winterize popup

[rpstms]

Hello All,

I bought a 2005 Fleetwood Bayside.  I have had a few issues with it but hopefully all have been fix..  Including a replacement roof because of a manufacturer's defect.    I had it winterized by the RV dealer last year but do not want to pay the $100 again.  Does any know of a check list for the process to complete the winterize or where I can look for one?  Thanks

Bob & Tina

[tlhdoc]

Winterizing the camper is not hard to do.

Drain all of the water that you can from the water lines, tank and water heater.  You need to bypass the water heater.  Your water heater may have a permanent bypass on it or you may need to use the short sort of U shaped hose that came with the camper.  They bypass stops water from going into the water heater.  The bypass  connects the incoming water line on the water heater to the out going line from the water heater, bypassing the water heater.  If you have a permanent bypass just turn the handle(s).  If not you unscrew the incoming and outgoing water lines from the water heater and connect them together with the bypass hose.  Once the water heater is bypassed you can buy several gallons of pink rv antifreeze and pour a couple of gallons into the fresh water tank of the camper, of course after you have closed the water valve on the tank.  Then pump antifreeze thought out the water lines until it runs pink out of the faucet.  OR  you can buy an RV antifreeze pump stick the end of the pump into the jug of rv antifreeze.  Attach the other end of the pump to the city water connection and then pump the antifreeze through the water lines.  You have to keep at least one faucet open at all times.  When done pumping pour about 1/2 cup of antifreeze down each drain.  If you the pour the antifreeze into the tank method there is one more thing you need to do.  Take the screen out of the city water connection, push on the little plastic thing in the middle and some water should run out.  The water system is now winterized.  

[BuxCamper]

Just as Tracey said.  Just open each faucet until pink stuff comes out.

If you have a simple water system like my old Sedona (no hot water heater) you can get away with disconnecting and draining all lines and pulling the pump.  My new Niagara has a much more extensive water system so I'm going the pink stuff route.

[AustinBoston]

I had it winterized by the RV dealer last year but do not want to pay the $100 again.

That comes close to theft.

I noticed you are from Attleboro.  Is that the Attleboro in Mass.?  My Father's family lived there for many generations, and at one time owned every square inch of the land containing the TI/Metals and Controls facility.

I still have a small interest in land there, land that's been in the family since the 1830's.

Austin

[Tim5055]

Winterize Your Pop Up

[Aquadog]

Thanks for the instructions. I just bought a 2007 Fleetwood Sun Valley and was looking for the same advice. One further question: do you also need to drain the water from the hot water heater?

[tlhdoc]

Thanks for the instructions. I just bought a 2007 Fleetwood Sun Valley and was looking for the same advice. One further question: do you also need to drain the water from the hot water heater?

Congratulations on your new camper and welcome to PUT.
YES you need to drain the water heater.

[dthurk]

Thanks for the instructions. I just bought a 2007 Fleetwood Sun Valley and was looking for the same advice. One further question: do you also need to drain the water from the hot water heater?

Yes, you would drain the hot water heater.  It also needs to be bypassed, as in tlhdoc's post above.  I would not, and have not ever, put antifreeze in my fresh water tank.  It's really difficult to get it all out in the spring.  Any leftover water remaining in the bottom of the tank after draining won't pose any problem at all.  Same thing with the hot water tank.  I unscrewed the inlet tube from the water pump and used that same port to pump antifreeze through the water lines.  I believe a plastic or braided toilet fill tube fit the inlet port on the pump.  I also believe I found one with a 1/2" treaded connector on the other end, allowing me to attach more tubing to make it easier to get the end of it into the gallon container of antifreeze.

[tlhdoc]

I would not, and have not ever, put antifreeze in my fresh water tank. It's really difficult to get it all out in the spring.

If you have never put RV Antifreeze in your fresh water tank, how do you know it is difficult to get out?  Up until last fall that is the way I always did it.  I used the trailer water pump to  pump the antifreeze through the water lines.  There isn't any problem getting it out either.  Open the valve on the water tank and tow the camper a few miles.  Any liquid in the tank will be gone.  I open the valve when I tow the PU to the dealer over the winter for my annual service.  This is also how I drain my water tank completely after each trip.  The second way (no towing involved) is to tilt the camper so that the drain on the water tank is facing down.  Drain as much antifreeze as possible and then add a few inches of water.  If you do this several times you will get the antifreeze out.

