Winterizeing

[Calicajun]

When winterizing our RVs, drain water heater, blow out lines and add pink stuff. Is there anything we should do to the propane lines in winterizing? :@

[RambleOnNW]

Calicajun wrote:
So what do you guys do to remove the pink stuff? I guessing it doesn't taste all that good.

We drink bottled water so the taste is not an issue. I will flush with water until the water stops foaming when it comes out of the faucet. Then it is time for the annual disinfect of the fresh water tank and lines.

[RedRocket204]

Calicajun wrote:
So what do you guys do to remove the pink stuff?

When de-winterizing, you will need to flush the system. Also recommended to sanitize at the same time, beginning of the season, with a very small amount of bleach in the fresh holding tank with a good amount of water to flush through the lines.

Calicajun wrote:
I guessing it doesn't taste all that good.

That is the reason I don't use the pink stuff in my lines, I just blow the lines out with a proper 40 PSI limiter and then compressor is set around the same PSI.

[Calicajun]

So what do you guys do to remove the pink stuff? I guessing it doesn't taste all that good.

[RambleOnNW]

I have added an extra step, I drain all the antifreeze from the lines through the low point drains. There is no point in leaving the pink stuff in the lines all winter, it will just make the lines harder to flush clean in the spring. An empty line with pink residue will not freeze up.

[RedRocket204]

Don't forget the low drain points for the water lines.

BTW, I do the blow out of air lines, open the water heater and then open the low points to drain. The pink stuff only gets added to the trap and toilet bowl. I've not had a problem yet.

I've also never been able to fully drain the fresh, gray and black tanks completely. I do as good a job as possible and leave it at that. So far, so good.


I was surprised to hear Lancaster had to winterize too but better safe than sorry.

[Campinfan]

I go overboard. I blow out the lines then add the pink stuff. Overkill, maybe but it hasn't failed me yet and it only takes a couple extra minutes if you have the equipment.

[hbrady]

My first year with the TT but I also plan to pull the battery and it put it in my heated garage on a battery tender.

[Calicajun]

Dennis Smith wrote:
Does it freeze enough in Lancaster to have to do that. If it doesn't get below 30 or so for more then a few hours you don't need to do it. I have camped in 15 degree and was OK, the poop froze but everything else was OK

A couple times in the winter temperature gets down to 20 degrees for a few days. Couple of years ago it went down to -12 degrees, we stayed inside for those days.

[Terryallan]

djousma wrote:

Tacswa3 wrote:
Do you guys generally pour the pink stuff straight into the fresh tank and distribute through the system via the water pump?

No to the antifreeze in the fresh water tank! After your fresh tank is completely drained, the method varies. On my trailer, I have an adapter that I use that requires you to disconnect the fresh water line coming from the tank into the waterpump, and attach a short section of hose that you then put into the gallon of anti-freeze that you then use the water pump to run through all the plumbing. Newer trailers/fifth wheels, sometimes have a combination of valves that include a winterize mode that already has a suction input to run the anti-freeze through the plumbing.

also be sure to set your water heater to bypass mode, and drain the water from it. If you don't change to bypass, you will fill your water heater with antifreeze too. I am able to do my trailer with about a total of 3 gallons which includes running some extra down the traps and into the tanks.

I agree. I suggest you check for a winterizing kit.
IF you try to do it thru the fresh tank. It will take a lot of antifreeze. Maybe 5 gal or more. IF you can do it as stated above. Less than 2

[djousma]

Tacswa3 wrote:
Do you guys generally pour the pink stuff straight into the fresh tank and distribute through the system via the water pump?

No to the antifreeze in the fresh water tank! After your fresh tank is completely drained, the method varies. On my trailer, I have an adapter that I use that requires you to disconnect the fresh water line coming from the tank into the waterpump, and attach a short section of hose that you then put into the gallon of anti-freeze that you then use the water pump to run through all the plumbing. Newer trailers/fifth wheels, sometimes have a combination of valves that include a winterize mode that already has a suction input to run the anti-freeze through the plumbing.

also be sure to set your water heater to bypass mode, and drain the water from it. If you don't change to bypass, you will fill your water heater with antifreeze too. I am able to do my trailer with about a total of 3 gallons which includes running some extra down the traps and into the tanks.

[Dennis_Smith]

Does it freeze enough in Lancaster to have to do that. If it doesn't get below 30 or so for more then a few hours you don't need to do it. I have camped in 15 degree and was OK, the poop froze but everything else was OK

[Tacswa3]

Do you guys generally pour the pink stuff straight into the fresh tank and distribute through the system via the water pump?

[Calicajun]

Terryallan wrote:
IF you are going to run pink thru the lines anyway. No need to blow them out. Just run until the pink comes out of all valves.

Of course after blowing lines. You do need to get some thru the pump. Then You only need to pour pink into the traps, and bathroom bowl

Good to know as I would have to borrow an air compressor because I don't own one.
My second thought for winterizeing is to store the TT some where that doesn't get below 40 degrees as we like to camp in throughout the year.:)

[Terryallan]

IF you are going to run pink thru the lines anyway. No need to blow them out. Just run until the pink comes out of all valves.

Of course after blowing lines. You do need to get some thru the pump. Then You only need to pour pink into the traps, and bathroom bowl