Winterizing Question

[JDHarrin]

First year RVers here. I've read and heard others talk about winterizing their plumbing system. People talk about blowing out their plumbing lines and then adding anti-freeze. My task this weekend is to winterize the rig and install the cover before our first cold spell or snow. I opened the manual to get the procedures for doing so, and it says either blow out the lines OR add anti-freeze to the lines. I thought both processes were needed? Which method is easier and more importantly, which protects the water lines more efficiently...

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by JDHarrin

First year RVers here. I've read and heard others talk about winterizing their plumbing system. People talk about blowing out their plumbing lines and then adding anti-freeze. My task this weekend is to winterize the rig and install the cover before our first cold spell or snow. I opened the manual to get the procedures for doing so, and it says either blow out the lines OR add anti-freeze to the lines. I thought both processes were needed? Which method is easier and more importantly, which protects the water lines more efficiently...

Doing both is probably the safest; but either or is fine; if you do it properly; which I am sure the manual assumes.

I didn't catch what part of country you are in as that may have impact? It is implied that since you plan to put a cover on, you don't intend to use for a while?

I use my coach year around and it is fully winterized right now, I blew it out and added antifreeze to P traps. While safe; I choose to NOT put Antifreeze in my Freshwater supply. Owner's prerogative.

FWIW; I want to take my RV out on a minutes notice. I am in Dallas area so it helps that freezes are rare. I also choose to never cover my RV as it would take too much time for me, and I am not fond on being on my roof. Yes the TV can get UV from the sun, but that is what the wax protection does. It is easier for me to wax twice a year that deal with a cover. I can't speak to damage or concerns with snow sitting on an uncovered RV? Other than I can say if it happens here, it will be a beautiful picture that I will gladly share

[Winterbagoal]

Here's ann old thread with some tips and tricks in it.
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...4v-355409.html
One piece of equipment that probably gets forgotten about is the water filter usually located under the galley sink. If you do remember and drain/remove it to winterize, don't forget to replace it when you recharge the water system. The reason will become obvious quickly.
And get some RVAF into the sink/toilet/shower drains and p traps as dkoldman mentioned.

[DavidM]

As noted above, blowing and pumping antifreeze is the best and safest procedure, but many do one or the other with good results. Doing probably lets you get by with just a gallon of antifreeze. If blown first, the first sign of pink stuff coming out of the fixture means you are fine. Otherwise you have to pump for a few more seconds to make sure the pink stuff is up to a good concentration.

David

[Eagle5]

Hi JD,
Here is how I winterize and cover my Minnie Winnie 22M.
Eagle5

[BlueGekko]

JD, you didn’t indicate which winter zone you are in so take this with a grain of snow. I’m in the mountains of NH where the temps can get down to negative digits. I prefer to do a full anti freeze procedure. You didn’t indicate which RV you have so I’m assuming you have an owner’s manual for the unit. If the manual doesn’t spell out the procedure, go online to YouTube and look for a Lichtsin or manufacturer’s video for your particular model. Remember to ensure that the pink stuff comes out of every spigot as well as the hot water heater. I removed the paper filter in my under cabinet fresh water filter before winterizing (and then dried it out) so that I can use it again. I prefer the pink anti freeze method, as opposed to only blowing out the lines, because I know that if I see pink liquid coming out of all of my spigots, I know I’ve emptied all of the water from the lines and hot water heater. It takes only one frozen line snaking under your furniture or refer to complicate your day or cost you days and dollars in the shop. And that’s my ten cents (inflation).

[Jos 56]

Most dealerships in Ontario don't cover RVs in their lots. Snow will block the sun and insulate the roof. That said, my 2017 Minnie Winnie 25b gave me a shower this spring as water cascade down from the loft bed. We're not quite sure what seal let go, but it is possible that a few freeze-thaw cycles could have lifted a seal. I drove the Dempster with it to Tuktoyaktuk and that wasn't kind to the unit.

[JoeC]

I'm with dkoldman. No antifreeze in my fresh water tank or lines. But then, my system was designed to be blown out. It says so in the User's Manual. Follow the User's Manual is always, maybe nearly always, the best bet. No manual? Do what you think is right for your rig and pray you got it done right, because failure here can become a really big expensive problem.

[Four Seasons]

Greetings from the north side of Lake Ontario. It's below freezing most days and nights from December to March - sometimes we get a hard freeze down as low as -20C (-4F) I just blow out the lines as described in the Winnebago manual, and put some pink (non-toxic) anti-freeze in the drain traps... no problem for 5 years.

