How NOT to Winterize Your Camper

[HEYBOSS]

After 7 years of ownership of campers I should have this down pretty good.



1) DON'T ever leave unattended running garden hose in bath tub.

(I wonder why there is 3" of water in bath room and lower storage compartment is full of water)



2) DON'T leave your fresh water tank full with water.

(I wonder why water is still running clear and not pink out of all

faucets and where the heck went those 7 gallons

of anti-freeze) Wife can you run to store and get me 7 more

gallons?



3) NEVER leave factory water filter in.

(I wonder why the dam water is still running clear, man I got

another 7 gallons in there)



WIFE, WIFE, can you run to the store? Man those filters really work!



4) NEVER try to fill the tires when your air compressor regulator is turned down to 20psi (previously adjusted to blow out water lines) Why is the dam tire getting low instead of more air?



5) Last but not least, NEVER take your friends CTD with DDII's DTT, VB and hook it up to your trailer for a test drive, man what a difference that DTT stuff makes, that Cummins doesn't even know there is 10,000lbs behind it:



Man this was an expensive week end. Spring is even going to be more expensive if not sooner

Fred

 

[CRuD]

Wow

I plan on winterizing my 5er tomarrow. I sure hope I have better luck than you did.

See Ya

Chris

 

[illflem]

Fred, since you have an air compressor why not just blow your water system out with air? This is the way I've done it for years with no problems. Just pour a little antifreeze down the drains so the P-traps don't freeze and crack.

 

[GTop]

Ok. . I've winterized using antifreeze but have never done it with air. What are the tips/tricks to blowing the system out with air? Thanks

 

[chuck3]

21 Gallons.

Sorry Fred but I can't help it. LMAO.

 

[illflem]

To blow the system out with air first drain the water tank(right Fred?) Connect your compressor with regulator set around 30 psi up to the pressure line water hookup. Open all the valves in your RV till only air comes out, don't forget toilet and drain on water heater. Depending on your compressor you may have to do one valve at a time or all at once. After this the only line with water will be from the tank to pump, on some RVs you can pull the tank outlet hose out then blow it out with a hand nozzle with faucets open. Others may have a fixed tank outlet line, you will have to use antifreeze in the tank and run the pump till antifreeze comes out a faucet, 1 ga will do. Leave all the faucets open, remove filter, you're done.

 

[C Schomer]

I blow the traps out after I do the lines and put the drain plugs in so no stink comes into the trailer. Don't forget to un-bypass the water heater and fill it before lighting it next summer!

 

[NVR FNSH]

I'm supposed to winterize my trailer? I'm just getting ready to start using the darn thing. Rain expected tomorrow thru Wednesday - riding should be great next weekend



Brian

 

[Mad Bomber]

I know 1 way to NOT have to winterize trailer not move trailer,or use it all year

 

[HEYBOSS]

illflem-

I know that you may get away just blowing lines, I like to be safe than sorry. As far blowing the lines, 1st DRAIN fresh water tank, 2nd REMOVE water filter

Cummins_N_VTwins an adapter that screws in you into city water connection is available at your WallMart or camping place for 2-3 dollars, then with an air chuck and a pressure regulator down to 20-30psi you blow all the lines, I prefer to do one at a time.

Leave water heater by pass in summer use so you can blow what's left in water heater, then put in by pass and blow the rest of lines.

I then put about seven Gallons (this time 21) and open all faucets, flush toilet until you get the pink anti-freeze coming out, that's if you don't forget to remove the water filter if you have one let the anti-freeze run for a little while and that will fill your traps. Reason I put in 7 gallons is because I think my pump inlet from tank may not be right at the bottom of tank and it can't suck any until there's that much in there.



By the way some campers have hot and cold water drain lines with caps underneath which you should remove to drain lines.



chuck3 Funny I just finished helping a TDR member do his and all went well, figures I screwed up mine



Anyway I guess we can all learn from each others mistakes.

 

[SlyBones]

If you gonna use antifreeze, then get a kit for it.



