Getting ready for the freeze-Winterize

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

I remove the batt's......but check the owners manual for your converter if you plan to plug-in while the batteries are out, doing so could damage some brands.

Vodka makes a tasty substitute for the pink stuff..

Bob

Ummm, can't you just unplug the converter? Mine just plugs into a wall outlet behind the couch.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Ummm, can't you just unplug the converter? Mine just plugs into a wall outlet behind the couch.

Yep...sure can.

I store them inside on a float charger plugged in periodically.

Also a bit more security with the power jack disabled.

Bob

[palmtreegirl]

I'll be taking notes on this thread!

What about the AGM batteries? Are they different? Should they come out? Do they need the charger?

[dznf0g]

If you're storing the trailer outdoors, I'd pull them and put them in an above freezing garage. I use Batteryminders on all my lead acid batts over the winter. Someone else will have to fill you in on whether the outputs of Battery minders are appropriate for AGMs. Their charge requirements are somewhat different, I believe.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Good info here on the AGM lead acid battery.

Charging procedures, specs etc.

Bob

POI.....Much better price points can be found right here on the Forum!!!




VRLA battery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


http://www.bdbatteries.com/allbatteries.php

[Gosman]

I am New to the air stream foram ,
I have a 1993 30 ft excell 1000
and in the closet do see the pump and it all ready has the valve...
to draw antifreeze all I have to do is put it in the position it in the right direction to draw antifreeze.

QUESTIONS IN THIS AIR STREAM


Not sure were to find the the two low point drains, one for hot one for cold to open and let drain?.

All so the pump is in the closet and acroos the hall in the bathroom is were the hot water heater is located.

Not sure were to find the bypass valves so as not to run antifreeze in the water heater, does any one know were they might be located?

On out side I do see were I have to unscreew what looks like a nut to let the water out of the heater . Could some one please help with the few questions I have .
Thanks all

[ROBERT CROSS]

Not sure if these pics will apply to your AS but hope they help.
The plastic nut is what I use, with the pressure relief valve open.
You can see the two drain petcocks on the bottom of the FW tank for the low water line drains, another in the curb-side rear storage compartment, third pic.

Our WH bypass valves are in the front of the curbside rear storage compartment.

[Gene]

Gosman, you may not have bypass valves for the water heater installed. Recent models do have them, but I don't know if they were standard in the '90's. Along side the water heater, perhaps in an adjoining compartment would be some pipes with three valves if the bypass is there. For winterizing, close the open ones, open the closed one.

Bypass kits should be available if you don't have one. Just Google. They should be less than $20. Since without it you might fill the water heater with antifreeze, it pays for itself the first year.

Gene

[Gosman]

I have done as was told --except i did get around 2 gal anti freeze in the hot water tank !!! Just forgot to shut the valves to by pass .
Question will this hurt my hot water tank now or later , what should i do naything?
Thanks george

[50KIP]

Barryamo,

I've had my AS two winters in Seattle area. It is always connected to 120v outlet when parked to keep batteries topped off. The first winter I left water in the system and relied on gas heater to keep things warm (therm set at 45 degrees). Also left the water heater on. Everything was OK but I used a lot of propane. Last winter I purged the water system and drained the water heater as well as putting RV antifreeze in drains. Although we don't get Minnesota-like winters here it does get down to the single numbers at times. I plan on going to AZ in December. I think that is the best way to prepare your AS for winter.

[Westfalia]

Originally Posted by Gosman

Question will this hurt my hot water tank now or later , what should i do naything?

No problem, but you will probably want to flush it out good come spring, if only to get rid of the taste. I would go ahead and drain the tank to keep it from freezing as the anti-freeze is diluted and will probably still freeze if it gets cold enough.

[Gene]

Some say the antifreeze tastes bad, others say it doesn't. Some say it depends what antifreeze you buy—cheap stuff tastes bad. If you regularly drink out of the hot water faucet, I guess it matters how the stuff in the hot water tank tastes.

Somewhere it says (either Atwood instructions or Airstream manual) some water at the bottom of the tank is ok. The problem with frozen water is that it expands 11% and that is what breaks things. A gallon of water in a 6 gallon tank isn't going to expand enough to worry about. But sediment does collect in the bottom and flushing it out periodically is a good idea. Leave a cup or too of antifreeze in the fresh water, grey and black tanks to keep the valves lubricated and displace some of the water that is probably left there.

George, you could run those 2 gallons in the water heater (change the valves again) through the hot water pipes and recover it at a faucet. If it is diluted a lot, you'll know there was water in the tank and throw it away. Otherwise, you could save it (or drink it and see how it tastes; it might look good in one of those umbrella drinks).

I have never tasted the antifreeze. Why? Because we sanitize the system in the spring with chlorine and then flush it 3 times.

Gene

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Gosman

I have done as was told --except i did get around 2 gal anti freeze in the hot water tank !!! Just forgot to shut the valves to by pass .
Question will this hurt my hot water tank now or later , what should i do naything?
Thanks george

George,

No problem at all.
I leave our drain plug,(plastic), out for storage, stuff a scotch brite pad in the hole to keep the critters out.
In Spring I back flush thru the drain, keeps the crud from building up inside the tank.

Bob

[dieppe9]

Originally Posted by Gosman

I am New to the air stream foram ,
I have a 1993 30 ft excell 1000
and in the closet do see the pump and it all ready has the valve...
to draw antifreeze all I have to do is put it in the position it in the right direction to draw antifreeze.

