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switters · 10-26-2020, 08:04 AM

Well, seems like we made it through the night. It's 68F inside of the trailer, and when I turned the water pump on and opened the kitchen faucet, some water came out. Wouldn't that suggest the water in the lines isn't frozen?

Today I will pick up more LP and then decide whether I will winterize myself or take the storage facility and let them do it. Thanks again for your help last night.

djb75 · 10-26-2020, 08:17 AM

Water coming out is a good thing. It strongly suggests your lines did not freeze; the likelihood of their freezing and thawing out quickly seems fairly low. If all of your faucets/showers run, it seems like you are in good shape - it means that the lines in all probability did not freeze and that you still have unfrozen water in the FW tank.

rucos · 10-26-2020, 09:52 AM

In a pinch a good way to check your propane is to pour a kettle of tap hot water (not boiling) slowly down the one side of the tank .....then run your hand down the side after...warm metal is empty cold metal has propane.

switters · 10-26-2020, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rucos

In a pinch a good way to check your propane is to pour a kettle of tap hot water (not boiling) slowly down the one side of the tank .....then run your hand down the side after...warm metal is empty cold metal has propane.

Great trick! I just weighed one of my 30 lb. tanks, did some math, and found that it still has about 5.7 lbs of propane in it (so, mostly full). I think I should be able to get through until Wednesday when I take the trailer to storage.

JohnTF · 10-26-2020, 12:56 PM

Rent a heated garage , the next morning drain low water points - maybe even about 30 lbs of compressed air .
RV antifreeze in drain traps kitchen , bath , tub .

switters · 10-26-2020, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnTF

Rent a heated garage , the next morning drain low water points - maybe even about 30 lbs of compressed air .
RV antifreeze in drain traps kitchen , bath , tub .

I think I *might* be able to fit it into our garage (which is heated) if I move stuff around. Is there an advantage to having it in a heated garage if the furnace is on 24/7 inside of the trailer?

pcskier · 10-26-2020, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by switters

I think I *might* be able to fit it into our garage (which is heated) if I move stuff around. Is there an advantage to having it in a heated garage if the furnace is on 24/7 inside of the trailer?

I think he is saying 'if' the plumbing is frozen, move it inside to thaw it all out.

Is your door higher than 9' 9" high after it's opened? Most residential doors are not. Maybe your home is? If it does fit, you could put in garage and if it's heated, not need the Airstream propane on at all.

switters · 10-26-2020, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcskier

I think he is saying 'if' the plumbing is frozen, move it inside to thaw it all out.

Is your door higher than 9' 9" high after it's opened? Most residential doors are not. Maybe your home is? If it does fit, you could put in garage and if it's heated, not need the Airstream propane on at all.

Ah, no. I'm not at home and forgot about the height (I think length would fit).

Hermes · 10-26-2020, 08:44 PM

When you winterize, don't forget your outdoor shower and the toilet pedal valve, that valve will crack if there is water in it and it freezes.

If you don't have a compressor handy, you can still pump pink antifreeze into your lines to all faucets and valves by connecting your water pump inlet to the antifreeze jug; the Camco winterizing valve kit is worth installing to make this a lot easier. It is recommended to have a couple of antifreeze jugs with you when camping in the shoulder seasons, just in case.

Even if there is water in the lines, the antifreeze and water mix will be sufficient to prevent damage. But to be safe, when you are back home, I would blow out all the lines and add fresh antifreeze and you will be good for any deep freeze weather that comes along. Good luck!

guskmg · 10-27-2020, 08:37 PM

Emergency winterization:
Open all drains, all faucets and sprayers. then disconnect water pump fittings. Most WP fittings just slide open. Run the pump until dry. Use some towels under open connections to catch residual draining water inside the TT. Raise up the hoses that connect to the pump that you disconected so as to back drain them with gravity. Leave everything open. I have had to do this several time and it has saved my water system. When you have access to an air compressor you can close everything up, pressurize the system and open one valve at a time to blow the system. Start with furtherest valve from the pressurized water inlet. Your done. Open relatively dry valves will not freeze and PEX just expands and contracts on its own. Freeze expansion can cause PEX crimp fittings to expand and thus leaks in the future. I prefer SS clamps as they are unaffected by the freezing cycles.
guskmg

switters · 10-29-2020, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hermes

When you winterize, don't forget your outdoor shower and the toilet pedal valve, that valve will crack if there is water in it and it freezes.

If you don't have a compressor handy, you can still pump pink antifreeze into your lines to all faucets and valves by connecting your water pump inlet to the antifreeze jug; the Camco winterizing valve kit is worth installing to make this a lot easier. It is recommended to have a couple of antifreeze jugs with you when camping in the shoulder seasons, just in case.

