# Winterizing Question



## rmsmith1208 (Nov 18, 2006)

i know down here in NC/SC we really dont have bad winters considering the last 3 days have been in the 70's. so my question is about the anti-freeze. can i just fill the fresh water tank with about 5 gallons of water and mix the af in and then run it through the lines with the pump? i figured this would keep the pump and all lines from freezing. i have added af to the drains and tanks. just wanted to get some ideas on this. also would keeping a heater in the camper a good idea?


----------



## castalos (Oct 22, 2006)

rmsmith1208 said:


> i know down here in NC/SC we really dont have bad winters considering the last 3 days have been in the 70's. so my question is about the anti-freeze. can i just fill the fresh water tank with about 5 gallons of water and mix the af in and then run it through the lines with the pump? i figured this would keep the pump and all lines from freezing. i have added af to the drains and tanks. just wanted to get some ideas on this. also would keeping a heater in the camper a good idea?


Let's see, the last time we had a high of 70 degrees was Sept 19th! Send some of that warm weather here!

Anyway, you should actually empty the fresh water tank (no water in it) and drain the low point drains to get all the water out. Then put in the AntiFreeze & pump it through the system so it's not diluted with water. However it's a pain to get it OUT of the fresh water tank later - it takes several fillings/dumpings to clear it out.

So a better approach is to add a pump converter winterizing kit. They run less than $15 and install on the line between the fresh water tank & the pump. I did mine in about 30 minutes and I'm a woman! Basically it's just a T that you insert just before the "IN" on the pump. The other end of the T attaches to a flexible hose (it comes with the kit) that you stuff into the top one of the antifreeze jugs. Turn the knob on the T to the bypass position and turn the pump on. Then instead of sucking from your tank, it sucks from the antifreeze jug.

Either way, you'll want to make sure you've got a bypass on the Hot Water Heater too - or it will suck the pink stuff into it (and again - it's a pain to get out)

Then go to each faucet in the RV (don't forget the outside shower too) and turn on the water at all the sinks (both hot & cold one at a time) until it flows pink. Make sure at least 1/2 cup flows down the sink so that it protects the traps (but it sounds like you've already done that). Flush the toilet too.

If you do this, there really isn't a need for a heater in the trailer. We lived in COLD Colorado and this process is fine for our winters here. We don't leave any heat on in the RV.

-Coleen


----------



## NJMikeC (Mar 29, 2006)

Just get the winterizing kit and if your trailer takes even 2 gallons of RV antifreeze I would be surprised.

No need for a heater. Keep the a window cracked and if you have a MaxxAir vent then leave it open so that air circulates.


----------



## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Ditto to everything said here.

But I might add that I do a good flushing of the gray and black tanks, too. Then I run a little anti freeze down through them and let them drain thoroughly until all that pink stuff quits dripping. (You never know where the low spot is in your tanks because the trailer will probably NEVER sit perfectly level - and you know how Gilligan is about getting things level!) I then leave both the gray and black tank valves open and the cap off the drain pipe.

This is recommended by my dealer.

We've had some 65 degree days here, during the Thanksgiving weekend, and it sure was hard to avoid the temptation to de-winterize and go campin' one more time - but it's just too much work to do the reversal and then winterize again (battery is out, all food removed, etc.).

Mike


----------



## rmsmith1208 (Nov 18, 2006)

thanks for the info. i have the fresh water empty right now. i'm going to go ahead and blow out the lines and get the kit. oh ya it was so hard not to pull her down to the beach this weekend. if i didnt have to work yesterday i would have been there.


----------

