Community Forums

NCSaltyDog · 10-09-2022, 08:04 PM

I plan on having my coach, with AquaHot, in a fully enclosed storage building with an electric hookup. Can I just set the heating system to Electric on the AquaHot and not have to winterize? The wet bay is heated and has a thermostat. I live in NC and it does get below freezing.

Thanks

Scepter40 · 10-09-2022, 08:55 PM

There are folks who do that, and I thought seriously about doing it, but I don’t. Problem is, what happens when the power goes out?

Winterizing is super easy and cheap. 15-20 minutes and 2, maybe 3 gallon of antifreeze and you’re done. Just not worth the risk for as easy as it is. And did I mention cheap? The worst part is emptying the fresh water tank. Mine takes forever to drain all the way.

xrcris · 10-09-2022, 09:00 PM

I've never "winterized" any of my campers, trailers or RV's. Dump the tanks and blow the lines out. My brother lives in Clayton NC, and to hear him talk, the most you'll ever have to do is put on a sweatshirt (I thought the same thing first time I was in GA - but darn Benning can get COLD). Anyway, I don't like the thought of having to flush the antifreeze out in the spring, and we've taken to using the motorhome more during the winter months now that the kids are getting older. Just my two cents.

Bobby F · 10-09-2022, 09:10 PM

Bobby's Law - a frozen water line will usually break behind the wall that would be the most complex and expensive wall to dig into and repair.

**NLOVNIT** · 10-09-2022, 09:54 PM

Depends on how long it stays below freezing, what the temp is inside the building (can vary a lot from outside) & if you're willing to bet the power won't go out anytime during that type of weather. How lucky do you feel?

PanJH · 10-10-2022, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCSaltyDog

I plan on having my coach, with AquaHot, in a fully enclosed storage building with an electric hookup. Can I just set the heating system to Electric on the AquaHot and not have to winterize? The wet bay is heated and has a thermostat. I live in NC and it does get below freezing.

Thanks

I'd blow out the lines.... a few minutes worth of prevention. If, as a prior post indicated, the power goes out, you'll be OK.... if you are nearby, you can also go over and fire up teh genset to power the aquahot.

I live in Florida.... generally we don't have hard freezes, but about 35 yrs ago, we had a major freeze and the power went out. My neighbor that was out of town for the holidays, had a outside pipe that fed the house freeze and burst. I turned off the water at the meter when IO saw it.

A few years ago I went to Australia during Dec and Jan. Remembering what happened to my neighbors house, I winterized my RV. I would rather do it and not need it that not do it and need it.

DuaneMiller · 10-10-2022, 07:06 AM

With an AH, you cannot fully winterize with just using air, you have to pump antifreeze….

I use air to blow out the excess water, then follow up with pumping antifreeze into the system. +/- $12 worth of antifreeze and about an hour of your time is pretty cheap insurance…

sbleiweiss · 10-10-2022, 08:46 AM

Depends on whether you are nearby and willing to rush over with a generator and heater if the power goes out or something else fails.

Cousin Ed · 10-10-2022, 08:51 AM

I set my eclectic Aqua hot at 45 and we leave for the south right after Christmas. It sits right next to the house, outside, but our weather is usually mild. If it's going down to the 20s I will jack up the A.H. to 55. I monitor the wet bay, basement and house. If the weather gets mean I just switch to diesel.

NCSaltyDog · 10-10-2022, 06:09 PM

Thanks for all the responses. Very helpful.

Dav L · 10-10-2022, 07:30 PM

If your area gets lower than freezing then it would be foolish not to take the 30 minutes and $20 in antifreeze to first blow out the water and THEN add in antifreeze until spring.
Especially if you have an expensive Aquahot/ Hydrohot.