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Old 11-01-2009, 08:24 PM   #1
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One of the requirements (and a sensible one, at that) for residence at the RV park that is my new home in Cincinnati is to use fused heat tape for the water supply hose. I've called several RV supply stores, and they all send me to Home Depot for heat tape.
That would be fine if Home Depot had a clue what heat tape is. They only carry a variety of heat cable that clearly tells on the back of the package to NOT use it on hoses.
I see lots of circumstantial evidence that heat tape exists by searching on the Internet, but I'll be hornswoggled (is that a real word?) if I can find any, even online.
Is there a secret handshake or password I need to use to get someone to sell me some? I have a regular 25' hose connected (with pressure controller) that seems to work just fine, but I need to get some heat tape added in a short time. Cold weather is coming soon, and I'm not prepared!
I'd appreciate some guidance here.
Thanks,

Phil Ruffin
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2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
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Old 11-01-2009, 08:32 PM   #2
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Hadn't thought about it but yeah it's for pipes not hoses. Reading about using it on the white water hoses... it's been described as making the water taste like a South end of a North bound mule... here's the link: RV2.com - Heat Tape on Water Hose? and here's the link to the no freeze hose as per the discussion: No Freeze Water Hose. Pretty spendy!
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Old 11-01-2009, 09:03 PM   #3
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Quote:
Hadn't thought about it but yeah it's for pipes not hoses. Reading about using it on the white water hoses... it's been described as making the water taste like a South end of a North bound mule... here's the link: RV2.com - Heat Tape on Water Hose? and here's the link to the no freeze hose as per the discussion: No Freeze Water Hose. Pretty spendy!
Spendy is right!
Curiously, though, heat tape for these water hoses does seem to have existed for people to write about.

Phil
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Old 11-02-2009, 06:04 AM   #4
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Interesting, couldn't find it on Lowe's or Home Depot's websites, but did find it at Ace Hardware: Easy Heat® Freeze Free® Self-Regulating Pipe Heating System (10815)

Instead of heating up the water would it work to cover the hose with pipe insulation and wrapping the hose bib too?
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Old 11-02-2009, 08:29 AM   #5
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Maybe you could get some of the thinner PVC piping and thread the water hose through it, Then wrap the PVC with the heat tape....

All the things you wouldn't neccesarliy think of, when camping during the winter...I'd probably stay in my EGGIE until the Spring Thaw and my egg cracks.
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Old 11-02-2009, 11:48 AM   #6
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More than likely the Hose Bib is already got heat tape on it, otherwise they couldn't even keep water running to it. I personally would run a shorter hose than a 25 ft'er. 25ft to me is just more footage to freeze and to winterize. If possible make the hose distance between the Hose Bib and the trailer as short as possible.

I wonder if you could go to a plumbing supply versus HD or Lowes. I would also wrap the hose with insulation as well as heat tape. Unfortunately just insulating may not be enough, so that's probably why the rv park recommends heat tape. Is there any winter residents that have experience and might be willing to offer their experience on how to keep the water flowing?
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Old 11-02-2009, 03:58 PM   #7
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Just saw some in plumbing at Lowes in Schaumburg,il.
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Old 11-02-2009, 06:02 PM   #8
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Phil My wife and I lived in a fifth wheel in Santa Fe New Mexico at Rancheros campground, shameless plug, for five years ( roughly 7000 feet elevation and probably similar weather temperatures as your locale ). We built a small insulated plywood box over the faucet then heat taped all piping above ground. We then hung a drop light ( like you would use to work under the hood of your vehicle ) in the box . good idea to drill a small hole in the box to enable you to visually confirm that the light is working ( be sure to use the old stlye light bulbs as the swirly energy efficient ones probably don't produce enough heat to work in this application ). And finally yes we did use the heat tape on the hose, completely igoring the instructions, with no problems. As to the taste issue it wasn't a problem for us as we just purchased water in gallon jugs for all cooking and drinking water as we always do anyway. lee p.s. when wrapping the heat tape don't make the wraps to close to each other, maybe about two revolutions around the hose for every foot.
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Old 01-24-2011, 03:31 PM   #9
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We just had our sixth annual motorcycle meet&camp down here in north Florida on MLK weekend, and a few of our RVers had this problem. Temps got as low as twenty degrees, and their hoses froze. The faucets at the campground worked fine.
One camper left his faucet 'on' while he went on a ride - later that morning, the hose thawed and his concrete-floored pavillion shelter area was flooded. Luckily the camp host was able to get it cleaned up before they returned.
Ah, Florida winters - always exciting.......
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