Camper OT

[504]

It is used as my bedroom when going to tractor shows. Now that the legal is out of the way, I need a link for a manual or just information on winterizing this thing. The company has been no help at all,"send us money and we will send you some information" I don t mind buying books, but I would expect to get one for my camper not one for all models they made. It is a Play-Mor
 

[retired farmer]

Nothing real complicated. Just drain your water tank, lines, and pump and toilet if you have one. Go to your RV store and get some antifreeze that they make special for your water system. DO NOT USE THE KIND THAT YOU PUT IN YOUR CAR!!! Pour it in your water tank and refill all your lines. Next year when you use it just flush it out and refill with clean water. Read the directions on the bottle. If you have a propane tank, turn it off. Set mouse traps for any mice that may wander in too.
 

[dpendzic]

you can winterize your water system with only 1 gallon of rv antifreeze--just disconnect your pump suction line from the fresh water tank and stick it into the gallon jug. Just run each faucet one at a time until antifreeze comes out.
 

[wd9garymn]

If you have a hot water heater, you should have a by-pass for it. before you add the rv antifreeze by-pass the heater and drain it COMPLETLY. Open the drain and open a hot water faucet to drain it--it may take quite some time. I leave my hot water heater drain open during winter storage.
 

[Dusty MI]

You can get a kit that you tee into the line with a selector valve between the fresh water tank and water pump, that includes a dip/suction line that you put into the jug of antifreeze.

Also add some antifreeze to you sink traps.

Dusty
 

[DownSouth]

When we lived where it get's cold and would freeze some I simply blew out the lines including the hot water heater. In the bathroom sink, tub and kitchen sink and toilet we poured a little bit of auto antifreeze. Never had a problem. Had an old RV built in the 60's and it had copper lines, had one line break one year under the bed. At the time I only ever drained the lines, never blew them out. Learned my lesson. Here at the tip of Texas I don't worry about it but will occasionally set a small electric heater inside if they say it's going to really get cold for over a day.
 

[jackinok]

like the others say,but dont forget to either drain the shower riser,or run antifreeze through it also.
 

[Mike (WA)]

I used the RV antifreeze method a few times, but it was hard to get it all out in the spring. Now have a fitting for the water inlet with a valve stem built in, so I can blow out the lines. I wrote up a list of instructions from what the local RV repair guy told me- will try to remember to bring it and post tomorrow.
 

[swines]

This is what I've been doing for over 20 years...

1. Drain all of the water out of the water tank and drain the hot water heater.

2. Turn on faucets until all water is out of the lines using the water tank pump until the water "spits' intermittently. You have to be careful as the water pump uses the water to keep it cooled so you can't pump for an extended length of time.

3. Attach adapter to the water hose connection to blow out the water lines with air.

4. Have an assistant keep the air on the system and open the fixture furthest from the water tank. When that line is empty and only air is coming out, open the remainder of the fixtures working back towards the tank location. Blow out all of the faucets / toilet / shower until only air comes out of the fixtures.

5. Leave fixtures "open."

6. Pour RV antifreeze into drains so they don't freeze.

If you want to put RV antifreeze into the waterlines in the water system, you can do that. However, I have found it unecessary if you're careful to get all of the water out of the fixtures and leave them open. This includes the flush lever on the toilet - I keep it open with a bungee.

The problem with antifreeze in the water system is that if you get it into the hot water heater you will have to thoroughly flush the hot water heater before use. If you don't....well, let's say the odor from the heated antifreeze has to be experienced to be fully understood.

The best way to put antifreeze into the system is to have a bypass valve at the water pump between the water tank and the pump. In one valve orientation the inlet side of the pump should be pumping water from the tank. In the second orientation, there should be a short pickup tube you can put into a gallon of RV antifreeze. This will put antifreeze into the water lines between the pump and the water fixtures.

Open the furthest fixture from the pump first until antifreeze comes out, repeat with the remainder of the fixtures including the toilet.

To drain out the antifreeze - repeat the same thing you did with the antifreeze at the pump -only using water. This will force out the antifreeze, including what is in the pump.

Connect a hose to the water inlet and run more water through the system. If you want to use the water tank, fill the tank and put in water tank freshner.
 

[Todd Hovick]

We winteized many boats, one lady chose to put her boat in the water without bringing it to the shop, (her friends) put all the plugs back in. She made her husband the worst cup of coffee ever...LOL
 

[hintocw]

Why do most people insist calling a water heater a "hot water heater"? Cold water is heated to make it hot, unless there is residual heated water still in the unit from previous heating.
 

[jammison]

[swines]

[Switchflicker]

I do pretty much the same as Swines discribed, except I use the output of an old vacuum cleaner to blow the air up through the lines. That way I get lots of volume with not too much pressure. Too much pressure does bad things to RV water lines. I haven't use RV antifreeze in the fresh water lines ever, but I always put a cup full in each Trap. My RV is parked in sub zero temps for about 8 months of the year. Never had a problen (yet)
If you choose to do the RV antifreese in the water line thing, make sure you get the odor free RV antifreeze. The other stuff does stink forever!!