Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-29-2007, 10:00 AM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
Smile Winterizing the Classic!

Folks, We are soon approaching that time of year. I was reading over the threads on winterizing in that forum and found some really good ones on that subject matter. However, I didn't find any particularly on the 345. Would it be basically the same for the classics as in the travel trailers?
This will be my first attempt at Winterizing. I have experience with Winterizing an inground pool and know a little about that and have read over the posts on this subject matter. I was wondering if any of you with experience on this issue would like to advise on this. It would be truely awesome if someone could take some pics on the process. Particulary on where the drain on the water tank is. And the drain valves at the rear of the coach. If nobody is willing to jump on this, than I may try to take this project on myself. Thanks in advance!
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2007, 12:22 PM   #2
4 Rivet Member
 
Robfike's Avatar
 
2012 31' Classic
1999 36' Land Yacht Widebody
Andalusia , Alabama
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 476
Winterizing the 345 is just like anything else. If you have the normal rear queen floor plan, there are three drain valves in the area of the pump. There is a section of wood that pulls up in the street side rear corner under the matress for access. Drain those first, and close.
Then use some compressed air and blow out the shore water hose.
I have the waterheater bypass, so I just go to bypass, and drain the hot tank.
I then take the intake hose loose from the fresh tank, and put it in a jug of RV antifreeze. My wife runs the pump, and we pump the stuff so it comes out of each faucet, and the toilet. I think it usually takes about 3-4 gallons.
I then pour some down each drain, and the toilet. This protects the drain traps.
No one told me in the beginning that the antifreeze would screw up the plastic of the bathroom sink and shower floor. So be sure to wipe any up that is left on these surfaces.
Hope this helps, Rob
Robfike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2007, 08:43 PM   #3
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
Thanks Rob, I will look to see if mine has the bypass on the Water heater installed by the PO. If not I would like to install one. Did you plumb yours in yourself? I have already got 7 gallons of the antifreeze onhand. The intake hose from the fresh tank that you are referring to is located underneath the coach, right? I have read some mixed comments on whether or not to put the antifreeze in the fresh tank. Is this advisable? Also, when do you usually winterize your coach? Here in southeastern Kentucky we have already dropped down into the low 30's this week. I sure don't want to mess up and let my pipes burst or mess up my water heater.
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-30-2007, 10:05 PM   #4
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
I just wanted to add that there is a water filter in my closet that I need to winterize and the hot water dispenser that is located at the kitchen sink. Then, there is a hand sprayer at the kitchen sink and one that is located in the bathroom behind the commode.
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 08:13 AM   #5
Rivet Master
 
Chaplain Kent's Avatar
 
1994 30' Excella
Currently Looking...
Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,935
I remove my water filters and hand sprayers, an easy job. Next is to carefully check all closets and cabinets for anything which can freeze. A can of soda or cleaning supplies will be a mess come next spring. We use out motor home all winter so I do not fill the lines with anti-freeze but do have a tool I made to blow the water lines clear of water with my air compressor. I also have a by-pass for the water heater and will drain it and not use it during the winter time. Make sure you drain yours.
__________________
Chaplain Kent
Forest River Forester 2501TS
Chaplain Kent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 11:35 AM   #6
3 Rivet Member
 
1982 28' Airstream 280
Norfolk , Virginia
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 135
JaG,

You can buy a screw-in plug that replaces the fresh water hose. It has a schrader-like valve without the core. You hook up your compressor with a tire chuck. I would get one that will attach to the valve so you don't have to hold it on. Make sure your pressure is dialed down. Then go around and open all spigots, shower heads, etc. Don't forget to open up the ice maker as well if you have one. Take out the water purifier filter(s). Open up the water heater drain (if you don't have a bypass) and let it blow out air/water for a while.

Any RV store should have one of the plugs.

Follow that up with the RV antifreeze in the traps.

Steve
Geophilist is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 11:41 AM   #7
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
Chap, so what you are saying is that I could still use my MoHo this winter, but would have to blow out the water lines after each use, right? What about getting all the water out of the tanks? Are they blowed out too? Sorry for sounding so ignorant, but that is what I am due to lack of experience.
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-31-2007, 12:03 PM   #8
4 Rivet Member
 
Robfike's Avatar
 
2012 31' Classic
1999 36' Land Yacht Widebody
Andalusia , Alabama
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 476
For the fresh tank, I just pump everything that will pump out. What remains has never been a problem. The black and gray, just dump everything that will come out.
The hose that comes from the fresh tank to the pump is located in the bay where the pump is. Under the bed, on the street side rear corner. There is just a hose clamp that holds the hose onto the fresh tank nipple.
Each year we have winterized at a different time. I just let the weather make the call. We like to use the coach as long as possible. If the temperature starts getting below 30, then it is time.
We go to Florida in late January & February. I allways have to rewinterize on the way home the last morning in Atlanta.
Hope this helps, Rob
Robfike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2007, 11:36 AM   #9
Rivet Master
 
