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10-27-2008, 10:35 AM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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Winterizing
We are new at this winterizing ordeal. We live where there is lots of the white stuff. What do we need to do to the interior of the Monty? We've just embalmed the patient with RV antifreeze, have taken out all foods and liquids. Freezer and fridge doors have been left propped open, doors to boom boom room, shower, front bedroom closets and door closet have been left open to facilitate air circulation. What have we missed? Should we take out all bedding, blankets and towels that are stored? We have a Max Air vent, do we leave it open a bit? A lot? What about rodents? I've heard bay leaves and dryer sheets. Anything better?
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10-27-2008, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: _
Posts: 5,238
M.O.C. #6337
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Even tho we have had the "mice" thingy, I do not take out bedding, towels, even leave in a lot of the clothes, as they are summer t-shirts, etc.
I don't leave doors open either. But, leaving that front closet open is not a bad idea, specially if you have clothes in there. That said, I don't remember doing so before.
I don't leave the frig open either, I clean it out REALLLLLLLY good, dry, dry, dry, then I stuff crumbled newspapers in the frezer, and the frig, loose, but, 2 or 3 sheets per shelf and bout the same in the freezer. Shut the doors. This works in the house, in all coolers, everywhere, but, you must have the unit clean and DRY!!!! Done correctly, there will be no smell, no mold, no dampness, and, yes, it really works!
If you leave the frig door open, be sure to put a rubber band or something around the little light, specially if you are not hooked to shore power. No shore power, but, leave that light on, you will have a DOA battery before many days go by.
I have been using the dryer sheets, in all drawers and closet, and such, even if it does not discourage those micey thingys, they do leave a pleasant odor in the drawers.
I do not leave the Max Air open either.
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10-27-2008, 12:19 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Kville
Posts: 2,865
M.O.C. #7871
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Is your RV outside or in covered storage...that makes a difference? If you have a washer/dryer, don't forget to run pink stuff through it.
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10-27-2008, 12:56 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Shelburne
Posts: 688
M.O.C. #8693
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The Monty will be stored outside....on a piece of farm property out in the country. (40 min. drive from us) We did remember to run the antifreeze thru the w/d hookup.
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10-27-2008, 01:34 PM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Wappingers Falls
Posts: 1,303
M.O.C. #6263
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All sounds like you did well, ditto on the fridge door open comment regarding that little light. I installed a small switch to "open" that curcuit so whenever my Monty is at home waiting for me to go out again the fridge door can be open with batteries in place and connected to shore power.
I leave all vents and windows closed...we get some white stuff here too.
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10-27-2008, 03:48 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Toiletries - toothpaste, deodorant, liquid soap, etc. That stuff will go bad when it freezes, and sometimes will burst. It can also be a problem in extreme heat.
We try to limit what we take out to the bare minimum, because it is such a chore to get it all restocked. We leave linens, dry foods, even a lot of clothes (we try to dupicate everything between stick house and the wheeled coach).
However, once you get rodents, all bets are off. The whole RV gets stripped then, cleaned, and reassembled.
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10-27-2008, 05:30 PM
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#7
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,794
M.O.C. #7560
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Just did my winterizing yesterday and I also will be going back this week and put mothballs all over the ground under the unit! I've had mine stored at a cabin in the middle of an open hay field for the past two years and the mothballs do work for me! As stated, I take all our foodstuffs out of the unit and replace them with some dryer sheets scattered throughout the unit in, under and around as much as I can. I also put the "sticky traps" in the basement of the unit but have never caught anything or had any problems there. We do leave our bedding, towels and some clothing in the unit and have never had any problem with those "pesky little meeses!" Some plug in electronic units inside but since mine is not plugged in unless I go down and open it up to check things out, I can't use the electronic units. I remove the battery and take it to the stick and keep it inside out of the cold and even put a trickle charger on it at times to keep it up! I also remove all batteries from anything that uses them-- like flashlights, the clock, radios and etc. I replace them with fresh ones when we restock it again. We don't leave any windows or vents open sinc we also get the white stuff and it normally is blowing when we get it and don't want to open the unit up and find a 4 ft. drift of snow in the living room! As some will tell you the easiest way is just to head south till you don't have any cold weather and set up camp there till it warms back up in your home area! We want to do this but with a new grandson that is about three months old and living in Omaha, we are sticking around to see the little guy grow up some before we head out for the snowbird deal! If you do a search on winterizing on the search engine above, you will find other tips also. Sounds like you have everything pretty well covered however! Good luck and enjoy the winter season!
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10-27-2008, 05:59 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Yeppers - I forgot about the batteries Rhondo - You're right, its a good way to guarantee fresh batteries every year in the electronics if you toss them in the fall and replace them in the spring. Plus, it keeps your rig from beeping all winter (storage lot begins to sound kind of funny about February with about 30 of the 100 units beeping randomly out of the smoke detectors ).
My 6volt golf cart batteries are too heavy to be totin around, so I just disconnect them and leave them in place for the winter.
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10-28-2008, 04:02 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Manhattan
Posts: 1,144
M.O.C. #1846
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If you have generator (installed or separate) - remember that you will need to run it at least once a month with a load on it. Worst thing for a generator is to just sit around unused. Fuel -- stabil; what about your tow vehicle -- if it is your daily driver you won't have to worry about the fuel but if you don't drive it much during the winter you need to be sure to get it prepped as well.
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10-28-2008, 04:45 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Lone Tree
Posts: 5,615
M.O.C. #6109
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by skypilot
If you have generator (installed or separate) - remember that you will need to run it at least once a month with a load on it. Worst thing for a generator is to just sit around unused. Fuel -- stabil; what about your tow vehicle -- if it is your daily driver you won't have to worry about the fuel but if you don't drive it much during the winter you need to be sure to get it prepped as well.
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I'm just not so sure how applicable this is. It may apply to large diesel powered generators and pumps, but I don't think 6-months of idle time will cause early failure of my LP generator any more than my boat, my lawnmower, or even my chainsaw. I just don't think the impact is that bad but I could be wrong.
Besides - at 6,000 ft above sea level and 0 degrees, most of these won't start anyway, especially the LP gen
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10-28-2008, 06:50 AM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,794
M.O.C. #7560
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Brad-- Stabil works well in everything but the LP generator! Kind of hard putting it in the bottles!
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