To Not Winterize in PA?

[Redterpos3]

I am wondering if anyone has kept their rig heated through the winter in central PA. Right now I'm keeping mine heated, as I still need to dump my black tank once more. I think keeping it heated through mid-december would be relatively easy (and not too costly). But Jan-Feb would be the pricey months, and dangerous if the propane gave out. My rig is in my driveway so I can keep an eye on it. But I did notice that when my propane did give out it got down to 30 degrees pretty quick:o If anyone has, what did it cost in propane??
My rig is a Nash, 4 season, enclosed tanks.

[Tvov]

Redterpos3 wrote:
.... My dealer talked about the pink stuff also freezing, or turning to slush. Is this a problem, or does provide enough prevention from frozen solid that keeps everything safe?

The instructions on the RV antifreeze I bought says it might get slushy in very low temps, but it is supposed to protect the pipes down to -50 degrees.

[epusher]

Bumpyroad wrote:

epusher wrote:
I simply hook up an adapter to the city inlet and blow 40 psi air through the system. Takes a little longer than hooking the water pump up to the antifreeze jugs. I still go through the sanitizing/flush sequence of the water system in the spring. About the only savings with air (besides $10-$15 in pink stuff) is I don't have to unscrew a panel and the pump intake. So fewer steps with air, but a little longer in time. The longer time is the multiple stops and starts at the faucet to push the final water slugs out.

For me, I should go back to anti-freeze as I won't be using the unit at all this winter. The benefit to air is its easy to repeat if using the unit during the winter.

you can also push antifreeze into the city water fill connector.
bumpy

Good idea. I've got a spare water pump. Of course I still haven't finished the garbage disposal macerator pump project.

[Bumpyroad]

meyerske wrote:
Couple questions from a newbie:

1. To de-winterize, you just run the water until the lines run clear, right?

2. I winterized last week using the pink stuff. It was really easy. I'll be back to the RV in about a week (and staying for several days). Is it silly winterizing for just a week? I just wanted to be sure I'd have no problems.

Winterizing took me about 1/2 hour.

you run every faucet, outside shower, etc. until the pink stuff comes out. not clear. only silly if is going to stay well over freezing for that week.
bumpy

[meyerske]

Couple questions from a newbie:

1. To de-winterize, you just run the water until the lines run clear, right?

2. I winterized last week using the pink stuff. It was really easy. I'll be back to the RV in about a week (and staying for several days). Is it silly winterizing for just a week? I just wanted to be sure I'd have no problems.

Winterizing took me about 1/2 hour.

[Bumpyroad]

epusher wrote:
I simply hook up an adapter to the city inlet and blow 40 psi air through the system. Takes a little longer than hooking the water pump up to the antifreeze jugs. I still go through the sanitizing/flush sequence of the water system in the spring. About the only savings with air (besides $10-$15 in pink stuff) is I don't have to unscrew a panel and the pump intake. So fewer steps with air, but a little longer in time. The longer time is the multiple stops and starts at the faucet to push the final water slugs out.

For me, I should go back to anti-freeze as I won't be using the unit at all this winter. The benefit to air is its easy to repeat if using the unit during the winter.

you can also push antifreeze into the city water fill connector.
bumpy

[epusher]

I simply hook up an adapter to the city inlet and blow 40 psi air through the system. Takes a little longer than hooking the water pump up to the antifreeze jugs. I still go through the sanitizing/flush sequence of the water system in the spring. About the only savings with air (besides $10-$15 in pink stuff) is I don't have to unscrew a panel and the pump intake. So fewer steps with air, but a little longer in time. The longer time is the multiple stops and starts at the faucet to push the final water slugs out.

For me, I should go back to anti-freeze as I won't be using the unit at all this winter. The benefit to air is its easy to repeat if using the unit during the winter.

[Bumpyroad]

Redterpos3 wrote:
<>

Well, he's the one that did the "blow out" job, so if it freezes it would be his problem.

<>

This is a good point I hadn't thought of, mine came with a built in bypass, and putting the pink stuff in was super easy! My dealer talked about the pink stuff also freezing, or turning to slush. Is this a problem, or does provide enough prevention from frozen solid that keeps everything safe?

folks here say it's supposed to slush up, but not freeze solid.
bumpy

[Redterpos3]

<>

Well, he's the one that did the "blow out" job, so if it freezes it would be his problem.

<>

This is a good point I hadn't thought of, mine came with a built in bypass, and putting the pink stuff in was super easy! My dealer talked about the pink stuff also freezing, or turning to slush. Is this a problem, or does provide enough prevention from frozen solid that keeps everything safe?

[soren]

PAThwacker wrote:
No two years are the same when it comes to winter temps in PA. I am 39 and have seen balmy 75 degrees or as low as neg 10 during rifle season since 1985.
Snow on the other hand is even less predictable.

Did you get lucky enough to be out of town in '93 when the Pocono Record headline was "life is no fun at -21*" That was six days where the daily high was below zero, and it hit 26 below at my place. Spent many years building in the Lake Harmony area, and sunrise temps. of a few degrees below zero are not too unusual in the second half of January. You are right about how crazy and unpredictable it all is though. I had one winter where grass seed sprouted between Christmas and new years, and have worked without a shirt, tossing concrete forms around, in January.

[PAThwacker]

No two years are the same when it comes to winter temps in PA. I am 39 and have seen balmy 75 degrees or as low as neg 10 during rifle season since 1985.
Snow on the other hand is even less predictable.

[PAThwacker]

Its in the low 20 at night route 80 corridor Pocono Area. Snow is getting blown.

[Bumpyroad]

from another thread "With a faucet open I plug the air in and blow from the closest to the farthest and back again. Open low point drains first and then after blowing lines. I still wind up with water in the lines so I have to run some RV AF in anyways". seems like some RVs are not totally self draining. :s
bumpy

[fireman41]

I live two hours north of Pittsburgh and I have done it both ways, and haven't had any issues.

[Bumpyroad]

Redterpos3 wrote:
The debate is very interesting! My dealer said to "blow it out". After reading on this site, it sounds to me to be good to run the pink stuff through the system, pushing out all the water, and then open all the drains, and let gravity remove the bulk of pink stuff. One item my dealer says to do, is put a crushed can of soda (no soda left) in the toilet trap to keep the seal open. Others here have said to put the pink stuff in the toilet to keep the seal wet? Which is best??? I'm confused on this one! :h

is your "dealer" the same person who will profit if your system freezes up and breaks something? if something does break and you fuss at him/her his/her response will be that it is your fault since you did an inadequate job of blowing out the lines. He will never tell you that the fault was that the manufacturer left a dip in a horizontal run that accumulated the little water left clinging to the sides of the pipes after you stopped blowing.
If blowing out the system was the standard/recommended procedure, why do they bother putting in water heater bypass kits? :s

bumpy