De-Winterizing ~ Jumped the Gun?

[Telescopist]

Yep. Spring like weather in Southeast PA has arrived early. Winter never arrived. I brought the trailer out of storage and de-winterized last week. Tonight the weather pundits are predicting the following: 1am: 31° with a low of 26° at 8am. At 9am it will still be 31°.

I know this topic has come up many times before. Should I go ahead an winterize? I don't want to worry about frozen pipes on the eve of a trip. But maybe there isn't anything to worry about.

TIA.

[C&G in FL]

I’m really not the one to answer this question because I have only winterized my trailer one time in advance to a trip to my son’s house in northern Alabama last Thanksgiving when forecast temperatures there were similar to what you describe. I used my air compressor (35 psi) and poured some RV antifreeze in the traps. Took about 15 minutes, and I found it much easier than sucking antifreeze through the plumbing when I had previous campers when living in NH. You might just turn on a ceramic heater inside the trailer and open the cabinet doors and bench seats where there are exposed pipes.

[DanandDaphne]

I wouldn't worry about those temperatures at all for a few days. I would put an electric heater inside your escape on low. Prop open your bench seats and cupboard doors that are adjacent to plumbing and your bathroom door. Your fresh water tank is too much water volume to freeze at that temperature unless it was that cold for several weeks, but you could drain it easy enough.

I would put RV antifreeze in both holding tanks to protect the dump valves, (assuming they are empty) but its probably not necessary.

Pex plumbing is pretty tough, I lived in a 30' trailer for many years all year round in Colorado's San Juan mountains with temps going well below zero and I would have lines freeze up and thaw without any thing ever breaking. It was skirted to protect the holding tanks but I never put any heat under the trailer.

[HABBERDABBER]

Your weak spots would be any toilet water valve and any plastic connector/plumbing fitting. 31F? I wouldn't sweat it.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Your weak spots would be any toilet water valve and any plastic connector/plumbing fitting. 31F? I wouldn't sweat it.

It's going down to 24 at around by 6am. Latest and greatest update.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

I wouldn't worry about those temperatures at all for a few days. I would put an electric heater inside your escape on low. Prop open your bench seats and cupboard doors that are adjacent to plumbing and your bathroom door. Your fresh water tank is too much water volume to freeze at that temperature unless it was that cold for several weeks, but you could drain it easy enough.

I would put RV antifreeze in both holding tanks to protect the dump valves, (assuming they are empty) but its probably not necessary.

Pex plumbing is pretty tough, I lived in a 30' trailer for many years all year round in Colorado's San Juan mountains with temps going well below zero and I would have lines freeze up and thaw without any thing ever breaking. It was skirted to protect the holding tanks but I never put any heat under the trailer.

I'll mull over what to do. Thanks for responding.

[HABBERDABBER]

Blow out the ALL the water lines thoroughly, plop some RV antifreeze down your drains and sleep warm & well.

'Ya jumped the gun. This Winter has been enticing, that way. It looks like it may stay cold for a spell, at least around the Upper Midwest.

And we're due for 6" or more snow here in southern Wisconsin tonight. And another storm event coming on Sunday. I'm waiting for the "All Clear" signal before I start messing about.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Blow out the ALL the water lines thoroughly, plop some RV antifreeze down your drains and sleep warm & well.

'Ya jumped the gun. This Winter has been enticing, that way. It looks like it may stay cold for a spell, at least around the Upper Midwest.

And we're due for 6" or more snow here in southern Wisconsin tonight. And another storm event coming on Sunday. I'm waiting for the "All Clear" signal before I start messing about.

I went ahead and de-winterized all the way. The bi-pass option makes the job go a lot faster.

[kavm]

We have switched to the anti-freeze method. It really does not take more than 10 minutes. We did it twice this winter.

[kiwimiller]

Left Minnesota yesterday--temperatures in mid-20's--for Texas. Filled the water tank but didn't open the bypass valves to the hot water heater. Camped a few hundred miles south last night but temps were still below freezing. Used the water pump and woke up to this in the morning... an ice sickle off the city water inlet.


I don't think there was any freezing inside the compartment, but I think I learned a lesson, and it's this: when it is cold, turn off the water pump and open a tap to relieve pressure in the system.



Can anyone verify this? Thanks.

[brroberts]

Mid 20’sF at night? What are daytime temps?

For temps that warm, I use everything including hot water in my 19; I just keep heat on inside if it’s freezing outside.

I would not leave the pump on. I just turn it on when I need it.

I’ve never had water form like that even at 10F.

I’ve been in single digits in the trailer with full water. I do try to find electrical hookups if it’s going to be in the teens to low twenties a few days in a row.

I do have the foam insulation on the trailer bottom.

[kavm]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Mid 20’sF at night? What are daytime temps?

For temps that warm, I use everything including hot water in my 19; I just keep heat on inside if it’s freezing outside.

I would not leave the pump on. I just turn it on when I need it.

I’ve never had water form like that even at 10F.

I’ve been in single digits in the trailer with full water. I do try to find electrical hookups if it’s going to be in the teens to low twenties a few days in a row.

I do have the foam insulation on the trailer bottom.

I haven’t been in 20F but learned that the water connection to a hookup can freeze even if the overnight temperatures are as high as 28-29F. We had that happen in Texas earlier this winter on the way back from Big Bend. The lesson we learned was to disconnect water at both ends outside.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by kiwimiller

Left Minnesota yesterday--temperatures in mid-20's--for Texas. Filled the water tank but didn't open the bypass valves to the hot water heater. Camped a few hundred miles south last night but temps were still below freezing. Used the water pump and woke up to this in the morning... an ice sickle off the city water inlet.

I don't think there was any freezing inside the compartment, but I think I learned a lesson, and it's this: when it is cold, turn off the water pump and open a tap to relieve pressure in the system.

Can anyone verify this? Thanks.

It seems odd that water should be escaping from the city water inlet regardless of the outside temperature. I was under the impression that there was a check valve to prevent reverse water flow. Perhaps that valve needs to be replaced?

But if it is leaking then yes, relieving the pressure in the system should help, perhaps eliminate the leakage entirely.

Regarding the hot water heater: This component is most unlikely to have a freezing issue when the trailer is in use. The occupants will freeze first...

And this has been mentioned before: When starting the trip, dump some anti-freeze into the black and grey tanks first, to protect the dump valve and exposed pipes. Having frozen mine, I tend to over do it with a gallon in each tank.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

And this has been mentioned before: When starting the trip, dump some anti-freeze into the black and grey tanks first, to protect the dump valve and exposed pipes. Having frozen mine, I tend to over do it with a gallon in each tank.

Thanks for that tip.