We use our rig for lunch and dressing room at ski hills. If we were going out for more than just a couple days at a time, I would keep the water on - with the HWT and furnace on, but re-winterizing it every time after a day trip is a bit of nuisance - so I put about 2 gallons of the pink stuff in the blank tank so we can pee on it when we really need to in the winter.

[BlueGekko]

Oh yeah, what Jos 56 said. Because we often get 6-8 feet of snow each season, I tarp my Navion from front to back to prevent possible leakage into the roof. I also rake the snow off after every significant snowfall. A pain on the shoulders? Yes, but my roof doesn’t leak and we sleep dry. And because my solar panels are covered with the tarp, I keep the camper plugged into house power in the garage to prevent a parasitic draw down of the house batts. And because my Navion is built on a MB diesel chassis, I add diesel preservative to the fuel tank to prevent gelling. Then I disconnect the chassis battery to prevent a parasitic draw from the on board MB computer systems. So far, this has kept us trouble free for 7 years.

[Four Seasons]

Something else to think about; solar trickle chargers with charge controllers for your coach and chassis batteries are a good, inexpensive upgrade, especially if your rig is going to sit idle for an extended period. If you already have rooftop solar for your coach, then all you need is a little portable solar trickle charger for your chassis battery, which sell for less than $50-

[Dives2little]

Originally Posted by JDHarrin

First year RVers here. I've read and heard others talk about winterizing their plumbing system. People talk about blowing out their plumbing lines and then adding anti-freeze. My task this weekend is to winterize the rig and install the cover before our first cold spell or snow. I opened the manual to get the procedures for doing so, and it says either blow out the lines OR add anti-freeze to the lines. I thought both processes were needed? Which method is easier and more importantly, which protects the water lines more efficiently...

I prefer to not winterize, as we use ours year round. That being said.l, we went into the shop last Saturday, which means winterizIng... Because we have a washing machine and a dishwasher, I have no choice but to pump Willioughby's (the Winnebago) "veins" full of pink plasma.

My owner's manual is pretty good about outlining the procedures and, to date, we have not had any issues. I would also recommend taking out all the food/toiletries that might freeze; can make an awful mess!

[jspringator]

My unit wouldn't draw antifreeze from the bottle, so I had no choice but to use compressed air. I even changed the pump. No joy. I have an elaborate procedure that I feel pretty good about. Drain tank, pump all remaining water out with the outside shower, then open all faucets and let it drain through the low point drain for 30 minutes. Then I blow each fixture, several times until no water comes out. I've already worn out one battery operated air compressor!

[Harvester]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Doing both is probably the safest; but either or is fine; if you do it properly; which I am sure the manual assumes.

I didn't catch what part of country you are in as that may have impact? It is implied that since you plan to put a cover on, you don't intend to use for a while?

I use my coach year around and it is fully winterized right now, I blew it out and added antifreeze to P traps. While safe; I choose to NOT put Antifreeze in my Freshwater supply. Owner's prerogative.

FWIW; I want to take my RV out on a minutes notice. I am in Dallas area so it helps that freezes are rare. I also choose to never cover my RV as it would take too much time for me, and I am not fond on being on my roof. Yes the TV can get UV from the sun, but that is what the wax protection does. It is easier for me to wax twice a year that deal with a cover. I can't speak to damage or concerns with snow sitting on an uncovered RV? Other than I can say if it happens here, it will be a beautiful picture that I will gladly share

Hello,

This is also the first winter with our 2020 Minnie Winnie 22R, and was happy to see this thread. We live just north of Houston (The Woodlands), and store our RV in a fully enclosed storage unit. The owner of the RV storage facility, highly recommended (with dire concern in his explanation) that we fully winterize the RV, as the storage units are just metal buildings and offer little or no protection from cold snaps. It doesn't freeze very often, but we've had temperatures dip down into the mid-20's for maybe a day or two - sometimes several times each winter. I've also spoke with local RV techs in my area, and they tell me that almost every year, they get a batch of RVs with freeze damage.

With all that as a backdrop, I've bought everything to winterize: air chuck device for the water line, new anode for the hot water heater, 2 gallons of the pink antifreeze, hoses, etc. After reading your post, it seems like I'll be safe enough (with my location, and setup), to do something similar as you're doing in the Dallas area. My main goal is to avoid putting the pink antifreeze in the fresh water lines if possible. This is mainly due to the hassle, and convenience of using the RV over the winter months.

