Winterizing.

[Wallowa]

+1 for bottles. We use a wide mouth 1.5L water bottle (clearly marked) so it has become a His and Hers bottle. ;-)

Yup, middle of night, grab the 1 liter wide mouth Nalgene bottle ...can't miss! Wife uses portable Lu that slides nicely under the shelf at rear of Hawk....

 

[MountainSufi]

Wisdom for the tribe...

I store a 1 liter nalgene thunder jug for night pees. One morning I woke up to find it impossibly empty. Research discovered I'd drowsily unscrewed the top of a similarly sized saniwipes container, peed into that, and screwed the cover back on.

When I figured out what happened the next morning, I told friends camping with us about the mistake. We all laughed so hard we almost peed in our pants!!!

 

[Vic Harder]

Wisdom for the tribe...

I store a 1 liter nalgene thunder jug for night pees. One morning I woke up to find it impossibly empty. Research discovered I'd drowsily unscrewed the top of a similarly sized saniwipes container, peed into that, and screwed the cover back on.

When I figured out what happened the next morning, I told friends camping with us about the mistake. We all laughed so hard we almost peed in our pants!!!

Oye... TMI !!!!

 

[DarinH]

The water heater tank has a threaded drain plug that's accessible from the outside WH access door. Is there some reason why the WH tank shouldn't be drained from that plug? The winterizing instructions in the owners manual doesn't say anything about it.

 

[JaSAn]

I store a 1 liter nalgene thunder jug for night pees. One morning I woke up to find it impossibly empty. Research discovered I'd drowsily unscrewed the top of a similarly sized saniwipes container, peed into that, and screwed the cover back on . . .

I have a glow-in-the-dark button on the top of my pee bottle so its easy to find AND I don't make that mistake.

 

[Durango1]

The water heater tank has a threaded drain plug that's accessible from the outside WH access door. Is there some reason why the WH tank shouldn't be drained from that plug? The winterizing instructions in the owners manual doesn't say anything about it.

Denny Saunders, the Jackson Hole FWC dealer, told me to go for it! (You do need to be careful to not cross thread the plug since it is plastic.)

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Denny Saunders, the Jackson Hole FWC dealer, told me to go for it! (You do need to be careful to not cross thread the plug since it is plastic.)

Easy to cross thread is an understatement, I keep several extras. They’re pricey, prolly because the makers know how easy they are to cross thread.

Here are some less expensive plugs and a wrench. The plugs are 15/16”, and a normal size 3/8” drive socket on an extension works.

 

[Jon R]

Have you measured or can you estimate the amount of water you get out by removing that plug after having blown out the system with the plug still in?

 

[fish more]

My water heater has a anode connected to the plug. I drain the heater via the anode/plug, then drain system from pump area in the cabinet, then drain the tank by opening the sink valve and the drain at the rear of the camper. While camping in the winter, I take one gallon bottles with me.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Have you measured or can you estimate the amount of water you get out by removing that plug after having blown out the system with the plug still in?

My SWAG is a cup or two. We rarely use our water heaters, and leave them on bypass most trips. I leave the drain plug finger tight to keep bugs and dirt out.

 

[Wallowa]

Folks you are doing a "Phil"...I tend to over think things and worry many into place!

The small amount of water in a FWC installed hot water heater after draining, no blowing out, has never to my knowledge damaged a heater tank ...so why all the concern? I have been in -10F without any damage and with only draining the heater into the main water tank and then draining the entire system.

Removal of that exterior plug, again as I remember is a no-no for draining according to the manufacturer...why risk it if the water left in the tank does no harm?

Just me and I could be wrong....

Phil

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Phil, I suspect that “no-no” is just for certain RV installations, maybe just those that drain back into the water tank, as FWC appears to recommend.. Both my Northern Lite and the travel trailer call for draining the water heaters by removing the drain plug.

Best advice I can offer is do what your builder recommends.

 

[Wallowa]

Sage...like I said I could be wrong...notwithstanding what I remember as the manufacturer's [and FWC?] recommendation to not remove that plug..to me I do not see the need to remove the plug...it seems only to introduce a potential issue without any probative value...little water left in tank after draining will not damage the tank......all this is based on my 2016 FWC Hawk...other RVs, no idea....such as your NL and TT.

