Foam protection for underbody pipe work.

JT76

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Jan 24, 2016
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I have notice a few people wrapping their pipe work with rubber or foam. Just want to know what are people using to do this. Have both Bunnings and Clark runner near by but looking for some info before I go shopping. TIA!
 

Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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We used that black foamy pipe lagging from Bunnings. Just cut to length then along length.

The cable ties.

They're holding up well.
 
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chartrock

Forum Patriarch
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Sep 26, 2010
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I've done the same as @Dobbie. Bunnings sell it by metre lengths for just under $4 but I bought 2 metre lengths from a plumbing supplier for
$5 each, almost half the price. But they all need to be split length wise. It gets awkward to fit over pipes where they all meet and pass through the cross member so those place have to just rely on each other to prevent freezing.
 
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JT76

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Thanks, I was thinking it was a sheet cut in strip's then wrapped around so I'm glad I asked.
 
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Bellbirdweb

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Jan 24, 2014
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I got the Bunnings ones as well.

A big bag of cable ties, and split them along the length and the pretty much wrap over most of the pipe work
 
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pauljygrant

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Apr 1, 2015
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Question - is the main motivation to protect from freezing, or from stones etc?
If to protect from the cold, are you drawing the water from the tank, or mains via a hose lying on the grass?
We are planning on staying at powered sites at Jindabyne & Bright in September whilst skiing and not sure if I will need to worry about the plumbing system.
 

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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it is for a bit of both really I would guess

probably more for protection from road damage than insulation (but I may well be wrong)

tis on my list of things "To Do........"
toilet roll 57 - sheet 210
 
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Dobbie

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We did it for stone protection and never thought of protection of freezing pipes though I guess it would certainly help.
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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I have used the plumbers pipe sleeve but I popped the John Guest fittings and slid it over the pipe as previously I found the split and zip tie method allowed tiny rocks and dirt to move in with the pipe................I hate to say it, but buy it from a plumbing supply shop like poly pipe it will be cheaper usually than Bunnings, they seem to charge heaps for small cut sections of stuff....................................I fitted it to give protection from rocks and the cold.

Camping in areas with minus temps one should disconnect hose every evening, drain and lay under van, make sure you fill kettle with water just in case the plumbing under the van freezes, they certainly do without the sleeves over them.
 
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pauljygrant

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Apr 1, 2015
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Great! Just when I am about to finish my current list of mods, here is another one to consider.
Trip to the snow might make this a priority.....pity it's not plumbed like my first caravan, a 1997 Lunar Arriane from the UK. It's plumbing was 100% internal, other than the inlet obviously. Another UK brand also had a secondary inlet installed in the shower cubical so that you could place a 20L container in there and still have running water when it was freezing outside. Doubt I could route all the Jayco's plumbing inside, so adding pipe lagging is probably the best alternative. Agree with Drover on the install method of disconnecting each pipe section and sliding an uncut length over. Guess time to disconnect and reconnect would be offset by time to cut then cable tie back up a split insulator.
 
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JT76

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Reason for us is both stone protection for outback trip next year and to help stop freezing as we have a trip planned in Kosciuszko retreat near Perisher in August this year.
Love reading all the tips and learning as I go here!
 
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Drover

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Popping the guest fittings also means you can re route the lines, cut out a few uneccessary joins which does improve flow/pressure and generally make the whole system look better and work more effienctly, I even came away with fittings for the spares box and some spare lengths of pipe afterwards......and my plumbing looked tidy..............................
Oh on Big Mal the lines that ran in the wheel/axle area I actually ran it thru spare sullage pipe (the black corrugated stuff) that way I had a couple of lines protected in one go and nicely tucked up out of the way, looks good. ( I had run out of the rubber stuff).

A bit of a cut in the end of the sleeve to flair it and it covers the Guest fitting, zip tie to hold it closed.

Important note, don't zip tie it all until you pressurize line and make sure you have no leaks.....................I'm not telling how I know either.
 
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Drover

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Just a slight curve in the topic !!!!!!!.........when in the snow country I wonder if the dunny cassette freezes up when it's really cold ?????????....just a thought mind.
 
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Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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What thoughts strike you at 4am!!

I'd guess that you need to sit on it to keep it warm.....like birds in a nest.

There! You've found the meaning of life.

:flypig:
 
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