Winterizing

[olddog49]

Ok, I realize the subject of winterizing is most likely not on the top of everyone's list. Just throwing it out there, for all you RV gurus. Here in Vegas we do not really have extreme cold winters, last year in fact it never got below freezing at my location. We had the Coach winterized, but considering it was a waste of money. Unable to do it myself due issues with the back. So, my question is.... once the temp drops to 32 or lower, how many hours at the temp would be required for pipes to freeze? TIA

[Diane98]

You didn't say whether your coach was being stored during the winter. We live in the in foothills of the Sierra Nevada mts, and many times get below 30 degrees, and all we do to winterize our coach is this--
we drain all water in the tanks, open the lowest point valve, drain the water heater, open all faucets so any water would drain out rather than freeze, we add the pink rv antifreeze about 2 inches of it, to the toilet bowl. We are always connected to power and have 2 small heaters in the bays that are connected to a yellow device (sorry I don't remember what it is called) but it will allow the heaters to come on if the temperature drops below 38 degrees. In 14 years we have never had a problem. Hope this info is what your looking for.

[gemini5362]

Not sure what your back issues are but if you can operate your coach you should be able to winterize it. IF you have access to a air compressor get the air chuck that adapts to the fresh water hose. hook up the compressor with the regulator set at about 50 psi. open all of your faucet valves one at a time until it blows air no water. Do that procedure about three times until every time you open a valve no water comes out. open drain to fresh water tank and let it empty. If you have not drained grey and black tanks. ( You should have done that at your last campsite or somewhere on your way home) Put some pink antifreeze in them. Whole procedure should take about a half hour. If you have an automatic icemaker I would try powering up the icemaker with no ice cubes and see if the air pushes any water out into the ice cube tray.

[J Birder]

Originally Posted by gemini5362

Not sure what your back issues are but if you can operate your coach you should be able to winterize it. IF you have access to a air compressor get the air chuck that adapts to the fresh water hose. hook up the compressor with the regulator set at about 50 psi. open all of your faucet valves one at a time until it blows air no water. Do that procedure about three times until every time you open a valve no water comes out. open drain to fresh water tank and let it empty. If you have not drained grey and black tanks. ( You should have done that at your last campsite or somewhere on your way home) Put some pink antifreeze in them. Whole procedure should take about a half hour. If you have an automatic icemaker I would try powering up the icemaker with no ice cubes and see if the air pushes any water out into the ice cube tray.

You seem to have missed draining the fresh water tank and opening the low point drains. On many RVs, that requires crawling under the rig.

Joel

[Cat320]

I have very reliable power, so I winterize by draining all the water, then placing two trouble lights, each with a 60 W bulb, where ever there is trapped water...washing machine, refer ice maker, Aqua Hot, electric toilet, 12 volt water pump, etc. I place two in each place in case a bulb burns out.

[Monacoach]

Originally Posted by gemini5362

Not sure what your back issues are but if you can operate your coach you should be able to winterize it. IF you have access to a air compressor get the air chuck that adapts to the fresh water hose. hook up the compressor with the regulator set at about 50 psi. open all of your faucet valves one at a time until it blows air no water. Do that procedure about three times until every time you open a valve no water comes out. open drain to fresh water tank and let it empty. If you have not drained grey and black tanks. ( You should have done that at your last campsite or somewhere on your way home) Put some pink antifreeze in them. Whole procedure should take about a half hour. If you have an automatic icemaker I would try powering up the icemaker with no ice cubes and see if the air pushes any water out into the ice cube tray.

I think you missed the op's statement that due to back issues he cannot winterize himself.
If the weather drops into the 20 s for a few hours then back into the 30s and 40 s during the day I wouldn't bother winterizing.

[SteveLevin]

I wouldn't expect you to need to winterize in Vegas, a few hours just below freezing shouldn't hurt anything. The only thing you might -- might -- want to do is try and release the water from your icemaker line, if you have one. That you should be able to do by just popping open the vent cover from the outside of your fridge (which, unless you have a VERY strange setup, should be a standing up job), unscrew the water fitting, and let it dribble out some water to make sure it's not "packed" with water.

Steve

[olddog49]

Originally Posted by Diane98

You didn't say whether your coach was being stored during the winter. We live in the in foothills of the Sierra Nevada mts, and many times get below 30 degrees, and all we do to winterize our coach is this--
we drain all water in the tanks, open the lowest point valve, drain the water heater, open all faucets so any water would drain out rather than freeze, we add the pink rv antifreeze about 2 inches of it, to the toilet bowl. We are always connected to power and have 2 small heaters in the bays that are connected to a yellow device (sorry I don't remember what it is called) but it will allow the heaters to come on if the temperature drops below 38 degrees. In 14 years we have never had a problem. Hope this info is what your looking for.

Our Coach is stored at a storage facility year round. From late Nov. to mid Feb. we do not travel with it. No power outlets or any other type hookups.

[olddog49]

Originally Posted by SteveLevin

I wouldn't expect you to need to winterize in Vegas, a few hours just below freezing shouldn't hurt anything. The only thing you might -- might -- want to do is try and release the water from your icemaker line, if you have one. That you should be able to do by just popping open the vent cover from the outside of your fridge (which, unless you have a VERY strange setup, should be a standing up job), unscrew the water fitting, and let it dribble out some water to make sure it's not "packed" with water.

Steve

Thanks for the replies. My main concern was how long does it take for the pipes to freeze when temps get to 32 and below. As explained before, mild winters here in Vegas. As I recall a couple years ago, it did get down to 28, but by early morning it was above 32. The DW is pretty good with tools, will see if I can convince her to get physical...Thanks again and happy travels..

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by J Birder

You seem to have missed draining the fresh water tank and opening the low point drains. On many RVs, that requires crawling under the rig.

Joel

Actually if you read my post i did mention the fresh water tank.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by Monacoach

I think you missed the op's statement that due to back issues he cannot winterize himself.
If the weather drops into the 20 s for a few hours then back into the 30s and 40 s during the day I wouldn't bother winterizing.

Thank you for pointing that out but I did see what he said. I was making the point that it is not any harder to winterize a coach than it is to operate it. I saw where someone mentioned opening the low point drains and the fresh water drains that you have to crawl under the coach to do that. I am not familiar with how his coach is set up. In mine those are all in the wet bay area where you hook up your black tank drain hose. If he wants to make it even easier have someone install the two way valve that fits in the inlet side of his fresh water pump. The valve and a piece of hose is all he needs to add potable water antifreeze. He can also have them install the valve type of drain plug on his hot water heater. With those two installations ( If his coach does not already have them installed) He can bypass the hot water heater. Open the valve on the hot water heater to let it drain. Open the valve to drain the fresh water tank. then stick the hose into the antifreeze turn the T valve to the position that the fresh water pump will draw in antifreeze from the hose and open up various taps until pink stuff comes out. Does not get a lot easier than that.

I am hoping that even with back troubles the OP can do this himself and save having to pay someone to do what is a relatively minor task.