Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-22-2017, 05:07 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: gardnerville
Posts: 12
Suggestion about Dewinterizing

I am a Newbee here, I winterized my 2017 24RBS this past November using the antifreeze. I live in Gardnerville NV which is near South Lake Tahoe. My problem, I need to tow my trailer to Southern California on March 2, so I need to Dewinterize/remove antifreeze before I go, but it is still getting in low 20's any ideas what I should do or not do, so I do not damage my lines.

Thanks
whit66 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 05:25 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 15,893
Why can't you de-winterize when you get there? Should only take you 30 minutes tops. You can speed up the process by using air and blowing out the lines before you leave.
__________________
DISNEY LOVERS
Grumpy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 05:36 PM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: gardnerville
Posts: 12
I might just do that, if I get the antifreeze out first then blow out my lines with air, may I ask what is the process once I get to my RV spot? Is it just priming the system so I have water flow? Thanks again I do appreciate your help
whit66 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 05:51 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 15,893
All you need to do is flush all the lines for several minutes with fresh water. Do that before you fill the water heater the flush the hot water lines again.

That's all I've ever done over the last 40 years.
__________________
DISNEY LOVERS
Grumpy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 06:03 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: White Bear Lake
Posts: 409
Depends on your final destination - will you have hookups? Are they OK with dumping antifreeze? Some places aren't, even though it is supposed to be septic safe. If that parts OK, I'd just go as-is. Then just flush out the system with fresh water. You should pull the plug on the heater and let that drain separately then use the valves to flush any remainder out the drain plug, if you ran antifreeze through it when winterizing. Incoming normally mixes with what is in there, so it can take a pretty long time to get it all out if you don't do it separate from the rest of the plumbing. Except for that, there isn't really that much in the lines to get out. And if you used RV antifreeze, it is non-toxic anyway.

If you don't have hookups there, then do as suggested before leaving - flush it all out, then blow out your lines with air, and drain your heater. You will be fine.
__________________
2012 Ford F-150 Eco, SCrew, 4x4, MaxTow, HD Payload
SOB, used to be:Jayco 26.5 RLS
Flapper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 11:09 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: gardnerville
Posts: 12
May I ask if you run bleach in your system after get all the antifreeze out of the lines?
whit66 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-22-2017, 11:49 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Tunce the traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bellingham,Wa.
Posts: 6,649
What I do is place a bucket under the low point drains and recover the antifreeze then use it again next season. It's pure 100% so it's a waste just to just throw it away, it's not the money but I feel it's the right thing to do. They claim it's not toxic but I wouldn't drink it even on a bet.
__________________
2010 Jayco Hybrid EXP21M
2013 Toureg TDI
Tunce the traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2017, 07:16 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Grumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Where ever the boss says we're going.
Posts: 15,893
Quote:
Originally Posted by whit66 View Post
May I ask if you run bleach in your system after get all the antifreeze out of the lines?
I don't. The antifreeze is non toxic and your water, if from a municipal source, is chlorinated.
Grumpy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2017, 07:26 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Cosmik Debris's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Missoula, Montana
Posts: 704
Quote:
Originally Posted by whit66 View Post
May I ask if you run bleach in your system after get all the antifreeze out of the lines?
We may be talking two different things. Flushing out the plumbing and sanitizing.
I assume that at sometime you'll use water from your fresh tank. That should be sanitized at start of season, and refreshed later if needed.
My process is to:
Drain antifreeze from plumbing.
Fill fresh tank with proper mix of bleach and water, get water to all faucets. Let set 3-4 hours. Drain.
Fill fresh tank with clear water, run pump to all faucets. Drain tank.
Refill tank with water and vinegar mix. Run water to each faucet. Let set a few days. Drain tank.
Refill tank with clear water, run to each faucet. Drain.
__________________
"I might be movin' to Montana soon..."

2020 Outdoors RV Glacier Peak Titanium
2013 Eagle 29.5RKS (traded in)
2013 Ford 6.7L diesel F350
Cosmik Debris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2017, 08:34 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: White Bear Lake
Posts: 409
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy View Post
I don't. The antifreeze is non toxic and your water, if from a municipal source, is chlorinated.
Well, it is and it isn't chlorinated......the EPA mandates chlorine levels to be 4 parts per million. That's a pretty low level, which can be used up very, very quickly, depending on what it encounters or how long it has been there. Ask any pool owner, who's levels are about the same, how very fast it disappears if more is not added!

But, city water into a holding tank is already pretty clean, although never 100% bacteria free - a very few always make it through the chlorination. But so few they have no impact if you use it in a reasonable time. The chlorine, however, does break down on its own very quickly. So you can have bacteria growth in the tank, usually a slime on the walls/bottom. Especially if it sits in a nice warm environment (summer) for a long period with no use.

The good news is that whatever is in there is extremely unlikely to be anything that can cause illness. (All bets are off, of course, if you filled from an untreated source). Note that also the environment is pretty restricted - there may be a very small amount of outside stuff that gets in via the fill valve/hose/etc. that gives anything in the tank a food source - but not very much. This also limits what can grow in the tanks.
So normal worst case is that you may end up with water that has a funky taste/smell. Most people don't detect the issue, and may not ever, so no worries.

But, water sources vary. So the prudent practice is to kill what might be growing by periodically adding bleach to the tanks. Usually to about 15 ppm, letting it sit for a few hours, then flushing it out again. This knocks down any bacteria to virtually zero levels (but probably not 100% to zero). How often? That is mostly up to the individual. I do it for spring startup, and if my tanks have been sitting for a long time (month or more) with no change over of water in the summer. Others do it more frequently, others avoid doing it at all. And the really cautious ones never consume water from their system and depend on bottle water......
__________________
2012 Ford F-150 Eco, SCrew, 4x4, MaxTow, HD Payload
SOB, used to be:Jayco 26.5 RLS
Flapper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-23-2017, 03:10 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
NVGun40's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Eagle River, AK
Posts: 900
Quote:
Originally Posted by whit66 View Post
I am a Newbee here, I winterized my 2017 24RBS this past November using the antifreeze. I live in Gardnerville NV which is near South Lake Tahoe.

Thanks
FWIW, I used to live in Carson City, my father lives in Dayton. Between us we have owned several RVs over many many years. I have always winterized my rigs using the antifreeze, it's cheap and when it is pumped through the lines I like to think it helps keep all the parts and seals in the water pump and faucets and toilet from drying out. Meanwhile, my father almost nevers uses the antifreeze. He just drains the entire system and then blows out all the lines with compressed air and then stores his RV at a lot in Moundhouse during the winter.

Neither of us has ever had a problem or issue. Both of us are avid hunters and have often used our rigs during freezing temperatures in the winter time. We have always just de-winterized (for me that meant draining the antifreeze, flushing the lines with water; for him... just fill the tanks and go), done our thing and when we got back home, winterized the RVs again.

I guess now that I have expounded on my experiences, my recommendation to you would be to de-winterize your system, flush your lines with fresh water, and then until you get down to So Cal. blow your lines out with compressed air and make sure your tanks are empty.
__________________
We are just a humble drinking couple with a hunting and camping problem.
2018 Jayco Octane 260
2019 Dodge Ram 2500, 6.4 Hemi, 8 spd A/T
2021 Argo Aurora 8x8/2008 Arctic Cat M1000 SnoPro
Previous: Komfort 5er/Jamboree MH/Lance Cabover/Jayco Whitehawk 25BHS TT
NVGun40 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:50 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.