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SilverToy · 10-19-2005, 11:44 PM

Hi all -

Going through the 'winterizing' ritual and realized that its over.... The season to use the AS is over.... Sigh.

NnnnnOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or is it???

Do people use their AS once the winterizing process has been instituted?

Just curious, since I am thinking that I would like to camp using the AS at Carlsbad caverns yet this year, but don't want to risk the pipes with the sure frost/freeze cycle we are likely to experience between now and then. Don't want to got through the process twice either.

Additionally, had the water heater drain plug twist off in the draining process. Plastic plug, plastic sleeve - '92 34' Classic Limited. Any thoughts on removing the rest of the plug?

Lube on the plastic pipe to loosen the threads? That sucker is really in there and there are no threads to grab with visegrips or other... Sigh

AirStream ownership! Love it! Love the AS! It is the process that I am not loving right now. Oh well... Comes with the territory, I guess.

Axel

C Johnson · 10-19-2005, 11:57 PM

I can't help with the drain issue you have but, I do plan on using my AS all thru the winter. I am not going to do the winterize either. I just doesn't get that cold here, close, but not for long spells. I can keep it warm enough in there during a cold night to keep things from freezing. I already learned that in Yellowstone.

overlander63 · 10-20-2005, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverToy

Do people use their AS once the winterizing process has been instituted?

Just curious, since I am thinking that I would like to camp using the AS at Carlsbad caverns yet this year, but don't want to risk the pipes with the sure frost/freeze cycle we are likely to experience between now and then. Don't want to got through the process twice either.

Additionally, had the water heater drain plug twist off in the draining process. Plastic plug, plastic sleeve - '92 34' Classic Limited. Any thoughts on removing the rest of the plug?

Lube on the plastic pipe to loosen the threads? That sucker is really in there and there are no threads to grab with visegrips or other... Sigh
Axel

Axel, there is no reason whatsoever that you can't use your Airstream in the Winter. It is very easy, just leave the antifreeze in the pipes, and use bottled water. If you are worried about using the black water tank, and having it freeze and crack, use a plastic Wal-Mart (or whatever other superstore you want to dump on

) shopping bag in the bowl of the toilet. When you have used it, take it out, dispose of it, and replace the bag with another one.
Your water heater drain plug may be an issue. If it is soft plastic, you should be able to remove a piece at a time until it is all out, just use a small-tipped flathead screwdriver, and be patient. When you get the old plug out, put some teflon tape on the threads of the new one, and tighten it just a little more than snug. Also, while you are getting a new plug, pick up a spare plug for next year. Our water heater has a petcock, like in the bottom of a radiator, instead of the plastic plug. That may be something for you to look into also.
Good luck, and happy camping.

85MH325 · 10-20-2005, 05:59 AM

Axel, I'll be winterizing and inside-storing our 34' this weekend, but as Terry suggests, there's no reason you can't use your Airstream all winter. I also have a 16' Scamp that I keep here at the house, and I use it during the late, late fall and early, early spring. Although it has all of the comforts of the Airstream including the full wet bath and tanks, I have a porta-potty that I use during the winter, and use bottled water and wash tubs for all of my 'sink' needs. Just make sure to put more anti-freeze down the sink drains just to make sure that any water you accidentally spilled while using the sink is taken care of before your store it again. Other than that, have a ball!

Roger

flyfshr · 10-20-2005, 07:28 AM

You guys and your winterizing crack me up

Brad
FF

**azflycaster** · 10-20-2005, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfshr

You guys and your winterizing crack me up

Brad
FF

Can someone explain winter to me?

Pahaska · 10-20-2005, 07:39 AM

Down here, we use the trailer all year including having Xmas rallies and major WBCCI rallies in January. When the weather guessers think that there might be a hard freeze, I have been simply blowing out the lines and putting pink stuff in the traps. That has worked well now for years. Takes me just a few minutes to "winterise" and no time at all to go back into action.

The last really hard winter here was about 1983 and lasted about a week. I was chopping ice on my pond for the cattle to drink that year. If something like that is forecast again, I will do a northern-style winterization, but only then.

This year, I have 30a power at the storage yard and I can run a heater if I need to. That will save even doing anything at all unless there is really bad weather forecast.

CanoeStream · 10-20-2005, 07:41 AM

Can't we have some peace around here? I guess not -- so dive right in!!

Culturally there is more "old aluminum" up north here than "new aluminum" in Arizona. We outnumber you on the forums and will not condone a single thread about summerizing!! So there.

- Bww-w-w-wt!!!

