Urgent Need of Advice re Winterizing!

[rfloyd99]

I am stranded in Colorado high country and am facing four cold nights of 10-25 degree weather.

I have read about what to do to winterize and this afternoon I will be draining/blowing out the fresh water system. I have a 2016 Jayco TT.

I have three issues I'm not sure about and would appreciate some help.

1. Should I do anything to the fresh water pump?

2. Ideas on how to be sure the toilet (the standard plastic Dometic) is drained/blown out well.

3. My tow truck is disabled so I can't tow to a dump station. I am parked on my daughter's ranch, and could dump the small (3-5 gal) amount of gray water and the same small amount of black water (pee and flush water only) on the ground if necessary to avoid an expensive repair. I really would prefer not to dump them unless really necessary.

I am thinking that if the almost empty waste tanks freeze, there isn't anything to be damaged in the tanks, but I don't really know the anatomy of these systems.

I could dump in a few gallons of windshield washer fluid - any of you know anything about that idea?

I will be running a small electric heater inside the unit which should help keep the temp inside above freezing, and the TT will be parked inside a barn out of the wind. Of course, the plumbing is against the exterior walls, and the tanks are underneath and mine is not one of those 'Arctic-ready' units.

I've got to get all this done over the next few hours, so let me hear from you about these specific issues, as wll as any other ideas on my predicament!

BTW, the weather turns warm again in a few days, the truck gets fixed, and we are headed back to Florida, so don't need long-term winter advice.

Thanks!!

[Harvey51]

On our first trip we discovered that at -10C, 15F, the only part that froze was the freshwater drain tap. I put a mitt over it and all was well in the morning. Nice to know we are okay down to -10 without winterizing. We had -7 last night here in Alberta.

Using the pump to pull pink antifreeze its good down to -40. I pour some pink stuff down the sinks and toilet to protect the traps, tanks and drain valves.

[allen8106]

MFL wrote:

allen8106 wrote:

MFL wrote:
If you blow everything out, and run the pump dry, you should be okay inside a barn. Big difference between temp of 25, and 10. I am thinking inside the barn should stay considerably warmer than out door temp. An electric heater inside should protect pipes. If you are sure of the small amount in tanks, they should survive too, as long as you are in the barn.

This is just an opinion, don't call me if everything freezes solid. 🙂

Jerry

Not sure where you got the idea he was in a barn!!

You are correct, sorry. I missed that!

"I will be running a small electric heater inside the unit which should help keep the temp inside above freezing, and the TT will be parked inside a barn out of the wind."


Reading comprehension starts by reading entire OP

Jerry

[djousma]

make sure you have enough propane to keep the trailer warm. 4 days of cold like that you will burn a bunch of it!

[MFL]

allen8106 wrote:

MFL wrote:
If you blow everything out, and run the pump dry, you should be okay inside a barn. Big difference between temp of 25, and 10. I am thinking inside the barn should stay considerably warmer than out door temp. An electric heater inside should protect pipes. If you are sure of the small amount in tanks, they should survive too, as long as you are in the barn.

This is just an opinion, don't call me if everything freezes solid. 🙂

Jerry

Not sure where you got the idea he was in a barn!!

"I will be running a small electric heater inside the unit which should help keep the temp inside above freezing, and the TT will be parked inside a barn out of the wind."


Reading comprehension starts by reading entire OP

Jerry

[allen8106]

MFL wrote:
If you blow everything out, and run the pump dry, you should be okay inside a barn. Big difference between temp of 25, and 10. I am thinking inside the barn should stay considerably warmer than out door temp. An electric heater inside should protect pipes. If you are sure of the small amount in tanks, they should survive too, as long as you are in the barn.

This is just an opinion, don't call me if everything freezes solid. 🙂

Jerry

Not sure where you got the idea he was in a barn!!

[schlep1967]

Your on a ranch. Got any Hay or straw bales? Stack them up around the bottom of the RV all the way around to block out as much air as possible. Before you put the last one in Hang a trouble light from the frame near the tanks. Should keep it warm enough under there to keep the tanks from freezing. Empty and bypass the water heater, blow out the lines and/or add antifreeze to the system.

[ScottG]

Dave H M wrote:
Don’t forget the outside shower.

It was the black tank flush that was my demise. :S

Ah for cripes sakes. I winterized this week and totally forgot about the danged outside shower.
Nearly 30 years of RVing and I finally did it.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Terryallan]

Thinking out loud here. I learned in school that freezing water expands and bursts pipes. however IF it has some where to expand to. It will not burst the pipe. So if the black, fresh, or grey tanks are not full. The water has room to expand. Even the water in the drain pipes has room to expand back into the tank.

I leave 5 gal or so in my black tank year round. And yes it does get cold here, sometimes in the single digits.

[wa8yxm]

1: water pump
on the inlet side of the water pump is a strainer. Lay a towel on the floor below it and open the case. Drain the water out of it and run the pump for like a minute to clear the lines. Then blow again. (Do this after the 1st or second of like 10 blows to get all water out)

2 Toliet. Flush wile blowing to insure that line is clear

3:Re black/gray water.. If less than 5 gallons can you bucket carry to a toilet?

[ndrorder]

Has anyone mentioned draining the hot water heater. Blowing pipes isn't enough to drain some water heaters.

[Dave_H_M]

Don’t forget the outside shower.

It was the black tank flush that was my demise. :S

[cooldavidt]

All sounds good.
Blow thru your fresh water (25psi) thru open valves.
Leave all valves open.
Water in the tanks is not a problem but it would be better to open the valve

Don’t forget the outside shower.

[MDKMDK]

Wow, a little cold weather plus a winterizing "emergency" sure gets the keyboards a hummin' on here.:B

[DFord]

Light bulbs / spot lights inside the sink cabinets and shining on the holding tanks will help. After a few hours, open the cabinet doors/drawers and see if the lights are doing any better than you small heater. 1/4 cup of rock salt in the shower drain and the others if they aren't removed like was suggested.

Lot's of luck!!