# Winterizing



## SDCampers (Oct 29, 2008)

Well, Normal temps here in the "Banana Belt" in south west SD have taken a dive effectively ending my camping season early. So today I had taken the day off work to winterize the Outback and take to the dealer for some warranty items as it expires the end of this month. Yeah right!
Temps have hit low 20's at night now so I've been running the heat till I can winterize. Started out by dumping and flushing my holding tanks into my 17 Gal Thetford tank. Then had to drag it though the snow to my septic tank to drain. Second trip went to put cap on the hose before dragging to septic, nowhere to be found. The dogs were suspiciously amused with something.....finally caught the little %#@*&^ with the cap partially chewed. Still worked though.
Got tanks drained, got all the things together that any person could possibly need to raise the sofa and remove the wood cover to access water pump. Did I say this was my first ever experience winterizing a camper? After fighting with the $#@^&% sofa to not bang me on the head so I could get the screws out I had access to the water pump. All went well, ran pink through all faucets, then went to shore water line to do as suggested and push in the valve to get pink in that line. Tried to push in valve with screw driver so as to stay to the side to keep from getting a bath. Couldn't get valve pushed in, figured not working, stepped in front pushed with finger.....it works great! Now soaked with pink. I think the dogs learned how to laugh.
In the meantime decided I needed to brush the snow off the top of the slide before pushing in. Discovered along with snow is an inch of ice on top. I know I can't push it in with all that ice, so I crank the furnace to 70 and begin pulling up ice with numb fingers. All was working well. Went inside to refill coffee, came back out, sun was gone and snowing again. Any loose ice now fused back to top of slide.
I sit here now relating this story after I dumped the coffee and popped the top of a cold beer. Called the dealer and told them I would be delayed a few days getting the camper to them till the ice melts. I believe I may continue with barley pops and make a batch of venison chilly and dream of deer season. Cheers to all our friends who don't know this winterizing ritual.

P.S. - Thanks to everyone who has posted checklists to assist in this task. I had one printed right beside me for reference. Funny, nobody refered to icing????


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Holy Cow Batman...that is a whopper of a story. Sorry to read about your problems...

I too will have to winterize after this weekends Rally. Here in the PNW, that mean I will attach the air compressor (with reg valve) to the Outback...open all faucets to let them drain, open hot water tank to let it drain.

Then pour some antifreeze in the sinks and finally attach compressor line to Quickie Flush line to remove the water in that line. I expect this will take about 15 mins, or in better terms....1 beer.


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## OBcanOB (Aug 23, 2007)

Thanks for a good laugh!


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## muttbike (Apr 27, 2009)

SDcampers,

Good laugh, but reality is, here in Aurora, snow is in the forecast and our tail is out, so to speak.... I've already winterized the camper, but didn't put the slide in and I have to call the dealers here to set up some warranty work also.

Anyway, we camped in your area last month. We were just north of Edgemont in a rancher bud's yard for a long weekend. Did some dirtbike riding in Wyoming and the Black Hills also. We plan another trip up your way next spring for Custer SP and Rushmore. Maybe around May/June. April is still a bit cool up there.

JR


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Great story to go with Saturday morning coffee! We haven't gotten cold enough here, yet, but I will be winterizing in the next few weeks. It was 32F here this morning, but no freezes in the forecast for the foreseeable future. But I know Illinois - it won't be long.









Our DDs Marching Band competitions every Saturday from early Sept to mid-Nov have kept us from camping, so we won't be using the Outback until next spring.







I have already opened all faucets, drained the water lines and HW heater, just in case a few low temp nites come along before I can get time to do the inevitable.

Hope the ice melts soon!

Mike


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## SouthRider (May 29, 2009)

What is this Winter that you speak of?

And why would I ever want to "Winterize" something?

The only seasons here are "Summer" and "Almost Summer".

It's almost summer now - high today of 83 with rain expected..........

I feel for you though - and know you'll feel for us when summer returns, the asphalt is melting, and no one goes outside during the day........


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

SouthRider said:


> What is this Winter that you speak of?
> 
> And why would I ever want to "Winterize" something?
> 
> ...


Uh, I thought the seasons for the south were:
Nice weather and Hurricane season?!?!

















Ok, as for SDCampers, I hope the ice finally melted.









For anyone not in the leaf color belt, the colors have been great this year! Sure we had to winterize, but the drive home has had a colorful month!


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## jasonrebecca (Oct 30, 2007)

Nice story, made me laugh.
Thanks for bringing this back up top Nathan!

I am procrastinating on blowing the water lines out until the middle of next month. One more camping trip to go this year.


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## Collinsfam_WY (Nov 9, 2006)

I had to hurry home and blow the lines out last night and pour some pink stuff down into the traps. DW did the water heater and low point drains yesterday. It got down to 25 last night - too cold to take a chance!Sleep...Starbright...Sleeeeeeep.

-CC


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

It never fails. I winterized last weekend, as we had night-time temps in the upper 20s to low 30s and figured that the camping season is now done here in central Illinois. (Which it usually is, by November.)

This coming weekend temps are to be about 70 F. I'm NOT gonna dewinterize and the winterize again for just one weekend, but it is sure tempting. (We haven't been camping since Labor Day, due to our DDs marching band competitions evey weekend.)

Oh well - we'll be all the more anxious to go next spring!

Mike


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Scoutr2 said:


> It never fails. I winterized last weekend, as we had night-time temps in the upper 20s to low 30s and figured that the camping season is now done here in central Illinois. (Which it usually is, by November.)
> 
> This coming weekend temps are to be about 70 F. I'm NOT gonna dewinterize and the winterize again for just one weekend, but it is sure tempting. (We haven't been camping since Labor Day, due to our DDs marching band competitions evey weekend.)
> 
> ...


I'm with you on that one. I usually try to have one last trip on my birthday (Nov 2nd) but we went to my daughters in NE instead. I winterized a couple of weeks ago but still have to go through camper and get all liquids out. This weekend suppose to be lows in the 50s and highs almost 70! Guess I'll just do some minor work on the camper and hopefully I get my parts to get my VW going again. Sure would have liked to have one last trip, especially since I finally got my truck running again. Oh well, looking forward to March.


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