[dthurk]

If you have never put RV Antifreeze in your fresh water tank, how do you know it is difficult to get out?  Up until last fall that is the way I always did it.  I used the trailer water pump to  pump the antifreeze through the water lines.  There isn't any problem getting it out either.  Open the valve on the water tank and tow the camper a few miles.  Any liquid in the tank will be gone.  I open the valve when I tow the PU to the dealer over the winter for my annual service.  This is also how I drain my water tank completely after each trip.  The second way (no towing involved) is to tilt the camper so that the drain on the water tank is facing down.  Drain as much antifreeze as possible and then add a few inches of water.  If you do this several times you will get the antifreeze out.

Actually, I think I read it hear somewhere on this board, and have read it multiple times.  It makes sense really.  Why put antifreeze in a part of your fresh water system that doesn't need it?  If the little bit of water in the drained fresh tank freezes, It has the space in the rest of the tank to expand into, resulting in no damage to the tank.  Only freezing water under compression will damage anything.  The tank is a low point, any water in the fill line will drain into the tank, as well as any water from the line that goes to the pump.

What you say about getting it out makes sense, but still is more work than necessary.

[tlhdoc]

Why put antifreeze in a part of your fresh water system that doesn't need it?

Why, because it is the easiest way to pump RV Antifreeze through your water system.  No unhooking plumbing lines to your water pump, no connecting a line to the water pump, no mess with water or antifreeze spilling out of the pump and lines when you take them apart.  Just pour a couple of gallons of antifreeze into the tank, turn your pump on and open the faucets.

[dthurk]

Why, because it is the easiest way to pump RV Antifreeze through your water system.  No unhooking plumbing lines to your water pump, no connecting a line to the water pump, no mess with water or antifreeze spilling out of the pump and lines when you take them apart.  Just pour a couple of gallons of antifreeze into the tank, turn your pump on and open the faucets.

Guess it works for you.  I think I'll keep my fresh tank fresh.  At least we both winterize the lines with antifreeze, neither of us will encounter problems from freezing water in the lines, so the arguement's somewhat academic.  I have heard of those who swear by simply blowing out their lines.  Now there's a risky way of winterizing.  Some water trapped in a line where compression can occur and your hunting for a break in your water line come warmer weather.

[Kelly]

To winterize my PU I remove all food, clean it out really good and put it into the garage.


(I have a manual pump, don't use the onboard tank and I've never hooked up to city water.  Makes winterizing ever so easy.  

[tlhdoc]

Guess it works for you.

For years I poured antifreeze into my fresh water tank.  Now since I do more cold weather camping and winterize/de-winterize the camper more than once a year, so I purchased a permanent bypass valve and an antifreeze hand pump.  So now I pump the antifreeze in to the water lines through the city water connection.

[dthurk]

For years I poured antifreeze into my fresh water tank.  Now since I do more cold weather camping and winterize/de-winterize the camper more than once a year, so I purchased a permanent bypass valve and an antifreeze hand pump.  So now I pump the antifreeze in to the water lines through the city water connection.

I've thought of doing that myself.  Of course, our winterizing this year is going to be much more complex than before.  We'll be looking to do a dry camping experiment the weekend after Columbus Day, probably at Watkins Glen SP.  That's our planned last gasp of the camping seaon,  although plans can change.     We'd be looking to winterize after that, so I've got a bit more time to think about it.  If a practical winter camping opportunity materializes...who knows?  :frosty:   At any rate, I'm getting off topic.

How does your newer method get antifreeze into the water pump?  That needs to have antifreeze in it, it's one of the most expensive parts of the system.  I assume by bypass your talking about the water heater?  Our new camper came with water heater bypass installed.  I was thinking of using my water pump method, but the water pump is much less accessible in our new camper.  I can get to a point where I can see it, but I may have to cut an access panel to work on it, then figure out a way to aesthetically remount it.   If I do that (cut the panel), I may end up adding an accumulator tank to the system.