Simple Winterization Procedure

[gypsmjim]

Our old RV had a fresh water tank and 1 faucet...piece of cake. The new one supposedly has a water heater bypass, but its not real accessible.

The local hardware store had a sale on Peak RV -50 antifreeze for $1.43 a gallon. Bought 12 gallons. Should cover the boat AND the RV.

So, how about I drain the fresh, grey and black tanks, and the water heater. Then add 8 gallons to the fresh water tank. Next turn on all the faucets to the sink, tub and toilet. That should flush everything, and all the water will go to the grey and black tanks so they will be flushed as well. Then, drain everything again. Finished!

I'm not concerned about wasting AF - For 12 bucks how can you go wrong? Any reason my logic is flawed?

[gypsmjim]

Our current unit is a brand spanking new 2015 model with all the bells and whistles. I asked the original question because I was unfamiliar with all the bells and whistles.

We owned our old trailer for 27 years (second owner) and she turned 50 this year (1964 model). She was moved to the back of our site and our son will use her from now on. (Boy they sure made them to last back then, with a little bit of maintenance)

My wife refuses to drink RV water. We take bottled water for her tea. So whether its bleach or pink stuff, all it will be used for is dishwashing and showers.

WE filled the water tank with pink stuff for 27 years, flushed it till there was no pink and it worked fine. Before I used pink stuff i merely drained all systems. The 100 ml of water left in the low line froze and burst the line. I learned right then that all lines need to be flushed pink, not just drained.

[wa8yxm]

I did it the wet way once... NEVER AGAIN

I switched to the dry method (Blow the lines out with air) for the next few winters.. Much easier, Cheaper and no yuck to clean out of the lines come spring.

Now I use the S-Method (Drive S-outh till it no longer freezes) so far it's only failed me one time and in a non-damaging way.. (Cold water crossover line from Curb to Driver's side froze.. NO fittings froze, just the pex tube and PEX survives freezing very well) thawed once the sun came up.. I had heat in the wet bays but this line was dead center between heat sources.

[Harvey51]

I have the valve on the pump inlet side that switches the intake to a tube I put in a jug of antifreeze. Works great. I worry about the water in the pipe between the tank and the pump. There should be another valve to let air in and make that water fall into the tank. And I worry about a little water being left in the bottom of the tank and the drain tap - could that tap burst when the water freezes? So after draining the tank I put a clear tube on the drain and let a little antifreeze flow in to fill the tap. Or just pour a Liter of it in the water fill. After a little flushing in the spring there is no pink tinge to the water and the dog is okay drinking it. I haven't drunk any myself because I don't sterilize - I hate the taste of bleach.

It seems to me those of you who put bleach into the tank to sterilize the system will have a worse taste problem than a tiny bit of antifreeze would cause. At $1.50 a gallon, I would just pour it into the tank, too. But my pump doesn't self prime unless the tank is full, so I would have to use that valve behind the pump to prime it anyway.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

When I winterize, I do siphon out as much water as possible from the water heater tank. There is about a liter left when the gravity drain stops flowing.

[dieseltruckdriv]

Like others have said, install or use the bypasses. Don't put the antifreeze in the fresh water tank.

Dont worry about the fresh water tank or the water heater if they are drained. They won't crack. I open the drains on both and leave them open all winter.
Think of them as big ice cube trays, they don't crack.

[Bumpyroad]

Johno02 wrote:
Another option is to get an RV tech to come out and do it for you. Or take it to a service location.

or spend $50 once for a water heater bypass and a winterizing valve/hose/etc. and do it right using 2 gallons of AF a year.
bumpy

[Dave_H_M]

My water heater bypass is behind the removable panel in the basement. I took the panel cover loose and cut a round hole in the backer board and glued the cover nicely around the entrance. Now I just reach my hand/arm in there and change the valve. I have a plexiglass cover on the access hole.

[Steve1950]

To get to my water bypass I have to remove a little panel that is secured with four screws. Find your water heater on the outside, then go inside and look in that area for a removable panel. That's what I had to do. Remove the plug at the bottom water heater to drain the heater.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

how to winterize

[pappcam]

I have never put pink stuff in my FW tank or water heater. That's completely pointless and a waste of time and antifreeze along with a hassle of getting the pink stuff out come spring. I live in pretty well the coldest civilized part of Canada and I have never had any issues with anything freezing up.

You need a way to hook a container of anti-freeze to the suction side of your pump. Mine has a built in anti-freeze inlet where I just need to open one valve and close another but you may need to unhook the pipe from the suction side of the pump.

It should only 2 or 3 gallons of anti-freeze max and that includes dumping it in the p-traps and toilet.

[CavemanCharlie]

I have done it that way. I used enough antifreeze in the fresh water tank to fill the water heater, then drained the water heater right away after. It can be done. Getting to your water heater by-pass is much, much , easier way. You say it's not accessible? Can't you find a kid to squeeze in there and get to it? Got any kids, or grandkids? A neighborhood kid you could hire?

Last year I Drained everything. Put the plug back into the water heater and blew out all the lines with a portable air tank. It took a couple of portable tanks of air until I was satisfied. Then I put a gallon of pink in the tank and ran the pump to make sure the pump would not freeze. I keep my TT in storage at home so I kept a electric heater inside of it with the temp set to about 60 degrees. I made it through winter this way on -20f below nights.

My water heater does not even have a by-pass. I wish it did.

[Sillybugs2]

Dh bypasses the water heater but uses the few tank with about three gallons of antifreeze. Runs all the lines til pink comes out and puts some in all the traps. We drain and rinse few tank and sanitize in spring. Never had a foamy water issue.

[path1]

The new one supposedly has a water heater bypass, but its not real accessible.

I would get bypass available if possible or you're going to thru this every year.

Mine is in behind a closet, Totally stupid the way it was put in IMO. I came up with taping a pair of opened vice grip pliers on end of broom stick to get the teeth over by pass valve and turn.

I know every RV is different, they all seem to have their problems. When I drain my water system I can get just about everything and don't worry about freezing. ALL except my water valve on the toilet. For some reason air pressure doesn't get out all water and I have to use anti freeze just for that one valve. The little anti freeze I use for that one valve takes a long time to get rid of. Flushing out 6 gallon would take a long time IMO.

[gypsmjim]

Johno02 wrote:
Another option is to get an RV tech to come out and do it for you. Or take it to a service location.

The RV is permanently set up and it isn't going anywhere. When you say "boondocking", that's an understatement.