Dewinterizing for Florida

[Rudi and Ellen]

Question! Would it be ok to dewinterize the Montana the day before we leave for Florida? The problem is that I won't be able to drain anything at the campgrounds (Like the fresh water tank). They don't allow it. I intend to keep the heat on at around 45 degrees. I'm thinking about flushing the whole system, draining the hot and cold water lines, and perhaps pouring some anti-freeze into the traps. The low temperature will be in the mid 20s in our area. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks!

[CountryGuy]

Rudi,

Confused about what campgrounds will not allow you to drain?? Is that where you are now, or where you are going. And, why??? nonetheless:

Al and I don't advise putting water in unit before you can be pretty sure you are gonna stay around freezing or above at night. In winter months we run the first 2 days out of Michigan with no water, still winterized, use a gallon of water to flush, wet ones(baby wipes) to clean up spills and freshen up. Once we get to Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas area, then when we stop we get a full service campground, hook up water, sewer and run water into the system, dump the pink stuff in the sewer, all that stuff, turn on the hot water heater (after water in there, of course), and take LONG HOT SHOWERS! We have never had any problem. This has worked for us, and fits our comfort level of what temps we will have water and what temps we will not.

Full timers will already have water on board in many cases and will run with the furnace on at about 45, like you suggest. Gotta say coming into a trailer that is 45 and not 20 is much easier on the ole bones!

Do what fits your comfort level.

Have fun in Florida.

[Rudi and Ellen]

Carol - Thanks for the information. Just to clarfy....Most RV parks don't allow you to wash your vehicle or unit. Therefore, I assume that you would not be able to flush out the anti-freeze in the hot water tank before filling it.

[CountryGuy]

Ah, ha,

OKKKKK, Rudi, you are right, a lot of places will not allow you to wash your rigs, here in Texas, most will allow us to wash once, during our stay,

BUUTTTTT, Al tells me there is NO pink in our hot water tank when he winterizes, he drains during winterizing process and then uses the bypass stuff, so there is no pink in there.

We just run water through the system, we don't drain the low point drains, primarily cause he does not want to climb under there after 2 days of hard running and wet ground and being tired. He lets the fresh water force the pink out of the lines (no it probably does not get everything out of the low points).

We usually do not sanitize the system while we are down here, cause we are using the city water, not the holding tanks. When we get back to Michigan and start frequenting parks where we have to put water onboard, and use that, THEN I will sanitize the system while sitting at the stick built. But, when we use city water all the time, we don't feel the urgent need to sanitize.

You should be able to accomplish a return from winterized to running water IF you have full hookups without dumping anything on the ground.

Good luck and have a grand time!

[Rudi and Ellen]

I DO have a little bit of anti-freeze in the hot water tank. I think I'll flush it out into a bucket and dump it that way. That should be enough to get the anti-freeze out without being harmful. Thanks again. Looking forward to that nice warm weather.

[CountryGuy]

Sounds like a plan! Happy WARM weather!

[VanMan]

I have NEVER used the pink antifreeze here in TX (I disconnect H2O, drain holding tanks & water heater, + electric heater and/or furnace with cabinets open), but if I know we are going to get a hard freeze (< 20), I plug in a floodlight under the unit pointed right at the low point drains. I did have them freeze once and the ice "backs up" into the line horizontal line and impedes water flow to 90 % of the TT.

We have year-round RVin', so we'll be State Parkin' the 24th and just went the W/E before last!
It's been 70-75 degrees here most of the "winter" !!

[ken]

Rudi
Take Al's advice and wait till you get to warmer weather to flush out the antifreeze. Were in the same boat with antifreeze in the lines and tanks. We don't have any in the hot water heater, it was bypassed. Were leaving for Florida too in a week and will wait till I get to SC or GA. I will also watch the weather too. If it goes down below freezing, i will wait till I get to Florida. In the past, i have drained the water tank antifreeze into the sewage pipe before I hook it up to the drain point. And I will wait to flush out the water tank and add a bit of bleach when I get to Florida. We carry a couple of gallons of water to wash and flush with while were traveling south.

[kdeiss]

I agree with Al that it what we do!

[Rudi and Ellen]

How do you drain the hot water tank and the fresh water tank into the waste drain?

[ken]

Simple
Drain the hotwater tank and pour into the drain hose. Someone will have to help you hold the drain hose in an upward position. Thats why i bypass the hotwater tank and leave the plug out during the winter months. As far as the water tank, do the same thing and prop up the drain hose under the water drain. When its all over, hook up the drain to the drain connection on the RV and flush out the rest. You don't have to fill the water tank, just add a little water, say 1/3 full, add a little bleach, and let it sloch around till your next stop and drain it. Add a little water, and flush again and you ready to go for the season. Even with the water tank clean, we always carry water in a couple of gallons for drinking.

[sreigle]

Open the bypass to the water heater and the water you flush out should go into one of your tanks, assuming you are just running water through a water faucet. You can then dump into the sewer connection.

As for dewinterizing, by all means you will be fine, in my opinion. We have left up north with temperatures in the upper teens, furnace set at 45, and water in the entire system (since we live in this thing there was water in all lines, water heater, fresh water tank, black tank, galley tank, gray shower tank) and never had a problem. Just be sure to shut off the furnace before refueling.