Winterize???

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

We're planning to camp Thanksgiving weekend here in Atlanta (we'll go, as long as it's not raining).  Sunday and Monday night, they are calling for freezing temps during the night, above freezing (45-50) during the day.  Should I winterize or maybe just drain the water heater?  Our camper is a "four-season" unit (Jayco brand), so the underbelly is insulated.   Currently, the camper is out in front of our house so I could plug in a space heater overnight and open up the cabinets... but that makes me a little nervous (than again, I guess it would better to catch fire when it's empty   ).

 

Thoughts??

 

 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

If your lows are no lower than 26 or 27, it's likely those temps will only be reached for a couple hours.  You'll probably be fine.  However, for the few minutes it takes to blow out the lines with compressed air I'd consider doing it just for peace of mind.  I've seen nights this time of year (last year) where the forecasted low was 27 and I woke up that morning and it was 22.  

[BouncingTiggers 98]

You'll most likely be fine unless it gets into the low 20's. I'd probably just run the space heater for alk the water lines. Then I'd run the propane heater on the water tank for keeping the hot water tank warm.

[tim5055 120]

With those temperatures for such a short period of time I would really only worry about two things:

 

1- The city water connection on the side of the trailer.It is exposed outside and it is a very small piece of plastic in the one way valve that holds back the interior water pressure. They break easily - I know from personal experience.

 

2- The drain pipes that drop below the covered underbelly.  Dump both the gray and black tank well so that the little bit of water that will accumulate can not expand and damage anything.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

If your lows are no lower than 26 or 27, it's likely those temps will only be reached for a couple hours.  You'll probably be fine.  However, for the few minutes it takes to blow out the lines with compressed air I'd consider doing it just for peace of mind.  I've seen nights this time of year (last year) where the forecasted low was 27 and I woke up that morning and it was 22.  

 

Thanks.  Can you walk me through this?  Last year, I winterized our hybrid... but all I did was empty the tanks, drain the water heater and buy this "pump" (kind-of looks like one of those hand pumps you use to blow up balloons) and pumped the pink fluid through the lines (via the city water connection) until I saw it run out the bathtub and kitchen faucets.  I'd rather not add any "pink stuff" right now, but on the lines... David (Gwen's David) had mentioned that I might be able to use the pump that I have for our tires, to clear the lines.  I purchased this pump similar to this from Lowes:

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_146781-40883-KL12120___?productId=3522750&pl=1&Ntt=tire+air+pump

 

Can I attach this someway to clear the lines??

 

 

 

With those temperatures for such a short period of time I would really only worry about two things:

 

1- The city water connection on the side of the trailer.It is exposed outside and it is a very small piece of plastic in the one way valve that holds back the interior water pressure. They break easily - I know from personal experience.

 

2- The drain pipes that drop below the covered underbelly.  Dump both the gray and black tank well so that the little bit of water that will accumulate can not expand and damage anything.

 

Water connection... should I cover it with something??

 

Tanks:   The gray tanks should be empty... the blank tank has some water in it, but I don't want to dump it until we camp next weekend.  I could drop some pink stuff down the commode...maybe that would be helpful??

[weekender 5]

We are in the same boat and of course will try to meet you guys at Stone Mtn while we are there next week. 

 

Since we live just north of you for peace of mind I drained our lines and hot water tank and then pumped the antifreeze through the lines.  Given that you have a newer trailer you should have a water pump somewhere and it should have a clear tube attached to it.  If you find your pump that is the easiest way to pump antifreeze through your lines.  

 

Drain your water heater

Drain all your lines and low point drains if you have them

Do not forget the outside shower

Close all faucets

Stick the clear hose from the pump in the antifreeze

Switch the valves so it pumps from the antifreeze jug and not the tanks

Turn your pump on

Go to each faucet and turn on the cold until you see the antifreeze come out then do the same for the hot

Do this for each faucet, toilet, shower and even your outside shower (this will be the most likely one that might freeze)

When doen turn the pump off

Pull the tube out of the antifreeze

Turn your pump valves back

 

This should be cheap insurance for this weekend.  Even though your trailer may be "4 season" I can bet that the only thing you have is a plastic covered underbelly then all the wiring, water lines, etc then the bubble foil insulation in the floor.  The way most trailers work is that one of your air ducts will flow into the covered underbelly so when you run the furnace it will put heat in there to prevent the pipes from freezing.  Also if you have tank heaters never run them with the tanks empty as you can damage the tanks.     When you are ready to camp hook up to city water, flush each line including the outside shower and low point drains.  Once everything runs clear you can switch the valves onyour hot water tank and fill it back up.

