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New User
Posts: 4
| We recently just bought our first LQ trailer and I have a few questions regarding winterizing, Where does all the pink antifreeze need to go, and do I need to put it in my fresh water tank? How much antifreeze will I need to get the job done? If I need to use the trailer again in late January, do I just flush out all of the antifreeze and use the trailer, and then when I get home, put antifreeze back in? I am totally stumped when it comes to the water heater, how am I sure that I have gotten every bit of water out of it? Thanks guys! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 690
  
Location: missouri | I think we use an air compressor to blow out all the water via the holding tanks? then we put the RV antifreeze down the drains and toilet... except last year when we accidentally let the toilet freeze and had to replace a part.... Most winters we just keep it plugged in with a small thermostatically controlled space heater. |
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Regular
Posts: 92
Location: iowa | Somewhere close to your fresh water holding tank should be a piece of hose which looks like it goes basically to nothing, this hose goes into the antifreeze bottle, close off the water access to the fresh water tank, turn on the faucets and the pump should suck the antifreeze throughout the water pipes in the LQ.
I run mine into sink, shower, toilet.
Water heater should have a plug someplace close to the bottom, looks like a big bolt head, unscrew and the water should pour out if any is left. wear gloves while loosening this, I didnot once, slipped and cut my finger deep on sharp metal edgeing.
Yes if you use it during January just put water in tank and go, antifreeze will flush out as you use faucets, will need to run a bit first.
Remember to close off fresh water tank and water heater before running antifreeze through system.
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Veteran
Posts: 188
Location: Ingalls, Ks | If you can access electricity just plug it in and buy one of those small "milkhouse" or room style heaters. Just make sure you leave the bathroom door open, open all the water valves and don't leave the pump on. We use our trailer all winter and never have had a problem. The water heater probably has a drain on it which needs to be taken out occasionally anyway. It has a sacrificial rod on it that needs to be replaced depending on the condition of the water you've been putting through it. You'll know what I'm talking about once you pull it. Hope that helps. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | The water heater holds at least five or six gallons of water. Most are equipped with a by pass valve that prevents water from entering the heater. When you purge your system, you will want this valve closed, to prevent the antifreeze from entering the heater. Accessible on the outside of the heater, depending on the brand, will be either a drain plug or a sacrificial anode rod. They will have to be removed to drain the tank. After you drain your fresh water tank, there are two ways to circulate the anti freeze. One uses a hose as previously described to suck the antifreeze from the gallon container. If your system doesn't have this adapter, you only have to install enough antifreeze in your fresh water tank, so that the water pump can circulate it through out your system. When each faucet and toilet has pink coming out under pressure, your pressure system is purged. Dumping some anti freeze in each drain trap and toilet will complete the water system winterization. Depending solely on an electric space heater can be tricky in areas that have a known history of power outages. If the plumbing under your flooring freezes, you will have extensive and expensive repairs to effect. Gard |
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Veteran
Posts: 105
Location: Illinois | Gard gives good advice, as usual and I pretty much do the same. Been advised not to put antifreeze on the hot water heater, it's a waste and might be a little hard to get out. Bought a 6inch nipple and an elbow remove the anode rod from the heater and quickly install the nipple this allows the water to floe outside the trailer. Go inside the trailer and disconnect the inlet line to the water heaterthis will allow the water to flow more freely. I will run the trailer tires on two 2 inch boards so the outlet from the fresh water tank is low and pump /drain the fresh water tank. Probably wom't get all the waterout, I don't, but have not had a problem. Make sure you clos off the water heater. And the open the by pass line for your water heater. Then start pumping the anti freeze thru your system. I start with the sink in the "kitchen" pumping the anti freeze thru BOTH the hot and cold lines then proceed to the bathroom area flushing antifreeze thru the sink and shower and finally the stool. When I picked up the trailer the fellow said we could get by with one gallon of antifreeze. Antifreeze is cheap so, I will use about three gallons. Put a little in each trap as someone has mentioned. I always leave the valves open. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 114
| Don't forget that if you have an outside faucet to run anti-freeze thru it too! try to avoid getting antifreeze in your fresh water tank, It is very hard to get all of out. Your water pump has a disconnect fitting that you can undo, stick a hose on the intake of the pump and the other down in the bottle of antifreeze. It will pump it througout the water lines. I got a piece of clear tubing from Lowes and it worked just fine. It only takes a little over a gallon to go thru the shower, toliet, sink lines and out side spigot. Years ago I forgot to do the toliet and we had to buy the whole toliet!!! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | What order you flush the antifreeze through will depend on which direction your water lines go. Mine runs from the pump to the toilet, bathroom sink, shower, kitchen sink then outside valve. That is the order I flush them in. Takes about three gallons. DO NOT go through the water heater, antifreeze can damage the water heater lining. After draining the water heater, leave the plug in loose for any possible excess drainage. Good idea to leave the valves open to allow for any expansion. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 330
