How do you winterize in the frozen North?

[olcoon]

I suppose this is for the folks who have really cold weather most of the winter. A friend was talking to an RV Tech today, and was told to winterize differently than I've ever heard. He was told to use compressed air to blow the water out of all the lines, then to pump the RV antifreeze into the system, then to blow out the antifreeze. I know that the RV antifreeze has a max temp. that it will protect down to, but usually here in MO we seldom get that cold. The tech said that the antifreeze can get slushy if it gets cold enough, and I've heard of this. Just haven't heard of winterizing the way he said to do it. I suppose that some water could still be in the system, and dilute the antifreeze. I was just curious on how you guys that have real​ winters do it.

 

[2TrakR]

Not sure about real winters, usually doesn't get down to much more than -15F here. I drain tank, lines, water heater, then flip to winterize setting and let it suck the pink stuff in through all the lines, running each faucet/shower/toilet until it's full pink going through. Also dump some in each drain in addition to what was pumped in during the faucet running.

I don't blow them out afterwards. Not certain I see the benefit of doing so.

 

[GOTTOYS]

Not sure about real winters, usually doesn't get down to much more than -15F here. I drain tank, lines, water heater, then flip to winterize setting and let it suck the pink stuff in through all the lines, running each faucet/shower/toilet until it's full pink going through. Also dump some in each drain in addition to what was pumped in during the faucet running.

I don't blow them out afterwards. Not certain I see the benefit of doing so.

I do the exact same thing. I've done it this way for over 30 years and haven't had a problem yet. My guess is the "technician" you talked to has his own way of doing things. His method probably works, but I know mine does too...Don

 

[jnbhobe]

I put it in the garage and turn up the heat. Lol

 

[ILH]

BTW, antifreeze is supposed to get slushy at extreme temps...that's OK. I don't blow the antifreeze out.

 

[iawoody2]

I do the exact same thing. I've done it this way for over 30 years and haven't had a problem yet. My guess is the "technician" you talked to has his own way of doing things. His method probably works, but I know mine does too...Don

X3 never have had a problem with either our previous unit, class A, or current 5er.
Bob

 

[olcoon]

Thanks for the replies! The way you guys described is how I've always done it, and have heard how to do it. Wish I could have been there to ask some questions! Anyway I don't think I'll change to his way anytime soon.

 

[JohnDar]

I also use air to clear the water from the lines and pump in the antifreeze and leave it in until spring. No problems seen in SE Michigan and we get subzero temps here.


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[Jim.Allison]

Every once in a while we get a cold blast down here, one time we had 10 days of between 0 and 10 degrees. A lot of people don't winterize, but I'm going to do it like religion because its too easy to do, and I dont want to be out trying to figure out how to winterize with a "blue nothern" blowing and of course it would be at night too.

 

[caissiel]

I am from the cold white north and have blown my lines for 22 years. The first winter I used antifreeze and one line valve busted. So air for me only.
I can see the point of blowing the antifreeze due to the chance of deluted antifreeze. It's proper to blow it out in the spring so why not blow it in the fall and not have to dewinterize in the spring like some do.
This tech knows how to serve his customers well.
He has my support.

 

[brianharrison]

We get to -30F in the winter up here and sometimes for 5-10 days at a time. Before taking the trailer south I have never had issues with using straight plumbing antifreeze to displace the water and leaving it in over the winter.

With our current unit and the washer, water filter cannister and ice maker (now removed) I use a combination air blow and antifreeze in the washer. Partially because I now have an air blow fitting adapter, but also because the water system takes 8+ gallons of antifreeze if I try to simply displace all the water system (washer takes a fair amount, when following the winterization process to protect inlet solenoid valves and pump).

Brian

 

[danemayer]

Regardless of which method you use, if you have a washing machine or a refrigerator with water/ice, additional steps are necessary. We have some user guides that may help with these items.

 

[greatwhitenorth]

-40 in the winter where I live & I have used air only to blow out lines & have not had any issues with any of my last 4 trailers. I only dump antifreeze in the traps.

 

[Westwind]

Make sure you blow out the Black Tank washer also, don't want any water in those lines to freeze. I pump in the pink stuff, have a washer/dryer that I have to do also. We don't drink the water that comes through the lines so no concerns over that. I do it early Sept. if we aren't using the FW and then right after Christmas off we go to Florida and de-winterize.

 

[whp4262]

I think probably the best way to winterize in the frozen north is to go south until it warms up again.


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[sengli]

We had a really bad winter here last year, here in northern Indiana. As an experiment, I took some pure prestone (not the chaep stuff) RV anti-freeze rated at -50... and put it in a clear sealed jar on my picknik table outside last year. It got to -10 to -20 last year several times and that pure anti-freeze was frozen solid! I was told that since it is glycol based it will freeze, but in theory not expand. I will use anti-freeze this year and then blow it out with compressed air too.

 

[brianharrison]

We had a really bad winter here last year, here in northern Indiana. As an experiment, I took some pure prestone (not the chaep stuff) RV anti-freeze rated at -50... and put it in a clear sealed jar on my picknik table outside last year. It got to -10 to -20 last year several times and that pure anti-freeze was frozen solid! I was told that since it is glycol based it will freeze, but in theory not expand. I will use anti-freeze this year and then blow it out with compressed air too.

Interesting. I may do this experiment this year as well - and measure to see if there is expansion. My understanding is that it should only turn to "gel".

Brian

 

[piet10]

I also use air to clear the water from the lines and pump in the antifreeze and leave it in until spring. No problems seen in SE Michigan and we get subzero temps here.


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This is what I do as well in north Minnesota where can be -30 for several days. This year we are going south.

Al