 

[Jon R]

I’m just draining and air-purging my system for the winter based on past discussions. However, since folks were talking about taking the plug out I was curious how much drains out. Access to my plug is somewhat hindered by the gas valve, so I don’t really want to disturb it.

 

[Durango1]

I’m just draining and air-purging my system for the winter based on past discussions. However, since folks were talking about taking the plug out I was curious how much drains out. Access to my plug is somewhat hindered by the gas valve, so I don’t really want to disturb it.

I just use a 6" extension on a socket wrench and (I believe) a 1 1/8" socket. Easy-peasy.

 

[DarinH]

I’m just draining and air-purging my system for the winter based on past discussions. However, since folks were talking about taking the plug out I was curious how much drains out. Access to my plug is somewhat hindered by the gas valve, so I don’t really want to disturb it.

It will drain it empty. The plug is at an angle so you can fit under the gas tube with a socket with an extension.

 

[DarinH]

Folks you are doing a "Phil"...I tend to over think things and worry many into place!

The small amount of water in a FWC installed hot water heater after draining, no blowing out, has never to my knowledge damaged a heater tank ...so why all the concern? I have been in -10F without any damage and with only draining the heater into the main water tank and then draining the entire system.

Removal of that exterior plug, again as I remember is a no-no for draining according to the manufacturer...why risk it if the water left in the tank does no harm?

Just me and I could be wrong....

Phil

I drained back into the main water tank first, then when I unscrewed the external plug, there was still a lot of water that drained out, so that tells me the internal drain valve doesn't completely drain the water heater tank.

 

[Wallowa]

I drained back into the main water tank first, then when I unscrewed the external plug, there was still a lot of water that drained out, so that tells me the internal drain valve doesn't completely drain the water heater tank.

The 6 gallon hot water tank in a FWC [at least my vintage,2016 Hawk] when drained back into the main water holding tank always left water in the hot water tank...I have read, a little under 1 gallon remains in the tank....it was never 'advertised' that doing it this way would remove all the water in the tank..

The issue as I see it, and others disagree, is that why complicate the winterizing process if the water remaining in the hot water tank when frozen does no damage [which at well below zero I have not had damage]? FYI ice creates the largest volume, lowest density, just as it freezes @ 32F. Sure you can remove the external nylon [?] nut to get most if not all the water out of the tank but why?

I also put a little Clorox in my water system then rinse it thoroughly each year to kill any beasties in it, so any residual water in the hot water tank is also disinfected...

Might add, remember to open both sink faucets and shower valve when draining water system.

Out Here...Phil

 

[Durango1]

I just use a 6" extension on a socket wrench and (I believe) a 1 1/8" socket. Easy-peasy.

Actually it is a 15/16" socket. Just drained mine last night.

 

[Andy Douglass]

Been a while since I've been here. Blowing out my water lines today and came back by to see if I'd forgotten anything since last year, and this old thread popped up in my search.

I wanted to let everyone know my experience with just draining my 2018 Hawk side dinette several winters ago, and why you shouldn't just worry about your water heater tank. It was our first winter in a real cold environment and I forgot about blowing the lines out. I drained everything and thought I was good. The next time I filled the tank and turned on the pump (had not hooked up to city water, but results would have been the same), water started pouring out of the front-most cabinet. Not a lot of water leaked into the camper because I turned the pump off immediately but I knew there was a problem.

I located the leak by shining my light into the cabinet and turning the pump on for a second. There at the very top of the front cabinet (behind the upper drawer), mounted just underneath the countertop, was an ABS manifold that clearly had a crack. This is the cabinet on the 2018 Hawk that houses the waterheater, pump, and fill line down to the fresh tank. I removed it and identified some manufacturing numbers on it, and emailed FWC about a replacement. They wanted a lot for it, so I decided I would try and find it myself; ID'd it as a globally manufactured 5-port pex manifold, and found it on Amazon for 1/4 what FWC wanted. It was an easy replacement, but the point of the story is that there was enough water in the low spots in this manifold (at just about the absolute top of the water system; not a low spot) after draining to crack the cheap ABS. In winters since, I have blown out the lines and not had any trouble.

So, if you are wintering your camper anywhere that actually has a winter, I would not skip blowing out the lines. Your drained WH tank should have no issues, but these little cheap fittings can take much expansion.