Cold weather question

[Mondoggie]

I just brought home my 2019 Melbourne 24K. I asked the dealer not to winterize because we use the rig quite often during the winter months and the repeated winterize, de-winterize cycle gets tiresome.
I keep my RV parked besides my house and have over the years discovered that my OLD Class A could endure short spells of very cold weather if I simply kept the interior heat at 60, turned on the water heater and made sure the black and gray tanks were empty. I am NOT so familiar with my new Jayco rig and the forecast is calling for lows of 8, 12 and 18 degrees for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Would I be okay with cranking up the heat and water heater as though I was sleeping in it, or is it essential that I go through the winterization process, only to have to de-winterize for my trip that begins on Thursday morning?
Any good advice would be appreciated.

[Florida Ranger]

Use small air compressor to blow out water system. And then only put antifreeze in drain pee traps

[spoon059]

How much do you think it will cost you to run the heater and run the water heater? How much do 2 jugs of antifreeze cost?

I would spend the $8 on antifreeze and enjoy my vacation, rather than $35 for electricity for a 1500 watt heater and electric water heater (or more when burning propane for a furnace and gas water heater...) and still have to worry about whether or not every single inch of water line is sufficiently warm and not about to burst.

It takes me about 5 minutes to winterize, and I get good peace of mind knowing that my water lines are protected and will be working fine come spring.

[Mondoggie]

Thanks Ranger. Haven't ever tried that but it may be the way to go. I'll read up on it then maybe give it a go. But would I still need to pull the plug on the hot water tank, or can you get the water out by letting the pump run then blow out what is left? I'm asking because I've had trouble in the past getting the nylon plug threaded right. Ended up having to cut new threads.
BTW, I'm hoping to spend January and February in Navarre. I'm on a (looong) waiting list for a spot at Emerald Beach, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Mondoggie]

Thanks Spoon. Wasn't really thinking about the dollars and cents. My bill was a bit higher, but I don't believe it was quiet 35 dollars. As for peace of mind, I never worried. Just upped the thermostat and let her run. On that class A, the fresh water and most of the plumbing was inside the coach. The duct work was designed in such a way that when the slides were drawn in the pipes were heated first. The only thing that wasn't protected on the class A was the sink on the outside kitchen, but the outside flex hose proved very durable to freeze breakage.
Might be an altogether different set-up with the Jayco. I did notice the there is no heater vent in the bathroom, which could spell trouble. I'm just trying to learn by asking, then I'll weigh the options. Full winterize might well be the best way to go.
Thanks!

[pconroy]

8 and 12 would worry me enough to winterize. We froze up solid at 14*F

[Mondoggie]

Yep. Went out this morning and bought antifreeze. Will be winterizing later today. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks everyone.

[Florida Ranger]

Moondog I live next door to Navarre. Call me (850-501-8477. Pull plug on water heater. New plug is only & 1.00. I keep 2 extra in coach. You can get an adapter to screw in where your hose goes.

[Mondoggie]

Okay fellows, I need some help with the winterizing process.
1. I've drained the water from the water heater and re-attached the nylon plug.
2. I found and closed the water heater bypass valve.
3. I've found the low point drain hoses, opened the valves and drained all the water from there.
4. After emptying the low point drains, I've closed the valves back.
5. I've emptied both the black and gray water tanks and left the valves open.
6. I've pulled the water filter canister, removed the filter and reattached the canister without the filter.
7. I closed the water filter bypass valve
8. I've attached the male end of the hose to the city water intake port and dropped the other end of the hose into the antifreeze jugs.
8. I set the controls to the 2-4 (winterize/sanitize) positions.

Then, thinking I'd done everything right, I hit the pump button. I can hear the pump running, but the antifreeze just sits in the jugs.

Can anyone tell me what am I missing?
Thanks, from a frustrated fellow trying to get it right!

[Berjr]

Originally Posted by Mondoggie

Okay fellows, I need some help with the winterizing process.
1. I've drained the water from the water heater and re-attached the nylon plug.
2. I found and closed the water heater bypass valve.
3. I've found the low point drain hoses, opened the valves and drained all the water from there.
4. After emptying the low point drains, I've closed the valves back.
5. I've emptied both the black and gray water tanks and left the valves open.
6. I've pulled the water filter canister, removed the filter and reattached the canister without the filter.
7. I closed the water filter bypass valve
8. I've attached the male end of the hose to the city water intake port and dropped the other end of the hose into the antifreeze jugs.
8. I set the controls to the 2-4 (winterize/sanitize) positions.

Then, thinking I'd done everything right, I hit the pump button. I can hear the pump running, but the antifreeze just sits in the jugs.

Can anyone tell me what am I missing?
Thanks, from a frustrated fellow trying to get it right!

open the valves so the antifreeze can pass through water filter housing, unless you have a bypass, my Greyhawk does not have one so it has to flow through to get to the piping system

secondly where you attached the pick up hose at the water inlet flip the strainer screen to force open the check valve because until there is incoming pressure the valve wont open it needs a little help

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mondoggie

Okay fellows, I need some help with the winterizing process.
1. I've drained the water from the water heater and re-attached the nylon plug.
2. I found and closed the water heater bypass valve.
3. I've found the low point drain hoses, opened the valves and drained all the water from there.
4. After emptying the low point drains, I've closed the valves back.
5. I've emptied both the black and gray water tanks and left the valves open.
6. I've pulled the water filter canister, removed the filter and reattached the canister without the filter.
7. I closed the water filter bypass valve
8. I've attached the male end of the hose to the city water intake port and dropped the other end of the hose into the antifreeze jugs.
8. I set the controls to the 2-4 (winterize/sanitize) positions.

