Winterizzing

[1tonpaulie]

What is the easyest or best way to run anti freeze through the camper. A buddy of mine dumps 3 gals in to the water tank. I dont want to do it that way. I was thinking of attaching some sort of a 2 way valve at the suction side of the pump. Living here in the midwest the nights are getting cold and iI dont want to break something.

Thanks

Paulie

 

[jcfly]

Two gallons into the water tank works for me. Electric pump then gets it to where it needs to be.

 

[craig333]

Winterizing? Whats that? Never gets cold enough here to bother.

 

[pods8]

I just mounted my pump & plumbing to all drain back into the tank when the faucet is opened and the pump is turned off. Then just drain the tank and call it good. Nothing is flooded so even if there are drips here and there they won't crack anything.

 

[esimmers]

A few months ago, I wrote Stan Kennedy at Four Wheel Campers about winterizing. I have a 2009 Hawk with a hot water heater and an outside shower.

After reading Stan's reply to my email, here's what I'm going to do this winter instead of using antifreeze.

1. Drain the main tank.

2. Connect the shower hose and open the valves and shower sprayer (there's a check valve on the connection to the sprayer).

3. Open the sink faucets.

4. Now that system pressure is released, remove the outside drain plug on the hot water heater to drain it.

5. Run the water pump to blow out at much remaining water as possible.

6. Replace the drain plug; remove the shower sprayer; Leave the sink faucets open.

7. Maybe open the valve to the clear hose inside the water pump access door and drain whatever water is in there.

I also note that there's a valve on my water system that shuts off water to the hot water tank. This would be useful for short trips in the winter where I want to use water but don't want to mess with draining the hot water tank.

Here's the email exchange I had with Stan:




<< My Hawk has a door to access the water pump. Right inside the door is a
coiled-up clear hose a couple of feet long. One end is connected to the
water line. The other end is open. I have no idea what this hose is for. >>

For the most part you will not need to ever deal with that hose. It is just
a low water drain hose in case you want to drain your water system and
really winterize the camper for freezing temps. You can open the valve and
stick the hose in a coffee cup to sake out a little more water from the
water lines in the cabinets.



<< Winterizing the Water System. My Hawk has the new hot water tank that, as
far as I can tell, has no anode rod. >>

No, if you have the newer hot water heater, the tank is aluminum, so it does
not have the anode rod, but it should still have a drain plan so you can
drain the tank for winterizing.



<< The winterizing instructions for the system with the water heater and
outside shower say it is recommended that as much water as possible be
drained from the system, OR you can add a mixture of water and non-toxic
antifreeze to the campers water system. On the other hand, the instructions
for the "Standard" system say it is recommended that as much water as
possible be drained from the system, AND that a mixture of water and
non-toxic antifreeze be added. It's not explained why the antifreeze in an
option in the deluxe system but mandatory in the standard system. >>

The antifreeze is just one option. But I don't think many people use it.

Most people drain their fresh water tank, drain the hot water heater, run
the water pump for a few seconds to get any excess water out, then leave all
of the water faucets "OPEN" so any trapped water in the lines can move
freely if they do freeze up. This seems to do the truck.



I will do some "poking" here to see if I can get someone to better update
the owners manual. Like you said, it is over due for big over haul.

We have been & are still so buried we are having a hard time getting to the
small projects we would like to work on, like this.



Just let me know if you have any other questions.

I would be glad to help.

Have a great weekend !



Stan Kennedy

Four Wheel Pop-up Campers / Six-Pac Campers

www.FourWheelCampers.com

www.Six-Pac.com

1460 Churchill Downs Ave.
Woodland, CA 95776
1-530-666-1442 - phone
1-800-242-1442 - toll free
1-530-666-1486 - fax

 

[pvstoy]

You have a city water hose hook up then you can get a blow out plug that screws on. After said above drain methods use compressed air ~ 50 psi and open the faucet to blow out the water in the lines.

This will still leave water in the water pump because there is a check valve that prevents the city water hook up seing the water pump. .

 

[Mr.Hiesey]

Glad to see this thread! We're complete newbies to the TC world (we have a Hawk with water pump, hot water heater, and outdoor shower), and we're worried we'll do something stupid and our system will freeze and break.

We've been trying to determine if we need to use antifreeze, just drain the system well, and/or use the air compressor hook up to force all water out. We haven't been able to find as many older threads dealing with this question as we had hoped.

It sounds like many people living in cold places just drain everything well and then leave the faucets open. Has anyone done this and had their systems freeze and break?


You have a city water hose hook up then you can get a blow out plug that screws on. After said above drain methods use compressed air ~ 50 psi and open the faucet to blow out the water in the lines.

This will still leave water in the water pump because there is a check valve that prevents the city water hook up seing the water pump. .