QUESTIONS IN THIS AIR STREAM


Not sure were to find the the two low point drains, one for hot one for cold to open and let drain?.

All so the pump is in the closet and acroos the hall in the bathroom is were the hot water heater is located.

Not sure were to find the bypass valves so as not to run antifreeze in the water heater, does any one know were they might be located?

On out side I do see were I have to unscreew what looks like a nut to let the water out of the heater . Could some one please help with the few questions I have .
Thanks all

Hello Gosman,
I am no expert , but ,I found my low point drains behind the wheel on the "driver's side" just a little in front of the fresh water tank drain .
If you physically locate the hot water heater on the outside of your trailer "a vented door" then go inside to the same location . The water lines are probably in an "H" pattern, the two on the outsides of the "H" need to be closed , the center one on the "H" needs to be opened .
Draining the water heater is nothing more than using a 7/8" wrench to remove the white plastic nut in the lower left corner .

[mcintoshMD]

Hello out there,

I am getting ready to winterize my AS. The manual stated remove the battery and store it in the house/ charging them regularly. Question is, is it OK to keep the AS plugged into the house current? reading some where here that it might mess up the converter or inverter could not remember where the posts are??

Thanks,

[Gene]

Mac',

If you have a three stage converter, you can leave the batteries plugged in to shore power. If you have a one stage converter, don't. In recent years Airstream has installed a one stage converter to save a few bucks—it will overcharge the batteries and you will have to add water periodically. Check the materials that came with the converter to see what kind of charge function it has.

I don't think you have to remove the batteries so long as you keep them charged every month or so. If they are left to discharge, they can freeze, so to be extra safe, people bring them inside, but be careful of fumes inside when you charge them. You need a charger to keep the batteries charged that has a 3 stage system and they are available online or from auto parts stores. You could charge the batteries while in the trailer battery box, but I would disconnect the cables first. You can reconnect the cables when you are ready to take trailer for a ride.

If you have a solar system with a 3 stage charger, you can let that keep the batteries charged and don't plug in the shore power. That way you can leave the batteries where they are.

Batteries and their care can be a controversial topic and you may soon get completely different advice. The above has worked for us. I have replaced the OEM converter with a much better one with a 3 stage charger, so I now leave shore power on. I have a solar system which could do the same thing, but I have been advised the new converter has a slightly better charger.

Gene

[CanoeStream]

Batteries will slowly lose charge all on their own. Batteries connected to your Airstream will experience some planned drain (LP detector) and other parasitic losses, therefore losing charge somewhat faster than if disconnected. A charged battery can't freeze. I'd probably plug our Safari in overnight once every couple weeks if I stored it at the house. However I store at a garage a few miles away and it is just easier for me to put the batteries in the basement and tend them here. I don't see any need to keep a 'stream in the driveway [with the master switch off] plugged in constantly.

Remember this ad? There's hardly a better way to take care of a battery than keep it cold!

DieHard "Starts on Frozen Lake" Commercial - YouTube

[mcintoshMD]

Thanks guys you are the best, I am planning to remove the battery, unplug AS from the shore line and forget it until next spring.
There's is a recommendation from AS web site ,if the AS is connected to the shore line all the time one does not need to remove the battery

[50KIP]

Gene,

I live in the Seattle area and our winters are mild considering how far north we are. I usually just drain the water and blow out the lines and put some antifreeze in drains. I have kept trailer connected to shore power to keep batteries charged. Reading your piece about how a single stage converter can overcharge batteries I decided to check all the cells of both batteries (Interstate OEM). I had checked periodically the cell I could reach without disconnecting cables and they were always fine. But sure enough, when I did check the other battery after removing the cables, it was a couple of quarts down! I looked for my converter info and the only thing I could find was in French and it was not for the converter that I had, which is a Parallax Power Supply LLC 55amp Model 7355. I could not find anything to indicate if it was a multi-stage converter so I assume it is as you suggest, a single stage. You mentioned that you switched yours to a three-stage. What brand and model did you install?

[Gene]

Don, just having gotten back to the house after cutting firewood, my answer won't be complete. Lew (Lewster) recommended and ordered an Iota. I don't have the model number, but if you go to the Iota website you may find which model you need.

My OEM Parallax may have been the same as yours because that number sounds vaguely familiar.

I described the installation of the Iota on another thread, but I can't remember which one. If you have a black cover plate over the converter and fuse and breaker panel, you have to remove it and the converter will be behind it. You have to cut the front of the converter
off because it has the screw holes for the cover plate and in turn, that part screws to the partition, wall or wherever yours is located. This destroys the Parallax. The hot and common wire that are attached to the Parallax can be cut after you remove the fan at the back and that will give you more wire to work with. All the grounds that are connected can be attached with split bolt connectors. It is not too hard to trace which wires go where if you are familiar with electrical circuits (black or red: hot; white: common; green or bare, ground).

Lew, the Forum's resident expert on many things RV, says the Iota and AGM batteries are a good combination. He likes Lifeline brand; they are expensive but are supposed to last far longer that the wet cells. Our trailer came with series 24 batteries, but I got series 27 to fit by cutting one lip back (on the hinge side) on the battery box.

After unsuccessfully trying a grinding wheel on a drill, I used a Sawzall with a carbide tipped blade to cut the metal.

Gene