Winterizing the Camper (How RV fluid?)

[heinzk1]

I have an 2009 3465SA Montana and unfortunately the camping season is coming to a close for me here in NW Indiana. This is the first year with the camper so this is the first time we have had to winterize a camper.

How much RV Anti-freeze can we expect to use?

Is there any tips or tricks to winterizing the water system? (We have a winterizing connection in the water department)

Should the fridge be proped open?

How do you keep the camper smelling fresh til the following season?

Just wondering,
Ken@rlmrlm.com

[bncinwv]

My winterization usually takes between 2-3 gallons but does include a Splendid washer. Be sure to also pour antifreeze into all sink traps and I put about a half inch in the toilet as well. I do leave our fridge and freezer open, others close after a complete drying. One thing that is missed is if you have the tank flusher, be sure to clear it our with compressed air. Also, remove the hot water heater anode rod and be sure to bypass the hot water heater at the convenience panel. Drain all low point drains and I usually add pink stuff until it is visible in the drains, then close them. Some pull their batteries, but I don't, even though it is preferable. I have never had to do anyhitng to prevent odors but I am sure bounce or other measures cannot hurt. I am sure I have missed something, so we will now wait for others to add to the above.
Bingo

[kdeiss]

Do not forget if you have the outside shower

[ChuckD]

The 1st year that I had mine Monty, I paid a dealer $125.00 to winterize it. The second year I did the work myself, all went well, it was easy, did about the same as the others did above and saved over $100.00. It is well worth the effort to do it yourself.

[bncinwv]

Good point about the outside shower, I do it at the same time, but forgot to include it in the list. Another item is the fresh water tank fill from the convenience panel, it is worthy of a little redirected pink stuff as well.
Bingo

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Someone had to ask and as usual here comes my standard "winterizing" reply.

My method of "winterizing" is really quite simple....

I point my TV and Monty south and don't stop until the cold stops. Been working for me for 6 years.

[Tom S.]

Don't forget to run some through the washer and dishwasher if you have them. I use windshield fluid for the drains, as it is cheaper than the RV stuff. Speaking of the RV stuff, I got it at Meijers for under $3 this year.

[tim43]

If you don't have a washer connected, make sure you get the anti-freeze in those lines as well.

[ARJ]

Check this video,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHVCvkCPJfw

and these instructions.

http://www.thecampingsource.com/item.../category.aspx

[OntMont]

I use compressed air to remove as much water as possible first, then pump in RV anti-freeze. I can do it with 2 gallons this way.

Odours have not been a problem, but mice can be. Do whatever you can to keep them out, and then put out some bait in case they do get in. Dead mice may smell, but that is much better than giving live mice the run of your trailer. They can be very destructive. Remove ALL food sources!!!

That said, we plan to follow Glenn's advice and head south!

[RCN.Stoker]

My sister has a sailboat that comes out for winter storage every year. She put me on to using whole bay leaves and cloves laid out in several locations in saucers or paper muffin cups. I just winterized for the first time. It took about 3.5 gals(US). I hit all the places mentioned but the fresh water tank fill line. Going to have to get out the compressor to blow out that as I don't want to get plumbing anti-freeze into that tank. I did notice and remove the fresh water tank drain cap.

[bruiser]

In reply to RCN.Stoker - You don't have to use compressed air at the fresh water tank fill at the convenience centre. Just remove the screen at the inlet. You will see a white button in the inlet. Make sure the pump is still on. Have your significant other open a tap inside the unit while you press this button. (Important to have a tap inside opened). In about 2 seconds you will see the pink coming out. A couple of knocks on the outside of the trailer will let her know to shut the inside tap. If you try to do this yourself, you will waste a lot of antifreeze running in and out of the trailer to open and close taps. And , no, the antifreeze does not get into your fresh water tank. Just did mine on Sunday.

[bncinwv]

As a correction to my previous estimate, based on the complete winterization that I did last night the final tally was 3 1/2 gallons. Of this 1 1/2 gallons were used for the Splendide washer (from the convenience center fill). This included trap antifreeze, all lines, sinks, tub, toilet, and the shower nozzles (inside and out). We will do it again Thanksgiving before we leave Florida for the chilly North (the opposite direction from which Glenn will be migrating!!
Bingo

[clutch]

We no longer winerize our trailer but when we did I simply emptied the tank and the lines and the water heater. I then replaced the plugs and flipped the water heater bipass lever. I would then pour two gallons of RV antifreeze in the tank and run all the faucets one at a time starting closest to the pump until I had antifreeze. Don't forget the toilet. I don't trust blowing the lines out with air. This way my pump is also protected. It dosen't take much to flush the system out in the spring, that is when I would sanitize the system. Now I do like a lot of others, I just head South.

[Rondo]

If you have the winterizing kit that connects to the pump you don't have to dump the "pink stuff" down in the tank. You turn the water heater bypass on at the heater and put the tube that comes with the kit at the pump into each bottle of "pink stuff" and turn on each faucet to make sure you get it though all the lines. Don't forget the outside shower if you have one. Also leave some of the pink stuff in the toilet bowl to keep the gasket moist and also don't forget to dump some of the pink stuff down each drain to keep the traps from frezing. Normally, I run the faucets and shower head long enough to put it into the traps anyway! I can do mine with 2 gallons or less if I watch what I'm doing.
Edit: Don't forget to push the little white tab in the water shoreline hookup to clear that valve or line. If possible put some pink stuff down the black tank washout line to if you can.