water lines in heated space?

[Eggscape]

I would assume that your outside shower is located at the rearish of the trailer underneath the bed then.

Here are some photos of how the plywood is laid out under the bed and what you would have to remove to access the area.

The panel marked C is easily removed to give access to the front half and none of the wood is glued. If your taps are in this area you are in luck.

Panel D that goes across the whole rear width of the trailer is another story...
It is part of the entire bed structure as the beams do not run from the front all the way to the rear. Start taking screws out of that panel and the whole bed will collapse.

 

[ColoradoSwany]

I figured the lines had to start from the pump area. Lines are probably routed behind the fridge, and/or behind the cabinet below fridge. The shower itself is about 4 1/2-5’ above ground level. If I remember correctly it is between our optional bathroom window and rear bed window. Probably not fun to move our mattress and get under there. Mattress fits pretty snug.

 

[tdf-texas]

I would assume that your outside shower is located at the rearish of the trailer underneath the bed then.

Here are some photos of how the plywood is laid out under the bed and what you would have to remove to access the area.

The panel marked C is easily removed to give access to the front half and none of the wood is glued. If your taps are in this area you are in luck.

Panel D that goes across the whole rear width of the trailer is another story...
It is part of the entire bed structure as the beams do not run from the front all the way to the rear. Start taking screws out of that panel and the whole bed will collapse.

My 21' had a bed structure liked that too. Changing it made the structure stronger and eliminated the spurious squeaking noises as well. Used a biscuit joiner and Titebond II on all the joints - if they every have to come back out, they will have to be cut out.


Something to think about while you are adding those outside shower shutoff valves

 

[Eggscape]

It is like having a 14 foot wide floor section in your home supported by 12 foot joists. I guess if you put enough screws in the deck you can make it work...

It was very easy to replace and do it right as you have pictured.

 

[cpaharley2008]

For some reason I think the shower on the street side is located where the closet is, not in the rear bed area? Picture on the outside would help.

 

[ColoradoSwany]

I think it probably is behind the closet, which is between the fridge and bathroom. From rear of camper, in sequence, it is bed, fridge, closet, bathroom, dinette. Unfortunately, not easy to get a picture right now as camper is covered and in the storage yard. This would be a warm weather project anyway.

 

[rubicon327]

For some reason I think the shower on the street side is located where the closet is, not in the rear bed area? Picture on the outside would help.

I’ve seen it done both ways on newer Escapes. Based on the description it sounds like it is up higher in the middle. If it is aligned with the wardrobe closet (like they were on the 1st gen trailers) it shouldn’t be too hard to work on. The last pic is of the older style shower in our 2010 19.

...and yes you will need a valve for both hot and cold.

 

[jmcrv2017]

If I were doing a longer term winter camping set up again I would invest in a fabric skirt around the perimeter and a low level heat source underneath such as a 100w light bulb. Remember with your set up your discharge valves are still outside the heated space and will not drain even if you have a high percentage of antifreeze in the tanks. It becomes sludge like and will not flow. Those who have used skirting in the winter sing its praises.

Thanks for your reply!

Yes, for the next year, if we can find ski lease on camp site, we will get a skirt for sure! Not sure how to install heating bulb. Just regret that we should get the heat pad option. Never thought that we are going to do this much winter camping.

 

[jmcrv2017]

The white valve is the fresh water drain - if you have the spray foam insulation that should be the only thing exposed on your fresh water tank. To the left of it is the hose that goes from the fresh water tank up to the water pump. With the spray foam insulation it is normally completely enclosed and has some protection from freezing.

You should be able to use your water pump and fresh water tank normally - if the temps were extreme and the supply line from the tank to the pump froze you'd know because the pump would stop being able to draw water, as long as your pump is drawing water you are fine.

Thanks for the reply!

We actually used fresh water tank and pump in this spring, when at night the temperature dropped to teens but daytime it went up above frozen point. No issue at all.

This time it is cold, with 5 days below frozen point. If we use the fresh water tank and pump and it doesn't draw water, it means the pipe/tank frozen, right? the tank should be fine since it has expanding space. Would the pipe (the only one outside the trailer) burst open? If so, how do we know? It is wrapped by the spray foam, we would not be able to see the leak...

Thanks
Jing

 

[cpaharley2008]

How does the skirt work with hookups? If no sewer/water hookups then tank heaters are not needed.

 

[jmcrv2017]

If you truly have full hookups this means the city water service is still active. Could you just use a heated hose? This way the fresh water tank and pump aren’t even in the equation and all lines in use are within the heated shell. Only exposure is the actual outside hose connection...and possibly exterior shower (see below). Could disconnect hose at night if really concerned.

In lieu of heated hose some have drawn water from a small internal container via the winterizing tee connection. Or even simpler alternative is to winterize the water system and use a container of water at the sink and antifreeze to flush the toilet.

Keep in mind if you have the factory outside shower/spray port option that is susceptible to freezing. Ideally you would have the ability to drain and valve this off. Unfortunately from the factory this is not possible. I did an aftermarket install of one and incorporated a way to do this.

Thanks!

Yes, we have full hook up. Our site has 6/7 airstreams and all of them had one attached! I just placed an order so next trip will be a lot easier.

BTW, do you connect your dump pipes all the time during camping? We only connect it when we dump. But I saw all the airstreamer connects theirs.

 

[cpaharley2008]

You connect but keep your valves shut until you are ready to dump....

 

[Barb Hunt]

Last winter the outlet from my black tank froze, so this year I had a heater installed on the elbow, and a heat pad installed on the black tank, so no worries. And I have a heated hose which works great. I don't want a skirt because attaching it to the trailer would mess up the trailer's finish. And it's not that cold here on Vancouver Island : )

 

[cpaharley2008]

What about your grey tank? your need that to clean your black tank hose...

 

[Donna D.]

Last winter the outlet from my black tank froze, so this year I had a heater installed on the elbow, and a heat pad installed on the black tank, so no worries.

I thought the black tank was inside

 

[Barb Hunt]

I keep the grey tank warm by washing the dishes : )

 

[Barb Hunt]

The black tank didn't freeze, but the elbow did, just above the valve and that's outside. The black tank is inside but the bottom of it is outside, so I had a heater put on it just in case it gets really cold here - unlikely : )

 

[cpaharley2008]

I'm guessing the foam tank option was not installed....

 

[Barb Hunt]

That's right. I ordered my Escape in 2015 for a 2016 pick-up and I didn't know that was an option. (First thing I did was go next door to the truck-driving school and they taught me how to drive with a trailer!)

 

[cpaharley2008]

It was on the option list, I had it on my 2012 E19. You know Escapes hold their value, perhaps you may want to upgrade now that you are an experienced driver and get a newer Escape. some of us have done this multiple times........