Newbie winter use question/scenario

[ivanh3]

Just made the upgrade from a 20+ year Palomino Colt to a 2012 Grey Wolf 17 BH. We love it and understand we have a lot to learn.

Winter where I live can go into the 20s. I was able to winterize the trailer using an air compressor. There is RV antifreeze in the p-traps and toilet bowl. All of the tanks are empty, and the water heater is empty and on bypass.

For camping in the winter, I would like to use a 7 gallon Aquatainer that we used to sit on the counter in the pop up for our water supply. We mostly do 2-3 day short trips to local/regional campgrounds. We can use park facilities for showers and going to the restroom.

My question is this: What do I need to do to safely use the grey water tank only? It would be nice for washing dishes, brushing teeth, washing hands/faces. We run the furnace and keep indoor temp around 60-70 degrees. The bottom is lined, but the tanks are exposed. Would dropping a couple of gallons of antifreeze into the grey tank suffice? What about the low point drains?

Thanks for any questions/guidance you may have!

Ivan

[rockfordroo]

Install some tank heaters:

UltraHeat RV Tank Heaters

[John Dorsey]

i just leave the gray tank valves open. The biggest issue is actually the slinky hose, finding a way to make sure water flows out without collecting in the grooves is the issue. I have seen gutters used to make it a straight fall to minimize it.

[merlinhomeauto]

Originally Posted by John Dorsey

i just leave the gray tank valves open. The biggest issue is actually the slinky hose, finding a way to make sure water flows out without collecting in the grooves is the issue. I have seen gutters used to make it a straight fall to minimize it.

Been doing this for years never a problem.

[JayArras]

Originally Posted by John Dorsey

i just leave the gray tank valves open. .

That's against state law in a lot of areas.

[John Dorsey]

Originally Posted by JayArras

That's against state law in a lot of areas.

I guess I should have been clearer, I am on a full hook up site.

[ivanh3]

Originally Posted by John Dorsey

i just leave the gray tank valves open. The biggest issue is actually the slinky hose, finding a way to make sure water flows out without collecting in the grooves is the issue. I have seen gutters used to make it a straight fall to minimize it.

Unfortunately, that is not an option where I am.

The drain pipes from the sinks all look pretty big. It seems like if they go straight to grey water tank I should be okay if the valve is closed? I am talking about 5-7 gallons of water, max, along with 2 gallons of RV antifreeze. If the fluid were to freeze seems like there would be room to expand. All the p-traps are inside where the furnace is keeping temp above 50.

Would it be advisable to put RV antifreeze in the grey tank and then drain a little out of the low point drain so the small low point drain hose would have antifreeze in it?

[mjones12]

You're saying it will dip into the 20s at night? I wouldn't do anything except get a heated hose, turn on the furnace and enjoy camping.

We do it all winter without a drop of antifreeze except between trips. This is in NC, where it will sometimes drop to teens for a short time at night. Never a problem in 30 years.

[John Dorsey]

I agree with mjones. My daughter has a Springdale Mini that looks very similar. She will be in it for an extended period, they put pads on the tanks. But my wife and I stayed in our old Winnebago last January and February in Kansas. Wasn't full hook up didn't hook up a hose and just boondocked it using "hauled" water. (We bought water for drinking and I filled pans to wash dishes). I pulled to the dump station on warmish days and never had an issue. We never used the coach heater because it hadn't been run for a long time. Just a space heater in the area we occupied at the moment. For clarification we showered and did number 2 in the shower house. Didn't want ya'll to think I'm nasty lol

[ProfChuck]

We had to camp in December when the temp went into the low 20's while they were remodeling our house. We were on full hookups at the time. We have tank heaters, but, didn't use them, only the heated city water hookup hose. Each night I would dump a cupful of antifreeze down the sinks and shower at night, just before bed, and we left the grey water valves open as well. Never had a problem with any of the sewer hoses.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by ProfChuck

We had to camp in December when the temp went into the low 20's while they were remodeling our house. We were on full hookups at the time. We have tank heaters, but, didn't use them, only the heated city water hookup hose. Each night I would dump a cupful of antifreeze down the sinks and shower at night, just before bed, and we left the grey water valves open as well. Never had a problem with any of the sewer hoses.

