Your Spring De-winterizing Checklist

[LeBout]

I'm always interested in knowing how my fellow TT owners and RVers approach Spring. I would love to see your Spring de-winterizing checklist and learn how you bring your TT out of hibernation.

[dalenoel]

30 gallon is plenty

[jbrowning]

LeBout wrote:

jbrowning wrote:
So for those who are flushing out the lines and the antifreeze. Are you at your house or are you at a campground where you can dump it or do you fill up your gray tank and then go dump it?

Yeah, if you're concerned about dumping anything at your home location it can all safely sit in your grey tank until such time as you hook up and dump the system for the first time.

My gray tank is 30 gallons. Is that enough tank to hold all the water that will get flushed through the lines along with bleach or whatever I use to flush out the lines?

Jim

[Lowsuv]

Frequent washing is the key to having an RV look good a decade later .
I use palmolive diswash liquid and a truck brush ( 9 inch wide x 3.5" deep on a 6 foot handle ) to wash my TT .
Without exception I wash my entire TT after every usage .
I lay down a stripe of palmolive on the brush face and then do a 10 sq. foot section .
I use a 5 gallon pail of HOT water to rinse the brush each time .
And of course a garden hose .
I do the roof and the awning the same way .
There is an advantage to laying down a stripe on the brush versus just using a pail of soapy water .
More concentration with less product used .
For the tight spots I use a good wash mitt .
I squirt a little palmolive into the mitt and go to work .
I don't wipe off the siding but I do use clean old cotton bath towels to dry the windows .
Probably not mandatory .
I have found through my experience that frequent car washing ( or waxing ) is more important than the products that I use .
Our car club has auto products reps ( MeGuiars ) put on a clinic every 2 years . They say the same .
I have tried all of the high class brands and I use MeGuiars products now and I find that theirs is as good as the best .
They make a good Car Wash Soap that I buy at Costco in the gallon container .
I am a car guy and I detail my cars frequently using a clay bar and expensive brand polishes and other chemicals on my cars .
There is no substitute for elbow grease .

[LeBout]

mosseater wrote:
Then I work in a wash and wax when the weather gets warm...

I would be interested to know what tools you guys use for washing and waxing. It has always seemed like such a daunting task!

[LeBout]

jbrowning wrote:
So for those who are flushing out the lines and the antifreeze. Are you at your house or are you at a campground where you can dump it or do you fill up your gray tank and then go dump it?

Yeah, if you're concerned about dumping anything at your home location it can all safely sit in your grey tank until such time as you hook up and dump the system for the first time.

[dalenoel]

I'm at home and it just goes on the ground. Has not had an affect on the grass and is diluted so I'm not worried about my dog.

[GordonThree]

I'll flush the flush water, tiny amount of bleach and antifreeze from my gray tank onto my dead grass under the trailer. The bottle claims it's non toxic. I wouldn't drink it, but after a few rains, it'll be pretty diluted. The black tank I'll just leave until I get somewhere to dump - though I'll probably drop a chem packet into it.

[jbrowning]

So for those who are flushing out the lines and the antifreeze. Are you at your house or are you at a campground where you can dump it or do you fill up your gray tank and then go dump it? I figure if you are hooked up to city water you would need to be at a campground. This will be my first season dewintering a trailer. Maybe it doesn't take as much city water as I think. Mine is 21 ft.

Thanks
Jim

[mosseater]

I don't have a check list anymore either. I usually make our first trip to a local State Park (one of our favs anyhow) so help isn't so far away. I plug in city water and flush all lines, then fill the FW tank and pump some out of that. Then just check all systems and give an overall check over, battery water and connections, roof leaks, run AC, run vent fans, radio, toilet seal, tire pressure, lights, heat, gas stove, rubber seals, interior lights, water heater, awning function and condition.

I have my PA inspection scheduled for early spring too, so I get the brakes and bearings checked. I also check out my support goodies. Generator, bikes, firewood boxes, awning mat, grill, tv, DVD. It takes me a day or so to get confident I'm ready. Then I work in a wash and wax when the weather gets warm, and off we go on another great season of fun!

[dalenoel]

Doug, S&B is stick and brick, means the main house.

[rockhillmanor]

Hook up to water line and open all faucets until all the pink is gone and water runs clear.

Add a bit of bleach and fill up fresh tank and let sit overnight.

Run all faucets until smell has dissipated.

Wash outside of RV and then I am on the road and gone!

[RVnMC]

I just called for my de-winterizing and trip readying appt at the local RV service center.
My battery has been on trickle at home since November when trailer got winterized and dropped off at storage lot. I just need to remember to take it with me when I go get the trailer. :S

[Majja13]

I leave mine plugged in all winter, so I check batteries for water. Fill water tank with water and about 3 cups bleach and cycle through the lines and let sit for a few days. After the sit I flush the entire water system 2 or 3 Tim's until I can not smell bleach. Make sure the tires have air,check for any leaks from the winter. Check lights and call it good. This year I am going to either repack or replace my bearings.

[Doug33]

dalenoel wrote:
Bring stored items back from S&B that were stored for winter and replace what is needed for new season.

TT is next to S&B and plugged in all year. TV only gets used for TT or big snows so it needs to be done also. All items are removed in fall including toiletries, baggies, paper, and chemicals. We use them through the winter and replace with new in Spring. Linens and a few clothes are left in the TT.

What is S&B?