Couple winter travel trailering questions.....

[rexmitchell]

We are in our first travel trailer that we have had since February of this year and love it. We are located in Texas and the trailer stays here year round. The main purpose of us getting the TT was for when we are staying at our hunting camp in the hill country. We have full hookups out there and the trailer makes it a wonderful experience vs. tent camping. Couple questions for this upcoming winter. I will be in the trailer at some points every weekend starting in Nov-Feb. The trailer will stay out at the property during this time. The temps out there do on occasion get below freezing (low 30's/high 20's). We never get crazy cold but it gets down there. What are my options for temporarily winterizing in between weekend trips? I already drain all water out of the system/water heater/tanks whenever we aren't in it for over a month. Is this going to be sufficient for the occasional cold snap in between trips? There are a couple folks with trailers out there already and this is all I've seen them do but wanted to ask the experts here. Also, without going the route of a heated freshwater hose (again didn't see one of these last year on any other trailer), how do people handle when it gets close to freezing to keep your freshwater in unfrozen.

Thanks in advance.

[mgirardo]

Where we live, we experience temps like you in the winter. We almost always have at leas 1 hard freeze each winter. We also use the camper throughout the year. What I do is blow out the lines between each trip and add 1/2 cup of antifreeze to each drain trap. A gallon of anti-freeze usually lasts 2 seasons. It is very cheap insurance.

-Michael

[bukhrn]

catkins wrote:
An electric heater will likely NOT keep the water lines from freezing. Many RVs blow hot air under the RV into the bays when using the propane furnace. Too many run pipes under the RV where that heat will not get to.

We have always blown out the lines and either drained the tanks or left the tanks with lots of head space to allow for expansion in case of freezing temps. Simply draining will leave water in very small pipes going around corners, a great place to freeze and crack. I would also drain the hot water tank. GOOD LUCK!

This would depend on the RV, my fresh water tank, pump & ALL fresh water lines, are above the floor, so the electric heater would work.

[catkins]

An electric heater will likely NOT keep the water lines from freezing. Many RVs blow hot air under the RV into the bays when using the propane furnace. Too many run pipes under the RV where that heat will not get to.

We have always blown out the lines and either drained the tanks or left the tanks with lots of head space to allow for expansion in case of freezing temps. Simply draining will leave water in very small pipes going around corners, a great place to freeze and crack. I would also drain the hot water tank. GOOD LUCK!

[Grit_dog]

No such thing as temporary winterization of water lines. Either you blow em out or add antifreeze or you didn't Winterize them.
You're in the worst area for lack of winterization issues. More cracked boat motors and rv pipes where it "almost" gets cold nough to Winterize than up north where you know it'll freeze or Deep South where you know it won't.
Heated hose? not needed unless you want to leave it hooked up and water stagnant. Let the water drip somewhere will keep it thawed in cool weather like that.
Sounds like a great place to spend the winter!

[wing_zealot]

If you are not going to heat it or use antifreeze then you are going to have to blow out the lines. Simply draining won't work, It will leave water In the lines that can freeze and damage the lines or fittings. As small as the lines are it may only take a few hours at below freezing temps for the lines to freeze and cause damage.

[armadillo_17]

Our farm supply store sold me a temperature regulator that turns on the power at 35 then turns it off at 45. I intend to use my electric heater with this gadget. 16-18 bucks.

[12th_Man_Fan]

I would drain the water heater and fresh water tank, blow the lines out thru the low point drains and run the water pump a couple of minutes to get all of the water out of it and forget it.

[rexmitchell]

WNYBob wrote:
Blowing out the lines is another option that may be a better option for you.

Less flushing after winterizing. Do a search on winterizing, many posts.

I've read how to winterize, I was just hoping to avoid anti-freeze basically every weekend. Some have mentioned a space heater but we cut power when we aren't there so that isn't an option.

[bukhrn]

Those sound like our winter temps, I've Never winterized, (the antifreeze thing), all i've ever done is blow the system out really good, after draining everthing.
But if I were going to be there every weekend, I like the electric heater idea better.

[WNYBob]

Blowing out the lines is another option that may be a better option for you.

Less flushing after winterizing. Do a search on winterizing, many posts.

[coolmom42]

corvettekent wrote:
Instead of using a water hose just fill your water tank and use it. When you are gone I would be more concerned about the water lines than the tank. Pump some antifreeze in the lines if you think it will stay freezing for a few days or more.

This. And if it's cold while you are there, just fill the tank and use from it.

If you have electric (and that is what most people mean by "full hookups") you could leave a small electric space heater turned on, to keep the inside temp up above freezing. It won't take much.

You should have a bypass on the water pump that will let you suck antifreeze up with it. You should also have a water heater bypass so it doesnt get antifreeze in it. Just drain the water heater, and run some antifreeze through all the lines until you see pink coming out. Be sure to get RV antifreeze (nontoxic) pink stuff, instead of automotive antifreeze.

To be on the safe side, you could drain the freshwater tank.

This won't take but a few minutes, and a few minutes to fill the tank and flush out the lines when you get back. The antifreeze may leave a slight taste in the water lines after its flushed, but you could take some drinking water.

[rexmitchell]

corvettekent wrote:
Instead of using a water hose just fill your water tank and use it. When you are gone I would be more concerned about the water lines than the tank. Pump some antifreeze in the lines if you think it will stay freezing for a few days or more.

Thanks, will leaving the faucets open avoid the water line issue? I would say it is rare for it to be below freezing for more than a day or so. We usually drop down overnight but by noon the next day are above freezing again.

[corvettekent]

Instead of using a water hose just fill your water tank and use it. When you are gone I would be more concerned about the water lines than the tank. Pump some antifreeze in the lines if you think it will stay freezing for a few days or more.