Winterizing RV ?.

[shadow]

Once I get my rv home, I need to winterize it. I bought a winterizing kit and one gallon of rv antifreeze on ebay. 
Is one gallon enough ?. In my rv I just have the kitchen sink, shower, bathroom sink, and toilet.

This is probably a stupid question, but this is my first rv, and first time doing anything like this.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

It is easy to find, even Walmart sells the pink stuff.  Its cheap so be liberal with it.  A gallon is probably not enough.

 -- Spiff

 

[jimindenver]

I agree especially for the first time. What you don't use on the lines goes in the traps and waste tanks. I am curious about the kit you got. I have a hand pump but it requires someone inside working the faucets.

 

[shadow]

The winterizing kit I bought has a brass T valve that screws on to the water pump, the line from the water tank screws on to the other side, and the third connection is for the tube that goes in to the antifreeze bottle.

You just turn the valve and it switches from the tank to the antifreeze bottle opening, and the pump draws the antifreeze from the bottle into
the water system, so the water pump is doing the work.

If you look on ebay for rv winterizing kit you should be able to find it.

Also, I buy most of my stuff on line, the nearest Walmart, Home Depot, or Costco is 80 miles from me.
I live in a small farm town in Idaho.

 

[Almost There]

Your closest hardware store will more than likely carry it. You might even try the local feed store. In small towns they seem to carry a bit of everything!

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Search on Youtube for "How to winterize my RV".  You'll find numerous how-to videos showing how to winterize Class As, Class Cs, Travel Trailers, etc.

Also videos on how to DE-winterize in the spring . . .

 

[poncho62]

Do you have a water heater? If so, you need to drain and bypass it. The YouTube vids should show you that.

 

[shadow]

I do have a water heater, BUT, the previous owner forgot to drain it and the tank split. Its one of the things I have to
fix or replace.

 

[JT646]

I've never liked adding chemicals to the potable water tank--and only use the 'pink stuff' in waste tanks and traps.

 What I do:

Drain all tanks--including water heater tank,  blow out all PW lines at low pressure (~30psi) and  remove the water pump inlet filter/cover.  So far no issues (+15 years) with below freezing winter weather.

 

[StarEcho]

Shadow, I use the same winterizing kit and it works very well.  1 gallon is barely enough.  I usually use that plus a bit more.  But that doesn't really go to waste for me because I usually winterize before heading north and if I need to use the toilet I just add more pink stuff/use it to rinse.  Obviously I empty the tanks again and add more pink stuff when I store it. #Jt646, if you put the winterizing kit where Shadow explained, between the fresh water tank and the pump, then the pump either draws from the fresh water tank OR the line that is put in the pink stuff.  so the antifreeze never touches the fresh water tank, only all the lines and the waste tanks.  You can do it all from inside, so you can set it all up with the switch to the antifreeze bottle and the line in the bottle, then make sure your hot water bypass is in place, be sure to empty the hot water tank before hand.  Then when all that is done, just turn on the pump and open the faucets one by one until you see pink stuff run out, turn it off and open the next faucet and so on, to include flushing the toilet and running the shower.  And any outside shower if you have it.

 

[shadow]

I did order another gallon of the pink stuff, so I will have two gallons to work with.
This is all new to me, so I am learning as I go.

 

[ArtW]

this thread is turning me against 'normal' RVs
LOL

 

[highdesertranger]

"how to winterize a RV", follow the geese. go south. highdesertranger

 

[jimindenver]

There is another form of winterizing called blowing it out. You get a adapter for the city water fill and used compressed air to blow out the lines. Many will fill up the system for a short run in the winter and blow it out a day or so later, much easier than the pink stuff.

 

[jimindenver]

and what has me worried is getting my rig unwinterized and sanitized in the dead of winter.

 

[shadow]

and what has me worried is getting my rig unwinterized and sanitized in the dead of winter.

Why would you want to unwinterize your rig in the dead of winter ?.

 

[jimindenver]

That is when I am suppose to go full time.

 

[poncho62]

You drive it to where its warmer and unwinterize it there. Thats what we Canadian snowbirds do. You are heading for warmer temps, right?