 

Good luck and safe travels next week. 

[Live4FW 30]

In our area, If you clear out your lines and make sure to drain water heater and low point drains, we never needed to actually use antifreeze.  Greatly simplifys the process and easier to unwinterize/rewinterize for those winter camping trips,  In 10+ years we only had one issue with some water that was in the toilet foot valve.  Not sure even if we used antifreeze it would have been protected.  Valve replacement was cheaper than 2 years worth of antiffreeze.  We used our trailer often in january and feb here in north georgia with no issues.  Sometimes when camping the hose to camper would freeze but we put water in tank which stayed warm since it was inside the trailer.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

We are in the same boat and of course will try to meet you guys at Stone Mtn while we are there next week. 

 

Since we live just north of you for peace of mind I drained our lines and hot water tank and then pumped the antifreeze through the lines.  Given that you have a newer trailer you should have a water pump somewhere and it should have a clear tube attached to it.  If you find your pump that is the easiest way to pump antifreeze through your lines.  

 

Drain your water heater

Turn Knob for water heater bypass

Drain all your lines and low point drains if you have them

Do not forget the outside shower

Close all faucets

Stick the clear hose from the pump in the antifreeze

Switch the valves so it pumps from the antifreeze jug and not the tanks

Turn your pump on

Go to each faucet and turn on the cold until you see the antifreeze come out then do the same for the hot

Do this for each faucet, toilet, shower and even your outside shower (this will be the most likely one that might freeze)

When doen turn the pump off

Pull the tube out of the antifreeze

Turn your pump valves back

 

This should be cheap insurance for this weekend.  Even though your trailer may be "4 season" I can bet that the only thing you have is a plastic covered underbelly then all the wiring, water lines, etc then the bubble foil insulation in the floor.  The way most trailers work is that one of your air ducts will flow into the covered underbelly so when you run the furnace it will put heat in there to prevent the pipes from freezing.  Also if you have tank heaters never run them with the tanks empty as you can damage the tanks.     When you are ready to camp hook up to city water, flush each line including the outside shower and low point drains.  Once everything runs clear you can switch the valves onyour hot water tank and fill it back up.

 

Good luck and safe travels next week. 

 

Good summary....you may have said this and I missed it, but be sure to bypass the water heater or you'll fill your water heater with antifreeze.  I added that step in purple above.  

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Thanks.  Can you walk me through this?  Last year, I winterized our hybrid... but all I did was empty the tanks, drain the water heater and buy this "pump" (kind-of looks like one of those hand pumps you use to blow up balloons) and pumped the pink fluid through the lines (via the city water connection) until I saw it run out the bathtub and kitchen faucets.  I'd rather not add any "pink stuff" right now, but on the lines... David (Gwen's David) had mentioned that I might be able to use the pump that I have for our tires, to clear the lines.  I purchased this pump similar to this from Lowes:

 

http://www.lowes.com/pd_146781-40883-KL12120___?productId=3522750&pl=1&Ntt=tire+air+pump

 

Can I attach this someway to clear the lines??

 

 

With the air pump you have, I believe you could use an adapter like this.

 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-36104-Plastic-Blow-Out-Plug/32925313?action=product_interest&action_type=title&item_id=32925313&placement_id=irs-106-t1&strategy=PWVUB&visitor_id&category=&client_guid=77aeba7f-8a1b-4fa8-9084-ba1907e9f93e&customer_id_enc&config_id=106&parent_item_id=14504303&parent_anchor_item_id=14504303&guid=087eeb22-ad00-4796-b8e9-47b6a1005c0b&bucket_id=irsbucketdefault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n

 

 

Someone will have to hold the air line to the nipple, while the other person goes and opens faucets one at a time.  Let air flow and push the water out, until you're reasonably sure the line is clear of water, then close that faucet and go to the next.  Don't forget any outside faucets like sinks or showers.  

[tim5055 120]

If you are blowing the lines, there will be no need to cover the city water connection. 

 

Dave has covered the blowing of the lines fairly well.

