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10-21-2018, 06:07 PM
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#43
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast, Alabama
Posts: 2,450
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Being lucky is better than being lazy, but not by much. Are you in a Frozen part of the country? If not, and if freezing is occasional, then either the methods suggested if you don't plan to use the unit, or otherwise a small space heater to keep things liquid...
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Rick and Sandy
2003 American Eagle, 59K miles
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10-21-2018, 06:25 PM
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#44
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 2
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Wintering
I live in Mississippi, don’t have a lot of freeze problem here. I have always blown out water lines and opened low point drains. Never had a problem.
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10-21-2018, 06:42 PM
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#45
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 158
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One added point that I don't believe was mentioned - when I winterize my motorhome, I blow out all the lines as best I can with compressed air, then attach the supplied hose to the inlet-side of the pump, and pump antifreeze until I see it appear at at all the faucets + pump a bit out of the toilet valve. Then, as a final step, I re-pressurize the system with compressed air and blow out the captured antifreeze from the supply lines. The antifreeze will have done its job winterizing any residual water left in the lines, and can be removed at this point.
__________________
Norb and Ellen & Carly
2018 Tiffin Allegro RED 37PA
2005 Honda Pilot toad
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10-21-2018, 07:37 PM
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#46
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Senior Member
Forest River Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 692
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This year I did add AF to the fresh water tank !
The hose to the pump for the AF is BLACK with crud and I couldn't find a replacement before our quick and early freezing temps this week. My fault for not checking what the previous owner did sooner. He probably never sanitized through that hose. I didn't want to pump the the AF through black/green/grey stuff into my water system.
(This is also the the first MH I have owned that I will not drink from the water tank - another story)
I now have some section of clear plastic hose and I will replace the intake hose for next year so I don't need to put the AF in the fresh water tank. I expect several flushes in the spring.
BTW my owners manual says I need about 8 gallons of AF. However, I used a about 15 or 20 because the pickup in the fresh water tank is about 3/4 inch above the bottom so probably half the AF remains unavailable.( FYI I have an Aqua Hot system so do not have to drain/bypass a hot water tank.)
Chris.
__________________
Retired Canadian Army WO (1972-2000)
2019 Georgetown 31L5 GT5
(1Bounder, 2 Dutch Stars, 1 HR Scepter, 1 HR Monarch and now 1 away from divorce )
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10-21-2018, 07:42 PM
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#47
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Detroit Area
Posts: 152
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grampachet
FYI the little 12 volt compressors won’t have sufficient volume to remove all the water from all the water lines..
For the past 50 years I have used compressors to blow out my fresh water lines.
I use 99 cent winter windshield washer fluid in my DRAINS.
Never had a problem here in the great NW.
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Nice idea, Get 99 percent of the moisture out and then what need for antifreeze. Don't know that you have to antifreeze the drain traps. they are open on both ends and so should not crack when it freezes.
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10-21-2018, 08:27 PM
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#48
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 8
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Great thread. I live in north Texas and only use compressed air. But it might get to 28 here once in a winter.
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10-21-2018, 09:05 PM
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#49
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Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Virginia
Posts: 22
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Drain traps will freeze and crack
Don't skip putting pink in the drain traps!
TallPaul above is obviously inexperienced or very lucky. Drain traps will definitely crack after freezing. Ask me how I know!!
Thankfully they are cheap and easy to replace.
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10-21-2018, 09:26 PM
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#50
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Prescott Valley AZ
Posts: 618
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Winterizing your rig.
On my rig I plumbed in “T” and two valves between the water line from the fresh water tank and the pump. After draining all the water thru the lowest hot/cold lines and by-passing the water heater, I shut off the coaches’ fresh water line and put the suction line off of the T into the pink anti-freeze container and turn on the coach water pump. Going inside I then open all valves until it flows pink, starting at the rear most. This also put pink stuff into the traps.
Now to the water heater. Prepare to get you feet wet. Go outside to the access panel and open it. Remove the anode rod (or plug if no rod) on the bottom of the heater (7/8” wench I think). Pop open the safety valve and the waterflows fast! Here is where your feet get wet with 10-15 gallons! Let it drain completely. Now’s your chance to make a threaded adapter with a hose to channel the water next time around and not get cold feet. (If you open the safety valve first the water dumps quickly. Having a screw-in fitting with a hose to the ground or bucket before saves you some wet socks.)
