| Freeze warning [message #226524] |
Tue, 22 October 2013 02:30  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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Well, it is that time of year again.
Tonight we are suppose to hit 28F. The local airport is reporting 29 right now. I blew out the water lines, drained the water heater and main and bypassed the water heater when I returned from Branson. I have not yet installed the gallon of RV antifreeze for he winter.
The reason for this post it to remind the people who bought the 70 plus Kidde Foam fire extinguishers a few years back that they need to be removed and kept somewhere above freezing.
My coach is parked inside but will get below freezing if the temperature stays below freezing for very long. I have so tomorrow I'll remove the extinguishers and fill the water system, drains, and macerator with antifreeze.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Freeze warning [message #226581 is a reply to message #226537] |
Tue, 22 October 2013 11:34  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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| SeanKidd wrote on Tue, 22 October 2013 08:48 |
Thanks for that reminder, just looked at the forecast for northwest New Jersey and it looks like high twenties the next couple nights.
Last year (first winter with GMC' or any rv for that matter) I didn't do so well winterizing. I added a couple gallons to the fresh water tank, and ran the pump, opened the faucets for a few minutes. Then drained the low points.
Still froze my water filter and blew seal on hot water tank.
What is best practice and haw many gallons is sufficient?
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I installed two 2 way valves. One between the output line of the fresh water tank and the pump. The other on the water input line to the water heater.
When I want to winterize I connect 40 PSI shop air to the shore water connection and open up all faucets to blow out the lines and hot water tank. I drain both the water tank and the water heater and leave the valves open all winter.
Then I transfer both 2 way valves the other way to allow water and antifreeze to bypass the hot water tank and allow a different pick up port to the input of the pump. On that pickup port I stick a 1 gallon bottle of RV anti-freeze and turn the pump. I open each faucet and toilet and run them until pick antifreeze appears. Do not forget to run some through the shower head. That usually takes about 3 quarts. I take the last quart and pour it directly into the drains. The most important one is the floor drain in the shower.
It may sound complex but the whole process takes about 10 minutes. Most of that time is spent blowing out the lines.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Freeze warning [message #226584 is a reply to message #226524] |
Tue, 22 October 2013 11:49 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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this kit I believe is pretty necessary:
Water heater bypass kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-P23503VP-Gallon-By-Pass-Kit/dp/B00594A7LO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459768&sr=8-8&keywords=water+heater+by pass+kit
and
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36543-Pump-Converter-Winterizing/dp/B0006JJ588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459890&sr=8-1&keywords=rv+winterizin g+kit
and:
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36104-Marine-Plastic-Blow-Out/dp/B0006JLW3E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459957&sr=8-3&keywords=rv+air+blowout
Prior to winterizing, I really flush out the black tank, by running a hose down the toilet with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-0184VP-Master-Blaster-Tank/dp/B000BGHYDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382460341&sr=8-1&keywords=rv+waste+tan k+wand
and I drop the air in the bags, to make sure I have black tank drained well.
like was stated:
1. open up drain on water heater
2. hook blow out to city inlet
3. put no more then 40 psi of air to that inlet
4. open up all the lines as long as needed to have water blow out(kit sink, bathroom sink, flush toilet, shower)
6.check to make sure water heater is done draining. mine takes a while.
5. shut down air
6. flip inlet of water pump(kit), to pump in pink RV antifreeze.
7. hit pump switch a little bit. make sure pink comes out water heater drain
8. flip valves on water heater bypass turn on pump swith
9. open up each water valve, until pink comes out.(hot/cold on faucets, flush toilet and run shower head)
10. put pink down the shower trap.
Lastly,
I run the macerator into a bucket. get some pink stuff out. then I personally prefer to put 1/2 gallon of some of my used antifreeze I have around down the toilet. and I run the macerator till I get some good green out of that.
How I did it last weekend. I also moved my kerig into the house and rebaited my mouse traps.
takes me 1.5 gallons of the pink, and 1/2 gallon of mixed green antifreeze. because I do use extra.
but my GMC will also be outside in -30 weather this winter. 3 winters now, no problems.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: Freeze warning [message #226615 is a reply to message #226584] |
Tue, 22 October 2013 16:53 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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| lqqkatjon wrote on Tue, 22 October 2013 11:49 |
this kit I believe is pretty necessary:
Water heater bypass kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-P23503VP-Gallon-By-Pass-Kit/dp/B00594A7LO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459768&sr=8-8&keywords=water+heater+by pass+kit
and
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36543-Pump-Converter-Winterizing/dp/B0006JJ588/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459890&sr=8-1&keywords=rv+winterizin g+kit
and:
http://www.amazon.com/Camco-36104-Marine-Plastic-Blow-Out/dp/B0006JLW3E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382459957&sr=8-3&keywords=rv+air+blowout
Prior to winterizing, I really flush out the black tank, by running a hose down the toilet with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Valterra-A01-0184VP-Master-Blaster-Tank/dp/B000BGHYDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382460341&sr=8-1&keywords=rv+waste+tan k+wand
and I drop the air in the bags, to make sure I have black tank drained well.
like was stated:
1. open up drain on water heater
2. hook blow out to city inlet
3. put no more then 40 psi of air to that inlet
4. open up all the lines as long as needed to have water blow out(kit sink, bathroom sink, flush toilet, shower)
6.check to make sure water heater is done draining. mine takes a while.
5. shut down air
6. flip inlet of water pump(kit), to pump in pink RV antifreeze.
7. hit pump switch a little bit. make sure pink comes out water heater drain
8. flip valves on water heater bypass turn on pump swith
9. open up each water valve, until pink comes out.(hot/cold on faucets, flush toilet and run shower head)
10. put pink down the shower trap.
Lastly,
I run the macerator into a bucket. get some pink stuff out. then I personally prefer to put 1/2 gallon of some of my used antifreeze I have around down the toilet. and I run the macerator till I get some good green out of that.
How I did it last weekend. I also moved my kerig into the house and rebaited my mouse traps.
takes me 1.5 gallons of the pink, and 1/2 gallon of mixed green antifreeze. because I do use extra.
but my GMC will also be outside in -30 weather this winter. 3 winters now, no problems.
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This is essentially how I do mine but this is a much better write up. I suggest that you follow his suggestions instead of trying to decipher mine.
A suggestion someone had here last year was that after you have filled the complete system with antifreeze, blow it out a second time again forcing most of the anti freeze down the drains to the macerator. This leaves the system empty rather than full and leaves the blown out antifreeze available to run through the macerator. I think I'll do that this year.
One other thing I do is to initially blow mine out and drain it at home where I can park up hill. Then I drive the 11 miles to the airport with all drains, including the black tank, open. This allow any additional water to shake out of the system and down the drain. This probably not necessary but it is something I do.
TSC (Tractor Supply) right now has RV anti-freeze for $3.00 per gallon.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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