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11-05-2010, 04:43 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: south carolina
Posts: 133
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Is antifreeze really necessary?
I live in the south carolina so our winters are not harsh so all I ever do is drain all the water and leave the faucets open, I've been following this procedure for years and have had no problems. I now have a new 5th wheel and all this talk about running anitfreeze thru the water systems has gotten me to start thinking about doing the same.
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11-05-2010, 04:52 PM
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#2
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Posts: 2,381
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I look at it this way, $8.00 for antifreeze, ( 2 gallons), or $180 plumbing repair bill. I'm in North Carolina, and I understand where you are coming from, but for me it is cheap insurance. Male sure you antifreeze the drain traps also. Good Luck.
__________________
LadyWindrider
2012 Ford F250 ext. Cab 4x4
2002 Jeep Wrangler Sahara
2008 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic
2008 Work and Play 18LT
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11-05-2010, 07:28 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 330
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There’s one thing I’ve come to realize, everyone has their rituals they swear by.
Whether it’s how to set up or break camp or winterize.
What works for one person I might consider lame.
Like the antifreeze in the drain.
I am in PA & don’t make it a point of putting any in the drain other than what might come out of the faucet when I’m running it through the lines.
Now windrider will probably tell you I’m crazy.
You say you have been following your routine for years.
Just because you have a new camper I don’t see any reason for you to change it.
As you said SC winters are not that harsh.
If I were in SC I myself wouldn’t go the extra step with the pink stuff.
You have to do what helps you sleep at night.
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11-05-2010, 07:56 PM
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#4
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Grape Escape
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 774
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Winter in South Carolina? Wanna trade places?
draining water lines is more than enough
You would need below freezing temps for a few days to do any damage
__________________
2008 Cardinal 30RKLE 5th wheel sold
2006 Rockwood 2607, 2001 Traillite
55 nights 2009, 53 for 2010
44 for 2011, 38 for 2012, 35 for 2013, 51 for 2014
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11-05-2010, 10:44 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 295
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dezolen
Winter in South Carolina? Wanna trade places?
draining water lines is more than enough
You would need below freezing temps for a few days to do any damage
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Yeah, really. I can just imagine when I'm out shoveling the latest gift from Ma Nature later this year, the OP will be sittin on the porch probably watching a beautiful sunset !
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11-06-2010, 06:40 AM
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#6
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windrider
it is cheap insurance
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Since we don't drink water from the tap, I could not agree more.
For us. Pink stuff till we head south, then a blow out with air when we get back till it warms up and a solid freeze risk is past. A day or two sub freezing is no problem, its the week or more that will get you.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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11-06-2010, 10:25 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Dahlgren VA
Posts: 317
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In south Carolina you could just blow out your lines with 30 lbs of air starting with closing off (bypass) your hot water tank and start opening the farthest spigots till all of the water comes out. Then move to the next one. Be sure to do the bathroom toilet and outside shower. You don't need any antifreeze in the tanks. Be sure they are all drained. I would put a little antifreeze in the sink traps. If you have a washer/dryer that needs to be blown out too. Also if you have a ice maker, use a 110v line to your silinoid leading to the ice maker to open it for air to pass thru. It can be accessed from the outside. Now saying that, last year, i didn't flush out the antifreeze from our morothome (in january)till I was in Brunswick Ga. And then when in Florida, we did freeze up one night for a couple of hours. You never know about the weather.
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Ken and Velda
Dahlgren, VA.
2008 Georgetown XL 378
2010 Ford Escape Limited
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11-06-2010, 10:43 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Jacksonville Florida
Posts: 1,264
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I live in Jacksonville Florida, and do not think for a minute that it does not freeze here! I can show pics of a 4 foot high snowman that me and the wife built in our frontyard in '86. I don't however winterize my camper, we use it at least once a month year round. If a hard freeze is predicted, 22 degrees or lower, I'll turn the heater on at 52, so it'll keep it from freezing. Randy
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/SIGPIC]'08 V-lite Flagstaff 30WRLS
'06 Ram 1500 QC hemi Reese dual cam sway control,
K&N series 77 intake, Hellwig helper spgs. LT tires,
Flowmaster "true duals", 380 h.p., Bilstein shocks
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11-07-2010, 12:47 PM
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#9
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: St. Paul, Minnesota
Posts: 3,367
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My RV maintenance guys have said that just a drop or two of water is enough to ruin your water pump in a hard freeze. I personally don't trust air blowouts to totally remove all moisture. So, I just go straight to the antifreeze; $6 and 15 minutes; pumping it through the pump throughout the trailer. Then I don't have to worry about it.
