Why can't I just add anti-freeze?

[KenMast]

Hi everyone,

This is my first winter with an RV. I live in Cleveland Ohio and right now it's 12 degrees. My rig is in an indoor heated storage facility and I didn't winterize. I'm going to Florida in February with stops in Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Tallahassee, and then on to Naples. I'll be returning to Cleveland and cold temperatures again at the end of February.

I haven't drained my water system. Why can't I just add anti-freeze, and then just flush that out when I get to warmer weather? Then on the way back, just add anti-freeze again? Why does the system have to be drained first?

Thanks for any help that you can provide.

Ken

[rockhillmanor]

This is my first winter with an RV. I live in Cleveland Ohio and right now it's 12 degrees. My rig is in an indoor heated storage facility and I didn't winterize. I'm going to Florida in February with stops in Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Tallahassee, and then on to Naples. I'll be returning to Cleveland and cold temperatures again at the end of February.

I haven't drained my water system.

Why can't I just add anti-freeze, and then just flush that out when I get to warmer weather? Then on the way back, just add anti-freeze again?

Why does the system have to be drained first?Thanks for any help that you can provide.Ken

Yup you sure can do it that way.

10 years in the bowels of my MH sitting parked in Wisconsin winters and I have NEVER drained/blown out the water lines in my MH.

Buy 4 to 6 bottles of RV antifreeze, pour into fresh tank, run faucets/toilet till pink, pour down sink drains. Done.

Filling lines with antifreeze from the fresh tank also ensures your water pump is protected too.

When I headed to Florida my rig was already winterized.
I hit the road and de-winterized at a CG when I hit warm weather.

On the way back North I added the antifreeze back in when I hit the colder states. No fuss, no muss do it right at the CG. Walmart sells it for around $3.00 a bottle. Cheap investment for insurance.

[wbwood]

Oldme wrote:
So everyone here goes by the "what if" fear rule.
I do not see it. I gave up living fear long ago.

His RV, like mine is a Class C.
Fresh water tank will be inside.
Fresh water lines will be inside.

Empty or near empty gray and black are outside.
Recommended some pink antifreeze in my first reply.

Storage is heated.
I guess a power outage for days is a possibility.
Without his knowledge for days? Maybe.

Driving - inside the Class C will be heated, so
the fresh water line and tank will be above 32*.

If for some reason temps drop below 32* what little
water that is on the fresh water line will take hours to freeze.

Non pressurized lines with open faucets will give any remaining
waters plenty of room to expand if it did somehow drop that low
inside coach while driving.

To each his own.

Mine stayed outside in 6* weather for 2 days with the heat set on
the lowest setting and Pink stuff in the traps and tank.
Never in the lines.

Was I lucky? Maybe.
Nothing freezes above 32* and the inside does not get that low.

The OP can real all the replies and make his decision.
Lots of opinions.

1-8-2015 FYI ...
It got down to 11* last night here.
RV is in the driveway just as I said above.
It was 50*+ inside.
I check it daily. No problems.

I guess we don't need insurance either...

Everything happens for the "first time" for reasons. Every season is not the same. Every day is not the same. Too many variables to put in play to say 20 minutes of doing something and less than $10 in pink stuff. But then again, I don't really gamble or buy lottery tickets. I will throw some nickels in a slot machine every 10-15 years when I'm near one. You are from Georgia (as am I originally). The OP is from Ohio. Which is kind of funny because my brother in law is from Columbus. He has lived in Georgia for over 25 years. They live south of Atlanta. He had a toyhauler. He would never use the pink stuff and would blow out the lines. One year, in the spring, he went to use the toyhauler. Had water everywhere. He says he "thought" he got all the water out of the lines. "Thought"...ther are no guarantees.... I don't have the time to waste on repairing things. I want to enjoy them when I have the time and therefore I play it safe when it comes to this sort of thing...And all campers/motorhomes are not built the same....if they were, then we would never have to second guess a salesman, would we?

[Oklahoma_Dan]

Oldme in his last post is the one who has it right as it is based upon actual experience. Enjoy your trip and just keep the heat on in your rig at a comfortable level until you get to your destination.

[ronfisherman]

For the type of storage and traveling OP is doing. I would blow water lines out and drain low points. Would not add antifreeze to anything.

