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Topic: De-winterization (Read 589 times) previous topic - next topic

De-winterization

We are getting ready to leave for warmer weather in FL. The coach water system is fully winterized, filled with pink RV antifreeze.

My question is this: will it be OK to drain the pink stuff here and drive to warmer climates BEFORE flushing and filling with fresh water. I do not want to have to heat the bays, as the dang mice have already cost me several hundred dollars in repairs to the air lines in the bays.

I hate to dump all that pink stuff on a campground's site.

Re: De-winterization

Reply #1 –
As I have never done it (put pink antifreeze in fesh tank) I may be wrong but I would get rid of it now and flush that tank out many times to get it clear. It takes a lot of cleaning I am told. I always figure if you totally drain the tanks and leave valves open (and blow lines out thru whole syetem) there should be no need for putting it in !! We winter away from the Canadian cold winters so are not affected but even if I was home I would not do it.
The other tanks do not matter.
John
Coachless, now use aircraft. 2003 Ford Travelair TC280 class C. Super shape. Just for 1 yr .
1994 Ford E350 ClassC,total renovation inside and out. Now sold.
2000 U295  36' Cummins 350 c/w Banks Stinger, Resonator upgrade,Solar, LED lites.Residential fridge with slide out pantry. Build 5674. Sold
ex 92 GV 022C ored Cummins. Sold
ex 95 GV240 cat 3116. Sold
2017 Mini cooper s & 2016 land Rover LR2 HSE  LUX.
jhaygarth@aol.com    SKP #130098
treat everyone as you would like to be.

Re: De-winterization

Reply #2 –
Duane,

There's no problem draining the antifreeze now that it's fully winterized, but it's also fine to wait.  You can drink the pink stuff and not keel over, so it's pretty environmentally friendly.  If you have an A-H, you definitely can't follow John's advise, which would prove very costly.
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: De-winterization

Reply #3 –
It is also my understanding the pink antifreeze is safe.  When I winterized the coach last fall, I did not put the pink antifreeze in the fresh water tank.  I bypassed the hot water tank. Then I disconnected the hose from the fresh water tank to the pump inlet and installed a "T" with a valve and a second hose.  Then I reconnected a hose from the tank outlet to the "T". Then I switched the valve and put the open hose end into a tank which contained the pink antifreeze.  I then used the pump to circulate the pink antifreeze throughout the water system until it came out each faucet (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, outside shower) and the toilet.

This spring, I plan to put about 3 cups of bleach in our water fill hose and connect the water fill hose to our house hydrant and then run water into the fresh water tank to fill it.  Then I plan to run the water pump to circulate the water with the bleach solution through the water system until the water is totally clear.  Then let it sit for several hours.

Then I plan to empty the fresh water tank to get the bleach solution out and refill the tank. Then circulate the water until all bleach odor is gone.  Then fill the hot water tank and everything should be ready to go.
Morris and Janice
1997 U270 36'
 

Re: De-winterization

Reply #4 –
My initial post was poor. I should have said that I have an AquaHot and that I did NOT put any pink antifreeze into the fresh water tank. It was completely drained and left in that condition. The AquaHot should be OK with the antifreeze drained as long as no fresh water is added to the heating loops.

I am hoping for a warm spell here a day or so before we leave which will allow me to drain the pink stuff and fill the water tank without worry. If the warm spell does not materialize, I think I will drain the pink antifreeze and wait until I get into warmer weather to fill with fresh water.

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.