Using Cyclone for a few weekend in winter after it has been winterized

[Cyclonerunner]

Hello,

I plan to winterize my camper in the late fall. It will be sitting on a lot that has year round full service hook up. Our group tries to go to the campground about 2 to 3 times per winter. I want to use the shower and sinks in the kitchen and bathroom.

My question is: If I only use water in the shower and 2 sinks, do I have to completely winterize every other water valve? Such as the washer dryer hookups, 2nd bathroom, outside shower? Or are they still winterized from before?

Thanks for your help.

 

[danemayer]

Hi Cyclonerunner,

It's hard to know how successful you'll be. You may end up with a diluted mixture. And you'll still have to drain the water heater again and suck in more antifreeze for the areas you use. Time savings will be minimal, and antifreeze savings might be less than $10. On the other side of the coin, you'll have a much higher level of time and money to spend if something breaks.

I'd suggest getting an air compressor and using air to evacuate the water lines. Then you can winterize/dewinterize quickly and probably wouldn't use a gallon of antifreeze for the p-traps in the drains over the whole winter.

If I were winterizing and dewinterizing 3 times per winter for short trips with no laundry, I'd probably add cutoff valves for the washer lines, near where they tee off the main water lines.

Don't forget your refrigerator if you have a water dispenser and/or ice maker. Depending on where the cutoff valve is, you might have to drain the feed line.

We have an owner-written Winterizing Guide you might find helpful. And if you have a residential refrigerator, you should look at that guide as well.

 

[TravelTiger]

Once you do the winterizing process a few times, you get pretty good at it. Takes us about 15 min, total to do either process (winterizing or de-winterizing).

 

[Cyclonerunner]

Thank you for your responses. I have read and printed out a copy of the owner written guide. Great info to keep in the camper. When I do camp this winter I plan to use the fresh tank and water pump in order to utilize the Arctic package. I believe the city water hose would freeze on me. I like the idea of using an air compressor to evacuate the lines when we leave because I understand that to be quicker than using antifreeze. However, I understand that the water pump will also need to be drained manually. So either way, I will need to remove the panel in the basement, either to access the WH bypass or the water pump to winterize. Am I correct with this thought.?As far as the ice and water dispenser in the fridge. I plan to keep it turned off the entire winter. Do I just need to open the valve under the the slide out after I use it for a weekend in the winter and then re winterize?

Thanks

 

[danemayer]

Am I correct with this thought.?As far as the ice and water dispenser in the fridge. I plan to keep it turned off the entire winter. Do I just need to open the valve under the the slide out after I use it for a weekend in the winter and then re winterize?

Thanks

If you have the residential refrigerator, please take a look at the winterizing discussion in the Residential Refrigerator Guide. The drain under the slide will probably not do the winterizing job by itself. Also, even while using the coach, and running the furnace, water on either side of that drain may freeze in sub-freezing weather, likely damaging the lines and valve assembly.

In general, the water lines to refrigerators are the first thing that freeze - even when you have the furnace running. That's because if the frig is in a slide, some portion of the water line is typically exposed to outside air.

On floor plans where the feed line is exposed to outside air, the cutoff valve is probably in the basement right where the line tees off the main water lines. You can evacuate the water from the frig water line using compressed air and then shut the valve for the winter. While it's shut off, you can then resume use of the water systems in sub-freezing weather (as long as the rest of the system is protected).

 

[ILH]

There's no real way to avoid getting water through the lines when you open up the system and run the taps. As Dan says, it would probably be beneficial if you look into blowing the lines clear with compressed air.

 

[boatto5er]

We typically use ours two or three times in the winter. I just un-winterize and completely re-winterize after each winter trip. That means blowing out with compressed air AND running antifreeze thru to get the water pump winterized also. I would rather pay for a few gallons of anti-freeze than try to replace a lot of busted lines or a broken pump.