Location: northeast Texas | We have our first LQ and reading this you guys have me terrified of winterizing ! We live in northeast Texas though where winters are usually mild and we have very little heavy freezes, although not unheard of. I noticed many of you live up north. We can and do normally ride all winter. My friend down the road keeps their heating unit on all winter just with the thermostat set high enough to keep it from freezing. My trailer has both a thermostatically controlled electric heat pump and a propane furnace, all ducted. If the elec goes out mine automatically lights the furnace and switches over. So I supposed since I will likely be still using the trailer, I can just leave the heating set. If we have terrible weather its usually just January and February so maybe by then I will have played with the trailer enough to figure all this winterizing and draining out. HAHA |
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Veteran
Posts: 188
Location: Ingalls, Ks | I keep my generator full of gas and my propane bottles full just in case my house electricity goes out. Works twofold, gives me a place to keep warm if the electricity goes out and gives me time to drain the trailer if we figure out it's going to be days and not hours before the power comes back on. We don't have terrible winters here but it does get fairly cold at times. Its a whole lot easier to live out a power outage in the trailer as long as it doesn't last too long. So far that and my milkhouse heater have worked out very well. |
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Regular
Posts: 74
Location: NW | Someone mentioned the antifreeze will harm the hot water heater: the Silverlite I have has NO access to the back of the water heater, no bypass like my 4 Star had. It also does not have the anode rod. When I talked to them @ Silverlite, they said the water system didn't need to be flushed, just drain w/the low drain below it. (I do not have access to blow lines out). Well, I am not comfortable w/that - there are lines going past that to the toilet & shower. So in the past, I have pumped some antifreeze thru the whole system - including the hot water heater since I can't bypass it - run it thru all the faucets & then then drain the hot water heater via the plug, plus open those low drains. Is the antifreeze still going to possibly ruin my hot water heater doing it this way? Trailer is a 2000, I've had it since '02 so I know the older it gets, the bigger chances of the hot water heater taking a dump anyway.  |
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Regular
Posts: 74
Location: NW | No one has any insight on this? |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by Rockyroad on 2009-10-03 10:35 AM
Someone mentioned the antifreeze will harm the hot water heater: the Silverlite I have has NO bypass like my 4 Star had. It also does not have the anode rod. I have pumped some antifreeze thru the whole system - including the hot water heater since I can't bypass it - run it thru all the faucets & then drain the hot water heater via the plug, plus open those low drains. Is the antifreeze still going to possibly ruin my hot water heater doing it this way? I've not heard about the damage antifreeze will cause a hot water heater. I've been winterizing many different systems using the RV antifreeze, and have never experienced a failure with its usage. My first impression of your situation, is that you should purchase and install a hot water heater bypass valve system. At the minimum, you will need an additional six gallons of antifreeze with every system flush. One heater fill up will cost about the same as a bypass kit, and every year there after will be a profit. You didn't mention if you had the pump hose adaptor, to pull fluid directly from the gal container. The first thing you have to do is drain the water from both your fresh water tank and the hot water tank. Since you don't have the anode rod, your Atwood heater will have a plastic drain plug which has to be removed to drain the tank. Once the water is out of both tanks, and you reinstalled the plug, you will pour in aprox nine (9) gallons of antifreeze into the fresh water tank, if you're not using the adapter. If you are, you will need aprox 7 gallons of fluid. For several minutes, the pump will first fill the hot water heater. When it is full and the pump has provided system pressure, you do the routine of opening all the faucets, valves, shower head, spigots, toilet etc, until you see pink constantly flowing at each point. It won't matter what order it is completed, as long as each point has the antifreeze. All of the traps have to have some antifreeze installed, and a gallon added to the holding tanks after they are drained. Do you not have a city water connection? For ~$3, you can purchase an adaptor that screws into the fill point and allows the system to be purged by air. This is far less expensive than using antifreeze, especially if you plan to often use the trailer during the cold months, and repetitive purgings are necessary. I have left antifreeze in my hot water systems before they had bypass valves, with no difficulties. I may have been fortunate or it may be a non issue. I don't know. We purge marine craft the same way, IE antifreeze or air, and again, have encountered no problems with either type of service. It very well may be a problem with the antifreeze, if it were still in the hot water tank, when the heater was turned on. Obviously the tank and entire water system, should be first flushed with potable water, before the heater is used. Gard
