Winterizing method poll

[asquared]

Ok it's that time of year again, so I thought a poll would help those deciding which method they want to use for wintering.

[vasnipe]

Drain at low point. Drain and bypass water heater. Drain water tank. Blow lines with low pressure air. Pull suction line off water pump, hook up tubing, stick end in jug of antifreeze and pump through each faucet. Burp fresh water inlet line and low point drains. Oh, forgot the house water filter. Pull and drain. Put 1/2 litre water bottle in filled with water. Reinstall before pumping. Uses less antifreeze that way.

[asquared]

Originally Posted by vasnipe

Drain at low point. Drain and bypass water heater. Drain water tank. Blow lines with low pressure air. Pull suction line off water pump, hook up tubing, stick end in jug of antifreeze and pump through each faucet. Burp fresh water inlet line and low point drains. Oh, forgot the house water filter. Pull and drain. Put 1/2 litre water bottle in filled with water. Reinstall before pumping. Uses less antifreeze that way.

The water bottle filled with water doesn't freeze? We also usually do both methods. This will be our first year with the whole house filter. Does antifreeze hurt the filter or is it just a method to use less antifreeze?

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by asquared

The water bottle filled with water doesn't freeze? We also usually do both methods. This will be our first year with the whole house filter. Does antifreeze hurt the filter or is it just a method to use less antifreeze?

You will have install a new filter, the pink will never come out.

[youroo]

Remove the (Element) and place (Plastic Bottle) in its place. The Filter (Canister) will be fine. Installing a (Whole house) Filter assy (OUTSIDE) would even be Better! Youroo!!

[vasnipe]

Originally Posted by asquared

The water bottle filled with water doesn't freeze? We also usually do both methods. This will be our first year with the whole house filter. Does antifreeze hurt the filter or is it just a method to use less antifreeze?

Yes, you want to remove the filter element, I should have said that. That way you do not ruin the element. I got the water bottle idea here on the forum. It displaces that amount of antifreeze so you use a little less. This past winter was a bad one (by Virginia standards) with sub-zero temperatures. When I de-winterized in the Spring the bottle was intact.

Hope this helps some.

Chris in Virginia

[Mtelkman]

I just used a empty water bottle with the lid screwed back on. Why would you fill it with water?


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[MrJoe]

I blow mine out from the city fill, pump pink through city fill and drain for use later. Making sure pink flows from all faucets, showers and toilet. I drained all tanks, including HW, first.

Almost forgot, I drained the water from the pump.

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[hockeytownmom]

I've never used the water bottle in the canister, just take the filter out and re-install the canister. What am missing here? Do you only do it to use less antifreeze?

[deartruc]

Normally I'd do the pink stuff. Since I was picking the tt up from the dealer due to warrantee repairs, I figured I'd buy a couple of gallons. But, since they really messed up the repairs, and had to keep it to fix them, they said they'd do the winterizing. Hmm, after hacking up the bathroom door on the day of pdi, and now the horrible job they did with the stove, should I be buying some pex tubing and connectors over the winter for my spring startup?

[MrJoe]

Originally Posted by hockeytownmom

I've never used the water bottle in the canister, just take the filter out and re-install the canister. What am missing here? Do you only do it to use less antifreeze?

Yes, just takes up space in the filter housing.


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[mattb]

Drain freshwater and leave open, HW and bypass, Remove filter and cannister, Connect lines from filter together with a nipple and pump pink throughout with brass "T" ball valve adapter using pump. Make sure to fill P traps. Takes maybe 30 mins.

Pump Converter Winterizer Kit - Camco 36543 - Winterizing - Camping World.

[asquared]

Well we winterized today and guess what, we discovered there was no filter in the housing. Guess I'll add that to my list. I did put the water bottle in there. I put a mix of water and antifreeze in the bottle.

[vasnipe]

Originally Posted by Mtelkman

I just used a empty water bottle with the lid screwed back on. Why would you fill it with water?


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I had a bottle collapse on me once. Maybe I got a weak one or something, but putting water in it stopped that from happening to me.

[jb3-7-77]

Here is what I did. First time winterizing.

Drain fresh tank and hot water heater. Bypass heater. Blow air (regulator at 45 psi, I think) through from city hookup through all faucets spray port. Dump a couple gallons of antifreeze into the freshwater tank and then turn on each faucet (cold first until pink then hot until pink) making certain adequate antifreeze is in the p traps.

I was surprised how much straight water came out of the faucets after blowing out all the airlines, my assumption is that it came from the water pump, but I could be wrong on that. On the air adaptor I used there was an orifice that looked like it would really restrict how much air could go through the system.

What is this bottle everyone is talking about?


2015 Cherokee Wolf Pack 21WP120
2014 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman
1986 Wife
2008 Pitter
2009 Great Dane

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by jb3-7-77

Here is what I did. First time winterizing.

Drain fresh tank and hot water heater. Bypass heater. Blow air (regulator at 45 psi, I think) through from city hookup through all faucets spray port. Dump a couple gallons of antifreeze into the freshwater tank and then turn on each faucet (cold first until pink then hot until pink) making certain adequate antifreeze is in the p traps.

I was surprised how much straight water came out of the faucets after blowing out all the airlines, my assumption is that it came from the water pump, but I could be wrong on that. On the air adaptor I used there was an orifice that looked like it would really restrict how much air could go through the system.

What is this bottle everyone is talking about?


2015 Cherokee Wolf Pack 21WP120
2014 Ram 1500 Outdoorsman
1986 Wife
2008 Pitter
2009 Great Dane

Look at post #11

[jb3-7-77]

Right. Canister of what? The water filter? Is this a standard item on campers? I have no idea if I have a filter or not, and if I do it looks like I should have removed it before running antifreeze through my system...

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by jb3-7-77

Right. Canister of what? The water filter? Is this a standard item on campers? I have no idea if I have a filter or not, and if I do it looks like I should have removed it before running antifreeze through my system...

You might have one, if you do it will be by your city water hook up. The worst thing that will happen if you have one is that you will need to change the cartage in spring. You might have a problem getting all the pink stuff out of your fresh water tank. You might end up filling and dumping it about 10 times in the spring. Did you add some to your p-traps and gray and black tanks also? Another good thing is to put a little baby oil in your toilet, so your seal will stay soft. Maybe that is why you had so much water after you blew the lines out. I don't know much about your wolf pack. It gets pretty cold where you live, but pretty country.

[jb3-7-77]

Ten four! Thanks for the tips. Yes, I did put antifreeze in the gray and black water tanks, and I left a little antifreeze right on top of the toilet seal as well. Should I just dump the antifreeze and throw some baby oil in there?

Thanks again for the help.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by jb3-7-77

Ten four! Thanks for the tips. Yes, I did put antifreeze in the gray and black water tanks, and I left a little antifreeze right on top of the toilet seal as well. Should I just dump the antifreeze and throw some baby oil in there?

Thanks again for the help.

I would you don't want to stain your toilet and it will protect it and keep it soft, just enough to cover it won't hurt anything.