Getting ready for winter

khd995

Active Member
I was wondering if some of you will be using you trailer this winter in areas where you will have temps in the 20's. and if so what will you be doing to get your trailer ready for this. Maybe skirting, adding heat tape, etc.

I am going to be using my trailer in Southern Arkansas for a month or two around December. Shouldn't be terribly cold , but will get below freezing during the night at least for awhile.
 

sailorand

Past British Columbia Chapter Leader
khd
Keep the heat on!! When we went south last January from BC it was down to freezing for the first 2 weeks. From cold after driving all day to 68 degrees it took 3 hrs. then keeping it warm was no problem. I would recommend changing out the thermostat to the Hunter digital. Search here for the links. It makes a world of difference.
Rand
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
We have never been in freezing temps that long ,maybe 4-5 days. I never leave the fresh water hooked up and use water filled from the fresh water tank. When I need to drain waste tanks I just wait till the warm part of the day and top off fresh water if needed. I have not had any freezing problems with the waste or fresh water tanks.---Ken
 

chardel

Active Member
We are very interested in this subject as well. We are planning to go south to visit family for Jan, Feb and Mar this winter but will be in Maine until then. We have been trying to decide how much winterization to do in the meantime. Should we try to keep the unit ready to travel by keeping the furnance on low to keep problems down or would it probably get too cold and we would have a problem with pump/water lines potentially freezing anyway even with minimal water in them? Or, should we try to set up some electric space heaters in unit to keep it warm? Or, should we just bite the bullet and fully winterize the unit until time to leave? If we do that, would it not be a real hassle to get the unit ready to use as we will probably be in rather cold temps for the first two or three days of travel before we get far enough south to not have temp problems? Prior to this fiver, we had a class c which we went south for much shorter times and earlier in the season (late fall) so did not run into these issues. Any suggestions on best way to winterize in this situation would be appreciated. When we get back we will have the same issues of the winterization as it is apt to still be cold for another month.
 

vangoes

Well-known member
We was in areas on three occassions last winter where the nights was below freezing..........some nights into the low teens. Its not really that problematic especially if the days are above freezing. We would either let the fresh water trickle overnight or unhook the hose. Word from experience....if you trickle be carefull because you can fill the grey tank where it will back up and overflow the sink! For traveling we would try to leave later in the morning after temps had risen and we would also drain the lines and water heater before we left just to be safe. While stationary, the furnace will keep the lines and tanks from freezing. We also used the fireplace and a space heater in the bedroom to conserve propane. On one occasion, our regulator did freeze up during the night and the furnace quit (blew cold air), so having a space heater or two is certainly a wise decision.
 

khd995

Active Member
Any suggestions about keeping the water supply from the CG turned on. Keeping the water, hose, and connections from the ground (spigot) to where it enters the trailer from freezing.
 

vangoes

Well-known member
Chardel
Winterizing the RV is no big deal. I can do mine with two and half gallons of antifreeze and about twenty minutes of my time. I winterized mine 4 times last winter as we made several trips between Dec and Mar. To run the furnace while unit is stored would use an awful lot of propane and if you only use electric heaters it is not likely that it will keep the basement area above freezing (unless you also have them there of course). I have left home with the lines still filled with antifreeze and flushed them at the first stop of the trip. The next days travel hopefully would be sunny which would keep the coach above freezing inside but I would still drain the water heater and the open the low point drains before pulling out if the temps was going to be freezing.
 

Tom of Ypsi

Well-known member
It gets too cold in Maine to not winterize. I only take a short period of time and you will have the peace of mind. If your power goes out so do the electric heaters, if you run out of propane you lose your furnace. Why take the chance for such a small price.
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
We spent the winter in Temple Texas. The temp got below freezing on several occasions, and the lowest we saw it was 18. When it went below 30 we would let water trickle in the kitchen faucet and never had a problem and we were on full hook ups. Some folks put a heat tape on their water line to solve the problem. If I was going to be in Maine, I would fully winterize, just like I did in Minnesota.

John
 

Goldenwingers

goldenwingers
khd995, in response to your question I read a post on this board some months back that said they ran a strand of rope lights along the water hose and covered both with foam insulation and their hosr never froze. I am in the process of gathering the material needed to prepare my hose this way for this winter. Wish me luck.

Don
 

GypsyBill

and Jennifer
Since I keep my 5er at a campground year-round, we wrapped our water hose with foam insulation (I like the idea of the rope light and will keep that in mind when or if we end up in colder climates)... of course, since we are only 10 miles off the Gulf of Mexico, it doesn't get below freezing often (and if it does it doesn't stay to long)... we shut the water off to the unit when we leave during the week..
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Winterizing help

I found this bit for winterizing which may help cover some of the issues for the one's that are unfortunate enough to have to winterize their RV's. I won't say it's perfect, but it covers most of the bases;

Hope it helps,

John

[FONT=Arial,]WINTERIZING YOUR RV [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,]Winterizing your RV can be a simple process, if you just follow the steps below. There are three ways to winterize your rig. I have listed them in order of our personal preference.

