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Topic: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions (Read 639 times) previous topic - next topic

Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Yes, another post about winterizing.

1- Is there a better product to feed your pump antifreeze than this? It gets some bad reviews Amazon.com: Camco Permanent Pump Converter Winterizing Kit- Allows You to...

2- Antifreeze. I am looking at these. The last does not have ethanol. Does it matter? I have seen some debate about whether it breaks down the rubber parts. I would like to go with TSC since it is the cheapest but do not want to cause long term damage.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-rv-multi-purpose-antifreeze-1-gal?cm_vc=-10005

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/winter-eez/oil--chemicals---fluids/antifreeze/rv-antifreeze/efc1783fb7b8/antifreeze-coolant-winter-eez-ready-to-use-rv-antifreeze/afzk/rvblend

Amazon.com: RecPro RV Antifreeze -50°F Protection Non-Toxic (4 Pack) :...

3- From searching here, a lot of discussions are for AH coaches, which I do not have. I know I need to empty the water heater then close the valve. Where is this located?  I know the drain is near below the manabloc.

4- For the under sink filter, what can I use to bypass/close this line?

5- Do I need to touch the manabloc?

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Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #1 –
#5 : Yes.  On my manabloc anyway, there's a blocked off hot valve....bottom left.  If you don't take that cap off and open that valve to expel H2O and introduce some anti-freeze, that fitting is at risk...that and any other unused valves as well, such as clothes washer valves if you don't have one.  Woody.
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #2 –
1. That will work but... Drain your free heater tank completely. Compressed air into the fill hose using a blow out adapter with the fill valve open clears that as well.  Use 50 psi or less.

Close the valve between the fresh tank and the pump. Disconnect the line from the tank after the valve to the pump.  Comment a 1/2" NPT connector with a long PVC or vinyl tube of the right size. 4 or 5 ft makes it easier.  Put 3 or 4 gal of pink stuff in a 5 gal bucket, turn on the pump, keep the tube in the juice.

2. The stuff from O'Reillys is fine, way overpriced.  Similar at Walmart. I get mine at the local ace here for $2.85/gal in a case of 6.

Maybe it's cheaper in MN.

3. You should be replacing the under sink filter every six months.  For part timers that is once a year.  You get a T shaped bypass plug that fits in where the filter was, then you can get pink stuff through the drinking water faucet. If there is no bypass leave the old filter in place and run pink through it to the drinking water faucet.  Don't forget to replace it after you flush everything out. It might be potable but the remnants of pink stuff taste terrible.

There are hot and cold line drains and a tank drain near the manabloc on mine.  I don't know the specific procedure for a water heater. 

4. Shouldn't have to do anything with the manabloc as long as you pump pink stuff through every faucet, hot and cold, one at a time and every drain, the shower, the toilet, and the service bay faucet.



If you have a refrig with an ice maker or a washer/dryer they need specific attention.  Search for winterizing those.  We don't have those so I am not sure of the specifics.

Be sure to catch pink stuff from the war in valves and pour it down the sink and shower drains, a couple cups each.

The fresh tank should be empty, no pink stuff.  Pink in the waste take is OK.

With an AquaHot ours takes 5-6 gallons.  With an LP water heater, ice maker, W/D it will likely take more.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Jason –
Yes, another post about winterizing.



2- Antifreeze. I am looking at these. The last does not have ethanol. Does it matter?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-rv-multi-purpose-antifreeze-1-gal?cm_vc=-10005

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/winter-eez/oil--chemicals---fluids/antifreeze/rv-antifreeze/efc1783fb7b8/antifreeze-coolant-winter-eez-ready-to-use-rv-antifreeze/afzk/rvblend

Amazon.com: RecPro RV Antifreeze -50°F Protection Non-Toxic (4 Pack) :...

Ethanol?  The PolyGlycol used on the more expensive RV anti freeze is pretty much the same thing you get for colon prep.  As far as antifreeze goes, when was the last time you saw someone checking the alcohol level in their radiator?

A permanently installed Shur-Flo pump can be rationalized as an alternative way to fill your water tank when you can't find a tap and if you install a water heater bypass kit, it really doesn't take that much RV antifreeze til flush the system.
As an Amazon Associate Foretravel Owners' Forum earns from qualifying purchases.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #4 –
I decided not to winterize at this point since I will use it. However, with the colder weather coming tonight, here is what I did today and my plan for the couple nights below freezing.

I do have wireless temp monitors, thanks @Elliott for the tip/link.

I drained all the tanks and blew air through all of the lines- kitchen sink, bathroom sink, toilet and shower.

I will have 4 electric heaters inside, one in the wet bay area, one in the underneath storage compartment, and two in the cab, one in front and one in the rear.

I will turn on the propane heater and set it to as low as possible, think it's 60 degrees, so it is my backup to the electric heaters.

My question is regarding the water heater. I have the switch turned off beneath the bed, but if the propane comes on, it will stay off correct?  Having a water heater on with no water will burn the element which I don't want. Or is there something else I need to do to ensure the water heater is off?

Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #5 –
How cold is it going too. We have gone through a cold spell hear with the lowest
temp. here was 4 F. My coach has been fine with the Aqua-hot on electric with the
wet bay on about 40 and the bathroom thermostat around 45 and a electric heater
on set on 60 with nothing drained.
Peter and Frieda Morin
1999 36ft. U320 Foretravel
Build # 5436
1998 Suzuki Sidekick Sport

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #6 –
mid - 20s this week here. However I do not have an AH.
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Jason –
mid - 20s this week here. However I do not have an AH.

That's all right.  The Aqua Hot Hydronic system has it's own problems, because no good deed goes unpunished.

Based on our experience you'll be fine.  Based on your experience, once you gain more, you might pare your electric heaters back to one in the wet bay set on 45F, and both propane hot air furnaces set to 60F while you're out.  On our U225 SBID, the rear furnace blows hot air into the wet bay.  The front furnace heats the bathroom, and either way, on a 20F degree day the floor in the hallway is warm and toasty.

FWIW, in our previous RV, with the water system prepared as you describe but no electric heaters, we slept "comfortably" through the night when the temperature was so cold you could pour propane on the ground* and watch it boil away.

*The original Auto-Stop fill valve stuck open but by the time I paid the bill it had stopped.
FWIW II I ran that tank out and installed new Prestolite double check fill and 80% outage valves.
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Jason –
My question is regarding the water heater. I have the switch turned off beneath the bed, but if the propane comes on, it will stay off correct?  Having a water heater on with no water will burn the element which I don't want. Or is there something else I need to do to ensure the water heater is off?
Jason,

I think you will be fine.

I don't know exactly how your water heater works.  If it is dual power (electric + propane) you should have two different switches that turn it on and off.  Sounds like you have one switch at foot of bed - probably the electric control.  You should have one or two more switches that control the propane mode (under kitchen and/or bathroom counters?).  If all the switches are off, the water heater should not come on.

Anyway, unless you pulled the tank drain plug on your water heater, it is probably still full of water.  I'm guessing that blowing air through the lines won't force the water out of the water heater tank.

Our coach is always plugged in to 50amp when parked in our driveway at home.  I use a similar electric heater setup on our coach in the winter.  I keep two small heaters in the wet bay - one at each end.  Inside the coach, I have 4 heaters running: 1 in bathroom, 1 in "kitchen", 1 on the floor in front of driver seat (keeps the Allison ECU warm), and 1 on the dash blowing at the window area (reduces water condensation on glass).  We are 16 degrees (F) here this morning (Midland, TX).  I just went out to check the coach, and it was about 50 degrees inside, and about 55 degrees in the wet bay.  I also keep my propane heaters turned on and set to the lowest temp on thermostat (about 50).  They were not on when I stepped inside.  I cranked the thermostat on both of them up a bit, and they both fired up and started producing heat, so I am confident they are functioning correctly.  It is a good idea to exercise your propane heaters whenever you have a cold snap in your area, just to be sure they are in good working condition.

I have never "winterized" our coach in the 8 years we have owned it.  I don't drain the water out of the lines, and I keep the fresh water tank full.  I believe the (normally warm) full tank of water acts as a passive heat radiator when the temps drop - helps to stabilize the temp in the wet bay.  I keep my electric element in the water heater turned on all the time.  The hot water in the tank also helps keep the wet bay warm.

Using the electric heaters as described above, and propane heaters as backup, has always worked for me.

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #9 –
Thank you for the replies. I am still working on tuning the space heaters. As I write, the one on the driver side where the dump valves are is 59F.  The curb side with the water pump/manabloc is 37, but there is not a heater there. There is not much room in there but I will see if I can put a small heater on low in there. My thought is that since the water pump and dump valve are connected, meaning that they are positioned in the same bay, the heater from the driver side would go to the passenger. But that does not appear to be happening.

I am pretty sure my water heater is empty, there is a drain for that. IIRC the three valves are drain fresh water, drain cold and drain hot lines.  Do the Grand VIllas/earlier Unis have these three valves?

I do have a switch under the kitchen counter, and I did turn on the propane to warm it up. I should check to see which zone does the water bays use, I am guessing the rear as well.

We moved into our house last week that we were building, with the last 4 months using the FT as our home. The wife came in the FT last nigh when I was prepping and said, "I kinda miss being in here". We're really happy with this rig.
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Jason –
I am pretty sure my water heater is empty, there is a drain for that. IIRC the three valves are drain fresh water, drain cold and drain hot lines.  Do the Grand VIllas/earlier Unis have these three valves?
Earlier model coaches did not have the manabloc system.  On my '93 U280 there are 3 water system drain valves: fresh, hot & cold.  On my coach, all these do is gravity drain some of the water lines.  They will not drain all the water out of all the lines.  They will not empty the water heater tank or the water pressure accumulator tank.

The only way I can drain my hot water heater is by removing the drain plug in the bottom of the tank.  See below (first time I drained it after purchase):

1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"
 

Re: Random RV Winterize Antifreeze questions

Reply #11 –
OK then mine probably is not empty, I am sure it has that too.

You have more room in your bay than I do, I cannot get a small heater in there without it sitting on lines. I don't feel comfortable doing that. I hooked up another in the large compartment near the access hole and now temps are rising on that sensor
Jason
2000 U295 36' Non-slide  ISC350