Its a T valve and a 3-4 foot piece of hose. About $10. Valve fits in line with the hose from the tank to the pump. Allows the pump to suck from the tank or the 4 foot hose. When you want to use the tank flip the lever. When you want to add antifreeze, flip the lever and put the 4 foot hose right into the bottle. Turn on the pump. Only takes 1-2 gal to do all the lines. And then a gal to go around and dump in the traps. 3 gal does it all. -- Of course do all the draining stuff mentioned above, first.

 

[klenger]

I heard a comment that stated, "if you have to run your air conditioner or furnace more than 2 hours per day, you are camping in the wrong place. " Maybe that applies to this subject also.

 

[HEYBOSS]

Originally posted by SlyBones

If you gonna use antifreeze, then get a kit for it.



Its a T valve and a 3-4 foot piece of hose. About $10. Valve fits in line with the hose from the tank to the pump. Allows the pump to suck from the tank or the 4 foot hose. When you want to use the tank flip the lever. When you want to add antifreeze, flip the lever and put the 4 foot hose right into the bottle. Turn on the pump. Only takes 1-2 gal to do all the lines. And then a gal to go around and dump in the traps. 3 gal does it all. -- Of course do all the draining stuff mentioned above, first.

I like that, you think I should have posted "how to winterize your camper" before I did it?



I like your tip, next year

 

[HEYBOSS]

klenger

Some of us like to camp in luxury!

 

[GTop]

Thanks for all the replies on how to winterize with air. I figured i'd just do it the way i'm used to and used antifreeze to winterize it today. Now, how many more months to Spring?

 

[Larry Willard]

I used the air method illflem used for years with no problems, but in the last couple years I also now add antifreeze after the air... just to be safe. The Holiday Ramblers are to hard to get into the underbelly if there would be a problem. About another month until I do mine though.

Larry

 

[Cobra]

I did my slide=in on friday. Bypassed the hot water tank, sucked the anitfreeze into the lines. One gal and fifteen minutes and I was done.

 

[Batman]

Okay Fred, I wasn't going to make a thread on this because I figured you had enough abuse from Maria from having to go to the store not ONCE, but TWICE to pick up more juice.



For all you other members that have posted to this thread... ... I'm going to add INSULT to INJURY.



Fred says to me that he will show me how to winterize my camper (since this is the first camper I ever owned). I figure, man this Fred is a real smooth cat. (He really is a nice guy).

Anywho's, the wife, myself and my daughter to up to Fred's house at 7:45am Sat. Fred says we will do my camper first. To make a long story short (too late ) My winterization goes flawless. Not one single problem.



Now it's Fred's turn. Aas you've heard, he had some problems .



Prior to him filling his tank with antifreeze, we find his problem with the drone he has in his truck a 2000 rpm, turns out that using a K&N and having his EZ set on three corrected this problem, at least until I took my filter back.

I had to leave, (daughter had a party to go to). I get a phone call and Fred is on the line syaing "You won't believe what I just did". We talk. Another hour goes buy and the phone rings again. "You won't believe what I just did,... ... ... ... . again". So after LMAO @ Freddie boy we hang up. I haven't heard from him since . I guess he's real busy today

Fred, you really are a nice guy, thaqnks for the help and for the fun

George

 

[CJ Johansson]

All Year Use??

I've decided not to winterize my 5'er this year. Why?, Well, because I'm living in it this winter

We only get a few days below zero around here, mostly hangs around in the low 20's and teens.



So, does anyone have any tips for surviving the winter in a 5'er? It's a 35 ft Kountry Aire for whatever that's worth. I'm hooked to a 500 gal propane tank, so, hopefully that'll last the winter. Unfortunately, electric power is a mere $14,000 away, so I'm going to have to live on batteries and the 4kW genny...



-cj

 

[illflem]

cj, building a skirt around the perimeter will go a long way towards keeping it warmer and the pipes from freezing. Do it in true redneck style by using hay bales.