BEST METHOD:

1. Drain fresh water tank.
2. Drain hot water heater.
3. Dump and flush both black and gray water holding tanks, leave gray water valve open.
4. Screw compressed air adaptor into the fresh water inlet. The adapter is available from Camping World or most RV dealers.
5. Apply compressed air, keeping the pressure less than 20 lbs/sq inch.
6. Open each faucet, one valve at a time, allowing the compressed air to force the water out of the line. Don't forget the shower and toilet.
7. Remove the drain plug from the hot water tank and allow the compressed air to blow out the remaining water. Reinstall drain plug.
8. Remove the compressed air source and adapter.
9: Close the water heater by-pass valve. (SEE SPECIAL WATER HEATER NOTE BELOW)
10. Remove the water line that runs between the fresh water pump and the fresh water tank, where it joins the fresh water tank.
11. Insert the end of the line into a gallon jug of RV antifreeze. (NEVER-NEVER-NEVER USE AUTOMOTIVE ANTIFREEZE!!!!!!!).
12. Start the fresh water pump. It will run for a few moments, sucking antifreeze from the jug. It will stop as pressure in the system builds up.
13. Open each valve of each faucet, one at a time, until the red antifreeze appears, shut the faucet. Don't forget the shower and toilet.
14. Remove the line from the jug of antifreeze and reattach it to the fresh water tank.
HINT: For a few dollars you can buy and install an adapter that will eliminate removing and reinstalling the fresh water line. It is a small three way valve that goes in the fresh water line, between the fresh water tank and the pump. You can easily pump antifreeze throughout he system by inserting the tube attached to the valve into a gallon of antifreeze, turning the valve and starting the pump. Simply turn the valve back to its original position and you are done.
15. shut the gray water valve.
16. Pour a few cups of antifreeze down each drain and the toilet.
17. Your done.

SECOND BEST METHOD - Blowing Out the Lines
1. Drain fresh water tank.
2. Drain hot water heater.
3. Dump and flush both black and gray water holding tanks, leave gray water valve open.
4. Screw compressed air adaptor into the fresh water inlet. The adapter is available from Camping World or most RV dealers.
5. Apply compressed air, keeping the pressure less than 20 lbs/sq inch.
6. Open each faucet, one valve at a time, allowing the compressed air to force the water out of the line. Don't forget the shower and toilet.
7. Remove the drain plug from the hot water tank and allow the compressed air to blow out the remaining water. Reinstall drain plug.
8. Remove the compressed air source and adapter.
9. Pour a few cups of antifreeze down each drain and toilet.
10. Your done.

THIRD BEST METHOD - Fill the Lines with Antifreeze
1. Drain fresh water tank.
2. Drain hot water heater, turn by-pass valve. (SEE SPECIAL WATER HEATER NOTE BELOW)
3. Dump and flush both black and gray water holding tanks, leave gray water valve open.
4. Remove the water line that runs between the fresh water pump and the fresh water tank, where it joins the fresh water tank.
5. Insert the end of the line into a gallon jug of RV antifreeze. (NEVER-NEVER-NEVER USE AUTOMOTIVE ANTIFREEZE!!!!!!!).
6. Start the fresh water pump. It will run for a few moments, sucking antifreeze from the jug. It will stop as pressure in the system builds up. (SEE SPECIAL WATER HEATER NOTE BELOW)
7. Open each valve of each faucet, one at a time, until the red antifreeze appears, shut the faucet. Don't forget the shower and toilet.
8. Remove the line from the jug of antifreeze and reattach it to the fresh water tank.
HINT: For a few dollars you can buy and install an adapter that will eliminate removing and reinstalling the fresh water line. It is a small three way valve that goes in the fresh water line, between the fresh water tank and the pump. You can easily pump antifreeze throughout he system by inserting the tube attached to the valve into a gallon of antifreeze, turning the valve and starting the pump. Simply turn the valve back to its original position and you are done.
9. shut the gray water valve.
10. Pour a few cups of antifreeze down each drain and the toilet.
11. Your done.

WATER HEATER NOTE:
One of the most important accessories you can add to your RV is a water heater by-pass. It is a simple device, one or two valves that isolates the tank from the rest of the water system. This is very important when you get ready to winterizer. A water heater tank is normally about 7 gallons. Without the by-pass valve, you will have to fill that tank with seven gallons of RV antifreeze before you can pump it throughout the rest of the system. With a by-pass valve, you can save 7 gallons of RV antifreeze.

Installation is a pretty simple do it yourself project, or any RV dealer can install it for you. You will save the cost of the valve in just a few years with the value of the antifreeze you save.
[/FONT]
 

pickuphunt

Active Member
One thing I always do when winterizing is to use an air hose adapter at the city water connector. I do this with a small air tank, or use any other air compressor source. I apply the air pressure before turning any 'winterizing valves'. This lets the hot water heater be an air tank (empty the water heater first). Open all faucets until no water comes. This reduces the amount of antifreeze needed as you are not diluting the antifreeze with existing water in the lines. Also, this removes water from the city connector hose. Other wise, water will remain just behind the one way valve at the city connector. WFM (works for me)
 

cdbMidland

Past Michigan Chapter Leader
Great ideas. However, don't forget the outside shower - both sides. I guess that the same is true of the washer outlet (although I always forget it because we never use it).
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
pickuphunt said:
One thing I always do when winterizing is to use an air hose adapter at the city water connector. I do this with a small air tank, or use any other air compressor source. I apply the air pressure before turning any 'winterizing valves'. This lets the hot water heater be an air tank (empty the water heater first). Open all faucets until no water comes. This reduces the amount of antifreeze needed as you are not diluting the antifreeze with existing water in the lines. Also, this removes water from the city connector hose. Other wise, water will remain just behind the one way valve at the city connector. WFM (works for me)

This is how I do mine, I first got this from a fellow RVer when I got my first trailer. This fellow though only blew out the water and ran the water pump for about a minute till dry. The only antifreeze he used was in the traps and he said no freeze ups and it does get cold here. Now me I add the antifreeze also, feel like its double covered....Ken
 
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