Thought I'd Winterize Today.

[JKyle]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

Doh!

Exactly how I felt and reacted.

[JKyle]

Originally Posted by pconroy

You and I both have special kids. So we've learned to celebrate the victories, no matter how small!

Yeahhhhh. These days, about 20 times a day for several 'rounds' we have to go through the 'statements we already know the answers to' but we need constant 'certainty and verification.'

"Camping is all done."
"It's too cld for camping."
"The campground is closed."
"All done camping."

[Cookiejar]

The other bright side - your grass won't freeze this winter! Seriously, every season I forget something or do something backwards. DW keeps telling me to make a checklist. But then what would we laugh about?

[Smeel]

Did that last year only with the hot water tank. Blew the lines out first and the cold water in the sink seemed plugged. It did get below 0°C for a few days so thinking the line froze we urm4d the furnace on and cranked it while went and got a jug of antifreeze. Never even dawned on us to put the drain plug back in the hot water tank........entire jug right through the line and out the tank.

This year I went to drain the hot water tank after putting antifreezw through it and the tank had pressurized. So that was me needing a shower aftet being pressure washed with antifreeze.

[Rambling Man]

Originally Posted by JKyle

Beautiful day here in CT. Thought it to be a great day to get the camper winterized.

Drained and bypassed HW heater. -CHECK!

I bought 3 gallons of antifreeze and got to work. Managed to get the cold water side of the kitchen sink run, then on to the hot side.............system sucked up another 2 gallons of antifreeze while I waited to see some flow......

I'm thinking hmmm, I don't remember this much being needed last year.

Ran out, picked up another 2 gallons. Camper drank them up like a thirsty sailor.

I had to get to my restaurant, so didn't have time to investigate further. I just got home and realized: The low point drains are open. All my antifreeze is outside on the ground, isn't it?

The camper is parked on grass, so I wouldn't likely hear it running out.

You are not alone, I do that almost every year.

[Lake Huron]

We got our 17 Northpoint brand new in 9/16. Used it a handful of times then it was time to put it away. I bought 5 gallons of pop to run thru it and started at the back like you're supposed to and worked my way forward. Half way thru is the residential fridge that has water and ice in the door. I used a glass to pull the water out of the fridge lines and gallon after gallon kept disappearing but clear water kept coming out of the fridge. I'm waiting for the pink pop to come thru and glass after glass kept getting thrown out the entry door out on the concrete driveway. For the life of me I couldn't figure out where all the water was coming from and the pop was going. I went and bought another 5 gallons and after the first gallon change out of that purchase I started to notice the glass wasn't filling up as fast. As I'm filling the glass, I noticed the water on the driveway wasnt evaporating like it should and the voice in my head says "Hey stupid! Taste the "water" in the glass you're filling!". I took a little sip taste like youre tasting a fine wine, and it was a fine wine alright! The fine taste of glycol! The damn filter in the fridge was doing such a good job filtering out the pink dye it was coming out like crystal clear water and was finally plugging up!
Lesson learned.
I purchased a bypass filter for the fridge and haven't made that mistake since. Lol!

Another thing that makes me laugh is we as "campers" spend a lot of money on our rigs but some tend to cheap out on things.
Years ago there was a game show called Name that Tune. The younger crowd here wouldn't know it, but contestants were given a little clue about a song. They went back and forth with each other on how many notes of the start of the song would be played that they could "Name that Tune". Very few were able to name it in one or zero notes.
Winterizing your rig amongst people is like that game show... " I can winterize mine in 5 gallons."
"Oh yeah, I can do mine in 3 gallons".
" I can do my trailer in ONE gallon".
Go ahead Mr Cheapskate and do it then. Lol!
I use 7-8 gallons and pump it thru like I ain't paying for it. For the $35-$40 it cost me to do it, it's cheap insurance and I'll never have a popped line or valve from freezing.

[JKyle]

Originally Posted by Rambling Man

You are not alone, I do that almost every year.

Originally Posted by Smeel

Did that last year only with the hot water tank. Blew the lines out first and the cold water in the sink seemed plugged. It did get below 0°C for a few days so thinking the line froze we urm4d the furnace on and cranked it while went and got a jug of antifreeze. Never even dawned on us to put the drain plug back in the hot water tank........entire jug right through the line and out the tank.

This year I went to drain the hot water tank after putting antifreezw through it and the tank had pressurized. So that was me needing a shower aftet being pressure washed with antifreeze.

