The Test is HERE!!!

First of all, I have been very remiss with keeping everyone up to date on what we have been doing. I did manage to post in regards to installing our EZE-Kleen sewer system, but I forgot to post about what we did to prepare the water supply hose and flush hose for winter.

As luck would have it, our inlet area on the Mobile Suites is right close to 25 feet from the “underground” hydrant box. Thus, we only needed two 25’ hoses to do this job instead of having to use a 50’ and figure out what to do with the rest of the hose to protect it.  One is the fresh water supply hose and the second is for the black tank flushing.

We went to Lowes and bought 1” split foam insulation tubes that are 6 feet long and bought enough to encase both 25 foot hoses. Then we got an electrical heat tape that was 30’ long and wrapped that around the two 25’ lengths of hose in the tubes. That was followed by wrapping strips of pipe insulation around the two hoses in tubes and the heat tape.

Once that was wrapped, we then inserted the whole “assembly” into lengths of 4” heavy PVC pipe and “tied” each section to the next with white Duct tape. A right angle was created near the hydrant, just in case we decide to “skirt” the coach with something. Also, with the right angle, we can go straight into the box that we had built to put over the underground hydrant.

What’s with the box? Well, since the hose/insulation/heat tape/insulation assembly was too big to go in through the ready cut holes in the lid of the hydrant box, it was not going to be protected from the elements. We had the box made pretty large and it includes a hinged lid with an “eyelet” screwed into the underside of the lid and the whole thing was placed over the hydrant enclosure.

I hung my old shop trouble light, complete with incandescent bulb, on that eyelet and can turn it on when it really gets cold so that it can supply heat inside that box. There is also enough room in that box to add old blankets or whatever to help insulate the area.

With the hinged lid, when it comes time to dump and flush the black tank, all I have to do is raise the lid and turn on the water to the flush system and run that until the flushing is done. Then, I disconnect the hose from the hydrant long enough to drain the hose into that box. So, even though it is insulated and all, that hose won’t have the water running in it that the fresh water hose will have to help prevent freezing of the hose.

You can see in the picture below the proliferation of PVC products, including the EZE-Kleen sewer system in the foreground and the insulated water supply assembly running along the wheels and to the back.

Last month we arranged to lease a 100 gallon LPG tank to be set next to our fence so that we can have a larger source of LP for heating. It even has a gauge so I can tell when it is getting low. That tank was delivered this afternoon and is now hooked up to our coach.

Now, it is time to test this entire process of me trying to protect water supplies and keep the coach warm, along with all the occupants. A test we are supposed to get tonight.

While in the past month we haven’t seen temperatures below 33 degrees, tonight it is supposed to get down to about 20 or 21 degrees. Considering the worry-wart that I am, I don’t really expect to get a lot of sleep tonight. In spite of being the KING OF OVERKILL, I always consider my efforts to be lacking in what is needed.

I’ve stuffed some extra insulation into the bottom of the compartment for the valves and water inlets and turned on the trouble light in the box. Right now, my wireless thermometer system tells me that it is about 75 degrees in the coach, 29.1 degrees outside, and 47.3 degrees in the belly of the coach.

Maybe I need to get one more sensor for the thermometer so I can put that into the box to monitor that worry spot? Did I fail in being the KING OF OVERKILL?

I guess morning will tell.