Even if there is water in the lines, the antifreeze and water mix will be sufficient to prevent damage. But to be safe, when you are back home, I would blow out all the lines and add fresh antifreeze and you will be good for any deep freeze weather that comes along. Good luck!

How do you winterize the toilet pedal valve?

switters · 10-29-2020, 06:53 AM

HUGE shout out to Peter (PCSkier) for coming over yesterday to help me winterize. He brought an air compressor and he patiently walked me through each step of the process. We decided to do the blow-out method and not use antifreeze, but he also installed the winterization kit so that I can use antifreeze the next time I'm camping during shoulder season and returning to Park City in freezing conditions.

I bought an air compressor at Home Depot yesterday. I'm really glad that I know how to do both the air and antifreeze methods (again, thanks to Peter), especially because we fully intend to camp during shoulder season again—and maybe even do some winter camping as well.

CruizinDux · 10-29-2020, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by switters

How do you winterize the toilet pedal valve?

In our 20, this is the hardest and takes patience when using air. What works for me is a continual pumping. With the air on, lift, release, 5 count, depress...repeat, repeat, repeat. Tt takes awhile to get all the moisture out and up the tube into the bowl. I have thought about temporarily disconnecting the clear tube and blow the moisture out into a rag, but it is very tight there.

pcskier · 10-29-2020, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by switters

How do you winterize the toilet pedal valve?

Remember yesterday when we flushed the toilet multiple times till just air came out? That winterized it. If using antifreeze, you flush it till solid pink comes out.

For those wondering, even though compressed air is enough in my opinion and all I ever do, Chris also is storing overwinter in a large heated facility, so there definitely was no need for anti-freeze...but with the kit installed, he has that option in the future.

Happy to help yesterday. Welcome to the tribe!

Ky76Argosy · 10-29-2020, 05:19 PM

First, TURN UP HEAT. 8 degrees with some wind is scary cold. Ask a friend familiar with process to help.

Dump all water. Freshwater tank, grey and black too. Look at owners manual for waterline dump valve at low end of waterlines, and open to drain out waterlines. This siphons effect most waterlines but low dips may retain.

So, easy to blow out waterlines. Do you have an air compressor even a small one? Then at a RV store or a farm store like Rural King you can easily find a water inlet blow out plug. Looks like a tire valve stem on a hose cap. Screw onto water inlet and pump up to about 10-15 lbs air pressure will work, not too high, to pop waterlines. Some threads may say under 30#. Then starting furthest from hose inlet open a faucet. The air should blow out water in lines. You can do this to each faucet, an toilet, and dump bales. Repeat several times at each. Pull plug on water heater too drain. Water heater line may have bypass valve so shut that closed after draining. I pump up lines and open water heater plug and blow that out, but wonder in needed.

To be really safe pink RV antifreeze is available at those stores and pour into sink and tub and some in toilet. You may have a winterizing kit on water pump. If so, be sure to shut bypass on water heater, don’t want RV antifreeze in fresh water tank, stick winterizing hose into RV antifreeze bottle and turn on pump, see pink coming out turn off faucet, even waterline dump valve. If no winterizing kit installed, just remove waterline from pump to fresh water tank and if sufficient length stick in RV antifreeze bottle and turn on pump, this circulates in waterlines, alternate faucets unlink pink flows from every one. This worked on my friends 2017 Airstream 27. This puts pink stuff in sinks and tub and black and grey tanks. Not need much. May have missed finer point, but that should protect with double. Be safe.

2MileHi · 11-01-2020, 10:27 AM

Did anyone tell the OP that a couple gallons of water in his holding tanks has plenty of room to expand? When I first began winterizing I found it turning on my pump what's not enough to get antifreeze flowing from The Jug into the hose but if I filled that hose with water, kept my thumb over the end of it, tipped the antifreeze jug a bit and plunge the hose into the jug then the antifreeze flowed freely.

DeltaRon · 11-01-2020, 11:09 AM

How about “reading your manual” and winterize it yourself. Takes about 10 minutes with antifreeze.

switters · 11-01-2020, 11:48 AM

One thing I noticed is that after putting antifreeze into the toilet with the valve closed (to protect the seal), the antifreeze disappears within about 3-5 minutes. Should that seal be watertight? If so, I'll need to fix it.

pcskier · 11-01-2020, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by switters

One thing I noticed is that after putting antifreeze into the toilet with the valve closed (to protect the seal), the antifreeze disappears within about 3-5 minutes. Should that seal be watertight? If so, I'll need to fix it.

Chris, using a small toilet brush, clean the seal well. Be careful not to push the seal off the flange into the tank. Put the brush down past the seal, then pull up and work the brush around the valve to clean it. Some people use a little 303 protectant or other lubricant on it. Even when sealed, the AF will evaporate out during the winter though.