As we understand, the part most at risk from freezing is the water pump. If using the air compressor hook up bypasses the water pump, that sounds like a bad thing. Is there another recommended way to thoroughly drain the water pump?

If we use the antifreeze, how long does it take to get it washed out of the system? We're still trying to get rid of the new plastic taste, and would hate to add slippery antifreeze taste.

What method do most people living in cold places uses? We're in upstate New York, so we have a lot of freezing months ahead of us.

Are there any other winterizing tips we should be aware of besides the water system?

Thanks for any tips!

Tara

 

[highz]

We've been trying to determine if we need to use antifreeze, just drain the system well, and/or use the air compressor hook up to force all water out. We haven't been able to find as many older threads dealing with this question as we had hoped.

As we understand, the part most at risk from freezing is the water pump. If using the air compressor hook up bypasses the water pump, that sounds like a bad thing. Is there another recommended way to thoroughly drain the water pump?

If we use the antifreeze, how long does it take to get it washed out of the system? We're still trying to get rid of the new plastic taste, and would hate to add slippery antifreeze taste.



I don't have the hot water option, but I still use RV antifreeze to protect the water pump. In the spring, I drain the antifreeze from the tank and through the faucet, then fill and drain with water (2 times), then clean the tank with RV tank sanitizer, then fill and drain with water two more times. I prefer the RV sanitizer, because there is no lingering chlorine smell that you get with bleach.

It's really not very labor intensive, but the hot water heater may make it more so. Don't know about that.

 

[1tonpaulie]

The other night i pulled the plywood off to expose the water tank lines. I tapped into the suction line from the tank to the pump. I installed a by pass valve t fitting with an extra line off it, ( purchase price $ 14.00 ) Now switch valve to by pass, put hose in 1 gal rv pink non toxic anti freeze and turn on the pump. Open the faucets and let it run till you see pink. When complete shut pump off and switch valve back to normal position. I live in the midwest this is the easiest way to winterizze a camper.

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

If your four wheel campers has the suburban hot water heater with an anode rod, it is best to leave the hot water heater tank drained & empty, or remove the anode rod and put a plug in there if you are going to use the non-toxic anti-freeze in the camper water system.

The non-toxic anti-freeze will eat up the anode rod in no time.


.


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[Stan@FourWheel]

I just put up a new FWC owners manual on our website.


Here is a link to the owners manual for the 2004/2005 through 2008/2009 Four Wheel Campers

(campers with the suburban hot water heater)

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/currentownersmanual.pdf


Here is a link to the current owners manual for the 2010 Four Wheel Campers

(campers with the atwood hot water heater)

http://www.fourwheelcampers.com/2010_FWC_Owners_Manual.pdf



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[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Stan for the tips on winterizing and basic camper care. .Not sure about the non toxic anti freeze.Is there any human side affect?I think I would make every effort to get all the water out and not use anti freeze.Just my opinion.

Frank

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I'm the same way.

Guess I would not prefer to put that stuff in my water system.

But if you flush it out a few times before you use it, i'm sure it will be fine.

Or maybe you could use a big bottle of Vodka instead of anti-freeze ?

lol



Joking!

I'm not sure that would be a good idea either.




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Thanks Stan for the tips on winterizing and basic camper care. .Not sure about the non toxic anti freeze.Is there any human side affect?I think I would make every effort to get all the water out and not use anti freeze.Just my opinion.

Frank

 

[DLN]

The only drawback to RV anti freeze is if you don't flush it out properly your water will taste bad. It's been in use for so long and tested so thoroughly that I don't hesitate to use it.

 

[Mr.Hiesey]

This was our first year winterizing out camper, and I thought I'd add a note about draining the hot water heater for other newbies who may use this thread in the future. Expect the drain to be REALLY hard to remove. We thought we were doing something wrong when it wouldn't budge, but other forum members confirmed the drain is hard to remove, and said you have to use a lot of force and not worry about socket slipping. So, get the right sized socket (I believe 1 1/16 inch), use a long "handle" for your ratchet, use a lot of force, and eventually it will turn. And yes, it does turn left (we briefly wondered if it was right turning and we were accidentally trying to turn it the wrong way).

 

[Barko1]

This was our first year winterizing out camper, and I thought I'd add a note about draining the hot water heater for other newbies who may use this thread in the future. Expect the drain to be REALLY hard to remove. We thought we were doing something wrong when it wouldn't budge, but other forum members confirmed the drain is hard to remove, and said you have to use a lot of force and not worry about socket slipping. So, get the right sized socket (I believe 1 1/16 inch), use a long "handle" for your ratchet, use a lot of force, and eventually it will turn. And yes, it does turn left (we briefly wondered if it was right turning and we were accidentally trying to turn it the wrong way).


I just pulled the drain/anode in my Suburban H2O heater, used a 27mm socket and a long breaker bar after a bit of wd40. The good socket and long handle made it easy.