winterize in five minutes

[wcj]

Time to winterize in Montana, thought I would share my method.

I installed a valve in the supply line from the water tank to the pump. The T connection is a 36 inch piece of tubing. Turning the valve selects water from the tank or water from the T connection. Turn the valve to the T connection, insert in RV antifreeze turn on pump and open valve on sink until it runs pink. Now open valve on toilet and run until pink. Done. Pump, toilet valve and lines are filled with antifreeze.

This also works as an outdoor shower. I installed a sprayer hose connection on the outside, fed through the pump. Set up the valve as outlined above except put the feeder hose in a two gallon container of warm water, instant outdoor pressurized hot shower.

I added the T valve about five years ago after having freezing issues a couple of winters. No issues since then.

Hope it helps

 

[Vic Harder]

Brilliant. I will have to do this!

 

[cc7665]

I don’t like putting the RV anti-freeze in, so I do it a bit different. I use a shop vac to suck all the water out of the lines including the drain line since that line never actually drains. It also seems to get all the water out of the city and fresh water fill lines. I leave the basket off the pump and make sure I suck that out with the vacuum too. I’ve found that works well so far on both Alaskans we run. The vacuum I use is a little tiny shop vac from Home Depot so a pretty simple solution and crazy easy to de-winterize.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I don’t like putting the RV anti-freeze in, so I do it a bit different. I use a shop vac to suck all the water out of the lines including the drain line since that line never actually drains. It also seems to get all the water out of the city and fresh water fill lines. I leave the basket off the pump and make sure I suck that out with the vacuum too. I’ve found that works well so far on both Alaskans we run. The vacuum I use is a little tiny shop vac from Home Depot so a pretty simple solution and crazy easy to de-winterize.

Sounds interesting. Any photos that show hook up details?

 

[cc7665]

Sounds interesting. Any photos that show hook up details?

There is no fancy hookup, I just cup my hand around the outlet on the drain for example and then hold the small vacuum hose end on the other side. The vacuum is powerful enough it does a great job of sucking out all the water. For the pump I carefully suck the water out of it through the screw off cap. That one I try not to hit too hard as I don't want to damage the pump. For the inlet on the city and fresh water connections I pretty much just put the end of the vacuum on those and it gets the water. Same with the faucet which I open up the hot and cold lines for. I don't have a hot water heater so no need drain it. Usually they just drain hot water heaters and bypass them when winterizing. I also put the hose into the fresh water tank and suck up all the excess water in there since it seems like it will just mold if it stays in there for weeks. This is the little shop vac I use and it works great: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stinger-2-5-Gal-1-75-Peak-HP-Compact-Wet-Dry-Shop-Vacuum-with-Hose-Accessories-and-6-Filter-Bags-HD2025A/312912640