We knew we needed a heated drinking water hose. There have had numerous nights where the temperature dropped below freezing. Typically, we would check the weather report for below freezing temperatures. If the temperature was predicted to drop into the 30’s F, we would disconnect our water line, and use our stored water and water pump.
A couple of times, our water line partially froze, even though the weather report only predicted a low in the 40’s. Luckily, there was no damage to the hose. Growing tired of frozen water hose rupture concerns, we finally purchased a heated drinking water hose from Camco.
Its 25 feet long and very stiff. There is a temperature sensor at one end and a 6’ power cord at the other. A 25 feet power cord would have been nice. Universally, we need an extension cord, which we tuck under the coach and normally covered in plastic and elevated off the ground in case it rains or snows. The sensor needs to be close to the water spigot so that the coach doesn’t warm it up.
Inside the water bay, the water hose stays warm from the coach. I’ve heard of some people turning on a light in the bay to keep it warm. The hose has a self-regulating heater that supposedly has been tested to -40 degrees. I have read a lot of unfavorable reviews where the system has failed or leaked. Camco recommends preheating the hose, if its cold outside, before straightening it out by connecting it to power for 15-30 minutes to help the hose to relax, avoiding trauma to the heating elements.
Each campground in the different parts of the United States do different things when the temperatures go done to freezing. Some campgrounds insulate their water spigot. Others wrap the spigot in electric heating tape. Some shut the water off and open the spigots. Others ask we disconnect our water line and turn the spigot on to a slow drip to help prevent their line from freezing.
The heated drinking water hose isn’t the right solution every time for every campground, but we use it whenever temperatures are in the Forties and the campground keeps their water on. We went with the Camco option because its rare for us to stay longer than a week at a campground. A less expensive solution, if parked for awhile, is to to buy heated tape or cable, stick or wrap it on the water line, then cover it in pipe insulation. We got ours from Amazon.
