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Old 01-21-2015, 10:25 PM   #1
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Newbie Winterizing Question

Hello everyone! I will be picking up my new Mini-Light 2505S on Saturday. I'm completely new to RV ownership, although I have rented a trailer before. I live in the Pacific Northwest, where temperatures occasionally dip below freezing, especially at night. We plan to camp on average one weekend a month or so during the winter. Does that mean we have to winterize it after every trip?

-Jeff
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Old 01-21-2015, 11:06 PM   #2
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I would blow out the lines in prep for freezing weather. For the most part, it takes me almost as long to get my air compressor and blowout plug setup than it does to actually blow out the lines.
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Old 01-21-2015, 11:50 PM   #3
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So blowing the lines should be sufficient? I don't have to put in antifreeze?
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Old 01-22-2015, 12:42 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jheinen View Post
So blowing the lines should be sufficient? I don't have to put in antifreeze?

If it doesn't freeze for days at a time, I likely wouldn't bother with antifreeze. Just make sure you blow out *everything*: toilets, shower heads (inside and out), sinks, washer/dryer hookups, black tank flushes, you name it!
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Old 01-22-2015, 04:44 AM   #5
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I will add, if you are expecting a long freeze, I would put some antifreeze in the P-traps. But, if you are using, I would just drain and blow. Make sure you get your low point drains and drain your hot water heater.
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Old 01-22-2015, 01:29 PM   #6
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I live in a much colder climate so I go all out when winterizing.

I open the low point drains (hot, cold and fresh water) and let them run dry and reclose. I then blow 40-45 psi air into the "City Water" line with an adapter and open one faucet at a time until it's done spitting water then close. The same for the toilet and low-point drains. I go back and try each one again for good luck, then shut off the air and open all faucets about half way.

Then I remove the lower drain plug from the water heater (the one with the sacrificial anode).

Next, I completely empty my gray and black holding tanks.

Then, pour antifreeze into each trap, adding enough to give the gray holding tanks adequate antifreeze to take care of the water from the traps and I dump some antifreeze down the toilet for the black tank.

Don't forget the shower trap and drain the shower hose and any outside faucets too.

With my much colder weather, I draw a small amount of RV antifreeze into the water pump from the "winterize hose" and add more antifreeze to the black and gray holding tanks to ensure no solid freezing at sub-zero temperatures.

The flexible PEX hose is very forgiving. The plastic in pumps, traps and holding tank valves is of a greater concern. However, I have frozen my water lines on a pickup slide-in camper and nothing broke. Perhaps that was good luck.
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Old 01-22-2015, 07:03 PM   #7
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The owner's manual from Forest River is not very helpful with winterizing.
It does not even mention low point drains.
I live in west central Oregon and I am in agreement with what TGR said above.
In addition, when using a compressor to blow out my lines I do not remove the water filter as prescribed in the owner's manual.
I find that the compressor blows the water out of the filter just fine.
We just took our 2109S out for a couple days of camping on the coast after it had already been winterized and everything worked fine.
Just remember to fill your water heater first before flipping on the electric switch and make sure the switch is off when you drain the heater.
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Old 09-22-2015, 06:58 AM   #8
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As my first season of TT ownership draws to a close (8 trips and 23 nights, I might add!), I'm starting to think about winterizing. I searched and found several threads, including this one.

I live in the upstate of SC where we we only get freezing temps a few days each winter. I would guess we get a sum total of no more than 10 - 15 nights and rarely a stretch of more than three or four nights in succession. That being said, I feel like the method described above of blowing air through the city water connection, and adding AF to the P-traps would be sufficient for me.

Would the experts here agree with the that?

Also, is there any concern that the "gaskets" would dry out by using this method? I honestly don't know what "gaskets" this might refer to, but I have read that argument on the interweb.

Thanks!


