antifreeze

[azwiz]

can someone tell me how much antifreeze is needed to winterize 2019 3121RL
Thanks
Steve

[mlh]

Some people can do it with one gallon. Two gallons should be enough.
Lynwood

[BB_TX]

And yet some of us use 3-4 gallons. Takes extra if you have washer. And if you run it thru the black tank flush line. And seems to vary depending on how unit is plumbed. And how much you run after you first see it come out the faucets. Inexpensive. Better too much than not enough.

[Mudchief]

I use about 3-4 gallons. I run it until it comes out the hot water tank then I switch it to by-pass. Then run it until it starts coming out the fresh water tank drain.

[Creeker]

We've owned 3 different 5ers ranging from 30' to 38'. None of them required more than 2 gallons.


I absolutely do not allow any antifreeze in my hot water tanks or fresh water tank. Did that once many years ago as a newbie and it took forever to get that smell, sticky feel and foaming out of the system. Never did it again.

[beeje]

Here is the way I see it, You have a 50-60k+ unit (when new) and a tow truck of equal or more value. If you are even care how much antifreeze you need, or what it cost, you should not own an RV. LOL Just buy a case of 6 and be done with it. $20 bucks or so. Use what is left over in the coming years. Not like its going to go bad.

[azwiz]

Originally Posted by beeje

Here is the way I see it, You have a 50-60k+ unit (when new) and a tow truck of equal or more value. If you are even care how much antifreeze you need, or what it cost, you should not own an RV. LOL Just buy a case of 6 and be done with it. $20 bucks or so. Use what is left over in the coming years. Not like its going to go bad.

Just asked a simple question! Didn't ask for smart a** remarks, been rving more than 40 years (still haven't gotten smart enough not to buy another piece of junk) was just curious how much it would take!

Thanks to all those who gave a courteous answer

[beeje]

Sorry if I offended you azwiz, that was certainly not my intention. As for not buying another piece of junk, they are ALL rolling junk (which you probably already know)

[kdeiss]

Originally Posted by azwiz

Just asked a simple question! Didn't ask for smart a** remarks, been rving more than 40 years (still haven't gotten smart enough not to buy another piece of junk) was just curious how much it would take!

Thanks to all those who gave a courteous answer

Two Gallon will work no need to do the Black Tank Flush Line it is self draining! Happy New Year

[azwiz]

Originally Posted by beeje

Sorry if I offended you azwiz, that was certainly not my intention. As for not buying another piece of junk, they are ALL rolling junk (which you probably already know)

Thanks for the kind reply
Steve

[BB_TX]

Originally Posted by kdeiss

Two Gallon will work no need to do the Black Tank Flush Line it is self draining! Happy New Year

For those who have removed their vacuum breaker valve. I eliminated my vacuum breaker valve and my flush line does not drain. You can see the pink stuff in my lines well after I winterized. The other two lines are my shower lines.

[Dave W]

For our needs two gallons (I usually have 3-4 on hand) will fill the lines and the traps as long as you bypass the HW heater and use the on-board winterizing system. Don't forget that outside spigot or shower and if you have a washer that too -- or at least the two lines if you have the hookups only. Then any on board water filters need to be removed and if you have a Dometic toilet, the vacuum breaker valve while a Thetford only seems to need flushing. A second and half bath - probably will need additional.

[DarMar]

We use about 3 or so gallons with a combo washer on board.
We buy the 4 gallon jug and the last 1/2 gallon or so is divided up and poured down the two sink drains and the shower drain at the end just to be sure of full strength in the ptraps.

[Rondo]

I normally only use about a gallon or a gallon and a half when I winterize. I use the blowout method to winterize our unit and I live in Nebraska where it does get cold. Of course I store our unit in an insulated building but it still gets below freezing in there when it gets down in the 20's or below. I don't recall where Hereford, AZ is located but if it is central or southern area of AZ you should have no problem with the blowout method and just dump the pink stuff down into the drains and in the toilet. I do put some down the drains and enough to go into the gray tanks because you never get all of the water out of them even when dumping and the same with the black tank. When you do winterize be sure to open the outdoor shower and drain those lines and also the washer lines even if you do not have a washer. I use the low point drains as an indicator as to how much water I have in the lines because I open them and let the air blow all the lines out. The fresh water tank has it's drain in the bottom so when you drain it you should have not problem with it freezing. Good luck and stay warm down there in AZ.

[DQDick]

If you use the blow out method and have a washer you need to also get some antifreeze in the washers pump. You can guess how i learned that

[richfaa]

We have never winterized our two Montana's we take them to a warm place. We do winterize our S&B when we leave for a winter trip and it takes about 4 gallons of RV antifreeze.

[AZ Traveler]

Warm places are good!

[dfb]

We never drink the water from the water tank. I put about 4 or 5 gallons in the fresh water tank. Turn pump on till it comes out of every faucet and sure to get into p - traps. So if we take a trip in the winter we stay with full hookups. When I get home, I run the antifreeze thrift again. If you have a connection use 2 gallons. If you use air about 1/2 gallon for drains. I leave all the faucets on when finished. So when the freeze hits if there is water in the line it can expand and not bust the pipes.

[Mark7]

Everyone has different procedures... none are 100% right or wrong. I think most of us have learned from mistakes.

I can get by on 2 gallons, and here's how...

In my 3295RK I pull the anode rod in the bottom of the water heater and get it draining. I hook up an air hose (Regulator set at 50 PSI) and blow everything until just mist is coming out everywhere... not forgetting the combo washer and the outside shower. (I move the water heater valve to bypass as soon as it's empty.) I remove and let drain any residual water from the low point drains and then reinstall the caps for the antifreeze pumping. I put a cotton rope in the anode rod hole to wick any remaining water out of the bottom of the water heater and leave it there until freeze up. There will be a wet spot in the concrete from the dripping rope for a week after the heater is "Drained". Probably not necessary as any water left in there would do no damage freezing but I like it dry.

Then I move the air hose to the black tank flush and blow it out. I never put anti freeze in that line.

I have a antifreeze suction line near my pump, so I set that valve and start pumping one faucet at a time... both cold and hot, catching the anti freeze in a cup as it flows out.

The trickiest is the washer combo as you need to make sure you get the anti freeze through both the hot and cold valves in the process. I let the antifreeze flow into the drum and set the control to drain to be sure the pump gets taken care of. This also takes care of the trap in the washer drain pipe. Splendide has great instructions for winterizing online and in the manual if you have it!

I use all of the anti freeze up in traps, and if I run out I pull the traps I can get to easily and dump them out. Obviously I save the easiest to get to traps for last, Kitchen sink and bathroom sink.

I also leave a little anti freeze in the bottom of the toilet to keep the seal soft.

The fresh water tank, which I seldom use is simply drained with the cap underneath the rig.

I personally do not like antifreeze in the fresh tank, or the water heater. I made the mistake of forgetting the bypass valve on the water heater one time and it took me most of the next summer to get rid of the foaming in the hot water. It was likely harmless, but I didn't like it.

Enjoyed reading everyone else's experiences!

[lensnel]

Here is a pretty good video on how to do it and he suggests 3-4 Gallons with a washer/dryer. It is exactly what I used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig8c...cLVuKUMBaZrlxu