Preparing for winter

[flyboykuao]

Hello, I am a new owner of a class A diesel (a 2003 Fleetwood). I am looking for a good article on preparing for winter. Can someone recommend one for me?

Here is my thinking so far:

I plan to drain the water tank and pour RV antifreeze into the sink traps.
I will have a space heater inside.
I live in Oregon's Willamette Valley. I plan to store it outside and uncovered. Will I run into trouble this way?

Thanks in advance

[magicbus]

On my previous coach the low point drains simply worked perfectly. While I think they do on my current one I don't trust them yet so I run the pink stuff. We leave winterized in January and then winterize on the way home in March, so we get a lot of practice.

Dave

[aksnowman]

I can't stand the pink stuff... So my PREFERENCE, and MY OPINION is (add damage disclaimer here) use air to blow out the lines, be careful and do it a few times. Drain the hotter heater, disco the ice machine hose and drain, the heater should be good for inside but be sure to leave cabinet doors open and for the basement, hang droplight with low wattage only where you might be worried about freezing. Do not let the droplight touch any plastic. Finally, only run the heater and droplight when the weather will be dropping into the mid 20's over night or below 30 for an extended period of time.

Back when we lived in AK, I never used that pink **** and did what I stated here and never had an issue with damage pipes or such. Once we froze up in Colorado really hard in -10 weather and the plumbing held even though all the water lines were frozen.

Good luck

[bigred1cav]

donn0128 wrote:
Pump anti freeze using the water pump thru the lines. Turn on the washer and press start. When you see AF enter the tub, turn the washer off, open the door. For the ice maker its basically the same. Start the ice maker let it fill with pink stuff turn it off.

thank you

[SidecarFlip]

I'd have it professionally done the first time (with a freeze guarantee) and watch them so you can emulate it the next time....

[#6]

Hire a pro, learn from them. Then diy next year. Not as simple as it seems sometimes. Especially with a washer.

[garyemunson]

You may want to consider buying the cheapest little 12 volt compressor you can find that has a regulator. Set it to 30 lbs and mount it in your utility bay where the hose will reach the water connection. Having a really easy way of blowing out the lines will make it a lot more likely you will use your rig in cold weather since re-winterizing becomes so easy. Our Norcold gas fridge icemaker can be easily gravity drained by removing the hose going up at the icemaker water valve. I have to access the back to remove the icemaker water feed line to blow it out, anyway. One less thing to have to clear of antifreeze later. I try to find everyway I can to "automate" tasks to make using the RV more likely.

[midnightsadie]

and do all this now, it,s cold out there.

[old_guy]

before you pump anti freeze through the lines drain the water heater and turn the bypass valve to by pass

[Artum_Snowbird]

Study as much as you can grasshopper, and you will learn. There is a lot of things you have to know how to do, and to do properly.

You have cold and hot water system drains, you have showers inside and outside, you have water fill lines, fresh water pumps, tank drains and even more.

You will indeed run into lots of trouble that will cost more than your motorhome is worth if you don't do it right before it freezes and breaks.

[donn0128]

Pump anti freeze using the water pump thru the lines. Turn on the washer and press start. When you see AF enter the tub, turn the washer off, open the door. For the ice maker its basically the same. Start the ice maker let it fill with pink stuff turn it off.

[bigred1cav]

How does one winterize the washer? Ice Maker?

[donn0128]

You will want to at minimum blow out the water lines using low pressure air. After that its up to you whether you pump anti freeze thru the lines or not. Dont forget to add antifreeze to thr toilet and shower traps. Do you have an ice maker or washer on board? If so you will need to add antifreeze to those too. Lived in Gresham for 41 years, and yes until I got a washer all I did was blow out the lines, and add antifreeze to the toilet and P traps. Never had an issue.

[Lwiddis]

Welcome! Think about air blowing the water lines. Space heater may not warm basement. When my TT is not in use, it’s covered. Helps preserve the roof and the shine on vertical surfaces IMO.