Store 5er in Alaska

[thomas201]

OK, clean it, take out all food, prop fridge open. Now flush with -50 pink antifreeze and drain tanks. Remove the battery and take it home. Anything different than storing in the lower 48? Who has the warmest winter, and least snow? Fairbanks, Anchorage, the interior, or the Kenai? Do I need covered storage? Planning for 2023. Thanks.

[thomas201]

Thank you all for the advice.

[PA12DRVR]

Only stored an RV up here 1 year but would offer the following based on storing other vehicles in AK for several decades:

- antifreeze / pink stuff in the RV system is probably the only requirement.
- Covers are a mixed bag. They can move around and create scuffs, etc and most of them, while they don't let snow intrude, are not really waterproof and don't keep snowmelt out.
- Batteries: issue is will the batteries freeze. If they have a good charge, they probably won't freeze down to -20 or so. Disconnecting a terminal helps. FWIW, I pull my remote cabin battery every year and bring it back to town. Not because I don't think that disconnecting a terminal won't keep the charge, but because it's less PITA to bring it back than to go out in the Spring and find out (after a 1/2 day trip) that for some reason, the battery was discharged, frozen, etc.
- Storage: Snow weight (presumably) might be an issue but I'd rather see XX feet of dry snow than store the RV somewhere (ahem, Los Anchorage, probably Big Lake, possibly Kenai) that gets snow-rain-snow-wind-rain with regular episodes of ice cycles throughout the November - April timeframe. If "where to drop it" is not a determining factor, might recommend Fairbanks, but (just IMHO), I'd pull the batteries in that case.

[Trackrig]

We stored ours at either Big Lake or in Fbks. Never covered it and didn't take the batteries out. Just make sure they're charged and disconnect the negative battery terminals - our batteries last 7 or 8 years.

Bill

[garym114]

Stored my motorhome and toad for 4 winters in Anchorage, uncovered, flew back and forth each year.
Nothing special for the pink stuff. Left the batteries in place, six 6v and two starting batteries. Lifted the ground cable on each starting battery and one ground from six volt set.
One problem with snow. First winter the snow drifted under the steps. Step motor got soaked and had to replace. I put a little lumber around to keep it from happening again.
Think the lowest temp was about -22