Don’t put pink stuff in the fresh water tank or heater tank. The taste is nasty for a long time afterwards. Don’t forget to flush the toilet, too. If you have drained all the tanks you’re ok (just a thin layer of water in any of them won’t cause it to split if it freezes, and the black & grey tanks will have pink stuff mixed in anyhow). I’ve only had to use under 1 gallon to do it all, and I’m driving a 35’ class A. Happy camping!
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10-21-2018, 09:41 PM
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#51
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Posts: 19
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We lived in Arizona for the life of our first motor home and moved to Oklahoma while we had the 2nd one. Being a newbie to cold weather, I decided blowing the lines out with air would be the simple solution. Boy was I ever in for a surprise the next spring. Has anyone ever tried to re-plumb a complete motor home, not fun. I learned to put a small ball valve on the water heater, drain it and shut the bypass valve. I open all of the drain valves and let them run over night. I then hook a hose to the inlet side of the pump that goes in a jug of antifreeze and go inside and start running water until I get pink at every faucet. I pump a half gallon or so into the black water tank and don't drain the gray water tank. I disconnect the ice maker and drain it, then disconnect the washing machine and drain those lines. Make sure the engine and generator both have ample antifreeze and check the windshield washer is full of washer fluid that won't freeze. Finally, I remove all can goods, water bottles and soda bottles and check the medicine cabinet for any items that will freeze. After that, the old girl is ready for winter. it's either that or go to Phoenix for the winter. Both days of winter are great there.
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10-21-2018, 09:48 PM
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#52
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Posts: 19
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Next time you drain the hot water tank, put a small ball valve in with a male hose thread. I carry a 6 foot garden hose that I connect to mine and it is easy to connect and drain. I put some vinegar in it a couple of times a year to break up the calcium deposits and flush it out.
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10-21-2018, 09:49 PM
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#53
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Senior Member
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 19,925
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Winterizing if your RV is exposed to freezing temperatures while stored is important and failing to do it correctly can be expensive. Luckily, the plastic plumbing is more able to survive a bad winterizing job than the copper lines of old. I had to commission a Y camp after a previous caretaker had not taken care to winterize carefully. In the commercial dishwasher alone I had to replace 12 split copper pipes and connections.
Some may find it easier to use the water pump to push RV antifreeze through the system, replacing the water with RV antifreeze.
I prefer using compressed air, but there are things to keep in mind using air. I connect a good sized compressor to the city water connection, set at 35 psi. I go to each sink, shower and toilet and open the valves, one by one, until water stops and air comes out. I then go around again and open each valve until all are open. I then crank up the compressor regulator to 75 psi. I let the air flow at the higher pressure for up to an hour. I then turn the compressor off and put it away. I pour about a quart of RV antifreeze into each trap. I know this is excessive, but the extra goes into the black and gray tanks, previously emptied, and helps protect the gate valves.
Leaving the air run through the system is important to blow excess water out of the lines. In our local park they winterize the plumbing with an industrial compressor and they let the air and moisture vent 20 feet into the air for a couple of hours to ensure the lines are clear. Since all my lines are PEX or polyvinyl, a few drops of water left in the lines will not cause ice damage.
__________________
Bob & Donna
'98 Gulf Stream Sun Voyager DP being pushed by a '00 Beetle TDI
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10-21-2018, 10:06 PM
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#54
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 129
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I don't know if this was mentioned in another post.
Your shore line might have a pressure regulator and a check valve. The check valve keep water from going out the shore line hose when using the fresh water take water and the water pump. Some pressure regulators have the check valve in them but that is on the side after the pressure has been regulated.
If the pressure regulator, check valve, and shore line aren't winterized there will be a freezing problem.
For my rig I made up a 4" PVC pipe about a foot long, one end has a air valve to apply air from a compressor and the other end has a male hose fitting for the shore line hose. I pour RV anti-freeze in the PVC pipe, attach to the shore line and apply compressed air in a short burst. But I also have drain valves on the hot and cold line in by the water heater. Before winterizing the shore line I open those valves.
IMO they messed up when adding the suction valve for the anti-freeze jug. It is after the inline filter. Thus water can remain in the filter from the fresh water tank. I have to remove the the filter and and dump the water out.
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1989 Avion 32s
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10-22-2018, 05:52 AM
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#55
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 132
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What about the top of the trailer? I've got a cover that I use for four of the most stormy months, and I'm concerned about it scratching my skylights.
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10-22-2018, 06:45 AM
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#56
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 5
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Winterizing RV's
Ditto to what everyone else stated. I can only add don't forget the outside shower and toilet sprayer if so equipped. Those need to be winterized also.
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