# Winterizing Question



## thunderbird (Aug 27, 2006)

Hi,

I'm two plus years in the Outback and on this site, but I have a question. The first winter I had the Outback, I went through the winterizing procedure with no problems in the spring. Last year I fell ill and was unable to get it done and paid about $800 to fix problems that occurred as a result of freeze damage. Now I'm gun shy, so I had the furnace and an electric heater on for the last few weeks until I could spend time winterizing today.

I have two questions.

The drainage valves. I remember from the first year, I was concerned that I would apply too much force and break something. Somehow I did figure out how to get the caps off and drain the water in thpose two tubes, but I can't remember what I did. Do I just get down there and pull those caps off? Do they unscrew?​The City Water connection. I don't remember doing anything with this two years ago but I read some comments on the site about this so I would appreciate advice. I haven't put city water in there since July, so I'm not sure there's anything to freeze. Can I just put the pink stuff down that hook up? I am the least handy person in the USA and will surely break something given half a chance, so I'd like to know the quickest and easiest way to deal with this, if it is truly necessary.​I'm in Virginia. It gets cold, it freezes, but it isn't like Montana or upstate New York.

Appreciate any advice.

Cheers!


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Glad you're feeling better _this_ year!

The Low Point Drain Plugs unscrew. Take the plug caps off and let the water drain out. Once there's nothing more coming out - screw the plugs back on. Just be sure they're well seated before you start turning...and if they don't seem to be seated well, unscrew them and try again. Just don't force them and you'll be fine.

As for the City Water connection - someone else will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that connection is just for the water to enter the TT...the pump is what forces the water through the system. Therefore, when you drain the LOW POINT DRAINS (as described above), you will be draining the water from the system. Once you have done that and replaced the LOW POINT DRAIN PLUGS, put about 2.5 gals of the Pink Stuff into the fresh water tank (NOT THE CITY CONNECTION) and turn on the water pump ... turn on one faucet until Pink Stuff comes out (then turn faucet off) then do the same with all other faucets (Shower head & outdoor sink, too)...this will pump the Pink Stuff through the system. Then pour some Pink Stuff down all the drains (sinks & shower) and into the toilet - don't forget to winterize that too.

Good luck!

btw - don't ask me for details







but I can assure you that you are not the "least handy" in the US!!


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## Path4ground (Sep 14, 2008)

To add to the subject, what is the reason for the caps as they are a pain to open and close? Why not have thumb valves like the fresh water tank low point drain?? Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I think I will switch the caps to thumb valves on the hot and cold water line low points..
Thanks for suggestions.?


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

Thumb valves are cheaper and are less likely to break going down the road if you scrape a curb. James


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

thunderbird said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm two plus years in the Outback and on this site, but I have a question. The first winter I had the Outback, I went through the winterizing procedure with no problems in the spring. Last year I fell ill and was unable to get it done and paid about $800 to fix problems that occurred as a result of freeze damage. Now I'm gun shy, so I had the furnace and an electric heater on for the last few weeks until I could spend time winterizing today.
> 
> ...


 Just unscrew the thumb caps off the lowpoint drains. Yes you could pour the pink stuff into the fresh water tank then run the pump to winterize the lines, Don't forget to drain the water heater then turn the bypass line before running the antifreeze. James in beautiful central NY


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## Rubrhammer (Nov 27, 2006)

In my experience I would rater suck the pink directly into the pump from the bottle rather than pour it in the fresh water tank. 2 reasons for this; 1st it will take a lot more pink stuff to get enough in the tank to be picked up by the pump 2nd is it will be a pain to get all of the pink stuff OUT of the tank in the spring. It will require a lot of flushing of the tank to get rid of it all. I know oyou said you're not reall handy _but_ if you buy a winterizing kit it will make the job easy every year. Short of that, pull the inlet line off of the pump and use a residential toilet suppply hose to suck the pink into the pump. 
There are quite a few good threads on this topic and a search of winterizing wil keep you in reading material for a couple of ours at least. I've been at this for close to 20 years and I'm still picking up good tips from other members here that make the job easier.
Bob
PS the city water supply doesn't go through the pump. On one of my rvs there was a check valve ball in the opening wherer the hose connected, pressing it with your finger while the low point drains were open drained that section of hose. The pump will force some antifreeze into that hose. My OB has a screen on it so I've never positively drained that section but have not had a problem in 5 NY winters.


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

OPTION THREE - Move to South Texas where Winterization means NOT having to run the Air Conditioner at NIGHT when you are camping --









But in a pinch -- open up all three of your tubes and let them drain (two low points and fresh water tubes) -- then open up the hot water heater annode tube -- then turn on all your faucets -- and that will get rid of about 95% of the water in your system ...


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## rdvholtwood (Sep 18, 2008)

Path4ground said:


> To add to the subject, what is the reason for the caps as they are a pain to open and close? Why not have thumb valves like the fresh water tank low point drain?? Unless someone can convince me otherwise, I think I will switch the caps to thumb valves on the hot and cold water line low points..
> Thanks for suggestions.?


I like the idea of the valves also - my luck is that I would loose the caps!!


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Remove the caps ffrom the low point drains, and then open up all your faucets in the trailer (after bypassing the water heater). This will, in theory, drain all the water from all the lines in your trailer. After all water is done draining, you should replace the caps and tighten them as tight as you can by hand if you are going to put anti-freeze in the syetem. They don't need to tightened any more than that.

If you are going to put anti-freeze in the system, here's a tip that I used this year for getting the pink stuff sucked into the system: Remove the sprayer from the end of the flexible shower hose, then remove the hose from the tub spout. The threads on the sprayer hose are the same as the threads on the suction inlet of the pump. Screw the shower hose onto the suction inlet and put the other end into the anti-freeze jug. Then turn on the pump. (You'll need a minimum of two gallons of anti-freeze.)

Now go to the farthest set of faucets and open the HOT and then the COLD until pink comes out (this will put anti-freeze in your traps, too). Then open the next set of faucets, etc. (Open bathroom sink, tub/shower, toilet, kitchen sink, and outside sink faucets.) After all have run pink, go to your city-water connection (outside), remove the little screen and then push in on the check valve until pink stuff squirts out. (Don't stand in front of it!) If you don't perform this last step (pushing IN the city-water fill check-valve), the water line between the pump and the city water connection can freeze and break and/or the fittings can break.

After this procedure, shut off the pump. Then go around and open all faucets to relieve pressure and leave them open all winter. If it gets cold enough, the pink stuff can get slushy and will expand a little bit. By leaving the faucets open, it gives the expanding anti-freeze somewhere to expand without breaking anything.

Also, I leave the water-heater drain plug out for the winter. I put the plug in the kitchen sink, where I will be sure to find it next spring.

This winterizing procedure took me all of 1/2 hour this year. Not a lot of time and money, considering the consequences of not doing it.

Just my $.02.

Mike


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## clarkely (Sep 15, 2008)

Open & Leave open all faucets, I drain the water heater , drain the tanks (at low point valves), remove caps and drain at low point of sink valves, Pull anode/Drain water heater, Bypass water heater, turn on water pump for 30 seconds to ensure all water is pushed through, Then connect air fitting to City water connection, blow through 30-40 PSI for about 30 seconds to a minute, open grey water to make sure all is drained out, then pour about a total of a 1/2 - 3/4 gallon of antifreeze in all drains/P-traps.

Knock on wood, has been working for me for several years............and a lot less pink stuff


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