LEMII
Jonesborough, TN
New Member
Joined: 10/07/2009
View Profile
 Offline
|
Bear with me if this issue has come up many other times, but I do want to get your input on the steps I took to winterize our Jayco 23B for the first time.
First, I poured a mixture of laundry detergent, bleach, and water into the drains of the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, and also down into the black water tank via the toilet. Then I removed the drain plug from the HW heater and drained it; then I bypassed it inside and blew it out with air.
I drove over to a local state park, trying to slosh the detergent/bleach mixture around in the holding tanks on the way. Once there, I filled both gray and black water tanks to full with water, drove a short ways, then dumped. I filled them both again to about 2/3 full and dumped second time.
I returned home and blew out the potable water lines with my air compressor opening each valve one at a time (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, inside shower, toilet valve, and finally the external shower valves). I blew out the HW heater once again to be sure; I isolated it using the bypass valves so that the air would blow out through the HW heater drain. I replaced the drain plug after this.
I poured RV antifreeze down each drain and into the toilet (opening the valve so it would get down into the black water tank). I did NOT add antifreeze to the potable water lines.
I removed the battery and have it in the garage. I closed the LP tank valve. I removed all food, drink, and cleaning items that I thought had even the slightest chance of freezing.
Now all I need is a cover for the camper and its wheels.
Am I missing anything? Your thoughts and suggestions are welcome.
Thanks.
Me
My lovely and gracious wife
Maggie, our Yellow Lab
2007 Jayco Jayfeather EXP 23B
2008 Toyota 4Runner V8 Limited AWD
|
nelson
Clio,Mi USA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/01/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club
Offline
|
Do you have an outside shower and did you drain the low point drains. I keep my vents open in the winter
2002 Damon Challenger 348 Ford V10
Blue Ox Auto Stop and Aventa II Tow Bar
2001 Ford Sport Trac with Remco Driveshaft Disconnect
|
Chuck_S
Broadview Hts, OH, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/15/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
Should be in good shape.
The water plumbing system is the critical system. If there's no water there's nothing to freeze. All antifreeze in those lines does is displace the water.
I assume you drained the freshwater tank? Do you have a fresh water filter built in?
I leave the low point drains open all winter. Any residual water that migrates to them will drip out.
I don't find it necessary to remove the battery nor charge it mid winter. Just disconnect it after a full charge. I use a switch. Comes out of the barn at 12.3v or 70% charged. No wiring to disconnect. No acid to spill. No back strains. 
Like many others I leave the vents open in the barn (or under the cover our first winter). I open any cupboards that might have water splashes in then such as under the sinks and near the water heater and water pump.
-- Chuck
'06 Roo 23SS behind '07 Expedition out of Cleveland
Our Photo pages
|
Sailbad
Oklahoma City
Senior Member
Joined: 05/22/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Cleaning the tanks is good.
Draining/bypassing the water heater is good.
Blowing out the water lines is ok. BUT this is where my process is different...I also bypass the water heater, pull the water filter, and drain the fresh water tank. The freah water drain valves I leave open.
I take a piece of hose, insert it into the anti freeze and PUMP it through the system, opening each valve one at a time including the low point drains. I want the anti freeze to be in the pump as well as the lines. My trailer only takes about 1 1/2 gal to winterize.
Putting anti freeze in the traps and a bit in the tanks is good.
Pulling the battery, cleaning out the pantry is good. Remove all liquids including can goods and cleaning products.
I clean out and wipe down the refer and block the doors open to allow a little air circulation.
I choose not to use a cover. The cover can trap dust/dirt under it and that acts like a sand paper on the trailer.
Covering tires is ok.
I don't trust blowing out the lines. There is a chance for water to pool at some low point and expand when frozen. By pumping anti freeze through the lines, I eliminate that possibility. It only takes a couple of minutes to flush the system, and in the spring when sanitizing the system, the water lines will be clean and ready to go.
Just my way of doing it.
Dave C.
2005 Silverado 2500 CC
Duramax 6.6 3.73 V-2
2003 Wildcat 27RL
B&W with Companion
Prodigy
|
DavidP
Raleigh
Full Member
Joined: 09/13/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I would run RV antifreezes through the water lines, that’s the most important step you did not do. Water can still be trapped in lines even after blowing them out.
Driving around town sloshing the home brew around is not necessary. Last trip out do a good flush of each tank and call em’ clean. Your traps and drain lines to the gray tank will get the pink stuff when running it through the lines and the black will get some pink stuff from the toilet. I would then dump about a ½ gallon or whatever is left in an open jug for good measure down the black tank. Treating the tanks is a byproduct of running it through all your water lines so dumping any additional in there is not really necessary. Even if you left the tanks untreated there is plenty off room for expansion.
|
|
|
LEMII
Jonesborough, TN
New Member
Joined: 10/07/2009
View Profile
Offline
|
Great! Thanks for the feedback; I think I'll pick up some more RV anitifreeze and pump it into the lines and water pump...I had forgotten about it. I don't think I have a built-in water filter, I use one on the hose going to the camper, but I'll double check this as well.
Thanks again for the helpful pointers!
L-
|
DavidP
Raleigh
Full Member
Joined: 09/13/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
LEMII wrote:Great! Thanks for the feedback; I think I'll pick up some more RV anitifreeze and pump it into the lines and water pump...I had forgotten about it. I don't think I have a built-in water filter, I use one on the hose going to the camper, but I'll double check this as well.
Thanks again for the helpful pointers!
L-
Good call. You can be assured there is water in that pump.
You may want to give the low point drains a crack once they are under pressure to allow any water displaced or trapped there to exit.
|
Artum Snowbird
Campbell River, B.C., Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 05/28/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
Another place that may, or may not need antifreeze is the city water hose connection. My instructions advise to put my pump in bypass, put the hose into the anti freeze, then push in the one way valve on the city water connection until anti freeze comes out there too.
Mike and Carole
2006 Triple E Regency 27 foot SXL
2005 16.6 Double Eagle
|
DavidP
Raleigh
Full Member
Joined: 09/13/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Artum Snowbird wrote:Another place that may, or may not need antifreeze is the city water hose connection. My instructions advise to put my pump in bypass, put the hose into the anti freeze, then push in the one way valve on the city water connection until anti freeze comes out there too.
This is not necessary as the antifreeze will be pushed against the back side of the city valve protecting it. If you want to do this step MAKE SURE you relive all the pressure before pushing that in. If you do not relieve the pressure the spring and O ring may be blown out.
|
Baidy
Walkerton On
New Member
Joined: 07/29/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
If you have a Tornado flusher you need to blow it as well. It has a one way valve in it and water will be trapped in there. If not it will freeze and bust the valve at the tank. Ask me how I know.
|
|
|
