How To Winterize a Trailer

[KarenH]

The one time I actually left my trailer in (covered) storage for 22 weeks between camping trips, all I did was engage the battery disconnect switch (zero phantom battery draw). The batteries still had 13.2 volts on board when I went to get it.

[MyronL]

Seems to me like unless you're over-wintering at Prudhoe Bay these battery issues are all much adoo about nothing.

[KarenH]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Seems to me like unless you're over-wintering at Prudhoe Bay these battery issues are all much adoo about nothing.

Thanks, Myron...I'm glad someone else is of the same opinion. I guess that was sort of my point in telling my anecdotal incident.

Edited: When I had a tent trailer and did no winter camping, I simply pulled the fuse on the battery...had the tent trailer with the same battery for nine years with no deleterious effect to the battery.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by MyronL

Seems to me like unless you're over-wintering at Prudhoe Bay these battery issues are all much adoo about nothing.

This area sees temperatures as low as -40°C (which is also -40°F) at least occasionally every winter. If a battery is half-charged at that temperature, the results could easily be bad. Cars sit out in those temperatures routinely, but most are driven (and thus charged) at least occasionally, unlike an ignored trailer. We're far south of the arctic coast - a couple thousand kilometres - so our lowest temperatures are few degrees less extreme than Prudhoe Bay, but destroying batteries in low temperatures is still a real issue... here and in much of North America.

I assume that forum members are bright enough to know how cold it gets in their own area, are able to judge whether or not their weather is "nothing", and can decide how much to do about it.

[Jim Bennett]

I too have seen man a battery left partially discharged in the cold of winter freeze and become ruined. I must admit, I have let that happen to a couple of mine before, thus the ambition to keep them fully charged. Besides, it is real easy to do.

[Duer]

What about a battery tender? I've not heard any talk about that so far.
They work great for motorcycles and other smaller batteries.
Why wouldn't they work for a 12 volt trailer system?
Duer

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Duer

What about a battery tender? I've not heard any talk about that so far.
They work great for motorcycles and other smaller batteries.
Why wouldn't they work for a 12 volt trailer system?

A suitably-sized Battery Tender or other similar maintenance charger would work fine... if you have 120 volt AC power. If you have power, you can just let the Escape's converter/charger run in maintenance mode, too. The problem is that in most storage situations, you don't have AC power available.

[padlin]

With the old trailer I hooked up the Battery Minder for a day once a month or so through the winter, I use it for the tractor too.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by padlin

With the old trailer I hooked up the Battery Minder for a day once a month or so through the winter, I use it for the tractor too.

This is really all you need, just so long as the battery is fully charged all is fine.

[cpaharley2008]

The solar will also keep the batteries charged, even through some covers.

[Duer]

I'd agree, the battery tender draws no amps and monitors the battery charge.
Since I've used them for my motorcycles I've not had to replace a battery for years.
Prior to this the battery came out of the bike etc. etc. and charging them once or twice a winter just didn't do it.
I'll try a tender...
Duer

[lausway88]

There a lot of great winterizing tips here though I think it would also be better if you check for any drafty windows in your trailer as they can bring in a lot of unwanted cold winds into the trailer.Here is a blog that mentions some tips to check and fix drafty windows

[maurerl]

Originally Posted by Loren & Cathy

. . . I think the best way to winterize a trailer is to take it and yourselves down very far south in the US and stay there until spring. Loren

Like the year we (pre-Escape) flew to Vegas, rented a camper van, and spent from mid-Dec to mid-Jan mostly around Tucson, and had frost on the inside of the camper windows on 22 out of 28 mornings!

Anyway, we've had a few frosty nights here and I figured it's high time I winterized -- sooo glad this thread is pinned! We were lucky last winter, I never got a round tuit.

[cpaharley2008]

Here you go...

[maurerl]

Thank you! One can never have enough of these!

Between your gift, and the threat of -7C overnight temps in a few days, Tumbleweed has been properly winterized & put to bed. Bwaahh! The good news is, it's easy enough to undo!

[Donna D.]

This is a really old thread, but thought new owners could use the information Reace posted on the first page.

BUT, I have a question about the water pump. I don't have the optional winterizing valve. Shoulda had ETI install it when I was there in August! Dang.

Anyway, I'll be using the outside city water fill port with a hand pump. Just like I've done every year. This is the first year I've used the fresh water tank. I don't want to add anti-freeze to the tank. I know how to use the by-pass valves.

In the first post, Reace says to run the water pump for 30 seconds, but that's when winterizing with compressed air.

IF I run the water pump for 30 seconds, will that be sufficient to drain the pump and protect it from freezing? And yes, I know to do this before adding anti-freeze to the lines.

[Iowa Dave]

Hi Donna
Running the pump for 30 seconds on an empty supply fresh water tank was adequate for our 2013 21 ft Escape when I did that last year. I have used the same process (hand pump) again this year. I am however going to access the water pump before it gets real cold here and remove the filter cap to make sure I don’t have any fresh water perched in there that might have somehow collected after I ran the pump dry.
I do not have the winterizing T valve on the 21 like I installed on the 19. It worked great too. The Camco pump method is pretty economical I must say. I only used about a gallon and a quart to push antifreeze through all ports, the toilet, and to dump into grey tank through shower floor drain.
It gets to -20 F here every winter and our building is unheated so it’s gotta be right. Our 21 is one of the real early ones with the low point drains too. I use them to get a lot of the water out of the lines and make sure to flush the toilet under antifreeze pressure to displace perched water too. Also here’s how I get a thorough drain on my grey and black tanks after they have been drained at the dump station, and fresh water has been added back in to slosh around and clean the probes and pick up any soap scum etc.
Iowa Dave

[Donna D.]

Thanks for responding Dave. The hand pump has worked well the past four years. It was just the water pump I'm concerned about. The 30 second run and removing the filter cap too sounds like a good idea


THANKS again!

[Cher MN]

As we come out of our first winter, we found it helpful to put together this checklist. It was gleaned from some great RV videos on the subject.

Eric and Char
Minneapolis

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

This area sees temperatures as low as -40°C (which is also -40°F) at least occasionally every winter. If a battery is half-charged at that temperature, the results could easily be bad. Cars sit out in those temperatures routinely, but most are driven (and thus charged) at least occasionally, unlike an ignored trailer. We're far south of the arctic coast - a couple thousand kilometres - so our lowest temperatures are few degrees less extreme than Prudhoe Bay, but destroying batteries in low temperatures is still a real issue... here and in much of North America.

I assume that forum members are bright enough to know how cold it gets in their own area, are able to judge whether or not their weather is "nothing", and can decide how much to do about it.

I have left my batteries in my 19' every winter since it was purchased new in 2013 and it has always had a full charge and no-issues in the spring (other than needing a bit of water top off). I adopted a similar practice with my 15B when we purchased it nearly 3 years ago. However, when I took the cover off of my 15B this past weekend after it being covered all winter, I was saddened to see that both batteries had apparently froze during the winter and cracked the casings (leaving a mess in the front storage box). I realized after installing a new set of batteries that the voltage readout was now reading a higher state of charge than it had ever done since we bought the trailer nearly three years ago. I assume that the batteries had been failing for some time. With the likely low charge over the past winter they were unable to withstand the low temperatures, froze and burst.