Edited by gard 2009-10-05 10:41 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
| If I blow out the lines via the city water connection, will my pump still have water that will freeze and damage it?? |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 662
Location: Vanzant, Missouri | Gard I did the entire system as you just said. I have the bypass on it but didn't know enough about it to bypass it.So I figured I'd be safe putting antifreeze in the water tank and purging it through the system until I saw pink coming out every faucet. No problems this spring except for the smell of the anitfreeze coming out of the faucets. I have used vinegar and some bleach to get rid of the smell. It has helped but not totally gone. Have you had this problem if so how did you correct it..I don't use the on board tank for anything other than showers, I carry drinking water...I used the rv type pink stuff. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by mingiz on 2009-10-06 7:01 AM
Gard I did the entire system as you just said. No problems this spring except for the smell of the anitfreeze coming out of the faucets. I have used vinegar and some bleach to get rid of the smell. It has helped but not totally gone. Have you had this problem if so how did you correct it In the spring I flush my water systems with common bleach and water, and then flush that with water. I end up with a slightly medicinal taste for a tank or two. We use our potable water for drinking and have had no problems as a result. I don't know the particular brands, but there are specific flushes available, that will decontaminate a water system. They are available on the Internet. I don't know if they rid the water of the bleach taste. You may use them instead of the bleach. BOL Gard |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by rockyrider on 2009-10-06 2:37 AM
If I blow out the lines via the city water connection, will my pump still have water that will freeze and damage it?? Most systems have a "tee" installed in the supply side of the water system, that allows the water system to be pressurised from two different sources; city water supply or the on board pump. Many of the plumbing systems route the city water through the pump's valve body and pump to the common water system. The pumps often have internal check valves that prevent a reverse pressure flow. These will be opened and purged, as the flow is in the direction of the system, not back through the pump inlet to the supply. By applying a constant air source to the city connection, the water will be purged from the complete system, when each water valve is opened. When no more water exits a spigot or shower head, the entire line from the city connector to that point is now clear of water. By cycling through all the valves a second or third time, you will ensure that all the lines are clear. You will still need to add antifreeze to the traps and holding tank. My boss made a second adapter that could be placed over a sink or shower drain, that would allow air pressure to purge the traps. However, other than sound, there was no way to visually identify that all the water was removed. We never had a call back, but I prefer using antifreeze for this usage. When aircraft are stored overnight, outside in freezing weather, the water systems have to be purged. Air is used for this servicing, and the holding and supply tanks are drained. This type of servicing has been successfully accomplished for decades. A ruptured water line on an aircraft is a very expensive repair with long, out of service, down times. You definitely don't want to be the responsible mechanic, that did a poor job purging the system. Gard
Edited by gard 2009-10-06 9:49 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 662
Location: Vanzant, Missouri | How much bleach did you use? I have a 20 gal. tank. I could deal with bleach taste than this stinking pink stuff. I should sit down and learn how to by pass the tank. But this way is a lot easier and I know it's through all the lines. But that damn smell... |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by mingiz on 2009-10-06 10:08 PM How much bleach did you use? I have a 20 gal. tank. I could deal with bleach taste than this stinking pink stuff. I should sit down and learn how to by pass the tank. But this way is a lot easier and I know it's through all the lines. But that damn smell... With a 20 gal tank, mix a little over a quarter cup of bleach with water into a gallon water jug. Pour the contents into your water tank and then top it off with water. Run your pump until you can smell the bleach at every valve. Turn off the pump and let things set for a few hours, or overnight if possible. Drain the system, refill with fresh water and run the valves until the chlorine smell dissipates. Drain and refill the tank again and you should be good to go. Learning how to use the heater by pass valves is quite easy. Some systems use one, some have two. It only takes seconds to effect the change, and will save you the cost of at least six gallons of antifreeze every year. Most systems can be figured out just by visually looking at the plumbing around the tank, and seeing where the lines are routed. If this fails, a trip to any RV dealer can usually result in learning the correct valve placements, with the help of a knowledgeable mechanic. Gard
Edited by gard 2009-10-06 10:34 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 662
Location: Vanzant, Missouri | Thanks Again Gard  |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by rockyrider on 2009-10-06 2:37 AM
