Winterizing Questions

[revbilly]

We purchased our Wildwood XLite 241qbxl in May. We've camped 40 days and traveled about 4,300 miles in 4 States and are loving it. We have a trip to Galveston, TX planned at the end of November and Early December. We live in central Texas where winter is generally brief and warm compared to the Northern States. The average low between December thru March is 36-49. OK here's my question. I've watched how to videos and read everything on the forums concerning winterizing. I don't like the idea of putting anti-freeze (even RV anti-freeze) due to the after taste. If I blow out all the water lines, water heater etc, is anti-freeze absolutely necessary? I don't want to ruin the water heater.

Another question, do I need the water heater by-pass kit and water pump converter kit if I don't use anti-freeze?

Finally, where do you do the winterizing if you don't have hookups at home or your HOA won't allow you to park it in you drive or yard for more than 24 hours?

Thanks

[A32Deuce]

I'm in South Jersey. Because of a new neighbor, I can't keep mine at home anymore. I blow it out 3 times. Third time, no mist comes out the lines. I drain the FW tank first, then run the pump to clear water from it and the sediment filter. Empty the filter housing and leave filter out and put the housing back on. Turn heater bypass valves and drain the WH. Then I blow out 3 times. Check the filter housing for water and drain and dry both sets of threads. Then just put AF only in the traps and t bowl. Done till we go out again. About an hour and a halfs work. Ben doing this way for 6 years and we do camp during the winter. Some up here and the rest in the south. Not everyone does it this way, but it works for me. I do it in the street in front of my house then take it to where I store it. I do put more AF in the traps again. This insures AF in the tanks if any water does not drain and protects the drain valves from freezing.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by revbilly

We purchased our Wildwood XLite 241qbxl in May. We've camped 40 days and traveled about 4,300 miles in 4 States and are loving it. We have a trip to Galveston, TX planned at the end of November and Early December. We live in central Texas where winter is generally brief and warm compared to the Northern States. The average low between December thru March is 36-49. OK here's my question. I've watched how to videos and read everything on the forums concerning winterizing. I don't like the idea of putting anti-freeze (even RV anti-freeze) due to the after taste. If I blow out all the water lines, water heater etc, is anti-freeze absolutely necessary? I don't want to ruin the water heater.

Another question, do I need the water heater by-pass kit and water pump converter kit if I don't use anti-freeze?

Finally, where do you do the winterizing if you don't have hookups at home or your HOA won't allow you to park it in you drive or yard for more than 24 hours?

Thanks

rvbilly, you should never put antifreeze in the WH or FW tank. That will result the aftertaste that you're talking about. As long as they are drained, there's enough room for expansion, for whatever water remains.
Antifreeze should only be in the water lines, water valves and traps.
Out on the West Coast, we can get by with blowing the lines out, since we never have hard freezes.

[Scrapper]

I just use air to blow out the lines in a 1998 Wilderness for about 6 years and never had problems in the Wisconsin winters. Only used a gallon of AF in the traps and toilet bowl. We even stayed in it for the weekend for the New Years campground bonfire, we just carried water from the shower house to flush the toilet. Used 5 gallons per flush to rinse the tank and 1 foot of pvc pipe to the septic system and never had a problem. If I lived in Texas I would still be doing it the same way.