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Old 09-22-2015, 07:07 AM   #9
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I am NO expert but I know if you Winterize your system with Pink A/F you will sleep well on the freezing nights and not Wonder or ask about your water system! Youroo!! This was for Post# 8
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Old 09-22-2015, 07:22 AM   #10
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Don't forget about your Tank Flushers, if you have them. You will be buying new siphon valves if you don't blow them out.
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Old 09-22-2015, 08:31 AM   #11
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Newbie winterizing questions

Several responses here: First, I've been told not to use more than 30 lbs of air pressure when blowing out the lines. Second, my dealer told me to take the water filter out before blowing the lines or inserting antifreeze. You can't blow the water that is inside the filter itself, and he's had cases of residual water draining down into the canister, causing it to crack under freezing conditions. Third, I believe in overkill; I blow out the lines and also run RV antifreeze through the system. You're right; the Forest river manual is totally useless. I don't know why they even bother to call it a "Manual." I live in Wisconsin where the temperature can stay below freezing for weeks at a time. This is the procedure I use:
1. Open the low point and fresh water tank drains and let them run until empty. Then close 'em up.
2. Drain the hot water heater and close the valves so that RV antifreeze can't get into the water heater. Inspect the anode for possible replacement, then leave it out until Spring.
3. Open the water filter canister, empty it, remove the filter, screw the canister back on.
4. Run the water pump by opening the hot/cold faucets, shower heads, toilet flushers until no more water comes out of the lines.
5. Screw the air compressor plug into the city water opening and blow out the lines using 30 lbs. of pressure. Do this by opening faucets, toilet flush valve, inside and outside shower faucets, one at a time until no more water comes out.
6.Put 2 or 3 gallons (amount depends upon the size of your rig) of RV antifreeze into the water tank and pump it through the system, again opening one faucet at a time, holding the toilet flush open until you see pink in the bowl, etc. Make sure you closed the valves to the water heater so that the antifreeze can't get in there, unless you want to buy a new one. If you have a winterizing kit attached to your water pump, you can eliminate pouring antifreeze into the fresh water tank. Just close the valve on the line from the water tank to the water pump and draw the antifreeze right out of the bottles with the winterizing kit tube already attached to the pump for this purpose. Just open the valve to that tube, and stick the tube directly into the antifreeze jug and run the pump using the same procedure as above.
7. Pour antifreeze into the P traps, black and grey waste tanks. You did already dump them before doing any of this, right?!
8. Sit down, have a beer, and congratulate yourself on a job well done!

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Old 09-22-2015, 10:57 AM   #12
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I blow before removing the filter. Makes zero mess that way.
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Old 09-22-2015, 06:48 PM   #13
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Dealer told me to remove filter and replace the filter bowl, bypass the water heater, and use the on board waterpump to draw AF right from the jug. Didn't work at first. Had to switch a valve from city water to fresh water tank so the pump would draw. Gets damn cold around here and I just didn't trust the blow out method. My opinion is the AF better protects seals and check valves throughout storage. Wherever kdot got his info worked for me last season, and will do the same this storage season. Easy and inexpensive.
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Old 09-22-2015, 07:35 PM   #14
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newbie winterizing questions

Freetyme 1, a winterizing kit can be added to the water pump, enabling you to switch the water pump from the water tank to an additional tube attached to the water pump. When you close the valve to the water tank, you can put that tube directly into a jug of antifreeze, turn on a faucet, and directly pump the antifreeze through that line right out of the jug. You move from faucet to faucet and, as one jug runs low, you just switch the tube to another full one until the job is done. What's left over in the jugs an be poured into the P traps and waste tanks. It's really easy to do and it saves having to thoroughly flush the antifreeze out of the water tank in the Spring. It also has the advantage of using a lot less antifreeze than drawing it out of the fresh water tank.

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Old 09-22-2015, 10:23 PM   #15
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Kdot: Yes, the valve I was speaking of. The Minilite has the winterizing feature but at first attempt last Fall the pump was trying to draw from an empty water tank when I discovered that I had to switch the valve to where I wanted the pump to draw from. No actual antifreeze went through the fresh water tank. It was a valve before the pump I did not have in the correct position.
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