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Topic: Winterizing coach? (Read 1064 times) previous topic - next topic

Winterizing coach?

Happy New Year everyone ,  Just got back from Rincon Beach in Ventura Calif, Had a great trip saw family and great friends. Any ways last trip back I worried about freezing the Aqua Hot unit so I drained pipes and tank, I went to the local RV store and bought a bypass valve for sucking antifreeze through system and a gallon of Arctic Ban antifreeze, Started pumping through system and realized that a gallon was not enough, so I  bought another gallon and that was border line on being enough. The antifreeze is $ 8.00 a gallon.  In Templeton Calif where we live it can get pretty cold , last week it got down to about 25 degrees , the coach is parked under a poll barn at the house but it's still exposed to the elements. Is the antifreeze necessary or is draining the system enough?  Thanks Art.



 
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
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Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #1 –
Art. My Foretravel winterizing manual states that 4 gallons, more or less, is required to secure the system for winter.
Quote from: prevostart –
Happy New Year everyone ,  Just got back from Rincon Beach in Ventura Calif, Had a great trip saw family and great friends. Any ways last trip back I worried about freezing the Aqua Hot unit so I drained pipes and tank, I went to the local RV store and bought a bypass valve for sucking antifreeze through system and a gallon of Arctic Ban antifreeze, Started pumping through system and realized that a gallon was not enough, so I  bought another gallon and that was border line on being enough. The antifreeze is $ 8.00 a gallon.  In Templeton Calif where we live it can get pretty cold , last week it got down to about 25 degrees , the coach is parked under a poll barn at the house but it's still exposed to the elements. Is the antifreeze necessary or is draining the system enough?  Thanks Art.



 
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #2 –
 
Quote
In Templeton Calif where we live it can get pretty cold , last week it got down to about 25 degrees , the coach is parked under a poll barn at the house but it's still exposed to the elements. Is the antifreeze necessary or is draining the system enough?


Just draining the system is not enough to protect your plumbing in subfreezing weather, especially the Aquahot. I used 5 gallons to do all the plumbing including the aquahot, the washer/dryer, faucets, commode (including sprayer), icemaker and P-traps.

If you want to avoid winterizing, and you have power available in the barn, you can keep the electrical heating element on in the Aquahot to keep the bays and interior warm. You do run the risk of freezing if you lose power for an extended period. Not properly winterizing the Aquahot can be a very expensive mistake.

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Bob McGee –

Just draining the system is not enough to protect your plumbing in subfreezing weather, especially the Aquahot. I used 5 gallons to do all the plumbing including the aquahot, the washer/dryer, faucets, commode (including sprayer), icemaker and P-traps.

Not properly winterizing the Aquahot can be a very expensive mistake.

+1 on what Bob said.  And actually, in our owner's manual, it states that if you have an Aquahot just draining or even blowing out the lines with compressed air is not enough, you must use the RV antifreeze.

Even here in north Texas we winterize, because you just never know (our community had pipes freeze last winter).  About 5 1/2 gallons does our coach, including washer/dryer. 

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #4 –
Thanks for a quick reply on my question because the rain let up and it's going to be cold tonight,  I pumped 4 gallons of Arctic Ban through the system after I drained everything , red coming of all fixtures hot and cold sides, should be good thanks again  Art.
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
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Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #5 –
$8 a gallon?  Does the aqua hot thing take something special?  I pay $3 here.
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #6 –
Gayland      That was the cheapest antifreeze the RV store had , Product is called Artic Ban by Camco,  What brand do you use.  Art
Art
1997 Prevost 40'
 The selected media item is not currently available.

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: prevostart –
Gayland      That was the cheapest antifreeze the RV store had , Product is called Artic Ban by Camco,  What brand do you use.  Art
I get RV antifreeze at Wal*Mart.  They carry two brands, one is about $3, the other is about $4 (Prestone, I think.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #8 –
I have "Peak", and RV Plus (by Zcol I think).  The latter one came from WalMart I believe, the first one from Tractor Supply. both good to -50.
1996 U270
Build #4846

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Gayland Baasch –
I have "Peak", and RV Plus (by Zcol I think).  The latter one came from WalMart I believe, the first one from Tractor Supply. both good to -50.

Just be sure to use potable antifreeze for winterizing  ;)  It should say so on the bottle.  If it doesn't, don't use it in your fresh water system.

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #10 –
I'm confused about winterizing the aqua hot.    We have drained our tanks, and have our diesel burner on, and the fan that heats the bays on.
I'm looking at the manual, and am not sure if by draining our tanks, have drained the aqua hot's domestic hot water loop?
At present I have the generator running, and the furnace heat on, since I'm unsure about the aqua hot.  Any advice appreciated.  mks

2000 Foretravel U320
Milha & Johnny Skelton
2000 U320 40'

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #11 –
Quote from: mks –
I'm confused about winterizing the aqua hot.    We have drained our tanks, and have our diesel burner on, and the fan that heats the bays on.
I'm looking at the manual, and am not sure if by draining our tanks, have drained the aqua hot's domestic hot water loop?
At present I have the generator running, and the furnace heat on, since I'm unsure about the aqua hot.  Any advice appreciated.  mks

2000 Foretravel U320
mks,
If you plan on having the coach plugged-in and the bays & interior above freezing, you're okay by what you have described.  However, if the temps in the bays & inside the coach are going to be below freezing, you need to winterize all the water lines with RV water line anti freeze.  I believe that the lines within the aquahot do not drain properly even when blown with compressed air.  Neither does the toilet, washer/drier, etc.  It's not worth the worry and expense if your lines freeze and rupture the water lines, crack the toilet hoses and generally cost you in excess of a king's ransom to replace lines.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH
 

Re: Winterizing coach?

Reply #12 –
Thanks for the quick response!  Appreciate the info.  Mks
Milha & Johnny Skelton
2000 U320 40'