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Old 01-21-2025, 07:51 AM   #1
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Immediate advice re 19 degrees

Our RV is immobilized at a storage lot which does not provide electricity. It is now, 7 a.m. Tuesday, 31 degrees. The temperature will fall in a nearly flat gradient to 19 degrees at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning and then rise to 32 by 11 a.m. This is unprecedented cold for my location, Pensacola, FL. I need advice or at least what to damage to expect.

RV is 2006 Moncaco Cayman 36, Cummins 6.7 rail injection, Onan 8.5 diesel genset.

All water that will drain by opening the big potable tank dump, the two smaller hot and cold drains, the pressure relief valve on the water heater, and all interior faucets hot and cold, and the wet bay shower valves, has been drained. I have not applied air pressure to the water system because I don't have the necessary fittings. The coach batteries are fully charged. The chassis batteries, most likely the cause of immobilization, show 12.67; I have not load tested by multimeter with the key turned to start. I'm not sure of the antifreeze level in the main or genset engines but it should be adequate as I try to run higher than necessary concentrations.

I have no experience with 19 degrees and, more troubling, below-freezing temperatures that last for 29 hours. How deep in you-know-what am I?
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:01 AM   #2
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The pressure relief valve will not drain the water heater. Remove the drain/anode rod plug and completely drain the water. That would be an expensive repair or replacement if the tank freezes and cracks. If possible, run RV antifreeze through the plumbing. Water trapped in junction points or fittings can freeze and crack, usually in areas that are impossible to get to. With temps that low and no way to heat the RV you do stand a good chance of plumbing freezing.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:06 AM   #3
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It's possible you'll have no damage, but I, for one, am not a risk taker. We went camping this past weekend, and I re-winterized our water lines after getting home Sunday afternoon. You have time this morning to get 2 or 3 bottles of antifreeze and get over there to pump it around to all your spigots. For me it took something like 10 to 15 minutes. You'll want to bypass the water heater before doing this and also drain that water heater. If you've never done any of this before, check out a couple of YouTube videos. It's not difficult.

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Old 01-21-2025, 08:06 AM   #4
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Your engine, generator and battery should be good to go. I would try starting it and get some heat going. If you can get some rv antifreeze into the water lines. Just opening the low point drains will not drain enough to be safe from freezing lines and possibly breaking them. If it has not sat for a year or so it should start for you but no guarantee. Try to get the heat going in it, that should help. Pull the drain plug on the water heater and drain it. Just opening the pressure relief valve does not let enough water out to prevent it from freezing. Good luck, you will need it. Going down to 19 overnight will freeze things pretty good.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:07 AM   #5
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Your biggest worry should be the water system. Those temps will freeze any water left in your coach unless you use your furnace to keep it warm. Having drained the water system is good, but not enough to ensure no damage to the pipes or fixtures.

You have two options, either: 1) get the furnace going and keep it above freezing inside and in your wet bay or, 2) fully winterize it. Some people just blow out the water lines with air, but having lived in the north, I’ve always followed that by adding non-toxic antifreeze. You’ll get many conflicting opinions on that. Don’t forget about the drains. They need to be filled with antifreeze as well if you winterize. Your decision may be influenced by the availability of RV antifreeze in your local stores.

Good luck! It looks like you may be in for some snow as well.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:08 AM   #6
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You might be OK. I am not at all familiar with your RV, or motorhomes in general. But here are some general thoughts.

You're on the right path as far as draining your water lines. I would really try to blow them out with compressed air. If you don't have the right fitting, find one. I don't think they are that hard to find. Walmart? RV store?

With my camper I can pump antifreeze through the plumbing. I don't know how yours is set up. This could take some research and work.

Not just your supply lines but your drains are vulnerable. Dump antifreeze in them. Don't forget the toilet.

You can't fire up your generator? If it ran you could run an electric space heater to warm things up a bit. And a compressor.

Your engines will probably be OK if you have a normal amount of AF in them.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:10 AM   #7
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Can you run the generator where it is? If so, you have power. I'd ask for a waiver under the circumstances even if there is a rule against it. Much like in an RV park if the power is lost. Everyone fires up their genny, rules be dammed.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:12 AM   #8
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It costs about $10 for the proper air fitting at any RV dealer or autoparts store. Other than the water lines and your drains everything else will be good at those temps.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:46 AM   #9
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You have compressed air if you can start your engine. Try blowing out the lines if you can't get it done any other way. If you can't find rv antifreeze, put a small amount of regular antifreeze in the drains. When it warms up again fill the drains, so you get that antifreeze out of them.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:51 AM   #10
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I presume your waste tanks are empty? If not, you'll need to drain into a large bucket a little at a time and pour it into the nearest sewer cleanout. Then pour some antifreeze down all of the drains and the toilet. There will always be a little bit of residual water that doesn't drain out, so you want to have enough antifreeze in the tanks to prevent the dump valves from freezing.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:54 AM   #11
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Most of the water can be blown or sucked out by mouth. Salt water will work for antifreeze for anything besides the water heater. A little salt down the toilet, rinsed with "normal use" will be enough for the black tank, assuming it's not already full of clean water. Salt and water rinsed down the drains will fill the traps and grey water drain valve.


As long as you have some antifreeze, the engines will be fine at 19. you can taste or feel the coolant to estimate that low level, spit it out! If it's extremely bitter, you'll be spitting for hours, that's the biggest danger of tasting.
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Old 01-21-2025, 08:57 AM   #12
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I have a MicroAir thermostat in my coach that I can monitor temps with. The coach is parked in an insulated garage but doesn't have continual heat source so eventually it get the same temp as the outside and given enough time the inside of the coach will get to the same temp but with a lag time. So I winterize my coach. I live in E TN and and it has been getting cold, yesterday never got above freezing. Current outside temp & garage temp is 14F, inside of coach is 27F but the thermostat temps are mounted high in the coach. The basements will get cold pretty fast.



So you definitely should try and do something.



If you can borrow a small compressor you could blow the lines. Takes about 45 minutes. I have a fitting I thread into my water fitting with an air chuck, hook the air up, set the compressor to ~35 psi outlet pressure, open up one faucet, turn the compressor on and the around and open close all the faucets one at a time until you get all the water out. Flush the toilet multiple times, If you have a washing machine do a cycle on that. Drain the hot water tank. Then pour several cups of cups of RV Antifreeze down all the drains and pee traps. If the black and grey tanks have fluid in them pour about a gallon of antifreeze down the toilet and one of the drains, this will prevent the dump elbows from freezing.


If you can't do that I'd pump antifreeze through all the water lines until it comes out of the faucets. You'd have to flush the whole system before you use it. You can try and keep the antifreeze you drain and could use it later.
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Old 01-21-2025, 09:16 AM   #13
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We live just north of San Antonio and routinely have weather like you describe once or twice a year. In fact, it’s 22 degrees there right now. We store our Motorhome in an open covered space with no power.

In our 7-years there we’ve never winterized nor even drained our fresh water tank or water lines. We’ve never had any freezing issues in the rig at any time.

Like your location, these hard freezes were overnight temps followed by near or above freezing day time temps.

The longest such cold spell was 3-consecutive days of 36 degree days and 17-20 degree overnight temps.
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Old 01-21-2025, 09:16 AM   #14
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You can usually get the pink RV antifreeze at Walmart, Tractor supply or Lowes.
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