To be clear about the whole process, each time I come back from a trip during the winter time, I would do the following:

1. Drain the fresh water tank.
2. Empty the black/grey tanks (as I normally would do).
3. Drain the hot water tank, and replace the anode if needed.
4. Hook up the air chuck/water line device, and perform the blow out process.
5. Pour some pink antifreeze in the two sinks, toilet, and shower drain.

The only thing I've noted from looking at all the fresh water lines, is that there would still be a little residual water in the fresh water tank, and maybe some traces of water in the water pump and it's little vacuum side filter. That said, they are all enclosed in their little space under the main bed. Maybe one additional use of the water pump (like a toilet flush) will get that water cleared out.

In this way, I can possibly continue to use the RV over the winter time, as long as I'm not planning to travel too far north. If I did want to visit some place that freezes often, then maybe consider running the pink fluid through the fresh water lines. Does this sound feasible?

Thanks!

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Harvester

Hello,

This is also the first winter with our 2020 Minnie Winnie 22R, and was happy to see this thread. We live just north of Houston (The Woodlands), and store our RV in a fully enclosed storage unit. The owner of the RV storage facility, highly recommended (with dire concern in his explanation) that we fully winterize the RV, as the storage units are just metal buildings and offer little or no protection from cold snaps. It doesn't freeze very often, but we've had temperatures dip down into the mid-20's for maybe a day or two - sometimes several times each winter. I've also spoke with local RV techs in my area, and they tell me that almost every year, they get a batch of RVs with freeze damage.

With all that as a backdrop, I've bought everything to winterize: air chuck device for the water line, new anode for the hot water heater, 2 gallons of the pink antifreeze, hoses, etc. After reading your post, it seems like I'll be safe enough (with my location, and setup), to do something similar as you're doing in the Dallas area. My main goal is to avoid putting the pink antifreeze in the fresh water lines if possible. This is mainly due to the hassle, and convenience of using the RV over the winter months.

To be clear about the whole process, each time I come back from a trip during the winter time, I would do the following:

1. Drain the fresh water tank.
2. Empty the black/grey tanks (as I normally would do).
3. Drain the hot water tank, and replace the anode if needed.
4. Hook up the air chuck/water line device, and perform the blow out process.
5. Pour some pink antifreeze in the two sinks, toilet, and shower drain.

The only thing I've noted from looking at all the fresh water lines, is that there would still be a little residual water in the fresh water tank, and maybe some traces of water in the water pump and it's little vacuum side filter. That said, they are all enclosed in their little space under the main bed. Maybe one additional use of the water pump (like a toilet flush) will get that water cleared out.

In this way, I can possibly continue to use the RV over the winter time, as long as I'm not planning to travel too far north. If I did want to visit some place that freezes often, then maybe consider running the pink fluid through the fresh water lines. Does this sound feasible?

Thanks!

Congratulations on your new RV. The fact that you have option for indoor storage is nothing but a great thing. My brother pays to have his RV stored in a Inside Garage that is an area North of Dallas (Anna), but he too is winterizing every winter. Being in area North of Houston, I too would winterize; but truth is if you forget something something you are not as likely to get burned as most If I owned that Storage Facility; I would say the same thing as the owner because I would not want the liability. For us year around users, it is not so much where it is stored; but where you might be during the winter. A perfect example; I keep mine at home, but if I think it goes below freezing, I will run outside and turn on the gas heat whether it is winterized or not. I am not fond of electric heaters although they work. My unit is design to heat the plumbing with gas heat and propane is very cheap. If I am in it, I am not afraid to go up North with it not being winterized as long as I intend to live in it Well maybe not Minneapolis but you get the idea ....

Your questions:
1. Drain the fresh water tank.
Yes, you might Google the Shurflo video that shows how to remove the pump filter (strainer); when done you know you have purged the fresh water line in full
2. Empty the black/grey tanks (as I normally would do).
Yes, but make sure your plumbing leading to the valve is clear of gray or black water. i.e. When you drain both like normal you are probably ok, but say you decide to take the winterized RV on a drive to Galveston and back, assume you didn't use Black or Gray tanks; so you might think you are ok? But try to Winterize those waste tanks again, I suspect you may get more affluent? The point is that empty may not be empty, and affluent could be in you plumbing and you may not know it if coached has been moved.

