Still in the deep freeze...de-winterizing on the road?

[3LittleDucks]

We will be heading south while it's still frozen here, will have to wait a day or 2 before we can dewinterize. I think we'll dry camp the first night (at a full service CG), then dewinterize when we get somewhere warm. Any tips on how to do this at a GC? We usually run a lot of water through the system at home, prob not cool to do this at a CG. Any tips?

Also, we may use the black tank for on the road emergencies...any way to do this safely? I've heard of people putting some water and antifreeze in the tank before leaving..

Thanks!

[timjcarter9]

dakdave wrote:
i think most campgrounds would much rather have some pink stuff in their sewer system than w w fluid .

When you spray your windshield while driving it ends up in the storm sewer or in the ground in very diluted amounts. I don't see a problem going into a system to be treated.

[rhagfo]

3 dog nights wrote:

rhagfo wrote:
Every time I read these stories I am so glad I blow my lines and don't need to deal flushing the pink stuff out of the lines. I need to do this several times a year as we four season camp.

what kind of air pressure do you use? I imagine my little 12v air compressor is not strong enough. Do you also open the low point drains to accelerate the process?

I use the on board compressor for my Pacbrake, 1-1/2 gal tank builds to 150 psi. may sure either a faucet is open or the low point drain caps are removed. I blow and switch faucets then close all faucets and blow out through the low point. This seems to work well as we have temps into single digits several days here this winter and no issues. the only place I put the pink stuff is the P traps. I drain the FW tank then cycle the pump for about ten seconds.
Many of the Oregon SP we like don't have full hookups so this works great for us.

This is a process we repeat several times a year.

[wa8yxm]

Black tank, Start by adding a quart of pink RV antifreeze, this will get down in the valve area and more or less protect it.. Then carry jugs of water (Like perhaps 5 gallon) inside the motor home.

As for de-winterizign on the road. Two options.

FIrst: you can sanatize then blow out the lines now... This way you need only do the final fill (Sanatize run, soda run, rinse run)

Option 2 (how I did it) it is legal to dump fresh water, and both your bleach and soda water everywhere.. You may, nowever, have to prove it's clear water not waste.

I filled with water and bleach, then drained, filled again with water and baking soda and drained, then filled with fresh and drained, finally filled at one of my stops... NOTE: after you fill you run the water 1: Bleach 2: Soda 3: just water through all the lines of course. Never had a problem doing it this way. No complaints. if you are in a parking lot not a campground (Best to be in a campground) you park so the fresh tank drains into a drain.

[JaxDad]

WW fluid contains alcohol, I'm pretty sure MANY gallons of that goes in their system EVERY week.

[dakdave]

i think most campgrounds would much rather have some pink stuff in their sewer system than w w fluid .

[JaxDad]

Although I have idea where in Canada 3LittleDucks is, I can relate my experience in doing the same thing in my C over many years.

I too blow the lines clear, the key is not 'power' of the compressor, almost any will make 100+ psi! it's the reservoir tank size. You are basically letting a line run wide open (albeit at only 50 or 60 psi) so you need a large reserve of pressurized air or the pressure will quickly drop to level that will leave water behind.

My FW tanks are inside (under the dinette seats) so I can fill them the day before I leave and just leave the heat turned on.

We flush the toilet with windshield washer fluid. This brings two points though. First, even if the temps are far below freezing, any liquid in the black or grey tanks is NOT sitting still it's sloshing all over as you drive. This dramatically lowers the point at which it will freeze. Secondly, it takes quite a while at near freezing (few degrees below) for liquid to chill to the freezing point and start to solidify, and MUCH longer and colder to freeze hard enough to do anything, especially in something as big as the drain pipes.

I've driven 12 hours in freezing temps with unprotected full black & grey tanks and got home and pulled the plug and they drained no problem.

[camperforlife]

Ideally I would flush, sanitize and blow the lines before I left. If weather did not permit that I would take a couple of jugs of water for the road and spend a night at a full hook up site south of the freeze line and de-winterize there. Sanitizing does not take an exorbitant amount of water and I see no reason not to do it at a full hook up park.

[timjcarter9]

DnK77 wrote:
Windshield washer fluid is plenty good for flushing the toilet and is often much cheaper than the pink stuff.

x2. This is always what we use in the winter. Just dump some in the bowl before use and let er go. Rinse afterwards/ Much cheaper. The pink stuff will get diluted in the black tank and not work as well.

[westend]

Your pink stuff may be slush at below freezing temps. That may influence the decision as to where to do your dewinterization.

[3LittleDucks]

Yeah, same dilemna. I'm not sure..

[pitch]

Is it cool to dewinterize at a CG? We too are leaving for more southerly climes soon. I really don't want to be handling liquids outside at below freezing temperatures. I have less than 2 gallons of pink stuff in my trailer.

[3LittleDucks]

That's a good idea! We could wash/blow out the lines here and wait til later to fill.

[milo]

We're pondering the same question even tho our trip is only bout 7-8 hours.
DW & I are fixin to leave next week and head down to Mesa to visit with DS for a few days. Debating whether to dewinterize before we leave. Nights are still getting down in the lower 20's & will still be in the mid to upper 20's next week. Think I'll do what DJ does and fully de-winterize and then sanitize the system & then blow all the lines and wait till we get there to put any water in the tank. We always carry a couple of gallon milk jugs with water to use in the toilet.

[3LittleDucks]

Thanks for all of the great tips. I guess a lot will depend on what the actual temp is here when we leave, and what the forecast is for our first night out. Will print this and take it with me.