Winterize & Using 5th Wheel During the Winter

[datx]

Hello all!

Two quick questions - I followed the owner's manual (and watched about 10,000 hours of online video ) on winterizing our 2017 29.5 BHDS.. I actually blew out the lines AND pumped in anti-freeze. Poured some additional AF in all the sinks too to ensure p-traps were full. I probably used way more AF then I needed to.

Question - I feel like I read somewhere to leave all the faucets ON/OPEN when storing in the winter. Good idea? Bad Idea? Doesn't make a big difference? Do people leave the black/gray valves open as well? Seems like that is a bad idea as the seals might dry out and any AF poured in couldn't help prevent that..?

Question - Since no anti-freeze is in my fresh water tank (it was drained and blown out according to manual), couldn't I just sanitize the lines when we take it out in a few weeks? We plan on using it a couple of times this winter and I plan on putting AF in it when we aren't using it. However, it seems like when we take it camping, I could plug in fresh water.. Flush out lines.. and then with correctly portioned bleach solution in a pitcher flush the lines with bleach to sanitize them.. Not even sure that is necessary? Just figured since we cook with it and brush our teeth with RV water, couldn't hurt? Seems like doing the entire fresh water tank sanitization process would be overkill? WE are new to camping, so we are in the "GOTTA HAVE HOOKUPS" stages.. we actually don't use water from the fresh water tanks anyway.. Again, thoughts?

Lastly, thoughts on damprid? Good idea to use put some in the RV when storing (year round, I guess)? If so, do most use more than 1 and rotate them every X months?

Thanks for any advice/help!

[schiguy]

I feel like there are two schools of thought in regards to this. One states that if you blew out the lines with air and then used antifreeze, then you would be good to go. Second would be: What would it hurt to leave to leave them open? I think you are covered either way. Personal preference.

[Big1]

Yep, I agree with schiguy.

[bansai]

X2 you are fine either way. My valves, faucets, etc end up in the closed position because I do them all one at a time, open - let the pink stuff flow, close, move on to the next. Going back and revisiting every faucet, valve, etc to reopen it just takes more time and adds no value so I don't do it, but no reason you couldn't. I leave the plug out of my hot water tank because I flush it in the spring and I don't like fiddling around with that plastic piece of $#@#$@ anymore than I have to. Sounds like you did a great job winterizing. As the years go by, you'll be able to winterize in 45 minutes or less instead of a half day you'll learn what you like, and what is unnecessary and strike a comfortable balance between the two that lets you sleep well when most of America is under ice.

[Colorado_Bill]

Hello datx, I am just adding information to your email ... stuff you did not mention that you had done.

I do not own a Jayco (yet) but they all have low points drain valves for hot/cold. Those lines were drained before you pump in the antifreeze I hope. Also don't forget to purge the shower head and the outside shower.

I personally leave the grey/black valve closed for the winter. Also, do not forget to put something in your fridge/freezer door to let the air circulate for the winter.

Only left to do for the winter is dream of all the places you will be going next summer.

[Flapper]

Broken pipes are not caused directly by the ice, but by the air pressure that builds up between two blockages. The ice expands, compresses the air, and eventually....so those that leave valves open are just providing one more way for some air to exit.
But, if you've blown out and added antifreeze, there is very little water left in the system, and mostly what is there is mixed with anti-freeze. It just turns a little slushy, leaving a way for air to equalize. In the tanks, they already have a huge (relatively) amount of space for the air, and what little water may be in them doesn't generate much, if any, pressure on it. So yes, leave the valves closed to protect the seals. Might be different if the tanks were close to full, but since they are empty, no worries.

Your fresh tank will be at least damp, even after blowing it out. Sanitizing is killing growing things, not cleaning (antifreeze, etc.) the lines. You'd be surprised what can grow, even in near freezing conditions. For example, my swimming pool can have a pretty deep green color from algae when I uncover it in the early spring, even though over half the water is still frozen solid! Ditto on what grows in refrigerators/freezers/ice machines in restaurants where it is always cold and dark (my former profession).
VERY unlikely that anything that grows will actually make you sick - but it can make things smell and taste funky.

Proper sanitization means getting bleach water into the lines and let it sit for several hours, so it can do its job killing things. Since you have to give it time to work, you're not saving much effort by not including the fresh tank - and probably making it harder trying to get the bleach water into the plumbing without using the tank.

All that noted, a really good flushing of the lines alone will take care of a very high amount of gunk that might have been in them. So I'd do a sanitization only a couple of times a year, or in cases where the lines have been left with water in them for a couple of weeks or more of hot weather.

Just make sure you drain your hot water heater if you are going to let things sit for more than a week- it has several gallons of water that can make a good place to grow things too, and due to design, if it is full of funky water can take a long, long time to flush without draining first.

[Colorado_Bill]

Originally Posted by Flapper

Just make sure you drain your hot water heater if you are going to let things sit for more than a week- it has several gallons of water that can make a good place to grow things too, and due to design, if it is full of funky water can take a long, long time to flush without draining first.

And in the spring if you used the bypass on the water heater, make sure that the valves are returned to their normal operating position to refill your water tank before turning on the hot water heater.

[culleokapapa]

I agree with coiorado bill but do not open the hot water lines before you flush the lines you do not want anti-freeze in hot water tank.

[datx]

Thanks for all the insight!! This forum is one of the main reasons we settled on a Jayco! Community is awesome..

[Jace817]

Originally Posted by Flapper

Broken pipes are not caused directly by the ice, but by the air pressure that builds up between two blockages. The ice expands, compresses the air, and eventually....so those that leave valves open are just providing one more way for some air to exit.
But, if you've blown out and added antifreeze, there is very little water left in the system, and mostly what is there is mixed with anti-freeze. It just turns a little slushy, leaving a way for air to equalize. In the tanks, they already have a huge (relatively) amount of space for the air, and what little water may be in them doesn't generate much, if any, pressure on it. So yes, leave the valves closed to protect the seals. Might be different if the tanks were close to full, but since they are empty, no worries.

Your fresh tank will be at least damp, even after blowing it out. Sanitizing is killing growing things, not cleaning (antifreeze, etc.) the lines. You'd be surprised what can grow, even in near freezing conditions. For example, my swimming pool can have a pretty deep green color from algae when I uncover it in the early spring, even though over half the water is still frozen solid! Ditto on what grows in refrigerators/freezers/ice machines in restaurants where it is always cold and dark (my former profession).
VERY unlikely that anything that grows will actually make you sick - but it can make things smell and taste funky.

Proper sanitization means getting bleach water into the lines and let it sit for several hours, so it can do its job killing things. Since you have to give it time to work, you're not saving much effort by not including the fresh tank - and probably making it harder trying to get the bleach water into the plumbing without using the tank.

All that noted, a really good flushing of the lines alone will take care of a very high amount of gunk that might have been in them. So I'd do a sanitization only a couple of times a year, or in cases where the lines have been left with water in them for a couple of weeks or more of hot weather.

Just make sure you drain your hot water heater if you are going to let things sit for more than a week- it has several gallons of water that can make a good place to grow things too, and due to design, if it is full of funky water can take a long, long time to flush without draining first.

I respectively disagree with the statement that the compressed air is what breaks things. This is not true. Air compresses well as a gas and the lines and such are made to take well over 40 psi which you would not get close to with the thermal expansion of ice.

It's the expansion of the ice in a solid form that breaks things at the location of the expansion. The ice expands at that point and when it increases diameter at the pipe or valve.....crack or pop. Leaving the faucet open does not prevent this.