TIPS FOR WINTER STORAGE IN FRIGID COLD

[menoco]

I figure that there have been several posts and comments on this site about camper storage in winter. Ran a quick search and didn’t find much. Any help already available on WTW?

I’m facing my first winter with my FWC Hawk. In Wyoming, and it was -8 this morning. The camper will be off the truck, on its jacks, in a large storage tent, protected from winds, snow, and moisture, but not heated. My FWC is old, a 2002 Hawk, but it was hardly used and mostly sat in a storage unit for 10 years.

I am looking for help on,

-Top up on down? Which is best for storage? The tent is plenty high enough to put in either way. Saw same Q reposted today, and unanswered.

-Any recommendations on prep for winter storage?

-Water system? How best to drain securely to store. When I got home a week ago, the exterior drain faucets (both from water tank and sink) had frozen - just from drive home. Cleared sink, but to empty water tank I had to run the pump and let all the water drain from sink. Still not sure that all water is out of lines. I’ve read that RV owners put antifreeze in water lines. I don’t like idea of antifreeze in my water lines. Another choice? Is there concern about water left in the water pump?

-Saw a recent post by bigun on jacks being insufficient for storage. Is that so?

Thanks for any help.

Armando

 

[Desert Rancher]

I have heard that the clear vinyl windows may crack if folded/moved in severe cold.
Be careful in you raise or lower the top!!

Warm up the inside first.

~DR

 

[Ramblinman]

Water Lines: I spoke with FWC in this regard. They advised at the end of the day if the camper will be stored in very cold temps to use the RV antifreeze. This will ensure no damage is cause by freezing.

I drove with my camper drain valve (including the one for the hot water tank) open for a couple of days ( Water seemed to keep spilling out).

My camper has a valve that redirects flow in to the hot water tank so I was able to block anything from going in by turning the valve.

Poured the Antifreeze in to the Water tank and ran it through the system until the faucet and outside shower head ran pink. From what I understand that if water is left in the pump and it freezes it will damage the pump.

Be careful to take advice from someone who lives in a similar climate as you do. Many of our FWC brethren are not required to go through the same measure as they live in warmer climates. I live in the most northerly Canadian city so I must take in to account that everything freezes and stays frozen for about 6 months.

Putting the antifreeze in was not a big deal - We will see how hard it is to flush out in the spring.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[highz]

I use RV antifreeze as well. It's not that hard to flush out (but I don't have a hot water heater). It is non-toxic.

In the spring, after draining the antifreeze and filling the tank with water and draining two times, I sanitize the tank with Thetford's non-bleach sanitizer. After flushing that out the water system is good to go until the next autumn freeze. The sanitizing has nothing to do with the antifreeze - it's just an obvious time to do the yearly cleaning.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Didn't we just have a thread about this a little while ago? Anyway, like some others I use my FWC year round and my major problems are finding a water tap that I can use to fill up the water tank that's not frozen up here in snow country before I take off and not forgetting to drain the tanks when I get back home-then hitting the pump switch to get the last of the water out! The FWC stays on my truck year round and so far, despite many winter storms, low temps and other natural and man-made (me) disasters (blown fuses, tank leaks etc.,) I've been lucky in having my water system freeze up only once in the last six years. These campers are allot tougher than you think and keeping up on normal maintenance (water proofing, cleaning systems out, ect.,) seems to keep things working--but again I've been lucky and have learned how to keep my FWC working by surviving my many mistakes and by keeping up on the posts on this site. Thanks guys!

Smoke

 

[NorCalSteve]

It probably won't hurt to mention batteries. Keep the battery charged. I think I have heard that a discharged battery can freeze? I also think, even though it is a deep cycle battery, a complete discharge will cause some extra wear on the battery.

My hawk has a CO2/propane detector. They draw about .04 amps of current. That is about 1 amp-hour each day or 100 amp-hours in 100 days. I have considered turning mine off (remove fuse?) when my camper is not being used for long periods.

Steve

 

[MarkBC]

My hawk has a CO2/propane detector. They draw about .04 amps of current. That is about 1 amp-hour each day or 100 amp-hours in 100 days. I have considered turning mine off (remove fuse?) when my camper is not being used for long periods.

My Hawk has a push-pull switch that turns the entire electrical system off (including the gas sensors -- their LED monitor lights go out)

 

[griz]

anti freeze, a little down the drain as well.
remove the battery from the cold.
remove the mattress, so air may circulate around that area.
think that just about covers it.

instead of anti freeze you can blow the lines out

 

[AK Nomad]

My '04 Grandby sits outside at temperatures to 50 degrees below zero!!! Some of you may not really understand "FRIGID" cold. ...and I perform winterization in September, not December!

I added a valve between my tank and pump so I don't add RV antifreeze into my holding tank. I also added valves to isolate the water heater tank (no antifreeze in water heater tank). In the fall, I drain all the water from the tank, lines, and heater. I fill the lines only (includes pump) with RV antifreeze. The RV antifreeze is non-toxic, but I always flush plenty of water through the system in the springtime. In my opinion, you don't need to add antifreeze to tanks because they are empty and they are difficult to clean, and it would be a waste of antifreeze. Every year, I do disinfect the entire system including tanks with bleach (be sure to use correct amount).

No need to put a little antifreeze down the drain also, unless you've added a p-trap. My camper has no p-trap, the drain goes straight down and is always empty - it would simply be a waste of antifreeze.

I use 1/2 gallon of -100F ArcticBan RV antifreeze every fall for the procedure outlined above.