That's the way we do it when camping all winter with the exception of AF in the traps. Not sure about the shower, but our sink traps are inside and stay about as warm as we do.

Everything we put in our black and gray tanks starts out pretty warm, and I think it would take sustained freezing temps to bring that stuff down enough to freeze, especially with enclosed underbelly.

Rarely stays below freezing for days at a time here in NC. If it did, we just don't want to be out hooking up a camper.

Have fun.

[ivanh3]

Originally Posted by mjones12

You're saying it will dip into the 20s at night? I wouldn't do anything except get a heated hose, turn on the furnace and enjoy camping.

We do it all winter without a drop of antifreeze except between trips. This is in NC, where it will sometimes drop to teens for a short time at night. Never a problem in 30 years.

It doesn't get crazy cold here where I live in Kansas. So, yeah, lows of 20s or occasional teens. We go out about once a month, so this will only apply to 2, maybe 3, trips.

When you say heated hose which hose are you referring to?

[Flybob]

Your biggest concern is not the actual grey or black tank, but the plumbing between the tank and the dump valve and your dump valve is completely exposed. You can try some heat tape on it. If you do not have full hookups and have to use the grey tanks, get a small portable sewer tote or bucket and dump the grey tank each evening and take it to the restrooms or dump station.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by ivanh3

It doesn't get crazy cold here where I live in Kansas. So, yeah, lows of 20s or occasional teens. We go out about once a month, so this will only apply to 2, maybe 3, trips.

When you say heated hose which hose are you referring to?

The city water hose. Or you can use your regular fresh water hose and unhook and drain it on cold nights. Then re-hook when it warms up the next a.m.

Heated hose cost over $100, but worth it for us.

[ProfChuck]

Originally Posted by mjones12

That's the way we do it when camping all winter with the exception of AF in the traps. Not sure about the shower, but our sink traps are inside and stay about as warm as we do.

Everything we put in our black and gray tanks starts out pretty warm, and I think it would take sustained freezing temps to bring that stuff down enough to freeze, especially with enclosed underbelly.

Rarely stays below freezing for days at a time here in NC. If it did, we just don't want to be out hooking up a camper.

Have fun.

You are right. The reason we dumped the AF into the traps was for the "trickle down effect" (pun intended) that puts some of the antifreeze in the drain hose which was lying on the ground outside going to the sewer pipe. We were able to move back into our "new" house in mid December, so we didn't have many days of freezing in a row. Winterized the trailer right after the move! Now we enjoy it in the summer and love our house in the rest of the year.

[ivanh3]

Originally Posted by Flybob

Your biggest concern is not the actual grey or black tank, but the plumbing between the tank and the dump valve and your dump valve is completely exposed...If you do not have full hookups and have to use the grey tanks, get a small portable sewer tote or bucket and dump the grey tank each evening and take it to the restrooms or dump station.

I think I will do this. I checked out some of the smaller Tote N Stors. My Aquatainer is 7 gallons and we rarely use more than 4-5 gallons.

So my current plan is to use the Aquatainer along with a small Tote N Stor, leave the grey water valve open. My traps are all inside and heated. Empty the Tote N stor as needed and before night so it won't freeze overnight. We will keep the freshwater and grey water tanks empty/winterized. After any cold weather trips we re-add antifreeze to the traps. Am I missing anything? This would be for 2-3 night outings that we would do maybe three times a year. Don't want to get into electronic pipe heating unless we were to move to a colder climate/region.

Where are the low point drains connected? Are they "before" the sink drain or "after" it? Would any water going down sink drains end up in the low point drains?

Is there anyway to get a plumbing diagram specific to my trailer?

Thanks for all the help!