had to have the front unit replaced. The problem is that before, if the units were in the "on" position and the generator was started, there would be a delay of about thirty seconds before the air conditioners would come on. Now since they installed the new unit, if it is left in the "on" position and you start the generator it comes on right away. The explanation I get from the dealer is that is the way it should be. It doesn't make sense to me that the generator is under load now while trying to start if the air conditioner was accidentally left on. Rick Benedict, (Orange, CA) Rick, it is obviously quite difficult to diagnose an electrical problem without the ability to view firsthand what is happening and to take accurate electrical measurements, but it sure sounds like the installers have bypassed the delay relay when they installed the new unit. I'm not sure where on your coach the relay is located, perhaps in the panelboard distribution box, but something has obviously been altered. The majority of RVs with two roof air conditioners, however, do not have such a luxury. It's a very good habit to always disconnect or turn off all loads before starting or stopping the generator. Damage to the compressor in the air conditioner could occur if the generator is shut down while it is still in the compress cycle. With our without the relay, always shut the roof airs off first before shutting down the gen-set. But, I would still follow-up with the installer and find out exactly how they wired that new unit. A quick call to the manufacturer may yield some insight as to the original wiring scheme for those roof air circuits as well. Dear RV Doctor, last weekend we had to use our furnace overnight. We noticed that while it ran and heated well, after a few hours, it would go off and then on again; over and over until I had to manually turn it off. Later it would run fine. It did this both nights that we had to use it. Is there an easy answer to this? Kerry Parker, (St. Petersburg, FL) Kerry, it's quite possible the furnace was cycling on limit. What that means is that the limit switch, a safety device internal to the furnace housing, was sensing a higher than normal temperature and was shutting down the furnace. The question is what caused the high limit situation? Especially if it has worked fine prior to this excursion. The most common reason for creating higher than normal internal temperatures is by closing off too many floor registers or by collapsing or kinking a delivery duct. After the furnace cools, the limit switch snaps closed and the furnace starts back up; until the high temperature limit is exceeded once again. And the cycle continues. Open up all the air ducts in the coach and look for the possibility of a kinked or a collapsed duct. It happens easily if an exposed duct is installed in or near a storage area where you may have recently placed goods or gear. It seemingly happens all the time. Additionally, if all the ducts are clean and free of restrictions, possibly the limit switch itself can be the culprit. A limit switch can be checked with an Ohmmeter. It will have but two terminals and is a normally closed switch. The limit switch is actually a bi-metal disc that can become fatigued over time and simply may have lost its integrity. A new one should be readily available at any well-stocked RV appliance repair facility.
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