First Time Winterizing

[LeeB]

I now live in Upper Middle Tennessee. I used to live in California where all I had to do to winterize is throw another blanket in the MH.

I had some lessons at a Rally in Myrtle Beach on how to use RV Anti-Freeze and I am pretty sure I could use that method fairly easily.

Being that we are not sure if we are going to use our MH during the winter I decided to use the compressed air method. We did all the faucets in order and I will do them 3 or 4 more times. I drained the Hot Water Heater and left the Anode Rod out plus it is by-passed. I have a few questions though.

1. Will a little water left in the holding tanks be OK?
2. What do I have to do to the Water Pump?
3. Do I leave all the valves open? or just the low level ones.
4. What do I do with the Toilet? Leave it dry?
5. I am sure I will have more question as time goes by.

Thank You all for your expertise.....

[LeeB]

I now live in Upper Middle Tennessee. I used to live in California where all I had to do to winterize is throw another blanket in the MH.

I had some lessons at a Rally in Myrtle Beach on how to use RV Anti-Freeze and I am pretty sure I could use that method fairly easily.

Being that we are not sure if we are going to use our MH during the winter I decided to use the compressed air method. We did all the faucets in order and I will do them 3 or 4 more times. I drained the Hot Water Heater and left the Anode Rod out plus it is by-passed. I have a few questions though.

1. Will a little water left in the holding tanks be OK?
2. What do I have to do to the Water Pump?
3. Do I leave all the valves open? or just the low level ones.
4. What do I do with the Toilet? Leave it dry?
5. I am sure I will have more question as time goes by.

Thank You all for your expertise.....

[dirko]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">1. Will a little water left in the holding tanks be OK?
2. What do I have to do to the Water Pump?
3. Do I leave all the valves open? or just the low level ones.
4. What do I do with the Toilet? Leave it dry?
5. I am sure I will have more question as time goes by. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Having used compressed air for a couple of motor homes and our house in Wyoming, I think that is a good method. I use regular auto antifreeze (ethylene glycol) on the drains for a couple of reasons: It can be diluted 1/1 with water for protection down to about -50 degrees. Granted it won't get that cold where you are (or here in Utah) but in Wyoming -40 deg. was pretty common.

It is easy to treat the drains (tanks) with about a pint or so depending on how successfully the water was removed when dumped. You should also put a litle in each drain trap. I like to keep the toilet valve wet by putting a little antifreeze and water in the bowl. But, be careful that animals don't have access to the toilet because they like antifreeze, but it is lethal to them.

Don't forget the outside shower and the ice maker if you have them.

We have been successful by just blowing air through the water pump, but one could always check for water and drain it if there is any there.

I normally open all the faucets when I am through, but I don't think this is really important.

The advantage this approach has is that there is no red stuff (alcohol based antifreeze) in any place where it has to be removed and it is fast. I can do the whole procedure in about 20 minutes, and starting up again requires nothing other than putting water in the water tank.

Good luck, Dirk

[GaryKD]

Hi Lee,
I have not had to winterize in well over 20 years. When I did winterize, never trusted the compressed air method. For me RV antifreeze is the only way to go. There are too many low points in the lines where residual water can drip drain and form a "puddle". Based on that what I would do:

1. If by a little water you mean not enough to cover the bottom of the tank; pour a some RV antifreeze into the holding tanks. The focus here is to keep the valve seal from freezing.
2. For the water pump, use the KSCA's winterization tube (I think you have one). Follow the instructions in the utility bay. Or take the pump out of the coach. Somehow, you need to get the water out of the pump.
3. Once complete I close all the valves that have outside access. I leave the interior faucets open.
4. Put some RV antifreeze in the toilet.

Don't forget the drains (including the shower). Put some RV antifreeze in each of the drains.

[Wingman02]

We will be doing the same thing in a couple months. Because of our location it will be near the end of the year. We changed from a TT to a C and both were about the same to winterize. Now with the A, water seems to be everywhere. Not looking forward to the first learning experience.

[Steve N Sal]

Just finished winterizing ours for the first time. Used compressed air, left all the faucets open. Poured anitfreeze in the drains and quite abit in the toilet. Now just have to distribute the dryer sheets in the storage bays and a few in the coach to keep the little meeses away. LOL

[LeeB]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Steve N Sal:
Just finished winterizing ours for the first time. Used compressed air, left all the faucets open. Poured anitfreeze in the drains and quite abit in the toilet. Now just have to distribute the dryer sheets in the storage bays and a few in the coach to keep the little meeses away. LOL </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good Tips ALL OF YOU...Steve N Sal I have been using the flea dog collars (cut into small strips) (about 3 inches)) and put them in each bay. I also add little pieces to the groves in the Awning.. I am going to add some dryer sheets also to the bays...

[RVDude]

Although I am personally a fan of the blow-out method, IF you have hydronic heat (AquaHot particularly and maybe Oasis) you will be well advised to consider pinking the freshwater side of that unit. You can do so by disconnecting the fresh lines into/out of the unit and forcing pink into the unit itself. AquaHot specifically and consistently advises against just blowing. Too much chance of a water plug forming in the bottom of one of the loops of the heating coil.

Also ensure you know and examine how all your plumbing lines run and ensure you do not have low running elbows or the like where a water plug can reform in those lines after blowing thus causing a freeze pressure point.

The beauty of the blow method is that all you need to do to start up the system is just add water and maybe a quick disinfect and just hit the road.

Norcold icemakers/dispensers do not need blowing but they do need draining by a line disconnect at the solenoid - per Norcold directions.

[LeeB]

I am positive I don't have hydronic heat.

I am using the Blow Method. I will post a over view of what is did later.

[dirko]

Hi Ho Steve: I have found it works best if you open one faucet at a time until a good stream of aid comes out without any water. Start with the faucet that is closest to the source and work you way to the furthest.

Just a suggestion.

Dirk

[Steve N Sal]

LeeB,
Flea dog collar. Now I haven't heard of that one.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

I made a fitting so I could connect the city water thing to my air compressor without having to hold it, set the compressor at about 30 psi, and opened each valve.

I really thought I got all the water out, until I installed one of those valves on the intake side of the water pump to draw RV anti-freeze into the pump...

I was surprised how much clear water came out of the taps before I got pink anti-freeze.

Anyway, now I generally put the water heater on bypass, and while it's draining I'll use air to blow most of the water out of the pipes, then run anti-freeze through the pump and lines.

As far as a bit of water in the bottom of the tanks, as long as the valves and drain pipes are empty I think it will be OK.

I also like to leave some anti-freeze in the bowl to keep the toilet seal from drying out.

[Fillitup]

I had a lake house we winterized by draining and blowing out the lines. There was a droop in the line and water collected there and it froze and burst. It was not an RV though but it still remains with me as it was a bad problem considering the position of the droop in the line. I am afraid to do the air thing with the RV so I use the pink stuff after draining and blowing the lines when I winterize...I do see some clear water come out when pumping in the pink stuff...

I believe the best method is to use the one we will employ this year --- go south to Florida

[FrontRangeRVer]

Commonly gets to -30F here in the Winter. I bypass the drained water heater, and open every faucet in the motorhome. I use my air compressor with 125 psi (doesnt matter as all the faucets are open) and blow out the lines for about 30 seconds. Then I close all the faucets and use 2 gallons of antifreeze until each faucet runs pink...a bit in the drains, and I am good to go.