 

Years ago I put together a page regarding winterizing our pop up.  The concepts are the same and some of the diagrams may help you visualize what you are doing.  http://www.title-3.com/Winterize.htm

[keith_h 420]

I don't use anti-freeze in our lines and I suspect we get colder than you do in the winter. All I do is drain the water heater & fresh water tank, drain the lines and blow them out. After that I run the pump dry, remove the screen on the pump so it can drain it and re-blow the lines. The last thing I do is I add some RV antifreeze to the empty tanks to keep the valves and traps from freezing. Just be sure when you blow the lines to keep the pressure below the maximum for your trailer plumbing. For mine I set it at 30 lbs. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Thank you!!!  Great info, everyone.  

 

Any idea how much pressure I should use?  When I pump up the trailer tires, I go to 50 PSI. 

 

I think for now, I'll blow out the lines.  After Thanksgiving, I'll blow them out and add the antifreeze. 

 

 

 

 

Good luck and safe travels next week. 

 

Yes... see you next week! :)

[tim5055 120]

Any idea how much pressure I should use?  When I pump up the trailer tires, I go to 50 PSI. 

 

 

 

I wouldn't go over 20-30 pounds.  That will be plenty to displace the water in the lines.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Everytime I read about what folks go through to winterize, I'm sooo thankful I have such a simple system.....

 

All I have to do is dump a gallon of the pink stuff in my fresh water jug, run it through till pink comes out the sink faucet, and I'm done!!

 

In the spring, dump the pink stuff, run about 3 jugs of fresh water through the system (with a little bit of vodka), and I'm done!

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Everytime I read about what folks go through to winterize, I'm sooo thankful I have such a simple system.....

 

All I have to do is dump a gallon of the pink stuff in my fresh water jug, run it through till pink comes out the sink faucet, and I'm done!!

 

In the spring, dump the pink stuff, run about 3 jugs of fresh water through the system (with a little bit of vodka), and I'm done!

 

It sounds worse than it is.  I did my 36 foot motorhome that has two bathrooms, kitchen, outside shower and an icemaker in 20 minutes.  And that was with me just putzing around cause it was a beautiful day and I was enjoying my time outside.  

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I wouldn't go over 20-30 pounds.  That will be plenty to displace the water in the lines.

 

Thank you :)

[tim5055 120]

Like Dave said, it does sound harder than it is.  Our first pop up was the hardest because it didn't have a permanent water heater bypass, so the largest amout of time was finding tghe parts and bypassing it.  The new stuff just open a couple of valves then blow it out. 

[DaveInTN 3,247]

In that event that there is something different about your RV compared to what we all have....have you checked the winterizing procedures in your owner's manual?

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

In that event that there is something different about your RV compared to what we all have....have you checked the winterizing procedures in your owner's manual?

 

No, I haven't.  Thanks for the suggestion; I'll do that today.

[keith_h 420]

I wouldn't go over 20-30 pounds.  That will be plenty to displace the water in the lines.

 

+1. I just blew mine out and set the regulator to 30 lbs of pressure.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

+1. I just blew mine out and set the regulator to 30 lbs of pressure.

 

30 is what I use too.  That's also what my manual says....so hopefully the plumbing is constructed to withstand that.  

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

The manual didn't offer much information... unfortunately.  Plus, the manual for the hot water heater did not mention a bypass however, I'm guessing there is one.  

[DaveInTN 3,247]

The manual didn't offer much information... unfortunately.  Plus, the manual for the hot water heater did not mention a bypass however, I'm guessing there is one.  

 

Well that's disappointing.  My last few RV's all had detailed directions in the manual.  

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure there will be a bypass behind your water heater.  Depending on location, you may need to remove a drawer, or reach back in a cupboard.  But it will be accessible somehow.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Well that's disappointing.  My last few RV's all had detailed directions in the manual.  

 

Yes, I'm pretty sure there will be a bypass behind your water heater.  Depending on location, you may need to remove a drawer, or reach back in a cupboard.  But it will be accessible somehow.

 

Yeah... I expected more too.

 

Behind the water heater, uh?  Hmmm... the back side is in a box, in one of the outside water compartments.  I think the box is nailed shut so, that might be "fun".  Question:  So, if I use air to clear the lines, couldn't I just drop some antifreeze down the drains and in the commode to winterize it?

[parrothead7368 aka Norm 101]

There should be an access to your water heater insde of your trailer and the bypass is in there, mine is held on by two screws.

 

Best Regards,

Norm