Community Forums

eastern1 · 11-16-2021, 07:04 AM

My Ventana with hydronic heating is in northern VA and is plugged in to 50 amp service with the burner on and water drained out. It could be a month or 6 weeks before I get it down to FL for the winter. Our temps right now go to lows of 29-34 and highs in the 50's for the most part. Would you go with a full on winterization or just pour some antifreeze into the drains and toilets?

Podivin · 11-16-2021, 07:09 AM

Can you get extended below freezing temps in the next 6 weeks?
Can you get a heavy snow fall or ice storm there in the next 6 weeks?
Does the power ever go out where the RV is stored?

When I lived in Iowa the answer to all three of those questions would be 'yes', which would also be the answer to whether or not I should winterize.

dizcom · 11-16-2021, 07:23 AM

I'm in the ounce of prevention camp. We're in N VA also and we've been surprised by the weather every single year we've been here. Winterizing isn't hard and easy to undo if you plan to use your unit in FL. Replacing parts of your water system or heating unit is a lot harder.

astrnmrtom · 11-16-2021, 07:28 AM

I'm someone who uses air to blow out my lines so full winterizing usually takes me less than 1/2 hour. I did it if there was any doubt about the upcoming weather. This time of the year if my next trip was 4-6 weeks out, I'd winterize.

**pasdad1** · 11-16-2021, 07:30 AM

Do you have auto generator start? If the power goes out, your coach could survive 4-5 days easy using generator a few hours per day to keep batteries charged and Oasis heat active enough to prevent freezing.

Is the coach nearby where you can check on it easily?

If yes to both questions, I probably wouldn’t winterize for the 6 week period. I also have internet hotspot, and camera, with temperature probe so I can always know what’s going on.

Dav L · 11-16-2021, 08:45 AM

This question comes up a lot....
Water freezes at 32F.
If the weather drops below 32, then the RV water system in time (hours to days) will freeze (depending on how low temp the RV gets) if the RV has no heating available.
A Oasis system cannot just be blown out with air. The water doesn't completely leave the expensive coil in the unit so it MUST be filled with antifreeze.

So, with the above facts, that's what you need to determine on the risk / benefit to you.

The replacement coil is something like $6,000 (and whatever else gets broken). Antifreeze material is about $20 and an hour of labor to winterize and another hour to springize.

If the cold spell is a known short term exposure - can you put the heat on? An electric heat source in the water bay?

The Weather Channel is all you need to monitor....that will tell you what the temp is and decent odds of what it will soon be.

Now with all that said, I have Winterizing to do around the place...

MJFZ · 11-16-2021, 08:55 AM

I too am in Northern Virginia and will head south after Christmas. I am winterizing later this week. Better (and cheaper) for me to be safe then have some plumbing freeze and break.

Mike

LETMGROW · 11-16-2021, 09:32 AM

Would you rather winterize now with moderate temperatures to work in or when that surprise 20 degree temperature hits your region?

USMCRET · 11-16-2021, 10:16 AM

I’m in Fredericksburg and will not be winterizing this year. My coach is plugged into 50 amp, the oasis burner is on, and the thermostats will be set to 50 deg. With the exception of the temperature setting, it’s no different than if I was living in it in this environment.

Wacdmc · 11-16-2021, 06:57 PM

I’m in middle Tennessee and I have already winterized since our next trip isn’t until Christmas. We have been down to upper 20’s a couple times so far this fall. I store my coach in an unheated building which stays a few degrees warmer than outside. However, around here, it can be 70 degrees one day and then lows in low 20’s or teens a day later. Antifreeze is cheap. I would fully winterize if I were you.

eastern1 · 11-16-2021, 07:45 PM

Leaning to winterize. I am going to FL for 10 days Thursday without the coach. I blew out the water lines and poured anti freeze into sinks, shower and toilets. If I get time tomorrow I will go ahead and do the whole system. If not the burner heat should be OK. Good 50 amp service and temps are forecast to be high 20's at night the worst and highs in 40-50. I guess it only a matter of pumping 6 gal of anti freeze into the system at this point. Thanks for the feed back.

Dav L · 11-16-2021, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastern1

Leaning to winterize. I am going to FL for 10 days Thursday without the coach. I blew out the water lines and poured anti freeze into sinks, shower and toilets. If I get time tomorrow I will go ahead and do the whole system. If not the burner heat should be OK. Good 50 amp service and temps are forecast to be high 20's at night the worst and highs in 40-50. I guess it only a matter of pumping 6 gal of anti freeze into the system at this point. Thanks for the feed back.

you have to have the pump flow antifreeze into the heater. that's the most important thing to protect.

Clemson · 11-17-2021, 05:14 AM

I would keep the Oasis system on and set to furnace and a thermometer setting of 60. It will heat your basement when the temp drops to 40. Nothing else is required IMO if you are heading south

Trapper2022 · 11-17-2021, 05:21 AM

I live in Houston and I winterize. Pretty cheap and easy to do. Cost of any freezing can be high. I am not comfortable hoping to be lucky. Safe travels.

Enjoy the journey