Winterizing your Minnie Towable - Page 3

Bigbird65 · 09-13-2018, 07:22 AM

Manny, when I winterize with compressed air, none of the pink stuff goes in the water lines so none drains out through the low point drains.

Bigbird65 · 09-13-2018, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

Well you need to come back and post more often! Thank you for sharing that very helpful information.

You are welcome and I'll be back.

MNWinnie72 · 09-13-2018, 08:12 AM

THANKS to all for replies to our recent question, especially the detailed photos by "BigBird65", and the response of the original poster "TDI-Winnie", who provided the very detailed winterizing instructions earlier in this thread.

We followed TDI-Winnie's instructions pretty much to a tee, that is, the "no-air" method. His step-by-step pretty much agreed with the instructions found in various other places, although there seems to be disagreement about the very last step ("leave-em open" OR "close-em up").

TDI-Winnie says this: "Seems silly to leave the low point drain open and have all the antifreeze on the ground." We think we agree with that, and could not quite understand why some instructions suggest keeping the low-points open, when you've already got antifreeze in those lines. So we will stick with the "keep them closed" strategy.

Thanks also for the comment that leaving the fresh water tank valve open while driving seems a little risky for contamination. We think we agree, and will stick with the "keep-it closed" strategy for that valve, too....

Best wishes again from Minnesota......

Cleite · 09-14-2018, 11:56 AM

Great help. Thsnks

Bigbird65 · 09-14-2018, 12:09 PM

You folks are welcome. If you ever try the air compressor method you will find it easier, faster, less messy and it works as well as the pink stuff method.

pj48009 · 10-26-2018, 06:38 PM

I was unable to find the bypass valve and they put the siphon tube in an area impossible to reach. So I used a different approach and hope it’s right. I drained the hot water heater. Put five gallons of antifreeze in the freshwater tank and ran each faucet and toilet until it was pink. Prepared to flush the system out in the spring. Do you see any holes in what I did? My first time so a bit nervous.

Bigbird65 · 10-26-2018, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj48009

I was unable to find the bypass valve and they put the siphon tube in an area impossible to reach. So I used a different approach and hope it’s right. I drained the hot water heater. Put five gallons of antifreeze in the freshwater tank and ran each faucet and toilet until it was pink. Prepared to flush the system out in the spring. Do you see any holes in what I did? My first time so a bit nervous.

Did you turn on the pump and press the button in the center of the city water inlet to make sure you got the pink stuff back as far as that fitting?

pj48009 · 10-26-2018, 07:21 PM

No but I can do that tomorrow

pj48009 · 10-26-2018, 07:24 PM

My switch says city water and RV. I had it on city water

old_engineer · 10-27-2018, 07:39 AM

If you have a black tank flush you still need get rid of water that can be sitting in it. You can either blow it out or pump antifreeze into. Also don't forget to put antifreeze into the traps, black/grey tanks and toilet bowl.

old_engineer · 10-27-2018, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj48009

My switch says city water and RV. I had it on city water

There is a check valve on the city water connection itself to stop water from back flowing out of it. If you remove the screen washer you will see a white button. This is the valve. If you push it to hold it open it until antifreeze comes out you will have section of the plumbing winterized.

pj48009 · 10-27-2018, 08:25 AM

Thank you. I’ll look in a bit

pj48009 · 10-27-2018, 09:17 AM

Tip to myself. Don’t look to closely when you do it. You may get sprayed in the face. Lol. You were right. Clear water came out first, then pink. Thanks for the thought. I may have pressed to hard and broke the valve. I put it back together but may not be right. No biggie really since it looks like a easy replacement. Next is one more trip to Walmart for another gallon and put it in the flush input. Th aks again. Was my first time.

McTrailer · 11-07-2018, 07:46 PM

2100bh. 2018

If I run the furnace at 45 or 50 will that be enough to keep my Winnie thawed? I am going to use it a few times this winter and honestly I don’t want to put antifreeze in it unless I know I’m going to be out of it for a long period of time when it’s freezing.

I don’t mind using the electricity and propane to keep it going. EDIT let me say I’m ok doing that when it’s freezing for a few days off and on. If I’m not going to be in it or there are weeks of freezing temps I will plan on antifreezing it.

TDI-Minnie · 11-08-2018, 05:19 AM

No way to answer that, except to say the antifreeze is cheaper than the propane.
I winterize mine several times a year when a hard freeze is forecasted and then just take it out an use when I want.

old_engineer · 11-08-2018, 06:14 AM

I live in NC and we use our trailer year round. Except for a week or two we are usually above 40 during the day with high 20's - low 30's at night. I've never done more than blow the lines and dump RV antifreeze into the traps and holding tanks. As the toilet valve and hose can hold some water after blowing out I disconnect the hose to be sure it is empty. The same goes for the the hose between the shower valve and head. I also bypass the water heater for most of the season unless we are on a long trip. Just don't forget about blowing out the outside shower and the black tank flush.

If you are talking about leaving water in the lines relying upon heat to keep things from freezing I wouldn't risk it. If you have a power failure or run out of propane you still risk freezing. Trailer's aren't well insulated either and it would be easy for the lines to freeze where they enter the trailer or place like the outdoor shower. Just draining the lines will still leave pooled water depending upon trailer attitude and plumbing layout.

McTrailer · 11-08-2018, 04:44 PM

I bought a air blowout fitting at the advice of a friend of mine, he said it is by far the easiest and I need one anyway if I have a black tank flush valve

McTrailer · 11-09-2018, 05:49 PM

I used the siphon method and got antifreeze through the shower, sink, and outdoor shower. Do I leave the plug to the drained water heater on or off?

I’m worried I only have one petcock underneath the camper and it’s the freshwater drain. Im assuming it’s OK if that’s the case but manual said there may be another one? Manual instructions were super easy to cycle the antifreeze.

Once it warms up I’m going to use the air compressor to blow through everything else

Also, do I close the outdoor shower dial handles or leave them in the open position?

Bigbird65 · 11-10-2018, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McTrailer

I used the siphon method and got antifreeze through the shower, sink, and outdoor shower. Do I leave the plug to the drained water heater on or off?

I’m worried I only have one petcock underneath the camper and it’s the freshwater drain. Im assuming it’s OK if that’s the case but manual said there may be another one? Manual instructions were super easy to cycle the antifreeze.

Once it warms up I’m going to use the air compressor to blow through everything else

Also, do I close the outdoor shower dial handles or leave them in the open position?

Did you open the low point drains?

McTrailer · 11-10-2018, 10:27 AM

There’s only one I can find and it’s underneath the water heater. I believe it’s the freshwater drain petcock. I didn’t see a hot water one