Then, thinking I'd done everything right, I hit the pump button. I can hear the pump running, but the antifreeze just sits in the jugs.

Can anyone tell me what am I missing?
Thanks, from a frustrated fellow trying to get it right!

Now I don't have your unit, but on mine there are valves on each side of my whole-house filter, but no bypass. So if I shut off one or both nothing will flow. So make certain you have an actual bypass.

Also most units at the hose inlet connection behind the screen filter there is a one-way (check) valve. It prevents water from flowing out of the inlet when the system is pressurized by the onboard pump. But sometimes that valve restricts drawing water in since the stock pump doesn't develop enough suction. So many owners have to carefully remove the screen and turn it over so the "hump" faces in and depresses the check valve. That makes it easier to draw in the antifreeze. Also raise the container so it is above the inlet to make the suction head reduced. And you may have to slightly crack open an outlet to allow the air to escape and get the antifreeze to flow into the system.

My only other comment is that I leave the water heater plug out to make sure nothing remains in the water heater. I replace it after my Spring flushing. But that is just my preference just in case the WH bypass leaks a little, I would see antifreeze start to dribble out.

[Mondoggie]

Okay, I think I finally got it, and you guys were right on two points
1) What I thought was a bypass valve on the filter was not that at all. I crawled back under and saw that there was indeed a second valve as you described. I put the front valve back to where it was before I started fooling with it and it helped.
2) The check valve was apparently another part of the problem. Fooling with that seemed to help some too.
Having said that, I don't believe I ever got the system functioning the way it was designed. In order to get it to work, I had to take the hose out of the bottle, shove a small funnel into the other end of the hose, hold the funnel high and pour the antifreeze directly into the funnel. Even then, the process was painfully slow. With only one faucet open the antifreeze came out as drips and eventually a trickle. I was finally able to get about a quart of good color antifreeze in each of the kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, toilet and outside shower. Took about 45 minutes once I finally got the first trickle.
At any rate, I think the rig will be protected during the cold spell ahead, but I'm concerned that whatever I messed up in winterizing might come back to haunt me when I try to gear up again in the spring.
Don't be surprised if I'm not back on here again in a few weeks asking for help getting it all straightened out!
In the meantime, thanks again. This is a helpful board.

[Mondoggie]

One other thing. Have they done away completely with the old gravity fill fresh water port? The one where you just hold the hose in place and fill the tank? If mine has one, I couldn't find it.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mondoggie

One other thing. Have they done away completely with the old gravity fill fresh water port? The one where you just hold the hose in place and fill the tank? If mine has one, I couldn't find it.

If you have the valves you align to let water go where you want it there (usually) is no gravity fill. Too bad, I think it wouldbe advantageous at times. Major surgery to install one now however!

[RVermont]

I had trouble using the gallons jugs so I picked up a 5 gallon water jug and pour 4-5 gallons into it. After flipping the screen and adding antifreeze directly to the filter housing I put the jug on a step ladder. This is above the the height of the inlet. With these preps i get clear solutions and have eliminated the sputtering.
I have a Seneca ts with washer dryer so it takes a fairly high amount of solution.

[spoon059]

FYI, there is no need to drain the water heater separately. If you open your hot and cold low point drains and open any faucet, all the water in the lines and the water heater will drain out.

[Mondoggie]

Did not know that. Thanks!

[Rmgrose]

I recently sanitized my tank and system and couldn't get the pump to prime. I had blown out my lines during winterizing it. The manual says to open low point drains with the pump running. Who would of guessed the manual was right! It still took 10-15 seconds but I could hear the pump gurgling and then water started coming out the drains before I closed them again.
Ps I had bucket with my bleach water mixture that I pumped into the system. I had to repeat the pump priming process after I drained my tank and refilled it.

[Hangar11]

Thinking you should drain and put AF in the systems, your rig may or may not be "OK" over a 3 day cold snap... 1 power outage or equipment issue could cost you hundreds or thousands in repair.

drain the low points, install 2 gallons of AF in the water lines , add af to the drains and toilet... drain the hw heater. [ bypass first ] 1 hour or less and 10 bucks no worries.....

Originally Posted by Mondoggie

I just brought home my 2019 Melbourne 24K. I asked the dealer not to winterize because we use the rig quite often during the winter months and the repeated winterize, de-winterize cycle gets tiresome.
I keep my RV parked besides my house and have over the years discovered that my OLD Class A could endure short spells of very cold weather if I simply kept the interior heat at 60, turned on the water heater and made sure the black and gray tanks were empty. I am NOT so familiar with my new Jayco rig and the forecast is calling for lows of 8, 12 and 18 degrees for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Would I be okay with cranking up the heat and water heater as though I was sleeping in it, or is it essential that I go through the winterization process, only to have to de-winterize for my trip that begins on Thursday morning?
Any good advice would be appreciated.

[Bakerron]

Essential to get anti freeze in the supply lines under the floor.