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2021 F350 Lariat 7.3 4X4 w 4.30s, 2018 Wildcat 29RLX
2012 BMW G650GS, Demco Premiere Slider
1969 John Deere 1020, 1940 Ford 9N, 1948 Ford 8N
Jonsered 535, Can of WD-40, Duct Tape
Red Green coffee mugs
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11-08-2010, 12:09 PM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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Quote:
Originally Posted by acadianbob
My RV maintenance guys have said that just a drop or two of water is enough to ruin your water pump in a hard freeze. I personally don't trust air blowouts to totally remove all moisture. So, I just go straight to the antifreeze; $6 and 15 minutes; pumping it through the pump throughout the trailer. Then I don't have to worry about it.
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Excellent point, Bob. I hadn't really thought about that before. Blowing the lines through the city water connection does not include the water pump.
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Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
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11-08-2010, 03:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 771
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I live in the Houston Texas Area and I asked a RV tech on friday of last week about winterizing. I was having the Roof cleaned, conditioned and resealed. He told me in my climate that the antifreeze is not required. He tells me that unless it drops below 20 degree's then it is not needed. He also tells me if it is going to be that cold to bring the TT home nad plug it in for with the furnace set on low and it would be fine untill the cold spell passed. Since this Tech also owns the mobile repair service I believe his reccomendations due to the fact he bassically turned down the winterizing job saying it was not neccesary thus saving me money.
just my .02 cents worth.
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11-08-2010, 04:43 PM
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#12
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danielflading
Since this Tech also owns the mobile repair service I believe his reccomendations due to the fact he bassically turned down the winterizing job saying it was not neccesary thus saving me money. just my .02 cents worth.
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Not to be a wet blanket, but does that mean if your water pump or several plumbing elbows freeze then crack he will fix them free?
I am thinking he is booking future work. Just sayin....
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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11-08-2010, 04:58 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 771
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He tells me it has be at least 20 degrees for there to be a problem, I can not remember it ever being that cold here, and if it does get that cold it will not last. I have seen snow here two times in th last 31 years and it was gone within an hour.
Now i will watch the forcasts and if it will be that cold then I will plug it in and run the furnace like he reccomends.
I am now knocking on wood for good luck
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11-08-2010, 05:46 PM
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#14
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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The way of the world. You ask for advice; get several conflicting answers; select the one you think is right; and you go with it.
As long as you are happy with your choice, more power to ya.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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11-08-2010, 05:58 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 349
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Danielflading
He tells me it has be at least 20 degrees for there to be a problem, I can not remember it ever being that cold here, and if it does get that cold it will not last. I have seen snow here two times in th last 31 years and it was gone within an hour.
Now i will watch the forcasts and if it will be that cold then I will plug it in and run the furnace like he reccomends.
I am now knocking on wood for good luck
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I live 35 miles NW of Baton Rouge and will be doing the same thing. I have a ceramic heater for a mid size room that is in the middle of the TT. The furnace's lowest setting is 55. I set the ceramic heater for 60 and the furnace for 55. I know that the ceramic heater won't be able to hold that temp if it gets near freezing and then the furnace will kick on and help out but I prefer to use electric than the LPG. I only set this up if we get a freeze warning. By 10 am we are well clear of freezing temps. The freezing temps only last a couple hours in these parts (about the same as Houston). There's my 2 cents.
__________________
Kirk, KN1B
2013 Cardinal 3800FL
2009 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW
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11-08-2010, 06:03 PM
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#16
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Hmmm, with inflation the way it is; we need to change that comment.
Lets put our two bucks in. That would be about right.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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11-08-2010, 06:05 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 349
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I don't have 2 bucks.... I camp!!!!!!!!!
__________________
Kirk, KN1B
2013 Cardinal 3800FL
2009 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW
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11-08-2010, 06:08 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 349
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I should add to my previous post: I want the furnace to come on. The duct work runs near the plumbing putting heat around the plumbing, tanks, and drains. So when it does get cold I do want the furnace to run but not a lot.
__________________
Kirk, KN1B
2013 Cardinal 3800FL
2009 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW
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11-09-2010, 07:49 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,630
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I wouldn`t trust just blowing it out with air. there is always a low spot that will collect water. and the pink RV antifreeze is safe, so it will not harm you.
Spend the $10 and do it right!
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2012 Georgetown XL 350TS, Hellwig front/rear sway bars, Sumo Springs, Blue OX True Center steering damper
2013 Ford Explorer LTD toad, Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP><Tow Brake
Better to have a bad day of camping than a good day at work!
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11-09-2010, 12:46 PM
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#20
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THE NEW GUY
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: WESTMINSTER, MD
Posts: 51
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If you remove the pump it won't freeze. Most pumps come out with ease. hey that rhymed
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DAVE FIORE
2011 ROCKWOOD 2608SS
2500 AVALANCHE 8.1 3.73
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