northern NM newbie

[transform]

hi there.

just got our 2012 25' Flying Cloud. our plan is to use it at least a week per month, perhaps 2 weeks per month, year-round. for those weeks that we have it parked on our pad here in Northern NM during the late fall/winter when nighttime temps get below freezing, i really don't want to "winterize" per se, over and over again between trips. i'd prefer to keep it hooked up to shore power which we have and either run the furnace or use a space heater.

my concern of course is making sure the water lines or any of the tanks don't freeze. and of course i don't want to "fry" the batteries while running shore power.

any suggestions would be appreciated.

[handn]

I would winterize.
We live in Colorado and temps sometimes get below zero F. You will burn up a 30 dollar tank of propane in three days with those low temps. You will find that the A.S. is not very well insulated. Moreover, you will likely freeze something even with the heat on.
Winterizing is easy. I empty both holding, hot and cold water tanks, blow out the lines, put r.v. anti freeze in the traps and waste tanks (1 gallon) disconnect the water pump and turn it on for a second to run the water out of it. It takes me about 45 minutes.
When I am ready to camp, I put water in either city or tank and open the hot faucet to fill up the water heater tank and am good to go.
If I camp where it is really cold, I camp dry without filling up the water system. Be sure to use lots of rv anti freeze in the black tank. You do not want to freeze it up. There are threads on this forum dealing with the unhappy consequences of that event.

[transform]

handn

WOW, thanks for that info. i'm still pretty ignorant about these systems and was hoping you would tell me:
1. where are the holding, hot water, and cold water tanks located so i can empty them or is it just a matter of running the hot and cold water out of the faucets till there is no more water left?
2. how does one blow out the lines?
3. RV antifreeze in the traps?….where are they….waste tank….you mean just put in the toilet….how much?
4. how does one disconnect the water pump?….where is it located?

i know this might be an imposition on you, but any info on 1-4 or other stuff would be appreciated.

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by transform

handn

WOW, thanks for that info. i'm still pretty ignorant about these systems and was hoping you would tell me:
1. where are the holding, hot water, and cold water tanks located so i can empty them or is it just a matter of running the hot and cold water out of the faucets till there is no more water left?They are under the trailer. The FW tank has a drain that can be found between the tires on the driver's side. There are also two low point drains under the tanks, reachable from the same side. The gray and black tanks have to be connected to a sewer drain to be emptied.
2. how does one blow out the lines? Get a fitting that will screw into your FW fill port and connect this to a compressor. Keep the pressure to <60 psi.
3. RV antifreeze in the traps?….where are they….waste tank….you mean just put in the toilet….how much? In each sink and the shower. These are the "P" traps like you have in your house. A cup or so in each trap should work. Yes, just pour some in the toilet. This will help keep the valve from freezing. I put about a quart in mine and then cover the valve in the toilet.
4. how does one disconnect the water pump?….where is it located? Yours in under the hall closet, behind the little door with the heat vent in it. It is hinged on the left. I don't know what he meant by "disconnect" either. Once I have blown all the lines (twice), I run the pump on the empty FW tank. Then I blow the lines again. You can't hurt the pump by running it dry.

i know this might be an imposition on you, but any info on 1-4 or other stuff would be appreciated.

I am having trouble posting this. I hope it gets through and that it helps.

[polarlyse]

By " disconnect the water pump " I read this as taking the incoming suction line and outgoing pressure lines off. I put an absorbent rag under the pump and run it for a few seconds to expel any water retained in the pump. You can then re-attach the lines. I don't know if this is really necessary but I do it each winterization process and things are good in the spring. Don't forget to pressurize your black tank spray, if so equipped and while things are pressurized get the outside faucet if you have it too.

Good luck with it

[handn]

Polaryse has given you good answers to all of your questions.
If you are still confused, you might have your tech winterize your trailer while you watch him work. That way you will know how to do it next time without difficulty and will get it right.
The other way to winterize your trailer is to have your tech install a bypass around the hot water tank.
After you have drained all your tanks, you bypass the hotwater tank, hook a hose up to the intake side of your water pump and pump rv anti freeze through all of your outlets until they run pink. Put a little more anti freeze in your traps and holding tanks and your are done.
This takes 3 to 4 gallons of anti freeze.

[transform]

WOW again and thanks to you all for the info which will prove to be quite helpful.

Guess i better figure out how/where to get a fitting for the FW so i can connect it to a compressor that i've yet to buy…any recommendations on both of those would be appreciated.

i also guess i need to figure out how to put anti freeze in the 2 sink traps…i'm still not sure if i need to gain access to the trap from under the sinks and then put in a cup or so, OR, just pour a cup or so down the drain guessing it gets trapped in the elbow or something.

as far as the pump and the rest of the stuff, i think i'll follow handan and aftermaths advice.

was also thinking about getting one of those pelonis ceramic heaters and leaving it on when it's gonna get below freezing….having the F/C hooked up to shore power and not using the propane via the furnace….any thoughts on that would be appreciated.

[handn]

Putting anti freeze in the traps is easy, just put it in the sinks and shower. It will go through the traps on the way to the holding tank. There is no trap in the toilet. Be sure to put enough in so that there is some in the black gray tanks so the knife valves don't freeze.
I use an tire inflator, cost about $40.00. I run it for five to ten minutes. The hot water tank acts like a pressure air tank. When the pressure builds to 20 lbs, I start opening faucets. I open each one several times so that only air comes out--no bubbles or water spray. Like others have said, don't forget the toilet sprayer, sink sprayer or outside shower.