I store the camper with the top down, keep roof cleared of snow (weight will collapse roof), remove battery (correct, a discharged battery will freeze), and stand mattresses on edge in center of camper for improved circulation. I would think that if you wanted to store the camper in the raised top position, within a tented enclosure like you have, that would reduce any chance of mildew on the sidewalls (from condensation or whatever moisture may get in there). Like was mentioned, I avoid raising/lowering the top in "FRIGID" temperatures. I would not want the long term sun-exposure on the fabric however, if it were outside a tented enclosure.

Obviously I don't keep the camper on the truck year round. I built a plywood base for the camper for long-term storage only because I walk in and out of the camper during winterization/start-up. There is absolutely no issue with storing the camper on the Reico jacks. HOWEVER, in my opinion, it is best to have the floor supported when walking in and out of the camper. I try not to walk in the camper when it is up on jacks. Sure, I've done it, and no you're not going to fall through the floor, but I feel better if the floor is supported.

This has been the routine for several years, with no "FRIGID" cold related issues. Best of luck in your winterization efforts.

 

[dennis 221]

would love to see a official post from a fwc dealer/ company man in northern/ frezze country do a complete write up on proper winter storage!! does the shower line empty back to water pump after off!m when you use air to blow out water heater does it really empty?? in a 26 gallon water system how many gallons of rv.antifreeze do u use !??! etc etc ect

 

[patrkbukly]

"Feels Like" was negative 28 here night before last.
In deep winter I just drain and blow out the lines so all is empty.
No issues yet.

 

[New Man]

My 2 cents, for what it is worth. (Wish someone had explained all this to me three years ago.)

2016 Fleet, three WISCONSIN winters so far (snowbirding in Southwest at moment). Leave outside on truck, roof down. Try to keep the snow from building up too much, but I've had 6-8" with no problem. Of course clear it completely before raising roof. And roofwall fabric does get real stiff below freezing. I take all cushions out and store them in my unheated garage. I used a bucket of DampRid in the camper the first year, but it took a good week for the chemical stink to clear--never again, and no problem with humidity/mold over the last two years.

Batteries: I pull the batteries and put them both on a single cheap Harbor Freight trickle charger [wired just the way they are in the camper] in the unheated garage--so far so good.

Water system: Mine is the simplest--tank, pump, cold water faucet--so more complicated systems will be...more complicated. The first year I used pink RV antifreeze. After three full flushings still tasted like c***p for a couple of tanks. Never again. Last three years I just drained the tank, ran the pump until it stopped pumping water, turned it off, and left the faucet open. No problem first two years, but not sure about this year:

I just got introduced to the joys of SHURflo pump troubleshooting, and from now on I will: 1) drain the tank; 2) open faucet and run pump until dry; 3) unscrew faucet nozzle from base; 3) [my SHURflo manual p. 2, "Winterizing":] "remove the plumbing at the pump's inlet/outlet ports", put a big towel under it [!], and run the pump "until the water is expelled" from the pump; 4) leave the plumbing off the pump; 5) blow out the lines.

This might be overkill, but I just spent a number of hours figuring out and fixing a jammed "check valve" in my pump, which I believe was caused by a little water freezing in the pump and pushing the valve's O-ring out of position. If I get really obsessive about this, I might even replace the pump's mounting screws with some hanger bolts and wingnuts so that I can easily pull it every winter and replace it in the spring. [To my eyes, the pump is the obvious weak link in the system: I assume that a little ice in open water lines or the tank shouldn't damage anything (?)] But I'd rather spend my time staring at cactus, which is why I bought this camper in the first place.

Hope this helps somebody. When I first got the camper and asked FWC about winterizing with RV antifreeze, all I got was "Some guys do, and some guys don't; it's up to you." I get it that they don't want to stick their necks out, but a little more guidance would be nice, especially since they are selling expensive, complicated products to people that have minimal experience with this kind of stuff. Okay, off the soapbox, and back to staring at the cactus...

 

[JaSAn]

My Grandby is 43 years old. It has been stored outside for at least the last 10 years in Minnesota. The coldest it has seen since I have owned it is -32ºF.

• It is stored top down on a platform in my driveway from Thanksgiving to Mother's day (fishing opener).
• All food, clothing, and gear is removed.
• I do not have a water tank or system.
• Batteries are stored in an unheated garage on a battery maintainer.
• I remove snow from the roof periodically.

The fabric, including window plastic, is original, still weathertight. Window plastic shrunk and wavy but not cracked.
No known damage from being stored outside.

jim

 

[larryqp]

If you find that the pink RV antifreeze leaves an after taste, you could always drain the tank, blow out the lines with low air pressure (less than 50 psi) with a compressor, you can buy a screw in adapter and then use cheap Vodka to winterize the pump. Vodka is safe, won't freeze until it get to something like -15 degrees F.

Most people just drain the hot water tank n RVs. But since you don't drink hot water the pink RV antifreeze is fine to winterize the hot water tank after you drain it, if you want a little more protection.

We don't have a water system in our FWC camper but I use the pink RV antifreeze to winterize all the water lines in my cabin in colorado and haven't noticed any after taste, but people have different taste sensitivity. I have a bypass on the hot water heater, so close the bypass valves, drain the hot water heater, blow out the lines and then pump the pink stuff thru the water system opening one water faucet at a time until the pink stuff comes out.

 

[aleadbet]

What about winter camping? Do most folks just bring water in jugs? The daytime temps where we're going will be fine, but it could go slightly below freezing at night....

 

[patrkbukly]

"Slightly below freezing" should be no issue.
Typical mornings you will be firing up the furnace warmng the camper up quickly.

But if you feel you will be lower than that, and/or driving through frigid temps (0F to19F or lower) all day as I did last year in March through Wyoming and Montana I would just drain it to be safe.

Just my .02 cents