Arctic Package

[PHILIPHD]

What harm does the antifreeze do to the hot water heater if you flush the system with clean water on DE winterizing?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by PHILIPHD

What harm does the antifreeze do to the hot water heater if you flush the system with clean water on DE winterizing?

No harm really but the you also have to sanitize the water heater.

Why do that when you can by pass it ?
Besides that's an extra 6- 10 gallons of antifreeze that's not needed.

Turbs

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by Chrisbrock

You know the next billionaire genius would be the person that invents a solution that you can pour into any tank that is drinkable and prevents freezing.

I just invented it, Its called vodka. Shaken, not stirred.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by Scooter222

What if I drain the tanks so they are empty and try to keep the RV at 40 degrees. Do you think that would work?

In my experience the thermostats only go to 50 deg minimum AND setting at minimum MAY not keep the colder parts of the camper, where the pipes are from freezing. AND it will take a lot of propane to keep the camper at 50 deg.

SO the easiest solution as mentioned is to winterize the whole system and have several containers of water available to use if you are called out for rescue.

[PHILIPHD]

At one time there was an antifreeze available that was drinkable. I used it to winterize my boats water system not the boats cooling system. Must of had to remove from market.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by PHILIPHD

At one time there was an antifreeze available that was drinkable. I used it to winterize my boats water system not the boats cooling system. Must of had to remove from market.

Current pink stuff is nontoxic but not drinkable. I've NEVER heard of anything with antifreeze properties (except vodka) that was drinkable.

No fooling, I know some boat owners that do winterize their fresh water systems with a couple gallons of cheap vodka and then just pump it back into a bottle in the spring and use it for medicinal purposes.

[boatnut]

the winterizing of fresh water lines is a VERY easy thing to do and is worth doing by all means if you plan to encounter temps below 32. I would venture to say the whole procedure can be done in 15 minutes or less. Why take the chance?

[PHILIPHD]

I was just reading my Forest River owners manual and they advise if antifreeze is going to be used in the water heater that the catalytic rod be removed from the heater as it isn't compatable with the antifreeze. Thats a new one for me as I always used it in my boats and never had any problems.

However after locating everything on my motorhome I beleive in the future I will drain the tank and blow the lines down with my air compressor and eliminate the antifreeze.

[MillerTime]

Yes the antifreeze will eat the anode rod.( and leave sludge/sediment in the tank) And the pink stuff I have is considered GRAS ( generally regarded as safe) by the FDA and is tastless and nontoxic (kindof redundant)

[forestertraveler]

We use our motorhome on snowmobile trips. We semi-dry camp it.
Winterize your fresh water system, anti-freeze in lines etc, and just use our holding tanks.....

We take drinking water jugs inside the coach with us to use for water. Put RV anti-freeze, 1/2 gallon or more in each holding tank depending on how cold it is expected to get, black tank (via toilet) and gray tank (via shower drain since you won't use it with below freezing temps). probably could get by with less or maybe no anti-freeze in tanks that have arctic pack heaters

Enjoy the snow

[Timtation]

Originally Posted by PHILIPHD

What harm does the antifreeze do to the hot water heater if you flush the system with clean water on DE winterizing?

Aside from the anode problems,if you have an anode, it is a bear to get the hot water heater flushed properly. It is much easier to isolate and drain. It takes very little propylene glycol to give odor to the hot water. The other problem is that most systems do not have a check valve so at some point the hot water tank will have pressure above that of the water system and pink flavored water will enter the fresh system. I used to run pink through the hw system but it took luck and at least 5 flushes to get non-contaminated water out.
The heater will drain sufficiently to not be damaged.

[Stg1]

I live in Dallas and I'm on my third TT. Normally, we only get below 25 a few days a year. When the temp drops between 32 and 28 I drain the water tank and run an electric heater, from there down, I also drain the hot water heater and put antifreeze in the tanks ( not fresh) and P-traps. never have had a problem.