Originally Posted by Lake Huron

We got our 17 Northpoint brand new in 9/16. Used it a handful of times then it was time to put it away. I bought 5 gallons of pop to run thru it and started at the back like you're supposed to and worked my way forward. Half way thru is the residential fridge that has water and ice in the door. I used a glass to pull the water out of the fridge lines and gallon after gallon kept disappearing but clear water kept coming out of the fridge. I'm waiting for the pink pop to come thru and glass after glass kept getting thrown out the entry door out on the concrete driveway. For the life of me I couldn't figure out where all the water was coming from and the pop was going. I went and bought another 5 gallons and after the first gallon change out of that purchase I started to notice the glass wasn't filling up as fast. As I'm filling the glass, I noticed the water on the driveway wasnt evaporating like it should and the voice in my head says "Hey stupid! Taste the "water" in the glass you're filling!". I took a little sip taste like youre tasting a fine wine, and it was a fine wine alright! The fine taste of glycol! The damn filter in the fridge was doing such a good job filtering out the pink dye it was coming out like crystal clear water and was finally plugging up!
Lesson learned.
I purchased a bypass filter for the fridge and haven't made that mistake since. Lol!

Another thing that makes me laugh is we as "campers" spend a lot of money on our rigs but some tend to cheap out on things.
Years ago there was a game show called Name that Tune. The younger crowd here wouldn't know it, but contestants were given a little clue about a song. They went back and forth with each other on how many notes of the start of the song would be played that they could "Name that Tune". Very few were able to name it in one or zero notes.
Winterizing your rig amongst people is like that game show... " I can winterize mine in 5 gallons."
"Oh yeah, I can do mine in 3 gallons".
" I can do my trailer in ONE gallon".
Go ahead Mr Cheapskate and do it then. Lol!
I use 7-8 gallons and pump it thru like I ain't paying for it. For the $35-$40 it cost me to do it, it's cheap insurance and I'll never have a popped line or valve from freezing.

Okay...so I'm NOT alone! Last year was simple. New camper, took my YouTube my lessons, then went ahead and winterized, quickly. -Used about 2 gallons.

Name That Tune. Oh yes, I remember that show. You're right!

"Go ahead Mr Cheapskate and do it then. Lol!
I use 7-8 gallons and pump it thru like I ain't paying for it."

No matter if I did it perfectly OR used 8 gallons for a 26 foot camper, I'm definitely not doing anything different than many of you. Good to know.

[tnka trk]

Doing mine tomorrow. Been doing this for 30+ years and I still make mistakes that make me slap my forehead. Hopefully it goes flawlessly tomorrow but I would be surprised if I didn’t make at least one mistake. 🤣

[Mikemc423]

Was on my way to buy antifreeze and read a text while stopped at a light. A buddy asked if I wanted to go camping the w/e of 11/16. I did not winterize my camper today, only to be told later this evening that he can't go that weekend now. lol
Wants to go the following weekend but I don't know if the CG will still be open. It's in upstate PA and it can easily get below freezing that late in November. Plus, I don't think I want to wait that long to winterize as it can drop below freezing here at home, too.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Mikemc423

Was on my way to buy antifreeze and read a text while stopped at a light. A buddy asked if I wanted to go camping the w/e of 11/16. I did not winterize my camper today, only to be told later this evening that he can't go that weekend now. lol
Wants to go the following weekend but I don't know if the CG will still be open. It's in upstate PA and it can easily get below freezing that late in November. Plus, I don't think I want to wait that long to winterize as it can drop below freezing here at home, too.

Given what you are facing in terms of temps in northern PA, I suspect you'd better be winterized one way or the other. To not risk freeze-up, you'd best be doing the winter version of "dry camping."

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by tnka trk

Doing mine tomorrow. Been doing this for 30+ years and I still make mistakes that make me slap my forehead. Hopefully it goes flawlessly tomorrow but I would be surprised if I didn’t make at least one mistake. 🤣

Just did mine yesterday and yeah, I made a mistake too. Two, actually.

[Glamper64]

No drinking and winterizing When I'm doing it I think of the steps over and over again and maybe have one beer Seriously though, it's an important thing to do properly, wasting antifreeze is no big deal, but forgetting steps can be costly.

[tnka trk]

So I did mine and when all done realized that I forgot to do the lines to the washing machine that we never installed. They are hidden in the pass through. ����*♂️

[Mikemc423]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

Given what you are facing in terms of temps in northern PA, I suspect you'd better be winterized one way or the other. To not risk freeze-up, you'd best be doing the winter version of "dry camping."

It's a moot point now, no trip.

The campground was going to have the water still on so I would have played it by ear with the temps.

As it is, I got it done yesterday morning.