Winterize - To Anitfreeze or Not

Cheechako

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Joined
Aug 22, 2024
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4
Location
Port Orchard
New 2024 Thor Indigo CC35. Winter is coming. We live in the Pacific NW and want to travel south for a few weeks of sun. When the coach is home, temps may occasionally fall into the 20's for a week or more.

We can drain the water tank and flush the system with antifreeze. However, we must then clear all the antifreeze out when we go to warmer climates, and then repeat the process when we come back home.

And we have a tankless water heater and a Splendide washing machine? Seems like antifreeze is just a source of problems with those units ...

Could we just drain the water tank, push air through the water lines, and avoid the antifreeze altogether? Is anyone doing this?

BTW we do have 30 am hookup and so the coach is always plugged in when we are home.

TIA
 
Plenty of opinions. See: https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f10/one-night-below-freezing-van-not-winterized-yet-38367.html

I have no experience with a tankless water heater or RV washing machine so perhaps defer to those with knowledge of winterizing those. But as for me, I've always drained the water tank and used compressed air (~ 30 psi) to blow out as much water as I can. If we happen to want to use the motorhome after it has been so 'winterized', we'll just bring a few gallon jugs of water for washing & flushing. Note: I do buy a gallon or two of RV antifreeze to pour into all drain traps (don't forget the shower).
 
Dry winterize with 40 PSI air pressure instead of antifreeze. Don’t forget the ice maker if you have a residential fridge.
 
I have never used RV antifreeze in my RV. I drain all the tanks, open all the faucets and blow out the lines. I've been doing it this way since the 1980s and have had no problems. I don't have a tankless water heater or a washing machine. How hard is it to 'drain' the tankless? Or the washer.
 
New 2024 Thor Indigo CC35. Winter is coming. We live in the Pacific NW and want to travel south for a few weeks of sun. When the coach is home, temps may occasionally fall into the 20's for a week or more.

We can drain the water tank and flush the system with antifreeze. However, we must then clear all the antifreeze out when we go to warmer climates, and then repeat the process when we come back home.

And we have a tankless water heater and a Splendide washing machine? Seems like antifreeze is just a source of problems with those units ...

Could we just drain the water tank, push air through the water lines, and avoid the antifreeze altogether? Is anyone doing this?

BTW we do have 30 am hookup and so the coach is always plugged in when we are home.

TIA

Download the winterizing instructions for your Splendide washer. Entegra provided me the instructions in my manual bag as well as the instructions for winterizing the residential fridge.

No knowledge on the tankless water heater.
 
Air air

Have used air for decades 25psi, always have one tap open, and a gallon jug of the pink stuff for the drains. I have a tankless water heater, no drain, the air just blows the water out. No help with the washer, seems the manual will help.
 
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The tankless water heater is easy. Just blow the water lines clear through the tankless water heater and you will be fine. You should not have bypass valves around it but sometimes Thor install them any way. Leave the valves as is and blow the tankless water heater out.

David
 
Wow another 5 Star thread that I will be rating. Organized OP question with uniformed answers and agreement. :thumb: I took have always used the air dry method as it is outlined in my manual. Anti Freeze is an option, but I see as non value added, not to mention more work to add and clean out. Pour Anti Freeze in the P traps and remember if you drive the coach someplace, pour more anti freeze in P traps again to refill those traps.
 
Dry winterize with 40 PSI air pressure instead of antifreeze.

Thanks for all the excellent answers.

Any clues on how to fit an air compressor hose to the water lines?

Do I need to blow air through the hot water lines as well as the cold?
 
Thanks for all the excellent answers.

Any clues on how to fit an air compressor hose to the water lines?

Do I need to blow air through the hot water lines as well as the cold?

They make city water connection adapters.

71TUg78pcOL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


Go to YouTube University for a visual primer on the procedure.

 
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...No help with the washer, seems the manual will help.


Found the winterization section in the Splendide manual, so FYI future viewers of this thread....

1) Pour 1/4 quart antifreeze in drum
2) Select 'Spin and Drain'
3) Run for 2 minutes, then turn power button to OFF
4) Unplug from electrical supply :eek:
5) Turn off water supply and disconnect inlet hoses :eek:

I will likely do #1, #2, #3 but leave the unit plugged in and clear the water lines with compressed air instead.....Yanking a stacking washer/drier out of the cabinet only to winterize is :facepalm:

To de-winterize just run a standard cycle with both bleach cups full...:flowers:
 
Do I need to blow air through the hot water lines as well as the cold?
Yes, all water lines should be blown clean. Attach an adapter to the 'City Water' inlet and apply the compressed air (regulated to 30 to 40 psi) then go around and open all the faucets until all water has been pushed out. I do this two or three times to be sure all residual water has been blown out. I drain the water heater first then put the drain plug back in. This way you never have to bother with the water heater bypass valves. Don't forget the shower and any outside faucets/showers.

Why anti freeze in the p-traps?
Overkill. Obviously there will be water in the traps. Although the drain pipes are open at both ends the RV antifreeze will prevent the small chance the freezing water in the trap could break the trap.
 