If I blow out the lines via the city water connection, will my pump still have water that will freeze and damage it?? I only answered half of this question with my previous posting. My answer was for a water system that was plumbed with the city water and pump supply combined before the pump. If your pump is fed directly from the water tank and the city connection is combined in a "tee" after the pump, blowing air through the city connection will NOT purge the pump along with the system. To purge the pump with air is simple if you have the antifreeze winterization adaptor installed. After the water tank is drained, and you have purged the system with air, turn the diverter valve on the adapter to the flexible hose port, which will block the tank supply hose. Close all the water valves except the one in your LQ closest to the pump. With a blow gun attachment on your air hose, insert the tip into the anti freeze hose and push the button. Water will eventually flow from the faucet you left open. When it stops, the water in the pump has been purged. If you again hook the air hose to your city connection and sequentially open the interior valves, you will ensure any remaining water is eliminated. Sorry I didn't include this in my previous post. Gard |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
| I'll have to look to see if my city connection runs thru the pump. I DO NOt have the tube to siphon the anti-freeze out of jug. I always add it to fresh water tank and run pump until all lines run pink. How suspectable is the hot water tank to freezeing? It's going to get into the high 20's here over the weekend. My fresh water tank is empty and I was going to open cabinet doors and use a ceramic heater. Will the hot water tank be effected from the outside?? The inside should be OK with the heater running, plus it has styrofoam insulation. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by rockyrider on 2009-10-08 2:38 AM I'll have to look to see if my city connection runs thru the pump. I DO NOt have the tube to siphon the anti-freeze out of jug. I always add it to fresh water tank and run pump until all lines run pink. You can't go wrong with that system How suspectable is the hot water tank to freezeing? It's going to get into the high 20's here over the weekend. My fresh water tank is empty and I was going to open cabinet doors and use a ceramic heater. Will the hot water tank be effected from the outside?? The inside should be OK with the heater running, plus it has styrofoam insulation. The tank is VERY sensitive to outside temperature changes. While the tank is insulated, the air space around the tank is directly vented to the outside. If a tank full of water freezes, it will split and fail. The cost of a having a replacement heater installed is significant. Turning a valve, and unscrewing a plastic plug will prevent this from happening. Gard |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
| What is max PSIG when blowing lines out via city water connection? |
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Regular
Posts: 56
| today i was thinking about coming on here and asking the same question. i have been paying the RV center $85.00 to winterize my sundowner the last two years. i have a cowboy shower, no toilet. it usually takes them 15 minutes to winterize, but now i think i can do it myself. let me see if i get this correct. i want to pull the plug in the hot water heater and let it drain. put the plug back in and do NOT light the hot water heater during this process. i can dump 4 gallons of the pink RV anitfreeze into the water tank, turn on all faucets, and pump it thru the system till i see pink out of all faucets. turn off pump, leave all faucets open for the winter. i asked the RV dealer if it hurt the hot water heater to have the antifreeze in it and he said no. thanks. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | Originally written by rockyrider on 2009-10-12 3:25 AM
What is max PSIG when blowing lines out via city water connection? 25-30 PSI Gard |
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Regular
Posts: 56
| Originally written by okie ann on 2009-10-13 6:23 PM today i was thinking about coming on here and asking the same question. i have been paying the RV center $85.00 to winterize my sundowner the last two years. i have a cowboy shower, no toilet. it usually takes them 15 minutes to winterize, but now i think i can do it myself. let me see if i get this correct. i want to pull the plug in the hot water heater and let it drain. put the plug back in and do NOT light the hot water heater during this process. i can dump 4 gallons of the pink RV anitfreeze into the water tank, turn on all faucets, and pump it thru the system till i see pink out of all faucets. turn off pump, leave all faucets open for the winter. i asked the RV dealer if it hurt the hot water heater to have the antifreeze in it and he said no. thanks. bump |
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Regular
Posts: 92
Location: iowa | I would look to see if you have and extra little stub of a hose coming out of the water tank and insert that into the 1 gallon bottle of antifreeze instead of dumping antifreeze into your fresh water tank. Turn on the pump and it will suck the antifreeze out when the faucet is also on. Otherwise come spring you better hope all the antifreeze is flushed out of the tank, unless you don't drink it??
Just what works for me, easy and less than 30 min. |
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New User
Posts: 2
Location: ne | When Jim winterizes ours he lets the pump run (we have an outside drain valve) until all pump runs out of water. He then hooks an air compressor up to one of the hoses (one that is for this) and blows out all the water in the lines. there is usually a little bit of freshwater left in the bottom of that tank but it isn't a big deal if 1/4 inch or so freezes because it doesn't hurt the tank....
