Too soon to De-Winterize?

[Tireman9]

Live outside Akron Ohio. As many know it has been cold this winter. I am leaving for FMCA Convention in Perry, GA next week and want to De-Winterize my Freelander 2130QB but am concerned about freezing weather yet this year.

Looking for info on what people do to ensure they don't freeze up while traveling in their motorhome.
Also since there is always the possibility of a freeze in late March do I need to do a full winterize yet again in a couple of weeks after I return to Ohio?

I guess the question is will things freeze up if I keep the inside of the RV at 55 & above? What steps can I take to use the motorhome when its freezing outside?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Live outside Akron Ohio. As many know it has been cold this winter. I am leaving for FMCA Convention in Perry, GA next week and want to De-Winterize my Freelander 2130QB but am concerned about freezing weather yet this year.

Looking for info on what people do to ensure they don't freeze up while traveling in their motorhome.
Also since there is always the possibility of a freeze in late March do I need to do a full winterize yet again in a couple of weeks after I return to Ohio?

I guess the question is will things freeze up if I keep the inside of the RV at 55 & above? What steps can I take to use the motorhome when its freezing outside?

Why not just wait until you get to an area where it isn't forecast to freeze?

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Why not just wait until you get to an area where it isn't forecast to freeze?

Well that presents 2 problems. There are night time freeze in forecast at least as far South as Atlanta. Hopefully that will change is a week but with strange weather lately not sure if i want to gamble

other problem is I don't think I want to take the time to de-winterize & sanitize water system at a campground on the way. Not sure if the campground wants all that extra water dumped on the ground either.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Tireman9

Well that presents 2 problems. There are night time freeze in forecast at least as far South as Atlanta. Hopefully that will change is a week but with strange weather lately not sure if i want to gamble

other problem is I don't think I want to take the time to de-winterize & sanitize water system at a campground on the way. Not sure if the campground wants all that extra water dumped on the ground either.

Why would you dump it on the ground? Should only take about 30 minutes to de-winterize and possibly 30 minutes to sanitize the water system. Run the sanitizing water into the holding tank and into the sewer. Fill the fw tank with your sanitizing water at home just before you leave and run the pump while on the road and dump in the holding tanks.

[jbrostek]

I head south to FL every year right after the new year for 2 weeks. We do not dewinterize until our first nights stop, both in the motorhome and now the 5th wheel. Once we are that far south, even with freezing weather at times it is not a hard freeze like you see up here. On our way north we winterize again after the last nights stay before parking it till March.

Even now I plan to pull her out Mid march and dewinterize in the northner VA/WV panhandle area. And unless I see another hard freeze comming our way I probably wont rewinterize and at most open the low point drains and call it done.

[davel1971]

if it just goes barely below freezing for a few hours, no harm will be done. Its when it stays below freezing day and night that you need to worry. Still getting in 20s most nights here in Delaware. I'm waiting to de-winterize the new 5th wheel I got in January and make sure everything is OK.

[Medic44]

Originally Posted by davel1971

if it just goes barely below freezing for a few hours, no harm will be done. Its when it stays below freezing day and night that you need to worry. Still getting in 20s most nights here in Delaware. I'm waiting to de-winterize the new 5th wheel I got in January and make sure everything is OK.

Dave: This is what Prime Time told me also last year with our camper, Only if temps get to -0- to 10 and stay there for extended length of time. and just don't forget to run your central heat to heat up the underbelly from time to time. But don't to forget to unhook your water supply hose and let it drain, we did this in Branson last year and Oops had to bring hose in and warm it up. just saying. <;-)

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by Medic44

Dave: This is what Prime Time told me also last year with our camper, Only if temps get to -0- to 10 and stay there for extended length of time. and just don't forget to run your central heat to heat up the underbelly from time to time. But don't to forget to unhook your water supply hose and let it drain, we did this in Branson last year and Oops had to bring hose in and warm it up. just saying. <;-)

I was referring more to de-winterizing but not using it yet. Heat wont be on. Since I picked this new 5th wheel up in January, I questioned several times as to if the dealer hooked water to it before I got it and then re winterized it. Of course they said they did, but I see no signs of pink stuff anywhere. Guessing they just blew it out. I want to put water to it at home and check everything out before we get any unpleasant surprises on our first trip.

[MrJoe]

I pressure tested mine with air. Since we had a cold winter and it being my first time winterizing... I hooked the compressor up and set it to 40 psi. Once pressurized, there were no leaks. I didn't need to dewinterize to do it.

[davel1971]

I was thinking of doing the same just to leak check. Air doesn't make a mess when it leaks out. Then when weather turn a little warmer, put water to it and wash all the "new" out of the lines.

[Boss Hoss]

I'm sure that you have Pex plumbing.That will take a lot of abuse before breaking during a freeze.Love Pex!

[davel1971]

probably so, but doesn't help the pump, faucets, valves, etc.

[SKnight]

What the dealer guy told me is to open all the faucets, hot and cold, depressurize the system, then drain the water heater, then open the low point drains. That will pull water away from the faucets, the pex can handle things after that. Personally, I like throwing a little antifreeze in there just to be sure. It's cheap, usually pretty easy.

[davel1971]

I winterize mine myself each fall. $10 worth of antifreeze is cheap insurance. That's after I blow it out, drain low point drains and water heater and bypass

[jbrostek]

I just don't see the need to dewinterize before heading on a trip. I can do it when I hit my first overnight destination. It takes all of 20 minutes to install the anode back into the water heater, hit all the proper valves, sanitize the fresh tank and run whats left of the pink stuff out of the system. Even if I am not at a full hookup its fine. The only thing I wont do in the first day or two after dewinterizing is use the water from the tap for boiled water. If I need it that day ill get it right off the filter outside.

[davel1971]

I would rather find out something is wrong at home, not in a campground

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