Winterizing ..... Have I screwed up already.

[ron]

Winter came too quickly in Tennessee,  down to 28 last night and 24 this morning.

i had drained all my tanks, and blown out all the lines with compressed air.  I put RV antifreeze I the sink, shower and commode traps, valves.   Prior to the compressed air I did try to run my water pump dry for just a few, 20, seconds.


i did forget the toilet valve, and did nothing to the water heater.

i did keep the inside at 55 degrees or higher with a heater, and kept all the cabinet and bathroom doors open, plus it was in a sheltered area with a tarp skirt around 70% percent of the undercarriage.  We had hoped to get to a beach next week, thus it was hoping to avoid any winterization until we got back.


what do you think?  Have I busted pipes and stuff?  I,ll let you know soon.

I'm out In a few minutes to redo everything.

should I go with blown out dry water lines, or fill with RV antifreeze?   If I do RV antifreeze, I plan to add this to the fresh water holding tank, and pump it thru the system, and pay the cost for several gallons rather than tackle ANY plumbing task.  

Should i also fill the water heater if I do this?

we take a 6 gallon container for drinking water, and never drink from out water lines anyway, so the spring flush is not a real issue for us.

also, while I have you ...... Should I remove the battery, and if yes, can it just sit in my heated laundry room, or should it connected to a charger?   If yes, any charger recommendations.

location, east tn, temps will hit near zero once to twice per winter.

[david]

You should be fine. The only thing that you didn't drain (and maybe you did and didn't realize it) is the water heater. It has plenty of mass and won't freeze quickly. And it is inside your heated area.

I am a big fan of draining rather than displacing water with antifreeze. Open the hot and cold water drains near the fresh water tank drain. Then blow out the lines, the pump and the pump strainer. To make absolutely sure you get all of the water out of the tank, remove the big plug on the bottom of the water heater. I think it takes a 1" or so socket. But I really don't think that is necessary as the water heater will drain through the cold water drain.

When I disconnected the supply line to the toilet valve, I didn't get any water out- it must have drained back, but it is easy to do anyway.

If you do decide to flush with antifreeze, bypass the heater. There were valves installed on mine to do that easily. You will save yourself 5 gallons of antifreeze and the pain of flushing. Even taking a shower with a few percent antifreeze isn't pleasant.

I remove my battery and connect it to a $20 Black and Decker trickle charger purchased on Amazon and leave it in the garage, which does get down below freezing. But if kept charged, batteries will be fine.

David

[charliem]

[font size="3"]I agree with David that you probably are OK. You don't say what model CL you have so I can only base my response on my 21RBS. Keeping the interior heated and cabinet doors open was a good thing. That took care of the toilet, all sinks, and the water heater. However, when you open both low point drains, all interior shower and sink faucets, and the fresh water drain the WH will drain itself as long as the bypass valves ARE NOT SET. No need to pull the anode and do not put anti-freeze in the WH.

The fresh water tank will not completely drain, but freezing the little water left will not do any damage. If you can, tip the trailer forward by lowering the tongue to enhance draining. All supply pipes under the CL are PEX, which will not split if frozen. The only reservation I have is the 90 degree ells in the PEX piping. I just don't know anything about them.

Blowing out the supply lines with air is my preferred method, with a little anti-freeze added to the P-traps. Be sure to run the pump dry, empty the filter jar, and empty the toilet valve. You avoided these trouble spots with your internal heat.

Now that the cold has passed just hook up the city water, open all inside faucets until water flows, close them all, and look for leaks. If none, you're good to go. Camp on!
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[ron]

Follow up.  I guess I survived.

I did open the water heater, with a 1  1/16" socket and only got about a quart of water out.

I do have a few more questions please.

It is a 2014 14 DBS which we really love.

WHAT is the filter jar and the toilet valve?  Did my blowing out the lines leave water in these devices?

we do not want to use the pink liquid.

I have not adjusted the water heater valves.

thank you both for your time and knowledge.

ron

[david]

The "filter jar" is a filter near the suction of the water pump and has a clear cover. Unscrew the cover and let the water drain out and replace the cover.

