Community Forums

ctusdenny · 10-24-2011, 10:53 AM

I'm considering buying a used 2005 Dolphin LX motor home. I am curious about using it in the winter. I live in Seattle area, so winters here are wet, but not necessarily really cold (normally not below freezing too often).

I will have to store my MH where I don't have a constant power source. Is it possible to do this without it freezing up on those rare cold spells here in the pacific NW? Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

**"007"** · 10-24-2011, 11:39 AM

Welcome Denny to irv2.
Have you ever seen ice in your living area in puddles or standing water with ice.
If not and your days warm up above freezing I would not worry about winterizing.
A warm day will melt any water in your coach plus warm up coach inside.
If you do see ice than drain out water at low point drains and place a air fitting on city water input and blow out your lines before storing the coach.
Here is a link to winterizing if you need more info.
Congrats on you new adventure and enjoy the forums.

frankdamp · 10-24-2011, 12:14 PM

Welcome from an Anacortesian. This is a good forum to belong to. I usually winterise by blowing the system out with compressed air, then just a cupful of the pink stuff or cooking oil down each P-trap and in the toilet bowl. We don't normally go out between early November and late March, so winterising more than once isn't necessary. We put the insurance into "Hibernate" also, a feature Allstate offers on its RV policies, where the on-road laiblity stuff doesn't apply until you reactivate it.

The RV is parked alongside the garage and this year we're trying the cover that came with it when we bought it. We didn't use it last winter.

ga traveler · 10-24-2011, 05:01 PM

You can buy a small air compressor from sears or northern tools. Start your gen. and blow out your lines after each trip. Only takes a few minutes and will give you peace of mind.

Poptop · 10-24-2011, 07:54 PM

When I winterized our rv I always used air pressure to blow out the fresh water lines before adding the pink antifreeze. Make sure you turn the pressure down to 30-45 psi first as too high a pressure could blow out the seals in places like the toilet valve system.

ctusdenny · 10-24-2011, 09:17 PM

Thanks folks! Good tips. I think I'll look at getting a small compressor to blow out the lines each trip. Shouldn't be a big deal. then pour a bit of antifreeze in the traps.

62_inrightlane · 10-27-2011, 06:34 PM

Tip, when winterizing you can use windshield washer fluid in your black and gray tanks instead of the RV antifreeze. It's about 1/2 the cost of the RV antifreeze. Get a gallon into each tank by pouring into the toilets and into the shower and sink drains for the gray water. Takes care of your p-traps as well. Will not cause any harm to seals and plumbing.

Absolutely do not use it in your city water tank or city water hook up, use the RV antifreeze for your city water delivery system.