Chaplain Kent's Avatar
 
1994 30' Excella
Currently Looking...
Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by jagcb750
Chap, so what you are saying is that I could still use my MoHo this winter, but would have to blow out the water lines after each use, right? What about getting all the water out of the tanks? Are they blowed out too? Sorry for sounding so ignorant, but that is what I am due to lack of experience.
What we do is fill the tank at home since water is hard to find on the road and a full tank is less likely to freeze than a partial tank. We do all of our normal camping except maybe we have to plow a little snow out of the way and on the last day I open the drain valve and will start draining on the way home. When I dump the tanks I will turn on the water and drain the rest into the tank. As soon as I get home I hook it up to my compressor and blow out all the water lines pour some anti-freeze into the traps, take out the water filter and spray hoses and we are ready for the next trip. It takes me about 20 minutes to get it ready for our winter weather. The hardest part is filling the tank in below zero weather from my garden hose.
__________________
Chaplain Kent
Forest River Forester 2501TS
Chaplain Kent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2007, 08:51 PM   #10
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
update

I attempted to winterize today and for the likes of me can not locate the hot water heater bypass. Here is a pic of the valves located under and to the right of my queen bed.

Click image for larger version

Name:	Picture 008.jpg
Views:	133
Size:	545.8 KB
ID:	48895
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2007, 08:55 PM   #11
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
I put 7 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank and turned the pump on and could not get any of it to pump. I am assuming that maybe all of it is going into the hot water tank, or that the pump may be air-locked, or perhaps 7 gallons is not enough fluid for the pump to work? Any thoughts on this? I guess that if it is going into the hot water heater than It should be able to be drained back out through the drain on the hot water heater?
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2007, 09:23 PM   #12
Rivet Master
 
TinShack's Avatar

 
2005 28' Safari S/O
Paradise , California
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,446
Images: 28
California Winterizing

I'm winterizing California style. I turned the heater on this morning ...Sorry! I couldn't resist a little gloating!
__________________
Steve
"THE OLDER I GET, THE BETTER I WAS"
TinShack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2007, 08:52 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
Chaplain Kent's Avatar
 
1994 30' Excella
Currently Looking...
Milwaukee , Wisconsin
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 1,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by jagcb750
I put 7 gallons of antifreeze in the fresh water tank and turned the pump on and could not get any of it to pump. I am assuming that maybe all of it is going into the hot water tank, or that the pump may be air-locked, or perhaps 7 gallons is not enough fluid for the pump to work? Any thoughts on this? I guess that if it is going into the hot water heater than It should be able to be drained back out through the drain on the hot water heater?
I would not have put the anti- freeze in the fresh water tank. You will need to thoroughly rinse this out before you drink any of the water from that tank and this will be a chore. The small amount of water that remains in the fresh water tank can freeze and cause no damage if it is drained completely. What you should have done is disconnected the inlet hose to your water pump and put that into a jug of anti- freeze. I have made a special hose out of aquarium parts. Those hoses and plastic fittings are the perfect size. You can then turn on the water pump and pump in a gallon at a time. I even have a on off valve on the aquarium tube to keep my siphon when I change the bottle of anti-freeze. Now I only do this when we have predicted weather of sub-zero, say like 20 or so below zero, otherwise I just depend on the pipes being blown clear of water with my air compressor as I have described above. The only anti-freeze I use is in the traps.
As for the by-pass to the water heater I am not sure about your model but I put mine right next to the water heater.
I wish I could send pictures but Chummy is in the shop right now getting some work done.
Kent
__________________
Chaplain Kent
Forest River Forester 2501TS
Chaplain Kent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2007, 09:44 AM   #14
3 Rivet Member
 
jagcb750's Avatar
 
1986 30' Airstream 300
B , Louisiana
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
@CA Streamer: Hey I appreciate a little harmless ribbing. I wish sometimes that our weather here was more like weather down south and out west, but I do appreciate a good snow every once in a while.

@ Chap: Yeah, I know I should have just took the hose clamp off of the hose coming off of the intake side of the pump. I just read somewhere on these forums that you could just put it in the tank. I'm sure glad that I don't drink from the system. When I bought Nancy, I was advised by the rv tech not to drink from the system. He said you never know what kind of water is available at many campsites and that bottled water is relatively inexpensive to buy for cooking and drinking. Besides it took me a good 2-3 weeks to get the foul oniony smell out of the system after I purchased it. It kinda turned me off from wanting to drink any water straight from the faucet. Now it looks like next spring I'm going to be trying to purge the antifreeze smell and taste for a month. go figure!

