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Old 11-28-2013, 10:52 PM   #1
"Tinbad ... the Trailer"
 
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1971 25' Tradewind
1965 26' Overlander
Ferndale , Washington
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Freezing alert PNW

Just in case you did not get the memo.
It is time to protect your AS within two days in the Pacific N.W.
It's going to be freezing starting Monday for a few days.....long enough to really mess up your trailer.
Time to go skiing.!!
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Old 11-28-2013, 11:36 PM   #2
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2013 27' FB International
Yelm , Washington
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Any suggestions on necessary steps ?
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Old 11-29-2013, 06:40 AM   #3
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Ottawa , ON
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Find the section called 'Winterizing' and read up about whether you will want to just blow compressed air through your system or pump antifreeze into it (not the water heater, though).

Most Owners Manuals just talk about blowing out the water, but folks like both methods, it seems.
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Old 11-29-2013, 01:41 PM   #4
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Of course you could always put inside a heated building.
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Old 12-01-2013, 11:54 AM   #5
"Tinbad ... the Trailer"
 
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1971 25' Tradewind
1965 26' Overlander
Ferndale , Washington
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 356
Ideal is a heated building but winterizing is not hard.
I use a hand pump (for blowing up mattress's), turn off pump and/or disconnect shore water.
Open all faucets and Open the drain lines under the TT.
Drain the hot water heater. Remove Nylon Plug.
Pump air from the hose inlet until lines are dry.
Pump air down the P-traps
Pump air back through the faucet/shower lines to dry out the valves.
Fully dump/flush the Black and Grey tanks and leave the valves open.
Empty freezer/fridge and turn off.
MAKE SURE BATTEREIS ARE BEING CHARGED THROUGH OUT FREEZING TIME OR REMOVE AND PLACE IN WARM AREA.
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Old 12-02-2013, 10:34 AM   #6
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2007 27' Classic FB
Ridgefield , Washington
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I use this list from Airstream. Also check you owners manual. Its going to get cold tonight!
Attached Files
File Type: pdf winterize.pdf (51.5 KB, 75 views)
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Old 12-02-2013, 10:58 AM   #7
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1968 17' Caravel
Battle Ground , Washington
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We've already had a couple really cold nights here. I drained mine about a week ago, but I never know if I got the water out of everywhere. Every year I worry about it.
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Old 12-03-2013, 06:14 AM   #8
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1991 29' Excella
Tulsa , Oklahoma
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Okay, this is my first winter with my AS. I live in Tulsa, OK and we are going to be getting some extremely cold weather for an extended period of time.. The temps look like they are going to be in the low 20's to low 30's most of the time for about a week. We emptied the hot water tank, blew out the lines with an air compressor and put anti freeze in the traps. The AS is stored enclosed in a unheated building. There is a small amount of water in the grey and black tanks just from clearing the lines. Is it okay to leave that little water in these tanks or should I try to get that water out of there as well? Could I just pour a gallon of anti freeze into both the grey and black tanks? I hate to have to move the AS out to try to dump if it isn't necessary (newbies at backing into small places).. Thank you so much for your help...

Vickie
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Old 12-03-2013, 06:16 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Dickandvicki View Post
Okay, this is my first winter with my AS. I live in Tulsa, OK and we are going to be getting some extremely cold weather for an extended period of time.. The temps look like they are going to be in the low 20's to low 30's most of the time for about a week. We emptied the hot water tank, blew out the lines with an air compressor and put anti freeze in the traps. The AS is stored enclosed in a unheated building. There is a small amount of water in the grey and black tanks just from clearing the lines. Is it okay to leave that little water in these tanks or should I try to get that water out of there as well? Could I just pour a gallon of anti freeze into both the grey and black tanks? I hate to have to move the AS out to try to dump if it isn't necessary (newbies at backing into small places).. Thank you so much for your help... Vickie
I always put extra antifreeze in my black and grey tank just incase. Every year I worry about it but so far so good.
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Old 12-03-2013, 06:26 AM   #10
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Petaluma , California
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Yeah here in NorCal we are going to have temps in the low 20s tonight' which is very uncommon so we'll have to take action. I'll probably move it to a location with power and run the furnace for a few days to keep the tanks and pipes safe as I'm taking in out at the end of Dec to the coast.
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Old 12-12-2013, 05:14 PM   #11
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Vicki-

Sounds like the learning is continuing.. I was wondering how things were going.. The pink anti-freeze is supposed to be non-toxic, and should be fine dumped down toilet and sink into holding tanks.. Bigger issue is fresh water tank and lines.. Winterizing means either dry solution (empty tanks, blow water out of lines with compressed air..) or wet solution (add lots of antifreeze to fresh water tank, and then use trailer's pump to circulate pink'd water to shower, bath sink, toilet and kitchen sink by opening each in succession.. If not practical to drain fresh tank or blow out all lines, you can try for combo...

