Winterizing your RV (Axis/Vegas 24.1 specific)

[JamieGeek]

Yes, I took it from the passenger area. So all of these valves should be open except the fresh water tank drain, correct?

In most cases you want the fresh tank and two low point drains closed and the fresh water shutoff valve open (unless you want to drain the tank or are flushing the system).

 

[sharonbje]

Thank you again. Why would you ant the low point drains closed?

 

[efelker]

Sharon:

The valves in the picture you attached are the low point drains (2, 3, 4 in the picture I attached), and the cold water supply from the fresh water tank (1).

Valve 1 -- Cold water supply line from the fresh water tank. This valve must be open for the water system to have a supply of water from the fresh water tank when you are camping off the grid with no city water supply hooked up.

Valve 2 -- Fresh water tank drain -- when this valve is opened the water in the fresh water tank will drain out onto the ground near the right rear wheels.

Valve 3 -- Cold water line low point drain -- when this valve is opened the cold water in all the cold water lines will drain out onto the ground like the fresh water tank drain.

Valve 4 -- Hot water low point drain -- drains the water from the hot water lines through out the RV.

 

[efelker]

If the low point drains are open you'll drain all the water from the fresh water tank, cold water lines, and hot water lines.

 

[sharonbje]

Thank you again. Is this explained so where and I missed it?

 

[efelker]

Not in the Thor manual -- but your dealer should have explained it to you during the PDI. Again send me an email and I'll send you my manual that I designed for newbies to self learn stuff like this.

bevedfelker@live.com

 

[efelker]

Again -- on the low point drain picture -- valve 1 OPEN, Valves 2, 3, 4 CLOSED.

 

[sharonbje]

So many valves. So little water.

 

[efelker]

If you send me an email at bevedfelker@live.com my manual will help you learn a lot of stuff not in the thor documentation or explained during your pdi.

 

[Hugh.vines@att.net]

freeze

I read somewhere that a common freeze point is where the pipe ends where you drain the grey tank because anti freeze never makes it there unless you open the gray tank until you see antifreeze.

 

[Dbeskan]

Thanks very much, Jamie for the specifics with pics on the winterizing process. I can even follow for future reference. debbie

 

[JamieGeek]

Sigh, just went through the winterizing process for another season. The Axis is put away now waiting until April (probably).

 

[Larry-THOR]

Give it a good hug and kiss goodbye.

Don't mean to rub it in but we're just getting into the best time of the year to camp in our area. Heading out this weekend to one of our favorite campgrounds on the lake and is close by. Weather supposed to be low 60s for low and mid 80s for high.

 

[KNMIB]

Does anyone else just blow there lines out and use antifreeze only in the traps. I have done it for 2 years with no problems. Sorry just noticed AxisVegas only

 

[JamieGeek]

KNMIB: The procedure I posted is for Axis/Vegas only in that the locations are for the 24.1 model but to use antifreeze or blow out the lines is a very common question.

Personally I don't think either procedure is superior to the other: They both accomplish the desired task (which is removing the danger of water freezing and causing damage to the water system).

Many people use the air method simply because they don't like the taste/smell of the antifreeze.

I've been using antifreeze on our campers for over 15 years now (and using in boats long before that) without any freezing problems or taste/smell problems (a good flush in the spring helps to remove 99% of any antifreeze odors and taste).

 

[jimbo21793]

Thanks for all the great Info and photos! Hey, Where do I pick up the fitting for the antifreeze tube. ??
Thanks

 

[JamieGeek]

I think I picked mine up at The Home Depot.

 

[Chance-THOR]

Sigh, just went through the winterizing process for another season. The Axis is put away now waiting until April (probably).

Thanks Jamie for posting excellent procedure. Living in the south I've never thought much about winterizing or what was involved.


It does raise a question though that I hadn't thought about before. If you travel in winter with temperatures below freezing, I assume that using the heater for passenger comfort keeps everything warm enough so nothing freezes. However, if you stayed with family or in a hotel for a few days in winter and left the RV vacant, is there anything that can be done short of running the heater? Suppose one drove an RV to winter resort and staying in a lodge for a week. Would you run out of propane (assuming you had propane) or battery for furnace? Would you winterize RV prior to trip and leave it that way while traveling? What do northerners typically do?

 

[jimbo21793]

Fitting

Thanks! I've got a lowes close by.
So, this is a 3/4 " screw in fitting ? Tube connection port is 1/2" ?

 

[gmc-THOR]

...
It does raise a question though that I hadn't thought about before. If you travel in winter with temperatures below freezing, I assume that using the heater for passenger comfort keeps everything warm enough so nothing freezes. However, if you stayed with family or in a hotel for a few days in winter and left the RV vacant, is there anything that can be done short of running the heater? Suppose one drove an RV to winter resort and staying in a lodge for a week. Would you run out of propane (assuming you had propane) or battery for furnace? Would you winterize RV prior to trip and leave it that way while traveling? What do northerners typically do?

Got good at winterizing in rest areas... lol... I have it down to under 15 min... whether using antifreeze or blown air... When heading south - I de-winterize once beyond freezing temps - and when returning winterize before hitting the cold again.
If I am staying in the north - I leave the unit winterized for the trip (haven't done that often...)

Cheaper than running the furnace for a week... But - depending on how cold and duration - other kitchen items might freeze... bottles, cans, etc... The cost of living or visiting areas with "nature's air conditioning"...

I have to invert my thinking and consider things getting too hot as I move to a southern full time home... Not something I had to worry about in Michigan.