Anyway, I hope someone with the same water line configuration could let me know where my hot water tank bypass might be located.
jagcb750 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2007, 10:23 AM   #15
3 Rivet Member
 
myfirstrv's Avatar
 
2000 35' Land Yacht XL w/slide
Vermilion , Ohio
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 155
My hot water tank holds 6 gallons, I by passed it this year, I bought RV Education 101 DVD on winterizing and storing your RV, it shows how to hook up the by pass and what it looks like
This helped me more than the manuals, Got it at camping world might be able to get it at your local Library
Good luck Rob
myfirstrv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2007, 12:57 PM   #16
Rivet Master
 
enduroryda's Avatar
 
1994 21' Sovereign
Down on the corner... , CT
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 997
Images: 9
Here's a pic of my lines under the bed..not sure of your configuration but they are located right before the heater. I would just turn all your valves off...I can see a few that are still in the on position.

Also including a pic of the $1.50 hose and adapter I threw together for pumping in the antifreeze. I used about 4-5 gallons.
Attached Images
  
__________________
Ann & Eric
WBCCI 6274
TAC CT-4
NEU
enduroryda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-07-2007, 04:16 PM   #17
Rivet Master
 
RivetED's Avatar
 
2019 25' Flying Cloud
Airstream - Other
Airstream - Other
North Central Texas , USA
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,003
Winterize??

Quote:
Originally Posted by CA Streamer
I'm winterizing California style. I turned the heater on this morning ...Sorry! I couldn't resist a little gloating!
That's the same technique I use here in the Heart of Texas. Actually, I had a local propane expert, AKA Hank Hill, install a quick-connect "Tee" under the 'A' frame of the trailer and when the Airstream is under the RV port next to the house I hook it up to our main supply tank and never have to worry about it.
RivetED is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2007, 11:09 AM   #18
Rivet Master
 
JimGolden's Avatar
 
Vintage Kin Owner
1977 31' Excella 500
Berkeley Springs , West Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,637
Images: 7
Do you have to put antifreeze in blown out lines?

Guys,

If I blow out the lines with compressed air to where no more water is coming out of any of the faucets, do I really need to put antifreeze in the freshwater lines?

I got some of the nontoxic antifreeze at Camping World, but I am still not crazy at all about putting that into my freshwater supply.

Thanks,
__________________
- Jim
JimGolden is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2007, 12:10 PM   #19
Rivet Master
 
enduroryda's Avatar
 
1994 21' Sovereign
Down on the corner... , CT
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 997
Images: 9
I do to be safe....don't put any in your holding freshwater tank. There are several on here who do go that route but have heated tanks and still use them throughtout the winter season.

If you do decide not to run antifreeze through the system I would at least put a little in the traps. This is were I would expect water to collect and could be a problem. Also I put window goo goo juice in my loo to keep the seal moist.
__________________
Ann & Eric
WBCCI 6274
TAC CT-4
NEU
enduroryda is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2007, 04:44 PM   #20
Rivet Master
 
JimGolden's Avatar
 
Vintage Kin Owner
1977 31' Excella 500
Berkeley Springs , West Virginia
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,637
Images: 7
Well, I did completely drain out the gray and black tanks. I then poured a gallon of antifreeze into the toilet, save for about a quart I left in the bowl just to keep it moist, like you said. I also poured the other gallon into equal thirds into the traps of the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and bathtub. I figure the traps are now full of the antifreeze and I've got some laying in the pipes back to the drain valves.

On the supply side, I blew them all out with compressed air. I guess I could just unhook the supply pipe from the pump and stick that into the jug of antifreeze so that I get some in the freshwater lines and water heater without actually putting it in the tank. But I wasn't going to bother if I didn't need to.

My dad just blows out his lines and then pours antifreeze into the traps. That's all I was gonna do, but if you guys think I really should flood the supply lines, I'll figure it out and do it over the weekend. I've got a gallon left. That should do it all save for the hotwater heater.

Speaking of, I'm still trying to figure out how to drain it. Mine has what I think is the drain plug mounted low and to the left, but the propane line comes in right by it. So it looks like I have to unhook the propane line to get a wrench in there to pull the drain plug. It's a 1987 Atwood, I don't know the model. PO put a blow off type drain valve in it, but you can't open it for the propane line. Any advice?

Thanks,
__________________
- Jim
JimGolden is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What about de-winterizing cosmotini Our Community 14 12-29-2008 06:04 PM
Winterizing JWest Winterizing, Storage, Carports & Covers 8 11-04-2007 02:44 PM
winterizing twall7 Winter Living 4 09-22-2007 02:24 PM
Help with de-winterizing chuman70 Fresh Water Systems 2 06-14-2007 08:59 AM
Winterizing... PWRSTRK Winterizing, Storage, Carports & Covers 15 10-09-2004 08:30 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.