My question is...is it better to store the coach indoors at a temp no lower than 55 degrees with no access to it. Or is it better outside where you can start it occasionally.
We live in Ohio so the weather does get bad here.
So is it ok to leave it set for 5 months (Nov till end of March) without starting the engine or driving it.
Indoor storage is good for the the body and outdoor storage I think is good for the engine because you can start it up.
Lots of opinions on this, here's one. Inside, definitely. It does not need to be started periodically. Keep the batteries charged.
Like the other Chuck said indoors is the way to go. The engine shouldn't be started unless it is going to be driven. It can't get up to temperature idling and vapors will get in the oil. I have some diesel trucks and welders here that sit for over a year and start right up when needed.
Yup, indoors.
Even if stored outdoors, ONLY start the main engine if you can drive a minimum of 25 highway miles-- long enough to get the oil, not just coolant up to temperature. Anything less just adds moisture to the crankcase.
Yes, the generator can be run, but only if you have sufficient load to equal at least 1/2 of its rated capacity.
If not, store it properly indoors: Add a BIOCIDE such as Biobor JF to the fuel tank and completely fill the diesel tank to reduce condensation. If you have #2/summer grade diesel in the tank, also add an ANTI-GEL to the fuel. PS brand is available at most Walmarts.
Air tires to max on sidewalls (per Michelin in their RV tire guide). Park on something (plastic, plywood, etc) if on concrete or asphalt.
If you do have a nice day during the winter, come back and drive it or just come back and "bond" with it.
Thanks so much.
Rick, Storing your Aqua Hot heater without running the burner for 5 months means the diesel on the nozzle has congealed ruining the fine mist spray pattern. If burner starts next spring, it will smoke and may not fire at all.
So, plan on servicing the burner when you get it out of storage.
If you can run the burner once per month during storage, you will keep the nozzle clean.
Hope this helps you
You didn't mention if you would be paying for indoor storage. Here in Los Angeles it is $10.00 per foot a month. You can buy a good cover for a few months rental cost and store outside as long as you prep for freezing temperatures if you have them. Never happens here. I store outside under a canvas top cover.
Should I winterize it if it is indoors
Again the inside temp is 55.
Not unless there is a chance that the heat will go out AND you would not have an alternate source of heat (like 120 VAC shore power).
If there is a chance that heat will fail I would at least have the water lines blown out and the tanks empty. It takes so little effort to protect your coach and so much time and money to fix a frozen one.
Rick, what's wrong with the best of both worlds, store inside and take it for a monthly exercise run and cycle all systems. You and your coach will much happier. Like others said I would certainly drain and blow out all the water lines just to be on the safe side.
When you blow down the system, check to see if there is a strainer on the suction of the pump. If so, it may have a plastic screw on bowl which needs to be removed and drained. Have a great day ---- Fritz
Don't rely on blowing the lines if you have Aqua Hot. You'll receive a very expensive lesson if it freezes.
Rick:
Sounds like you may be considering storing your Foretravel here:
Vehicle Storage - Car, Truck, RV, Boat at Wampum Underground (http://wampumunderground.com/vehicle-storage/)
In our final winter in Boardman, Ohio, during our first year of Foretravel ownership, we stored our U270 in the above mine with no problems. We just turned off the 12 volts to the house and disconnected the negative to the chassis batteries. We dumped the tanks and did not winterize.
Bob
Are there any detailed procedures or videos for winterizing the aqua hot, especially for older coaches? The only videos I have found have been for newer ones.
Very timely. Just got a notice from my neighborhood association to move the coach from my driveway. I'm pretty pissed about this. I got guys with chickens in his backyard next door, and a guy with a sprinter van down the street that routinely blocks the sidewalk, but my coach, in my driveway is a violation?
The only places in my area that are covered are 200$ a month. Thats crazy IMO. It does come with electric, but still. I don't need it. Uncovered, its half.
Always said don't buy a home with a neighborhood association, but we were in a pinch for space for my elderly mother in law.
I like the house and neighborhood, but now can't wait to get out. Both kids should be gone next year, and elderly mother in law in hospital and may not be back, or not for long. So no need of a big house. And I retire in 6 months.....
Right now when I want to work on the coach its just going outside. But for the storage place, will have to drive 4 miles. True not far, but still, less likely to do it. (I'm lazy....)
Pretty upset about this. I will get over it.
If you are somewhere where it can freeze blowing your lines out might be OK but adding in the RV antifreeze is pretty easy and will make sure you are OK. The line sucking in the antifreeze comes from a 5 gal bucket with 3 gallons or more or RV antifreeze in it directly to the water pump. When you turn on the hot faucet in the kitchen for example the RV antifreeze will fill the cold side of the water manifold and flow to the AquaHot filling all those lines and back to the hot side of the manifold and then to the hot side of the kitchen faucet. When pink stuff comes out switch to cold till pink stuff comes out. Then move to the next faucet, repeat. Put the shower head on the floor of the shower. Do the toilet, drinking water, basement faucet and outside line drain valves as well. Save what comes out of the line drains. There are specifics for a washer/dryer and ice makers. We don't have them so I won't say how to do them. Once you are all done, start over and do all of them again until it is all pink. It should take about 6 gallons. You will have put some pink stuff into the black tank from the toilet, that is OK. Some will have gone into the gray tank as well. With what you saved from the line drains add a cup or two to each of the drains in the kitchen, bathroom and shower. Make sure the toilet is filled above the level of the flapper, your toilet may be different.