The toilet valve is the valve that controls the flush water to the toilet when you step on the lever. Unscrew the PEX nut on its back side (sometimes you can do it by hand, sometimes it may take channel locks) and disconnect the water supply line. Press on the lever to let any trapped water drain out. But I think it automatically drains because I didn't get any water out when I did mine.

David

[kodabear]

[quote source="/post/4770/thread" timestamp="1415110003" author="@ron"]
we do not want to use the pink liquid.



[/quote]Ron, IMO you make a big mistake in bending over so far backward just to avoid putting some anti-freeze into your system. It is VERY difficult to drain or blow out all the water from the lobes of the water pump itself. It takes only a teaspoon or so of water in the wrong place to crack your pump. FACT: Replacing a water pump is a lot more expensive and more of a PITA than flushing out a little anti-freeze next spring.

[shovelhead]

I'm about to winterize since my FL travels have been cancelled.  I've never done my 21RBS.  Doe the 21RBS (All)  have a hot water bypass already installed?   I reviewed the owners manual but it's pretty vague.  Anyone have a set by step procedure?

Thanks

Dave

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Although I have never actually looked, I'm sure the WH bypass valves are installed on all 21s. You will have to open the access panel under the sink to the left of the toilet. The WH will drain if you open all interior faucets and the two low point drains. If you plan to use antifreeze in the FW system you should put the bypass valves in the bypass position. You will also have to add and hook up a suction tube to the pump inlet. If you use compressed air to winterize you will not need to access the bypass valves. Search this forum, other RV forums, and YouTube and you can find dozens of winterizing instructions.
[/font]

[shovelhead]

All done with the winterize task.  The 21 RBS had a water heater bypass. However, getting to them wasnt easy for an old fat man.
Removing the rear panel with "square" head bits, not phillips, not torx, not slotted , the head in square. Oncle the panel was off
I could reach all three 1/4 turn valves.

The heater anode was eaten  quite a bit, nearly 1/2 gone and only used 4 months.  I bought a new magnesium anode for next season.
Also I installed a plastic plug for the winter.



[img style="" style="max-width:100%;" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tKu-Irx5L._SY90_.jpg"]

[pinstriper]

I just did my winterizing. First I had to take all the remaining food, clothes, and linens out of the rig. Then I lifted up the bed to make sure I knew where the water pump was - it has the bypass already in place w00t!

Then I hooked her up and towed her in to the dealer's service department, went home and set about the whiskey.

I think I did a pretty good job, considering this was my first year.

[leslie]

This is exactly what we did. Now, I just hope I can undo what the dealer did when I "dewinterize". I have not yet looked for the WH bypass. I am still working my way through all of the owner's manuals I got when I took delivery. Have not yet made it to the water heater. What fun. NOT!

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/5142/thread" timestamp="1416195301" author="@leslie"]This is exactly what we did. Now, I just hope I can undo what the dealer did when I "dewinterize". I have not yet looked for the WH bypass. I am still working my way through all of the owner's manuals I got when I took delivery. Have not yet made it to the water heater. What fun. NOT![/quote][p]I thought your winterizing strategy was to head south [/p][p]
[/p][p]I know a person from Maine who moved to Virginia by loading the snowmobiles on a trailer and heading south until he was stopped at a gas station. Someone asked him "what in the hell are those contraptions ?" He knew he'd gone far enough.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Also, what kind of whiskey did you winterize with ? Mine was Crown Royal Black, which I find suits our climate out here in the west.[/p][p]
[/p]

[leslie]

My winterizing strategy was to leave Chicago today and tow the camper to Louisville, where we have a home. Unfortunately, average temperatures in the 50's did not hold. 10 days ago I had to have the camper winterized due to a bend in the jet stream that brought unseasonably cold air.

I still planned to leave today but then it started snowing Friday night. Still snowing, not much accumulation, but roads are slick - 12 cars on one highway involved in accidents just a few miles away from here, due to a slick area. I am not going to tow. WGN-TV said this is the coldest November in 20 years - oh joy.

Plan B - Watch the weather, head south when roads are clear.

My choice of whiskey - Maker's Mark on the rocks with a splash of water.

[daplumbr]

Not to cause thread drift, but "Old Stump-Blower" works well here in Michigan for "winterizing". 

[pinstriper]

Maker's Mark is my house whiskey.

Also, this thread is already off the rails and onto whiskey. Keep the momentum, I says.