Yet another winterizing thread! (21BHS)

[fasteddieb]

Well, 29º is coming up in the next few days here, so we decided it was about time.

Pretty straightforward.

A friend had recommended against any antifreeze in the fresh water tank - that it had taken him a long time to get rid of the taste. So we simply drained that.

We also had a hot water tank bypass, installed from the factory apparently :



[img style="max-width:100%;" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7554/15040846224_fa2e02f62b.jpg"]

I guess if its corroding away its doing its job?

Hooked up a hose to the water pump inlet - they were nice enough to put a hose clamp on that single junction. Other end in the jug of antifreeze. Turned on the pump.

Then ran the sink cold, sink hot, toilet, shower cold, shower hot, then rear "shower" hookup cold and hot, all till they ran pink.

Took 3 gallons, but I think I lost a gallon on the ground when I started with two drains open that weren't supposed to be - live and learn.

That should be it, right? 

The only question I have is, does any antifreeze have to go into where "shore water" normally comes in? If so, how?

[livinthegoodlife]

We did all of the above, but also took the little screen out of the water intake for the city water, put a finger inside the intake and pushed the valve until water ran out to release the pressure. We also used three gallons, but think it may have been a little bit of overkill.  I think two would have been fine. OHHH we did not take the anode out!  Will that be a problem?

[fasteddieb]

We did all of the above, but also took the little screen out of the water intake for the city water, put a finger inside the intake and pushed the valve until water ran out to release the pressure. We also used three gallons, but think it may have been a little bit of overkill.  I think two would have been fine. OHHH we did not take the anode out!  Will that be a problem?

Thanks.

I'll consider taking a closer look at the city water intake - did not know there was a valve. Maybe a small bit of antifreeze into it for good measure?

The anode was out when we took delivery of our winterized unit last fall. I assumed that was the right way to drain the hot water tank.

[charliem]

[font size="3"]When I drained my CL last year I opened all the inside faucets and the two low point drains below. It took longer than I expected until I realized it was completely draining the HW heater. Probably don't need to remove the anode except for inspection every few years or so. Most of the exposed pipes underneath are PEX, which does not split according to my research. However, be sure to drain the short hose and foot operated valve on the toilet. That will freeze and split. Personal experience talking here  .
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[leslie]

Here is my winterization plan: take my Camplite straight to the dealer.

I kind of feel like a wimp, but ever since we left the house where we had lived since 1975, my husband entered into a pact with me that any mechanical work that needed to be done, we would pay someone to do. Because our house had been built in 1860 - beautiful old home - the weekly honey do list never went away. My husband rewired and replumbed the house, and now he wants to rest on his laurels. OK by me.

[drdave]

[quote source="/post/4574/thread" timestamp="1414619000" author="@fasteddieb"][quote source="/post/4573/thread" timestamp="1414618239" author="@livinthegoodlife"]We did all of the above, but also took the little screen out of the water intake for the city water, put a finger inside the intake and pushed the valve until water ran out to release the pressure. We also used three gallons, but think it may have been a little bit of overkill.  I think two would have been fine. OHHH we did not take the anode out!  Will that be a problem?
[/quote]Thanks.

I'll consider taking a closer look at the city water intake - did not know there was a valve. Maybe a small bit of antifreeze into it for good measure?

The anode was out when we took delivery of our winterized unit last fall. I assumed that was the right way to drain the hot water tank.[/quote]Yeppers the valve is a backflow preventer.    I think you did everything about right.   My anode looked about the same as yours.    I got a WHW wand and stuck it in there and quite a bit of whitish cloudy water came out.    I was rather suprised since I have only turned on the hot water heater 4 times since picking up the trailer from the dealer.    

[pinstriper]

Here is my winterization plan: take my Camplite straight to the dealer.

I kind of feel like a wimp, but ever since we left the house where we had lived since 1975, my husband entered into a pact with me that any mechanical work that needed to be done, we would pay someone to do. Because our house had been built in 1860 - beautiful old home - the weekly honey do list never went away. My husband rewired and replumbed the house, and now he wants to rest on his laurels. OK by me.

[p]This is the pro move. [/p][p]
[/p][p]Survey: how much does your local dealer/service charge for winterizing ?[/p][p]
[/p]

[tinkeringtechie]

Don't forget to pour some antifreeze down each drain and a bit in the toilet too. All the traps currently still have water in them. If you use a water filter don't forget to remove it too.

[solds88]

[quote source="/post/4573/thread" timestamp="1414618239" author="@livinthegoodlife"]We did all of the above, but also took the little screen out of the water intake for the city water, put a finger inside the intake and pushed the valve until water ran out to release the pressure. We also used three gallons, but think it may have been a little bit of overkill.  I think two would have been fine. OHHH we did not take the anode out , will that be a problem?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     You may have a problem if you didn't remove the anode, it depends. If your rig has WH bypass valves and your system was full of water, and you set the valves to bypass mode before you drained the system, then your water heater tank would still be full of water. Tibones said he used a wand to clean his WH. I use a wand to clean mine and I recommend it. After a full season you won't believe all the crap that will flush out of that WH. I also leave the anode out during the off season so that the WH will dry out. I don't know if it's beneficial, but I've always done it that way. Yes, I too have lost some plumbing fixtures, due to freezing, over the last 40 years or so. The latest was a few years back, I forgot about the outside shower. Also, thanks for the tip about the intake valve.  James     
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[fasteddieb]

[quote source="/post/4601/thread" timestamp="1414643484" author="@tinkeringtechie"]Don't forget to pour some antifreeze down each drain and a bit in the toilet too. All the traps currently still have water in them. If you use a water filter don't forget to remove it too.[/quote]Easy enough...

But I'd think that just running the faucets and toilet until they ran pink would have filled the traps with the good stuff.

Right?

My water filter is a whole house unit we had left over when we got an ultraviolet system for our house. We hook it up at the water source. It's drained, but might be a good time to open it up for airing and inspection.

Thanks!

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/4601/thread" timestamp="1414643484" author="@tinkeringtechie"]Don't forget to pour some antifreeze down each drain and a bit in the toilet too. All the traps currently still have water in them. If you use a water filter don't forget to remove it too.

Easy enough...

But I'd think that just running the faucets and toilet until they ran pink would have filled the traps with the good stuff.

Right?

My water filter is a whole house unit we had left over when we got an ultraviolet system for our house. We hook it up at the water source. It's drained, but might be a good time to open it up for airing and inspection.

Thanks![/quote]
Depends on how long you ran it after it turns pink. Those traps hold a good 6oz or so of liquid. I like there to be a little in the grey and black tanks too just in case there was some residual water down there.

[fasteddieb]

[quote source="/post/4573/thread" timestamp="1414618239" author="@livinthegoodlife"]We did all of the above, but also took the little screen out of the water intake for the city water, put a finger inside the intake and pushed the valve until water ran out to release the pressure.

[/quote]I just carried a syringe full of antifreeze down to Campy to squirt into the city water intake.

But when I removed the screen and pushed on the valve, the pink stuff came out under some pressure, even with the pump off for a day or so.

Should be good to go in that department.

[kodabear]

I would suggest starting your winterizing process by blowing out all your water lines with an air fitting attached to your city water intake. THEN suck anti-freeze through your system. And you really ought to pull your anode. My last camper had a nifty drain under the water heater. EZ-PZ. We're looking anxiously at the forcasts. Want to get a trip in this weekend to the Shenandoah valley. Not supposed to go sub-freezing. I hate that all the water lines in the Camplites are outside the heated box. My previous camper (Aliner) we could camp down to around 20F without worry, so long as we kept the box heated.