PIPE HEATER THAT USES BATTERIES

[MizFurball]

Hi, folks. I haven't been here in a while but I had a handyman who owed me a lot of money. He skipped out still owing me.
Is there some type of small heater I can use under the house when the temperature gets very low and our electricity goes out, thus making my heat tape ineffective. I would need one that runs on batteries -- or propane if that would not be dangerous. I would use it at the point where the water enters the house through the water heater, since this is closest to the outside and most likely to freeze. My belly wrap and metal skirting are in good condition.

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. I have never seen a battery powered unit. I honestly don't see that it would really work. The power required would drain a battery fairly fast. I think that either a Kerosene unit or a stand by generator would be much more effective.

As long as the skirting is tight & your insulation is in place I would think you would be safe for a day or two without power unless you have subzero temperatures.

I have not had problems here with extended power outages so I honestly can not say for sure, perhaps others that have had the problems will add to this.

Greg

[MizFurball]

I remember your slogan from when I used to be on here a LOT. I didn't own an MH back then but was living in one. I only own this one cuz I had initially rented it and the landlord liked me so much, he financed me.

This will be for emergencies only. I am about to buy a 4000-watt propane generator. I plan to run a small heater (1350 watts) and my fridge (apparently 885.5 watts, figured by V and A). It only has two AC outlets. Would I be able to use a multiple plug and run the fridge and heat tape on one AC outlet?

[Greg]

Depending on your furnace, it may actually draw less than the heater. It may take a little "Rewiring" to make it so you could just plug it in. The fridge would not be running the whole time so you can shift things around every hour or so.

Another possibility would be to add a transfer switch and power the whole house, you would just have to keep track of how much is on at any given time.

I remember your old"Furball" tag and it seems like you were doing a lot of work at one point.

Greg

[MizFurball]

Yes, I did do a lot to places I didn't even own.

Thanks. I can't afford anyone to do a transfer switch or wire the furnace. The money for the generator was a gift. But, I can switch from the fridge to the pipe tape to the freezer (freezer won't need much attention, I think). Goals: Keep warm; keep pipes from freezing; keep food from spoiling. Should be able to handle this. I will need a couple more extension cords. I think I need at least #12. I have a couple but have not checked their numbers yet. I just got the money last night, so I'm still in a tizzy.

[Greg]

Since you have not bought a generator yet, You may be able to find a good used larger generator for the same money. There are LOTS of generators showing up on craigslist here after Sandy. Just a thought.

Greg

[MizFurball]

There are some on there, but they are gasoline and I want propane. I do not want to store gasoline in my shed or try to pour it into the generator. I could make a big mess.

[MizFurball]

It's zero degrees. Hope my pipe tape is working!

[Greg S]

I agree with Greg in regards to the danger of freeze up. My property is in Ontario Canada where sub Zero is very common. A insulated skirting should prevent your water lines from freezing even during extended power outages. The heat radiated from the ground under the home should be adequate to prevent freezing in a insulated properly closed skirting.

I also agree you should consider wiring the generator to the electrical in the home as a whole house backup. If you are going to the trouble of having a large (4000 watt) generator you should use it to it's capacity. Buy used and spend the money for the electrical cut over system.

If you can not find a propane used then get a good gas genny (they are a dime a dozen) and have it converted to propane. It is simple and not overly expensive. Shop around and you should easily get everything you need and the electrical work done for the same cost as a new propane generator

[MizFurball]

Thanks, Greg S. I already HAVE the propane generator. I also did not want a used genny because I wanted a good warranty. We had sub-zero last night. My outside faucet has an insulated cover. My skirting is good, but I don't believe it is insulated. I have aluminum tape over all the air vents. I have a very long heat tape that runs along the pipe under the house to where it enters, then coils around in the hole where the water originates (also under the house). My dryer vent runs from the center of the house to the outside. So, I did two loads of laundry in the wee hours to add more heat under the house. I had faucets open slightly in both bathroom and kitchen. No problems. So far, so good.

There is NO WAY I can afford an electrician. I am retired on Social Security at $988 a month and my bills are $987 a month.

[Greg S]

I strongly advise you do not allow taps to drip during freezing conditions. If you have leaking faucets have them repaired. Allowing taps to drip will not prevent the water lines from freezing so there is no point in doing it. However what dripping taps will do, because of the low volume of water, is cause the drain lines to freeze solid and burst the drain pipe. I have seen this happen in a home that had a dripping tap in the bath tub. The water is running so slow through the drain pipe that it freezes in the horizontal run, builds up, blocks the water, freezes solid and bursts the drain pipe.
If you are going to have taps run have them open at least half way to insure a adequate volume to not freeze in the drain line.
You would still be wise to plan in the future to use the generator to run your home electrical including the furnace to also prevent your water lines from freezing. It will use the same amount of propane and insure everything is OK.

[MizFurball]

Okay, thanks.