[Oldme]

So everyone here goes by the "what if" fear rule.
I do not see it. I gave up living fear long ago.

His RV, like mine is a Class C.
Fresh water tank will be inside.
Fresh water lines will be inside.

Empty or near empty gray and black are outside.
Recommended some pink antifreeze in my first reply.

Storage is heated.
I guess a power outage for days is a possibility.
Without his knowledge for days? Maybe.

Driving - inside the Class C will be heated, so
the fresh water line and tank will be above 32*.

If for some reason temps drop below 32* what little
water that is on the fresh water line will take hours to freeze.

Non pressurized lines with open faucets will give any remaining
waters plenty of room to expand if it did somehow drop that low
inside coach while driving.

To each his own.

Mine stayed outside in 6* weather for 2 days with the heat set on
the lowest setting and Pink stuff in the traps and tank.
Never in the lines.

Was I lucky? Maybe.
Nothing freezes above 32* and the inside does not get that low.

The OP can real all the replies and make his decision.
Lots of opinions.

1-8-2015 FYI ...
It got down to 11* last night here.
RV is in the driveway just as I said above.
It was 50*+ inside.
I check it daily. No problems.

[wbwood]

tenbear wrote:

wolfe10 wrote:
Oldme,

No, did not miss that. But, depending on how his coach is configured (where tanks are located-- how insulated they are) AND how cold it is for the first couple of days on the road, THAT will determine whether he needs to winterize.

X2 That time of year his first 2 stops can be cold. A lot depends on his rig. I wouldn't tell him he will be ok, then he hits a cold spell and damages his rig.

Agreed...heated facility doesn't tell you at what temperature and what if the heat stops? Especially if a facility away from you. Heated could mean 30 degrees or it could mean 100 degrees. If heat goes out, how long? Will the damage already be done before you are notified? Will you be notified? I would at least drain the tanks and put some pink stuff in the traps, at a minimum...Preferrably, I would pump some pink stuff through the lines as well.

[tenbear]

wolfe10 wrote:
Oldme,

No, did not miss that. But, depending on how his coach is configured (where tanks are located-- how insulated they are) AND how cold it is for the first couple of days on the road, THAT will determine whether he needs to winterize.

X2 That time of year his first 2 stops can be cold. A lot depends on his rig. I wouldn't tell him he will be ok, then he hits a cold spell and damages his rig.

[wolfe10]

Oldme,

No, did not miss that. But, depending on how his coach is configured (where tanks are located-- how insulated they are) AND how cold it is for the first couple of days on the road, THAT will determine whether he needs to winterize.

Separate issue-- how to winterize using the minimum quantity of potable antifreeze.

[Oldme]

I see many are missing that his rig is in a indoor HEATED facility.

Going down the road later, the inside temp should never be below 32*
with all fresh water pipes inside. He will have heat available
from different sources while traveling.

[tobydad]

Better safe than sorry - drain the tanks and winterize. If done correctly you can do it in 1/2 an hour; depending on size and type of rig. Again - why take the chance?

[schlep1967]

You can winterize without draining your tank if you have a hose attached at your water pump to draw the antifreeze in with.

First you would want to bypass the water heater. Then, with water pump off, open all your faucets. Now go out to your low point drains and open them. Once the water stops flowing close the low point drains. Now go back inside and close your faucets. Switch the supply over to your hose that draws in antifreeze and put it in a jug of antifreeze.

Turn on your water pump. Open one faucet at a time until you have pink stuff coming out. Don't forget the shower, toilet and any outside showers or faucets and washer area if you have it. When doing this run enough to fill the traps with the antifreeze.

When you get to warmer temps open up the low point drains. Depending on where they are and how they are designed you may be able to get your antifreeze jug under them and save it for reuse. Close the low point drains when done. Switch back over to tank supply and flush the lines with clear water and then close off the water heater bypass.

[ScottG]

One problem is low point drains will don't have any water cycle through them, it just stays trapped in them. So running AF through won't do anything to those parts.

[tenbear]

The fresh water tank must be drained. It takes to much antifreeze to dilute it. You also must bypass and drain the water heater. You can pump antifreeze thru the plumbing until it comes out each faucet and shower until it comes out red, otherwise it will freeze.

[midnightsadie]

I live in canton and some times make that run, you better winterize and use bottled water, frozen lines are a real pain to fix.