The primary goal is to avoid leaving any fresh untreated (non-pink) water in any of the plumbing lines, faucets or valves.. Even in the shower valve or toilet flush valve if water freezes hard it can crack the valve body or water lines... If you do end up using the pink stuff, you'll have to drain and flush fresh tank in the spring, and then repeat process to flush anti-freeze out of hot and cold water lines at all faucets plus shower and toilet...

Amazingly, it got down close to 30 degrees even in Silicon Valley for two nights, and I too just turned on propane, plugged it into 30A socket alongside house and turned on furnace to lowest setting (~45 degrees..) for the night, with small electric space heater running as well. Cold snap over for us finally...
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Old 12-12-2013, 05:21 PM   #12
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Rose Lodge , Oregon
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Forget the Airstream. Nineteen faucets in my actual house just came to life with such a roar that Osita scooted out the dog door in a panic.

This after 8 days without running water here in our "mild" coastal region.

Hope everyone is warm, dry & unscathed.

Jacuzzi tub is filling as we speak ... later, folks!
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Old 12-12-2013, 07:12 PM   #13
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1991 29' Excella
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Condoluminum View Post
Vicki- Sounds like the learning is continuing.. I was wondering how things were going.. The pink anti-freeze is supposed to be non-toxic, and should be fine dumped down toilet and sink into holding tanks.. Bigger issue is fresh water tank and lines.. Winterizing means either dry solution (empty tanks, blow water out of lines with compressed air..) or wet solution (add lots of antifreeze to fresh water tank, and then use trailer's pump to circulate pink'd water to shower, bath sink, toilet and kitchen sink by opening each in succession.. If not practical to drain fresh tank or blow out all lines, you can try for combo... The primary goal is to avoid leaving any fresh untreated (non-pink) water in any of the plumbing lines, faucets or valves.. Even in the shower valve or toilet flush valve if water freezes hard it can crack the valve body or water lines... If you do end up using the pink stuff, you'll have to drain and flush fresh tank in the spring, and then repeat process to flush anti-freeze out of hot and cold water lines at all faucets plus shower and toilet... Amazingly, it got down close to 30 degrees even in Silicon Valley for two nights, and I too just turned on propane, plugged it into 30A socket alongside house and turned on furnace to lowest setting (~45 degrees..) for the night, with small electric space heater running as well. Cold snap over for us finally...
John,

It's so funny, I was just thinking about you today, and was going to shoot you an update! Everything is going great. We have taken the AS out a few times (not as much as I would like) and have had the best time. The dogs even are starting to like going our with us. Must be the 10 or so walks a day, and barking at the birds as they sit in their pin. My husband is even getting into it, he's showing off pictures of "his wife's AS" to his friends. We where out over Thanksgiving weekend and at night it dipped down to 28 degrees.. The AS was so cozy and warm. We couldn't believe how comfortable it was. I'm planning on having the sofa reupholstered in leather after Christmas and I found a really good AS restorer who is going to put in a floating solid surface floor sometime in spring!! I can't wait..

We are in the grips of an arctic freeze! It's been WELL below freezing for the last week or so.. We did winterize the AS.. Hopefully we did a good of enough job! Guess we'll find out next time we take her out.. I had no idea we were going to be in for such a blast of sub freezing cold weather for such an extended time.. Anyway, we drained the water heater, and blew out the lines with a compressor and poured anti freeze down every drain and toilet. Then added a gallon on antifreeze into both the grey and black tanks. The fresh water tank doesn't have any water in it so we just left it alone.. Keeping our fingers and toes crossed...

We have friends and family in the Bay Area ... I couldn't believe how cold it got there.. Snow in Sebastopol!

Thanks for the message
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Old 12-12-2013, 07:28 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by summerkid View Post
Forget the Airstream. Nineteen faucets in my actual house just came to life with such a roar that Osita scooted out the dog door in a panic. This after 8 days without running water here in our "mild" coastal region. Hope everyone is warm, dry & unscathed. Jacuzzi tub is filling as we speak ... later, folks!
Why where you without water.. Surely, you didn't have frozen pipes ? Holy Cow if you did... Hope you enjoy your hot tub !
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Old 12-12-2013, 11:04 PM   #15
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My four years in Oregon have covered record everything with a little someone-else's-tsunami debris thrown in. Last winter our anomaly was double the usual rain (which translates to 120" of rain in 6 months). This week it was record snow + low temperatures for December.

And yes, frozen pipes it was. I had to set my alarm to thaw the hummingbird feeder before those gangsta birdz woke up & started harassing me through the bedroom sliders.

Sucked. For 8 dayz it all sucked. And I'm kind of over the whole hummingbird thing.
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Old 12-13-2013, 12:16 AM   #16
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2017 27' International
Fall City , Washington
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I finished winterizing the day before the PNW freeze, having gotten back from a trip the day before. We did the dry approach, but put antifreeze in the traps and a bit on top of the toilet flush valve to keep the seals from drying out. A week later, I checked the trailer and found that that the antifreeze in the toilet was slushy, like a blended margarita texture. I didn't think it could actually freeze even partially, as the temps only hit about 15 degrees and the antifreeze is rated to -50.

Glad we added it to the traps, just in case there was water residue that we hadn't blown out.
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