Black and gray tank during two months of inactivity

[125992]

We have completed a 31 day trip (our first outing with our first RV) and will not be using the RV for the next two months. We need to work now.

How do I maintain the RV in my driveway for the next couple of months before we get out again?

Should I do anything special with the black (no solid waste - I hope) and gray tanks?

What should I do with the batteries?

Thanks!

[chaps2018]

Wow 31days. That is good living for sure.

Assumptions;
1) you drained your waste tanks
2) it's not going to freeze before you go out again
3) you removed all of the food and trash from the RV
4) there is a couple inches of water in the toilet bowl to keep the seal moist
5) left bath vent open just a smidge for venting

If it were me, I would just disconnect the battery and close it up.

[fonzie]

Drain your fresh water tank, trailer low point drains and water heater.

[A32Deuce]

By pass the heater and drain via the anode rod or drain plug. Puts junk that is in the tank from getting in your lines. There is some calcium build up in the tank, maybe. Then just open the low point drain and fresh water tank.

[chaps2018]

I am curious as to why you would drain fresh water tank and hot water tank if not winterizing. I am thinking there should be enough chlorine to keep the water good for a couple months. Have you guys had issues?

Hoping the OP will tell us about those 31 days...hope it was for fun and not work.

[125992]

Originally Posted by chaps2018

I am curious as to why you would drain fresh water tank and hot water tank if not winterizing. I am thinking there should be enough chlorine to keep the water good for a couple months. Have you guys had issues?

Hoping the OP will tell us about those 31 days...hope it was for fun and not work.

I'm curious too about draining fresh and hot water tanks.

Also, I posted a post trip summary with pics under another topic. I think it is under "On the road." Maybe that was not the best place to put it but I didn't know where to summarize our trip. Suggestions?

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by chaps2018

I am curious as to why you would drain fresh water tank and hot water tank if not winterizing. I am thinking there should be enough chlorine to keep the water good for a couple months. Have you guys had issues?

Hoping the OP will tell us about those 31 days...hope it was for fun and not work.

Originally Posted by 125992

I'm curious too about draining fresh and hot water tanks.

Also, I posted a post trip summary with pics under another topic. I think it is under "On the road." Maybe that was not the best place to put it but I didn't know where to summarize our trip. Suggestions?

Not suggesting full winterization, just some preventative measures to make sure you don't end up with stagnant water. City water will have chlorine, but even that will decay over time. Think of a pool. It gets way more dosage of chlorine than your standard tap water, but if you don't maintain it, after 2 months you're going to get algae growing. Now think of that same water sitting in your tanks, with a much weaker concentration of chlorine.

We will leave water in our HWT all season, but we're out at least every other weekend, so it's always getting fresh turnover. If I was going to let it sit for any longer than the at most 11 days between trips, then I'd be draining it.

[timfromma]

Remove anything perishable.

Remove anything else you don't want left in the camper.

Rinse and drain your waste tanks.

Turn off refrigerator.

Turn off propane at the tanks.

Leave refrigerator door open.

Give the interior a good cleaning.

Place a large bucket of DampRid inside.

Plug camper in. Make sure your main and your 12V converter breakers are on. Turn the rest off.

Close and lock the door.

If you camper is parked in the sun, I would also consider covering it.

[A32Deuce]

Another thought. Not all camp grounds are on Municipal water. Many use well water. In that instance or just time between trips, I would also drain the fresh system!

[chaps2018]

Originally Posted by A32Deuce

Another thought. Not all camp grounds are on Municipal water. Many use well water. In that instance or just time between trips, I would also drain the fresh system!

That is good enough reason for me to drain!

[damann]

Hi, Make sure you have drained black, and then grey tanks. Put whatever black treatment you use down toilet and add 5 gallons of water to help break down any excess solids between uses. Drain fresh water tank. No need to pull anode or by-pass water tank if you are going to use the trailer before winterizing in the fall. That's it. If you think the fresh water tank could be growing anything, do the fresh water bleach flush next time you use it. We go a few months at a time without flushing with bleach, but tend to pack a 5 gallon jug of "drinking" water with us each trip.

[brandon 2]

Pour some dawn dish detergent in both the grey and black tanks after they have drained. Spray some silicone in the toilet on the black ring , this will keep it from drying out. Wash out the fridge out with the same dawn dish detergent and leave the doors open after. Anything that is edible has to be removed. pull the batteries and put them on a battery minder.


Brandon2

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by timfromma

Remove anything perishable.

Remove anything else you don't want left in the camper.

Rinse and drain your waste tanks.

Turn off refrigerator.

Turn off propane at the tanks.

Leave refrigerator door open.

Give the interior a good cleaning.

Place a large bucket of DampRid inside.

Plug camper in. Make sure your main and your 12V converter breakers are on. Turn the rest off.

Close and lock the door.

If you camper is parked in the sun, I would also consider covering it.

Tim you forgot to leave water in the Toilet,,, and drain the W/H !!!

[itat]

Others have covered what to do with your tanks and battery. I can add that if you live in an area that has mice, you should search for that on this forum and decide what precautions you need to take to prevent them from entering and discourage them from staying in your MH.

[timfromma]

Basically, you want to do everything you'd do during the winterization process except adding antifreeze unless you are expecting sub-freezing temperatures before you use it again.

[Oaklevel]

I always do what you are not supposed to I do and leave water in the system and do not drain the water heater until winterizing. This go round the camper will sit over the summer until Sept 1st. I do usually disconnect the battery or leave the camper plugged in to shore power. I do try to leave some water in the holding tanks so "stuff" does not dry up.

but it has never been a problem........

[GeorgeFries]

Wow! The more I read, the more ideas I get. Either how to improve or do differently! Reading the responses leave me with better ideas. Foremost is through reading I learned not to travel with an empty black tank nor let effluent flow freely when at a site hookup. (Always leave a minimum five gallons in the tank.)

In Florida, there’s heat and humidity. Sitting dormant, even for thirty days, water can become less pure. Chlorine/Clorox is added to the water tank, but not so much it risks harming the sensors. The water tank is kept full until departure. It’s emptied and filled (twice or more if the water still tastes or smells of chlorine).

A liquid mix of laundry powder, Dawn, and Calgon are poured into the galley sink, bathroom sink, and shower pan. The two gray tanks are filled and emptied repeatedly, or until discharge is completely clear. (Because I’m anal, I leave the 5th Wheel hooked up and rock it back and forth agitating this action.) A five gallon mix of water and Calgon is poured into, and kept, in each of the gray tanks to keep valve seals soft.

A larger mix of laundry powder, Dawn, and Calgon go into a ten gallon bucket and poured into the black tank. A garden hose with a straight variable spray nozzle goes down the commode and into the tank as you play “Roto-Rooter”, up to and including suds coming out of the vent on the rooftop and throat of the toilet. Excluding the “mix”, the black tank is filled and emptied repeatedly with water until not one speck of effluent emerges and the water is crystal clear. (You’ve just cleaned your sensors here—no false readings for a while!) Five or ten gallons of the aforementioned mix are again poured in into the black tank to stay. This keeps the black tank moist with condensation preventing suspect solids from more permanently solidifying to the sides of the black tank and keep the valve seals soft. It will slosh around on your next trip further cleaning your black tank.

Used is a “food-grade” Teflon grease is to keep the commode membrane soft. Battery? As mentioned, keep your RV plugged in or research the appropriate “Battery Tender” to maintain the battery. Home | Deltran Battery Tender