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 316
Location: Illinois | I'd buy two gallons of the RV anti freeze, just to be sure you have enough. If you only use one, you have one on stand by for after your winter trip.The water heater has a release valve. You should be able to see it when you drop the outside panel. You will want to do this when the heater is off and the water is cool, as escaping steam could hurt. The instructions with my camper (I have a Lance camper for the back of my pickup, not a living quarter horse trailer, but I'd think the principle is the same) says to leave the valve open. Not sure if that is necessary, but who am I to argue. Anyway, look under your sink and if you are lucky you will have a couple of valves that say Winterize on them. If not, look for valves that can be shut off to your water tank and the water heater. Closing them will keep the RV anti freeze from getting into the tanks which you will want to be as empty as possible. Water expands when it freezes. Then like someone else said there should be a hose under the sink that you stick the anti freeze in, turn on the pump open faucets, flush toilet, shower, until antifreeze flows out. Close the faucets, etc. You'll want some in the traps and a little in the holding tanks is OK too.The only reason you really don't want to get the RV antifreeze into your water tank and your water heater is it will take a lot more effort to flush those tanks out. It may be non toxic, but chances are you don't want to be drinking, washing dishes or showering in any more of it then you have to anyway. Otherwise, it doesn't take much to flush out the rest of the plumbing system. Which you will want to do before reopening the valves to the tanks when you dewinterize it.I was a bit nervous the first time doing this, but once done all I could think was, that was easy. |
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Regular
Posts: 56
| Originally written by Yvette on 2009-10-18 11:33 AM
I'd buy two gallons of the RV anti freeze, just to be sure you have enough. If you only use one, you have one on stand by for after your winter trip.The water heater has a release valve. You should be able to see it when you drop the outside panel. You will want to do this when the heater is off and the water is cool, as escaping steam could hurt. The instructions with my camper (I have a Lance camper for the back of my pickup, not a living quarter horse trailer, but I'd think the principle is the same) says to leave the valve open. Not sure if that is necessary, but who am I to argue. Anyway, look under your sink and if you are lucky you will have a couple of valves that say Winterize on them. If not, look for valves that can be shut off to your water tank and the water heater. Closing them will keep the RV anti freeze from getting into the tanks which you will want to be as empty as possible. Water expands when it freezes. Then like someone else said there should be a hose under the sink that you stick the anti freeze in, turn on the pump open faucets, flush toilet, shower, until antifreeze flows out. Close the faucets, etc. You'll want some in the traps and a little in the holding tanks is OK too.The only reason you really don't want to get the RV antifreeze into your water tank and your water heater is it will take a lot more effort to flush those tanks out. It may be non toxic, but chances are you don't want to be drinking, washing dishes or showering in any more of it then you have to anyway. Otherwise, it doesn't take much to flush out the rest of the plumbing system. Which you will want to do before reopening the valves to the tanks when you dewinterize it.I was a bit nervous the first time doing this, but once done all I could think was, that was easy. are you saying to leave the release valve open when running the antifreeze thru the system and leaving it open all winter? or closing the release valve after i am done winterizing? |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | The "release" valve, the T & P valve, can be used to release pressure in the tank before you pull the drain plug. This prevents pressure in the tank from blowing hot water on your hands when the drain plug is removed. By leaving the valve open while the tank is being drained, air will enter the top, and the tank will drain faster. You can effect the same pressure reduction, by simply turning off the water pump and opening a hot water faucet Because your hot water tank bypass valves are closed to the tank, the T & P valve will have no affect on the purging of the water system, while installing the antifreeze. Gard
Edited by gard 2009-10-20 9:53 AM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | Gard- Used your method to blow out my lines yesterday. Seemed fairly easy, compared to putting in anti-freeze. Only question is, do you open both valves on a faucet while purging, or just the hot and then the cold? Have to say it is a two person operation, wife in the trailer and me outside with the air hose. And just to clarify, you said the pump would purge itself? I have the "T" after the pump. Thanks in advance! |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | It's easier to maintain the air pressure if one valve is opened at a time. The end results have to be the same; air flow only without any fluid being presented. The pump cannot purge itself if the "T" is after the pump. The pump has an internal check valve that prevents any fluid from being forced backwards through the pump body. The easiest way is to use the antifreeze adapter on the pump's inlet. Apply air pressure from an air nozzle on the open tube, and the air will force any fluid through the pump to your water system. For a couple of dollars, an air adapter can be purchased that allows an air hose to screw into your shore water supply. This then allows one person to do the winterizing. Glad it worked out for you. It's a simple and inexpensive way to purge the system. In the spring you don't have to flush antifreeze. Gard |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 714
Location: Minnesota | Another question. A friend said there was another valve in the toilet that didn't always open when you held the flush pedal down, and his froze and broke the toilet. Any knowledge about this? Thanks in advance! |
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Winterizing! help!
