GMCforum
For enthusiast of the Classic GMC Motorhome built from 1973 to 1978. A web-based mirror of the GMCnet mailing list.

Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Winterizing the GMC
Re: Winterizing the GMC [message #105799 is a reply to message #105782] Fri, 12 November 2010 16:19 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma:
Senior Member
Stick Miller wrote on Fri, 12 November 2010 12:03

Thanks - I hate ever to call it a year. I don't think we'll plan on shutting ours down completely. Winter last year was pretty cold but just a few days below freezing.

Ken Henderson is no help. He just goes south if it gets cold. I have to work.

I have an idea that draining the tanks and putting some pink stuff in the traps would probably be enough for us. On a real cold night I can always run the heater. I do want to make sure the macerator pump is protected.

Stick,

You are just about as wrong as you can be. For the most part the poly tanks can freeze without damage - except possibly to the water drain and pickup.

It does not take much to protect the macerator, The trick is getting to the macerator. That is pretty much system specific.

If you don't know what you are doing, either locate a competent native guide to walk you through it or hire someone that has a guaranty that they will repair it at no cost if they don't get it right.

The small line are the most susceptible to freeze damage and if they get to 27* all the way through, it will happen. Valves and pumps are also easily damaged by short excursions to below freezing.

Even if you can by-pass the house water heater, it still has to be drained. The problem with draining and counting on it is all the places that water can hang and still do damage. Blowing out with compressed air or filling with antifreeze are about your only choices if you are likely to be in a hard freeze area.

I do know a local owner that goes to the duty free shop at the local border crossing and buys several gallons of cheap alcohol and never drains the system in the spring. "The first couple of cruises in the spring are real good."

Matt


Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Previous Topic: Mech. Engineer Q.
Next Topic: GEMRECS PARTS SALE
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Sat Sep 28 12:03:24 CDT 2024

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.00605 seconds