Why anti freeze in the p-traps?

I put anti freeze in the P Traps to help keep the orders from rising back out of the sink. I am not worried about the residual water in the p traps that may freeze. Somebody offered me a $10 million to freeze a P Trap, I am sure I could never do no matter how cold it got.

Besides I bought 1 gallon of Anti Freeze 5 years ago that I still trying to use up :LOL:
 
We live in South Georgia but in the winter it can drop them to the low twenties. I winterize the washing machine according to the method noted above although ours is a different brand. We don't use the ice maker and I have the water to be refrigerator turned off. To winterize the RV I drain the hot water heater and the holding tank. I use 30 PSI of air to blow out most of the water. I don't worry about a small bit of remaining water in the lines and I don't winterize the p-traps. We've had weather as cold as 16° and I've never had a problem with broken lines. I agree it is a hassle if you want to take the RV out during normal weather to reverse the process, but it doesn't take very long. You don't have to undo the washing machine.
 
We live in South Georgia but in the winter it can drop them to the low twenties. I winterize the washing machine according to the method noted above although ours is a different brand. We don't use the ice maker and I have the water to be refrigerator turned off. To winterize the RV I drain the hot water heater and the holding tank. I use 30 PSI of air to blow out most of the water. I don't worry about a small bit of remaining water in the lines and I don't winterize the p-traps. We've had weather as cold as 16° and I've never had a problem with broken lines. I agree it is a hassle if you want to take the RV out during normal weather to reverse the process, but it doesn't take very long. You don't have to undo the washing machine.

I am not sure I follow what you call a hassle to reverse the process? All you do is add water and go; and you only need to do that if you plan to be on a stay where you want running water.

Now if you use the anti-freeze in fresh water lines :nonono:, that would be a hassle to reverse. Also, I don't view putting anti freeze in P trap as winterizing. I keep liquid in my p traps year around to help control odors from holding tank. Since I blowout when draining water, a cup or less of anti freeze serves the same sealing purpose as the water. Now when I drive the coach, when I get back I will add more to the P traps out of belief the previous anti freeze in the trap may have been sloshed out into the holding tanks.
 
You're right, hassle is too strong of a word. Just an inconvenience since you do have to refill the HW heater, fill the holding tank for traveling water and run water to eliminate air in the lines.
 
You're right, hassle is too strong of a word. Just an inconvenience since you do have to refill the HW heater, fill the holding tank for traveling water and run water to eliminate air in the lines.

:rolleyes: inconvenience may be more like it. But it is the same inconvenience I have year around. It may take 10 - 15 min to get hose out and add 71 gallons of waters ( if you need that much?)

My RV does not require anything special to refill the water heater. I can actually bypass the water heater if I like; so it does not necessarily have to have water. I guess I could run each faucet to purge air, but I don't. The water will come soon enough when if needed.

At the end of the day, I like what you doing, you are a Deacon in my Church. :bow: My message is more so for the Anti Freeze crowd that insist on making this a hassle or ordeal that is harder that it needs to be. This year if / when I drain the tanks for a freeze, I will capture / measure how much water I blowout the lines just for kicks. I bet it may not be more than 16 oz? It may be that in my case, I don't even need to blowout?
 
New 2024 Thor Indigo CC35. Winter is coming. We live in the Pacific NW and want to travel south for a few weeks of sun. When the coach is home, temps may occasionally fall into the 20's for a week or more.

We can drain the water tank and flush the system with antifreeze. However, we must then clear all the antifreeze out when we go to warmer climates, and then repeat the process when we come back home.

And we have a tankless water heater and a Splendide washing machine? Seems like antifreeze is just a source of problems with those units ...

Could we just drain the water tank, push air through the water lines, and avoid the antifreeze altogether? Is anyone doing this?

BTW we do have 30 am hookup and so the coach is always plugged in when we are home.

TIA
I never ever used antifreeze in my 40+ years. I used to live far north when winter temp were very often below -40 F or C and MH was in that temperature in storage. l never had problem. I use portable 12V tire compressor to blow all lines. Drain all 3 tanks and then drive on uneven terrain so that MH is leaning left then right.with open drains to drain everything from the low spots. That's it. It takes about 30 min and cost nothing. I drain windshield fluid, because I always use only water, and then put about one cup of windshield antifreeze in.
 
I never ever used antifreeze in my 40+ years. I used to live far north when winter temp were very often below -40 F or C and MH was in that temperature in storage. l never had problem. I use portable 12V tire compressor to blow all lines. Drain all 3 tanks and then drive on uneven terrain so that MH is leaning left then right.with open drains to drain everything from the low spots. That's it. It takes about 30 min and cost nothing. I drain windshield fluid, because I always use only water, and then put about one cup of windshield antifreeze in.

We have fellow poster that lives in the Yukon (Yukon Grant) he does what you say. If you guys don't worry, no need for me to even flinch even though technically I live in North Texas. Truth be told, if we see snow, I can't wait to make a trip to a State Park, it is just so pretty. I will have to get some more pictures. Best time to RV, no crowds.
 

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