RivetED · 10-20-2005, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Can someone explain winter to me?

I went to school in Boston (graduated '72) & there are still some vague memories that I surpress......

Actually in North Texas we can have some temps below freezing, usually not below mid-twenty's and that is at 5:30 am just before the sun comes out! I had a quick-connect gas fitting installed in the line & hook it up to an external tank. I keep the thermostat set around forty degrees.

85MH325 · 10-20-2005, 07:52 AM

Alright... for you folks who don't understand the concept:

Winter is the season that keeps the riff-raff and undesireables out of our beautiful part of the world!

Roger

p.s. sorry... going to my room now....

Chaplain Kent · 10-20-2005, 07:53 AM

My suggestion for the drain plug would be to tap a screw driver into the plastic and screw it out. You can replace it at any RV supply store and buy an extra. Now for winterizering my posts on this subject must be famous or boring by now. Don't store it use it! Aluminum does not freeze. Check your oeners manual there are instructions for winter camping, That's the nicest time to find the best spots in the parks. We do it up here in Wisconsin with the snow, ice and below freezing temperatures. I have yet to have a pipe freeze; never had a frozen tank; we use our water tank; grey and black water tanks; bathroom and kitchen sinks. Yes we run our furnace and do use up a fair amount of propane and if we are lucky enough to have electricity we run an electric heater. Since we have a gen set that gets a fair amount of use in the winter time to keep the batteries charged as well. I do have a by-pass on my water heater and when we get home I will drain all the water lines and connect the air commpressor to the the water hose outlet and blow out all the water lines and then pour anti freeze down the drain traps. On average the MH does not sit for more than a couple weeks before we are gone on another trip. This year I am going to put plastic on the inside of my windows since the weather striping is so bad and I will not have time to get them all fixed and have been thinking of making foam insulated panel for them which would fit on at night and come off during the day.
My answer to you and Carlsbad Caverns, go for it that's the tropics compared to where we camp.

ALANSD · 10-20-2005, 08:17 AM

teflon tape IS the ticket on the plug to prevent future issues. My units po had a leak from the water heater plug down the side into the storage locker below, caused it to rust. I appled the t tape, and fixed the rust and have had no problems with that since then. A cheap fix thankfully.

apple 1 · 10-20-2005, 08:43 AM

We have camped in the middle of winter here in Michigan, if fact one year in January, we were in the Petoskey area and it got down too -2 degrees. Yes thats below 0. We used our fresh water tank and used our sinks and both black and grey tanks. At the end of the weekend we dumped our holding tanks when we left the campground, and opened our fresh water drain and our low point drains, and opened all the faucets inside the trailer. We than added pink anti-freeze to the traps. By the time we arrived home 5 hours later all the lines had drained except for the line to the toilet. I then hooked up my air compressor to blow out all the lines and make sure all were free of water. I have used this method several times over the past 25 years and never experencesd any problems.

Now that we are retired we will leave for Texas just after Christmas, and of course it will be cold here but we fill our fresh water tank before departure and leave the heat on set to 55 degrees. When we stop for lunch and later the first night the trailer will be warm. We have driven many times with the furnace on with out any problem, however before stopping for fuel will shut the furnace off.

sd90mac · 10-20-2005, 03:29 PM

My 2 cents
We live in Southwest Florida.
No Winter, just hurricanizing!
Marie

rtaylor537 · 10-20-2005, 03:37 PM

We in Michigan who cannot enjoy our rigs all winter have to prepare for the below freezing temps. We drain the water and replace the lines with antifreeze, do the battery disconnect thing, fill the traps with antifreeze and then wait until spring. The long winter makes the approaching spring/summer rving season just that much better. Like hitting your head with a hammer. After you stop it feels so good.

overlander63 · 10-20-2005, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

Can someone explain winter to me?

Winter is that time of year when all you Northern fogeys come down here and terrorize us with your combat driving skills!

igor · 10-20-2005, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sd90mac

My 2 cents
We live in Southwest Florida.
No Winter, just hurricanizing!
Marie

Do you chain it down, or bolt on 1/4" plate armor?

Les

Tinsel Loaf · 10-20-2005, 11:32 PM

Heat tape for exterior water pipes and propane....propane & more propane oh and a temp trailer skirt for the bottom breezes. Just keep on Airstreaming and Airdreaming-----

SilverToy · 10-21-2005, 01:25 AM

TinselLoaf -

What is this "Temp Trailer Skirt"? Heard of all sorts of other skirts of various materials, colors, lengths ( or not!) but never this. Something new? Curious!

Axel