Darn Rookie RV Owner

[lodiguy]

Well it took two attempts and 4.5 gallons of antifreeze, but we finally got our plumbing winterized.
Drained the water out of the fresh tank. I had the water heater drained and the plug removed. I then thought I bypassed it.
Turned on the water pump and sucked the first gallon right out the water heater drain plug. Instead of flushing the outside shower. I had turned the lows point drain valves instead of the water heater bypass valves under the bathroom sink.
After another trip to Walmart, for more antifreeze. Back to the camper, armed with 4 gallons. I found the bypass valves for the water heater under the bed, turned them and everything went as planned. Finished up I though) and then forgot the toilet. Opened one more gallon and flushed that line. Dumped the rest down all the "P" traps. DONE!
Good for 5 weeks until we use it for a trip during Christmas. Now I know where everything is and what goes where.
Of course this is after I went and bought a hand pump and then found a suction hose on the water pump.
Darn rookie RV owner. And yes I did read the owners manual. It doesn't tell you where things are located, just the procedures.

[jloco]

Nice job getting it done yourself! Live and learn. Don't be too hard on yourself. Next time will be a piece of cake!

[Murff]

Anti-freeze? What's that???



Murff

[hoppers4]

Yeah, I'm with you Murff. I'm an air kinda guy too. Either way is right, just personal preference. Hey, at least you got er done Lodiguy.

[norty1]

Mistakes are called experience by some. Next time you will know...maybe

[SecretCoveDave]

Yeah that's pretty much how I did it the first time.

Actually, I think the second time too.

Dave

[Wrascal]

While I may regret it one day my winterization process is to pull all the drain plugs and open all the spigots. Last year I forgot to open the outside shower ... but it survived!

[bankr63]

Don't worry, it DOESN'T get any better. After 7 years of winterizing, I made 2 rookie mistakes this year. Forgot to close the LP drains after emptying, and forgot to remove the filter before pumping in the AF. Guess I was just getting too used to it. Only cost me a half-gallon, but experience told me pretty quickly that it was drawing too much.
The need for AF depends a lot on the latitude of your Lodi. Lodi CA, probably not necessary to use AF (just blow out the lines). Lodi NJ, maybe you should. I know up here in Canada, it is pretty much a given that you will use AF, but our trailers have to survive -40 degrees for several days each winter. Even with blowing out, if any water has pooled it will blow out at those temps and the hard fast freezes we tend to get.

[Scoutr2]

The difference between experience and training is . . . experience gives the test first, then the lesson.

You did fine. You didn't break anything. And you only wasted a couple gallons of antifreeze.

BTW - did you purge the city water fill line by pushing in on the check valve at the inlet (hose connection) with the pump on?

[Jhnbggs]

HI guys,
Just wanted to also say Winterize, what's that. Living in the desert southwest it doesn't freeze enough to Winterize. Just sanitize twice a year here and good to go. I do have the kit installed if needed but out to much with it to go through that.

[Brownie]

Good Job, Lodiguy! One of my old neighbors use to take his rig to the dealer and pay $75.00 to have it winterized. He said he wanted to make sure it was done right. I prefer to learn how to do things yourself. I've always found it to be personally fulfilling, as well as financially rewarding.

And next year, you'll be answering the winterizing questions instead of asking them! Well done!

[Griswald One]

I am on my third RV and my third time screwing up the first Winterization... The new motorhome has a "fancy" system of knobs that you have to move to the right position to do the job... I was working in the dark and drained almost half a gallon before I figured out I had gone past "Winterization" and was instead "Sanitizing" my fresh water tank.... It is going to take me hours to completely flush the pink residue out in the spring

[clubhouse]

Good job. Sort of sad to put the TT to bed for a couple months.

FWIW -- we don't need to winterize in this part of California, maybe blow out the lines. I live the valley too, near Fresno, sure we get some cold nights but it isn't cold long enough to freeze lines inside your TT. I simply drain tanks & water heater then blow out the lines with my compressor. I do add antifreeze to the sink traps and toilet.

[jloco]

I've never done it. For $75, I have the campground do it as it sits on my seasonal spot all winter.

[Jagiven]

It was just a cheap learning curve. $12 verses $75 plus fuel & time.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by Griswald One

I am on my third RV and my third time screwing up the first Winterization... The new motorhome has a "fancy" system of knobs that you have to move to the right position to do the job... I was working in the dark and drained almost half a gallon before I figured out I had gone past "Winterization" and was instead "Sanitizing" my fresh water tank.... It is going to take me hours to completely flush the pink residue out in the spring

Tip: Leave the drain plug out of the WH when you begin to de-winterize. That'll give you a head start on clearing the antifreeze from the water heater. (Ask me about 2012-2013 when I though I knew what I was doing)

[ocps9823]

You are still ahead if you had taken it to the dealer.

Now you know for the future. Well done

[SparkDr]

If equipped, did you remember to winterize the outside shower. I made that mistake...twice. It's a good thing replacements are cheap. What can I say? I'm a slow learner.

[Kevin J]

I did it the easy way this year ! The dealer did it when I bought the trailer now I have to wait until next spring to use it