To drain or not to drain....

[paull564]

Live in NY, near West Point, Hudson Valley area. We are leaving for FL on the 12/23. I have a 2007 Tiffin Allegro 32BA. The furnace is on, set for 40 degrees, I turn the electric hot water heater on every night. Also have a 100w drop light in the water compartment by the pump. Temps here have been 40's during the day down to 24 at night.

If I bypass the water heater and drain the fresh water tank and open the facucets to gravity drain the lines, would that be enough prevention for another ten days. I hate to run the RV antifreeze through the system for such a short period. Long range predictions are for the weather to remain about the same. Remember, the heat inside is set for 40, it was just 47 inside when I checked.

I don't know how exposed or how long the line is coming from the tank to the inside of the MH.

I'll value all opinions and hold no one responsible for my actions .

Paul Lang
Washingtonville, NY

[toneumanns]

With newer RV's simplified winterization valves why chance a frozen or broken line in an inaccessible area. Mine takes 10 min to winterize using 3 gallons of the pink stuff ($15). Chancing it can get expensive.

[wa8yxm]

I would blow the lines out with an air compressor, (Why spend five bucks on Pink Stuff) and carry a jerry can or two of water inside for Immed use till you get farther south.

[toneumanns]

I've gotta laugh. We spend HUGE money on our RV's. Spend hundreds on fuel & some worry about $10 on the pink stuff. Good grief.

[Pigman1]

I do exactly what you do. We only use a 60W in the wet bay, and don't bother with the water heater. It was down to 18 last night and in the low 20's at night for at least ten days out of the last 3 weeks without a problem. I'd call the factory and find out if some of your coach heat goes to the basement area. About 40% if our rear heat goes to the basement, so even at 18 our basement temps are in the low 40's with the thermostats set at 45. We'll keep this up until after Christmas when we head out. I'm not trying to save money, it's just a PITA to have to flush out the pink stuff in cold weather. I've been using this method for the past 6 years and have seen a lot lower temps than what we've seen this year, and have never seen a problem. we had 18" of snow in the drive when we left last year.