Help!!! De-winterize

[Cool2beblond]

Hello All,

You may be wondering why I'm trying to dewinterize in December. Long story but I'm living in it and need hot water to take a shower. I tried to do what I thought was right today but failed. I don't know how to even fill up the fresh water tank. Can someone please be kind enough to help. I have a 2011 International serenity 23 ft.
Thanks

[m.hony]

Just hook up to city water and run faucets till the water runs clear. If antifreeze is in the fresh water holding tank, drain, flush, sanitize, refill with fresh water.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by m.hony

Just hook up to city water and run faucets till the water runs clear. If antifreeze is in the fresh water holding tank, drain, flush, sanitize, refill with fresh water.

And then unbypass the water heater.

[m.hony]

To fill the fresh water tank-
There should be a fresh water fill on the outside of the trailer. Some have a rectangular access panel. Some have a small round cap. I would think all are labeled something like "fresh water fill" or "potable water only" or some such. I am not familiar with your particular trailer.

[TG Twinkie]

Given your location, I would not use the "city" water connection. You will have do deal with frozen hoses, frozen hydrants and perhaps a frozen city water inlet to your coach.
I will assume you have full hookups.
You can leave the GW dump valve open to get rid of galley and shower water.
Use the onboard fresh water tank. Fill it with a hose that you will disconnect and drain.
The black water tank will be the issue. Unless you have the trailer skirted. It is likely that at least the dump valve will freeze. You should not leave the BW dump valve open. Because the liquid will run out and leave the solid material behind.
I would use extra water on every flush in order to have plenty of liquid in the tank to flush everything out when dumping.
But there is still the issue if the dump valve and associated piping between it and the BW tank freezing.
You will need to come up with a way to prevent this.
You can use the furnace to prevent the tanks from freezing.
By using more water than normal. You will have to fill the FW tank more often. This action will help to keep the FW tank from freezing. It takes a long time to freeze 30+ gallons of water. By using the water and refilling often, it will reduce the chance if freezing.
If you find the BW dump valve frozen. DO NOT force it open. Use a heat source and thaw it to the point it will open with normal force.
Good Luck.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by m.hony

To fill the fresh water tank-
There should be a fresh water fill on the outside of the trailer. Some have a rectangular access panel. Some have a small round cap. I would think all are labeled something like "fresh water fill" or "potable water only" or some such. I am not familiar with your particular trailer.

There will be two places to add fresh water. One has screw threads exactly the right size to screw in a hose. That's your municipal water hookup, and on most trailers, hooking up there will not fill your fresh tank. The other is more like the fuel filler on your car, big enough to stick a hose in, but too big to screw a hose on. This is the one where you fill your fresh tank.

[HowieE]

As for the Black Water tank I would consider dumping a gallon of RV antifreeze into it while it is empty and only dumping the tank once it is full. If you are alone that may be every other week or so depending on your usage. After dumping add another gallon. RV anti freeze should keep thing in slush form and allow you to dump.

If a deep freeze period is expected in the next day or so you may want to dump before that just to be safe.

Plastic piping and tanks are far more forgiving than metal piping when it comes to freezing. If you are using a city water hookup with an antifreeze faucet the campground will want it turned off when freezing is expected and you will wan to disconnect your hose and drain it then also.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by HowieE

As for the Black Water tank I would consider dumping a gallon of RV antifreeze into it while it is empty and only dumping the tank once it is full. If you are alone that may be every other week or so depending on your usage. After dumping add another gallon. RV anti freeze should keep thing in slush form and allow you to dump.

But don't add any kind of tank treatment if you're adding antifreeze. Some tank treatments mixed with antifreeze will gel— actually, they'll form a slime that will be a pain to get rid of since it clings to every surface it encounters, but the chemical process is called gelling.

[HowieE]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

But don't add any kind of tank treatment if you're adding antifreeze. Some tank treatments mixed with antifreeze will gel— actually, they'll form a slime that will be a pain to get rid of since it clings to every surface it encounters, but the chemical process is called gelling.

Lets take that a step further. Never use any type of tank treatment. That is a complete waste of time, money and natural resources.

There are those who think they can change the stink but they can't.