Our toilet had a flapper with a rubber gasket. Once you have blown out your lines and the toilet has no water this is a good time to grease up the rubber gaskets on the flapper valve with plumber's silicone grease.
This will all take some time the first time you do this. With some practice it takes less than an hour.
Brett, I noticed you suggest wood or plastic under the tires if on concrete. My concrete floor has an epoxy coating on it. Is that enough of a barrier for the concrete ? It is definitely moisture resistant, and there are no cracks. Your thoughts ?
Epoxy paint is fine to protect the tires.
Why do you have to run the gen with at least 1/2 it's rated capacity?
To put enough load on it to burn off the vapors.
Not just evaporating the motor end water off of the oil, but heating up the gen end to keep the windings moisture free. Most standy gens have heater on the gen end to do this.
I keep my coach in an unheated barn, with 50 amp service. I do not winterize, keep a full load of water and treated fuel, and keep basement heat on with the 110 AH heating element on, along with diesel burner engaged, if needed. When you say not to run the engine unless I plan to drive it, why wouldn't idling at 1200 rpm for a good period of time suffice in bringing the engine up to operating temperature?
Mike
I found this attached answer from Cummins.
I believe the problem with idling at 1,200, is that the engine is still not under load. I remember the retail company I worked for use to have a policy (over ten years ago) to idle all the used and new rv inventory on Fridays to insure all would start on the weekend. That ended when a few expensive repairs were attributed to this policy.
As pointed out running generator once a month is recommended under load of AC or such.
Mike,
No way to get the OIL, not just coolant up to operating temperature except under load. So running it without load will just add moisture to the crankcase/engine.
There is no reason to start the engine while in storage. 1200 RPM is fine and won't cause any ring deposits but you need almost 190 degrees of coolant AND oil temperature over a longer period of time as condensation will occur and only when the coolant and oil temperature are above this, will evaporation take place. Condensation mixed with products of combustion will form acids and other forms of contamination. Oils have additives to combat this but not if the engine is fast idled too many times.
In other words, you would have to fast idle the engine for a very long period of time to evaporate the moisture formed while the engine was warming to operating temperature.
Diesel engines and their fuel can sit for a very long time and not suffer any ill effects. I have a 500 gallon diesel tank for our tractor and generator. It's been sitting with only a little used each year for over 20 years. For a motorhome or car, diesel may go out of emission requirements after a while but the power and mileage will be the same years later.
I never run the U300's generator but with California's blackouts during our fires, I just hit glow for a few seconds and it ran nicely for 10 days.
Pierce
OK, well thanks for the info. Just went out to refuel for the winter, and ran around for 40 miles or so. So I guess I will not run the engine, and keep heat in the coach and basement, along with a battery conditioner on the coach batteries.
Mike
Always check your battery conditioner with a volt meter. I have the following NOCO 7200, which I do like, as it will charge both my lifepo4 200ah batteries as well as my agm batteries, including my 200 AH rv starting battery pair.
I just had to request a rma as it is floating at 14.6 after saying it's charge is full, two days after charging my start batteries. I was not happy with that, however, I appreciate the other features, such as the 23.6 supply mode, and the $100 price. I will give them a second chance.
8 Chargers In One
Charges 12V & 24V lead-acid batteries (including AGM and more) and 12V Lithium. Repairs desulfated batteries, charges in cold conditions, and has a 13.6V Supply mode.
NOCO Genius G7200 12V/24V 7.2 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer Amazon.com: NOCO Genius G7200 12V/24V 7.2 Amp Battery Charger and Maintainer:... (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LWTHP2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i7lWDbEY5R4CC)
Good idea to wash the total undercarriage down before storing it for the winter if if has been driven in the snow or roads that have been treated. Heating can cause high humidity in areas where moisture may be trapped and accelerate the corrosion process. Our car business had a year contract with a car wash in Germany. Every night, we would drive any car that had be driven that day though the car wash where a special spray would clean the bottom as well as the rest of the car. I remember the salt trucks feeding a spinning wheel that threw it all over each lane on the Autobahn.
At about 25 nighttime degrees is when I stick light bulbs or lizard pads in a couple of spots in the U300. Good to drain the lines but a bulb by the water pump is a good idea if it's really cold.
Good article about heated garages here: How to prevent your car from becoming a hot mess - The Globe and Mail (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/how-to-prevent-your-car-from-becoming-a-hot-mess/article4613831/)
Pierce