De winterize

[boiler up]

Anyone have any step by step advice for de winterizing a travel trailer?

[amkrouse]

Hook water up to camper....run all facets till no more pink stuff....hook camper to truck...kiss the winter goodbye...lol

[Trudinator]

Don't forget to sanitize your FW tank afterwards. Pour some bleach in the tank, fill it up, let the solution run through all the lines by opening the faucets, shower head, and outside shower. Then leave the solution in the tank for 4 hours or overnight. Then dump your FW tank, fill up again, and dump. I can't remember the ratio of bleach, but I think it's 1/4 cup per fifteen gallons of water.

[boiler up]

Thanks so much! We have running water! Now onto finding the bypass to get the hot water going!

[Chel]

My first travel with the trailer was last summer and I had problems getting the water heater to work. I forgot what I did to finally made it work
Does it anybody knows how to de- winterized the water heater?step by step
Thanks

[SmokeyWren]

Most RV water heaters have a bypass valve. When winterizing the rig, close that valve so the RV antifreeze will not get into the water heater. Drain the water heater.

In the spring, leave that valve closed until after you have filled, drained and flushed the fresh water tank several times. Yeah, use bleach the last time the tank is full of fresh water. Let it sit overnight, then pump it through all the cold fresh water lines in the rig - kitchen, bath, pottie, outdoor shower, etc.

Then finally drain the fresh water tank again, and refill with fresh water. I might even do it a few times until there there is no taste or smell of bleach at any of the sinks or lavatories.

The last steps are to open the bypass valve so fresh water can run into the and through the hot water heater. Drain the water heater until you get no smell of either antifreeze or bleach. Then button it up and light the water heater.

[Chel]

Thank you😃

[treetop]

This past winter I bought my first travel trailer. It is a 1998 Fleetwood Prowler 22L that seems to be in good condition. I would like to do a thorough clean out and check of the entire water and waste system. I would appreciate any comments and suggestions.
A few questions that I have would be
1. The grey water tank: Can I clean it out and dump here at home?
2. The Black waste tank is there away to dump it and clean it out here at home?

I am thinking once I have these cleaned out well then I should be able to run the fresh water to check everything really well so I am positive everything is ready for use.

I added this to the post thinking it would perhaps add to the answers above.

Thanks TT

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by treetop

1. The grey water tank: Can I clean it out and dump here at home?

"Grey" water is the same as dish water and bath water. Nothing "bad" is in it. It's just water and dirt and food bits and soap/detergent. In most jurisdictions, there is nothing wrong with pouring your dishwater on the lawn. In fact, because of the severe drought around here, the city fathers are encouraging folks to pour used bath water and dish water on the lawn and trees instead of "wasting" fresh water.

2. The Black waste tank is there away to dump it and clean it out here at home?

That's the toilet water, and you can't pour that on the lawn. But look carefully around the outside your house and see if you can find a "clean out" access to the sewer system. It's probably right up against the foundation, and probably a 4" PVC pipe with a screw-in plug in it. If you can find a clean out that you can get close enough to with the trailer to use the dump hose, then that's where you would dump the black water tank.

If you don't find an accessable clean out, then all is not lost. But it's a bit more work, You need a portable black-water tank of about 12 gallons or more capacity. Carefully dump the holding tank into that portable tank, then dump the portable tank in the toilet. Here's one example :
Amazon.com: Thetford 40505 2 Wheel Tank - 12 Gallon: Automotive

[treetop]

Thanks for the reply. I just hooked it up to power and turned the breakers and installed the fuses. There is a wall plate that has leds showing the tanks level, the battery level and a switch for the pump. Trying it briefley the pump came on and the leds indicate that the tanks are empty. The previous owner did say it was winterized. Sorry but its baby steps for me

[treetop]

I am thinking I can hook it up to the house water and check the faucets and pipes for leaks, I then will see the greay tank fill (led check) And then I should be able to drain all that water right out on the lawn. Thanks again for any help and suggestions, I appreciate them. TT

[Lincolnboy2]

Originally Posted by treetop

I am thinking I can hook it up to the house water and check the faucets and pipes for leaks, I then will see the greay tank fill (led check) And then I should be able to drain all that water right out on the lawn. Thanks again for any help and suggestions, I appreciate them. TT

Watch your water pressure! You need a water regulator on your hose to limit pressure to the trailer....

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by Lincolnboy2

Watch your water pressure! You need a water regulator on your hose to limit pressure to the trailer....

Yes! Inexpensive, so don't leave home without it.

There are two ways your RV water system gets water presssure. One is the pump that pumps the water from the fresh water tank into the system. Don't worry about that pump making too much pressure. But the other is city water pressure coming into the trailer via the water hose you connect to the trailer from a water supply faucet - such as the faucet in a campground. Many city water systems have water pressure that's too high for the plumbing in your RV, so you need a water pressure regulator between the faucet and the trailer's fresh water connection. Here's a link to one example of a cheap but adequate one:
Camco Mfg BRS WTR Pres Regulator 40055 - product summary - Bing Shopping

[treetop]

I appreciate the advice and I just ordered a few things one being that Camco 40055 pressure regulator. I looked at the fressh water holding tank and it appears like you just pour the water in from a hose. I also see a small pipe in the bottom of the TT with a pipe plug in it I am guessing that is the drain for the fresh water tank. I will flush that out a few times and then add some bleach and clean the whole system

Thanks again for the help