My fix: When winterized; I put a 10 ft sewer hose on my sewer port inside my wet bay, and drive with my valves open so if I get any sloshing from my supposed to be winterized tanks (that goes into my hose); I can pour into the toilet.
3. Drain the hot water tank, and replace the anode if needed.
Yes, there is a Suburban picture of when to replace the anode, it will last a lot longer than what would normally expect. They can look shot but still be functionally working.
4. Hook up the air chuck/water line device, and perform the blow out process.
Yes, when you do this, you will always be good Make sure you check every faucet one by one for air, and make certain the compressor is no more than 30 40 psi.
5. Pour some pink antifreeze in the two sinks, toilet, and shower drain.
Yes about a cup each. I bought 1 gallon and still have plenty. One thing that I don't know about? I am told to pour 1 cup of antifreeze in toilet bowl when finished; so the toilet seal stays moist? but I am also told the antifreeze will stain the sinks? If it stain the sinks wouldn't' it stain the toilet bowl?

If the above is all done properly, I see no reason in Texas to pump the antifreeze in fresh water supply line Some may not agree, but unless it is permanent for 4 - 6 months; it is overkill for this part of the country; not to mention the effect on the fresh water coming through your faucets

[Eagle5]

Hi Harvester,
The only thing I would add would be to simply unscrew & drain the filter on the inlet side of your water pump. The rest of your process looks fine.
Thanks, Eagle5

[dkoldman]

Passing along the picture of when to replace the anode. They are cheap enough to replace if any doubt, but you don't gain anything by replacing early. Just keep checking.

One other side note or suggestion on anode that I have yet to see anyone mention. I recently started wiping the inside of the 3/4" Thread on the heater with Mineral Oil. My goal is to minimize rust. So while it is winterized; it good time to apply Mineral Oil on inside heater threads and the anode threads. I conferred with Suburban Engineering and confirmed that it was not only safe, but good idea.

[Harvester]

Thanks for the confirmation and extra tips. That helps me to feel a bit more confident about the process.

Short story here...

Several years ago, I rented a 28 foot Minnie Winnie up in Anchorage, Alaska from Great Alaskan Holidays. This was around May 15, but lingering cold from winter was persisting in some areas. We drove the RV across the Denali Highway, a 135 mile (mostly) gravel road, which had just opened from winter closure 3 days prior. There were still snow drifts, in some cases probably 8-10 feet high, that had been plowed through. We spent one night out in this area, and pretty certain the temps were well below freezing. In fact we had trouble finding fresh water as some of the spigots along the way hadn't thawed out yet. In any case, it's probably not enough data to make a fully informed decision, but we didn't have any problems with water freezing on this trip. However, the hot water was on the entire week, and the heater was running more or less the whole time.

Great Alaskan does have a section on their website about "winter rentals". This is from October to April. They fully winterize the fresh water lines, and recommend bringing jugs of water. Apparently, they say you can still use the sinks and toilets, but need to pour a quart of antifreeze with every gallon of water usage. That said, they have a fairly elaborate RV maintenance and repair center at the Anchorage rental facility. I have to think their technicians have changed out a few water lines and holding tanks along the way.

[HollywoodGT]

Keep in mind to check on what your compressor out put is in comparison to your MOtorhome pipe spec's. What is the most pressure your pipes can handle. Alos make sure ou pull all the water filters as mentioned. I have one in the kitchen and in the wet bay compartment. Doesnt hurt to run some through antifreeze through the pump I'd imagine. I have been winterizing my lake house like this for 25 yrs and been fine. Just antifreeze down all drains

[Harvester]

Originally Posted by HollywoodGT

Keep in mind to check on what your compressor out put is in comparison to your MOtorhome pipe spec's. What is the most pressure your pipes can handle. Alos make sure ou pull all the water filters as mentioned. I have one in the kitchen and in the wet bay compartment. Doesnt hurt to run some through antifreeze through the pump I'd imagine. I have been winterizing my lake house like this for 25 yrs and been fine. Just antifreeze down all drains

Keeping an eye on the PSI is a good point. I have a Viair unit that I use to put air in the RV tires. The air compressor comes with "RV attachments", one of which is a trigger style with a gauge. On the Amazon "Questions & Answers", someone brought this point up about blowing out the lines, as the compressor is rated for up to 150psi. Their answer was to run the compressor until it reaches 40psi, [then back off]. I'm guessing just cycling on and off while keeping an eye on the gauge.

We'll see how that goes...

Thanks!