1cowboy
Oklahoma
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This is directed to Oklahoma RVers...but others welcomed to chime in.
This is my first winter home in 3 years. With previous trailers and smaller Class C, I did only partial winterizing: Blew out water lines, drained water heater and on board water. This done because if weather permitted, we went out in the rigs. This process seemed to work and had no problems.
Will do the same this year if weather permits (no snow, ice, dangerous driving conditions). But until then, I've blown out water lines, drained on board water and water heater, put anti freeze in sink traps and toilets and left all valves open. RV is in shelter with opening that faces west.
Unless we have a ungodly record breaking winter like last year (when we weren't here), should I consider fully winterizing by running anti freeze in the lines?
Yeah,I know, who knows what it will do. If I see it going like last year, I'll do the full winterizing, but would like to keep option open for winter use as noted above.
Always appreciate your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks!
P.S. Located 25 miles south of Tulsa.
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Coalminer UG
Grande Cache Alberta
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RV Anti Freeze is very cheap insurance.
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cncdude
Racine, WI.
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If you blew out the lines there is no water to freeze. You do not need to put antifreeze in the now empty lines.
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ScottMack
Oklahoma
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Agree with cncdude. You are already fully winterized. When we had our Airstream, I just blew the lines - did not use antifreeze because it was a pain to do.
Our MH is set up such that using antifreeze is incredibly quick and easy. I now use antifreeze and keep extra on hand in case we go out in between. It flushes out easily and it only takes a touch over a gallon for me to re-winterize.
You should be in good shape regardless of what we get for winter weather this season.
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1cowboy
Oklahoma
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Canadian responder: Yep, you're right about cheap insurance. I'm not trying to save money, just wondered what others thought. Seems the Wisconsin and Oklahoma folks feel the same way about clearing lines. Will have antifreeze on hand just in case we drop to North Pole temps. Not a real prob to do.
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rehoppe
Denver
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If you are not sure of your 'low point' drain status. Run your air hose at low pressure. Make sure you are far enough away from your compressor to 'hear' the water lines. You can verify the lines are at least less than full if they don't bubble.
My old TT has issues with 'low point', takes a good volume of 30# air to get a cople of points to 'less than full' status. So I just pump in a gallon of Red stuff after bypassing the HW Heater. Do the 'Traps' and walk away.
The Red stuff is sugar, so it doesn't take much to flush it out for use. Way more of a hassle to take the cover off and on. But I haven't given up on that Yet.
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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If you blow the lines out, you are fully winterized. Plain old **AIR** will never do any freeze damage, guaranteed.
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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I, too, am in the "blowing out the lines IS full winterization" camp.
IF it is done properly so there is very little or no water left in the plumbing.
Of course, that caveat applies to using anti-freeze, also! If it isn't done RIGHT, it can be pretty much useless!
Anyway, the blowing out is what I have done here in Montana.
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1cowboy
Oklahoma
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Thanks to all of you for your help. That's what makes this a GREAT site...good folks sharing info! Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and terrific new year!
Happy trails, pards!
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Mocoondo
Chicago, IL
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mowermech wrote:I, too, am in the "blowing out the lines IS full winterization" camp.
IF it is done properly so there is very little or no water left in the plumbing.
Of course, that caveat applies to using anti-freeze, also! If it isn't done RIGHT, it can be pretty much useless!
Anyway, the blowing out is what I have done here in Montana.
This is very important information right here. RV antifreeze is virtually useless if the process is not done right.
I have seen plenty of coaches with water damage after the owner claimed to have winterized using the "wet" method with pink stuff in his lines. The problem with this method is that there is already water in the system and when pink stuff is introduced into the lines, the concentration of the anti-freeze is reduced by a large margin.
RV anti-freeze typically "protects" down to -50F according to the label, but put a cup of the stuff in your home freezer and watch how quickly it solidifies at temperatures well above -50F. Now cut it with some water (typical of what would happen when you introduce the stuff into your water system) and put it in your freezer. It will freeze hard as a rock.
If you absolutely must use anti-freeze in order to sleep well at night, just be sure you blow out all your lines first and get all the water out of your fresh water tank BEFORE you introduce the anti-freeze. If you don't, you really have no idea what the concentration of anti-freeze is in your lines and you could find yourself unprotected.
The best way to winterize (in my opinion) is to get all the water out of the unit with compressed air and leave all faucets and valves OPEN to allow for expansion of any residual water and moisture which may be left behind. That is what I do and I've never had a single issue since plain old air will never freeze. If you must use anti-freeze, choose only a high quality product that protects down to -150F. That is the only product which I have not been able to get to freeze in my freezer at home.
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