Intimidating - New Class A Diesel Owner

[Scorn]

I bought a Winnebago Via 2012 with only 14,300 miles and now has 15K. I must admit I have a lot to learn. I will read all I can to learn more. I worry about doing the necessary things for this winter. I have a storage lot but not inside. We have only been out once, and we love it.

[Cooperhawk]

Windshield time will teach you a lot. Get on the road.

[Cooperhawk]

Your manual should tell you how to winterize, but basically drain the tanks and water lines. Then blow out the water lines. Put anti freeze in all the drain traps. If you have a washer check the manual on that.

[Cooperhawk]

Oh, and don't forget to drain the ice maker.

[be happy]

Winterizing is always fun! More so when you are not really sure of what to do. You first will have to find your water pump, then hope there is a tube close by it that by turning a value will allow antifreeze to be pumped into your system. Once that is found you will need to drain all of the water from your unit. Empty the hot water heater, find the valve or valves to divert water from the hwh. You should have low point drains on your unit find them and drain water from that also.

Once that is done get about 3 gals of antifreeze (3 may be over kill) turn the valve to let the pump suck the antifreeze to your unit. Turn each faucet on until pink comes out, toilet also, out side faucet anything that has water. Once that is done poor some more down the drains.

Or take to a dealer for them to do, you may be able to watch and learn so you can do it next year.

[Deny]

Great choice of vehicle.

Follow the maintenance suggestions, especially the fluid spec, and you will be fine.

The more maintenance you can do yourself, the better off you will be

[Westonbum]

Don't forget to drain your outside shower (if you have one)

[nova 42qd]

Does your rig have a clothes washer and dishwasher? If so be sure to winterize those appliances. You will find instructions in the manual. My rig takes about 5 gallons to winterize. My manual says not to run antifreeze through the ice maker.

[CharlesMoore]

All the advice I have read here is pretty good. However, I have chosen a different approach. I blow out the waterlines with an inexpensive Harbor Freight aircompressor set to 35 PSI. First of all I drain the Coach onboard water (90 gallons in my case).



Then, I drain the hot water heater and reinsert the drain plug. I connect the the air to the city water inlet. I go to the farthest cold water faucet (sink) and turn it on until it spits air. Then I turn on the hot water faucet and do the same thing. Then comes the shower do in the same with cold & hot faucet. After that the lavatory sink hot and cold. Finally, the outside shower/sink.


Then I repeat the same process for pass #2 after waiting for 15 minutes. Pass #3 I do the same thing until no mist or water comes out of any taps. Finally I drain the two lines that are at the lowest point in the coach (Winnebago has two lines: one for the water pump standing line and one for the pump itself. Remove the plug in the hot water heater drain and store it.



After that comes making sure the Black & grey tanks are empty. During the process between pass #2 and #3 I dump in the pink stuff in every trap. If I need to, I put some pink stuff in black & grey tanks. I use one gallon with one in reserve. The whole process takes about 1 hour beginning to end with time for talking with the neighbors.

[Westonbum]

Follow CharlesMoore's instruction and you simply can't go wrong!

[TTFoley]

If your rig is going to sit outside, buy some RV tire covers. The sun, even in the winter, is brutal and you want your tires covered. I have something like these.
I even cover tires during camping season if the MH is going to sit for over a couple of weeks.

[CharlesMoore]

Yes, my blowing the line did not include the ice maker sorry I removed all ice maker lines. It did not include the filtered water at the kitchen sink that I include in the air purging sequence.

[CDAVEGO]

I had a 2011 Via, now a 2016 View. I agree with most replies but I now do only the pump RV antifreeze method & no longer blow out the lines beforehand. I didn't trust blowing out lines to get rid of all the water in low spots and pumped antifreeze anyway, so I no longer blow lines. Drain hot water tank & bypass it before pumping. There are a couple of valves accessible under left rear bed to open to let some antifreeze thru those lines.

Separate subject: I found a much quicker way to drain the gray tank than using the macerator pump, which takes a long time (pumping uphill just to have a common drain hose connection with the black tank. There is a PVC male plug underneath near the gray tank valve. Remove it, hold the drain hose under it, & open the valve - far quicker.

[mwgettler]

I agree with CDAVEGO, use the antifreeze. A drop of water in one of your facets can break it when it freezes.

[DanC]

It’s also a good idea to flush the city water inlet… while water pump is on, press the check valve on the inlet until antifreeze comes out. My 2500FL only required 2 gallons of antifreeze. By the way, if you decide to blow out the lines with pressurized air, it is extremely important to limit the pressure as noted in an earlier comment… high pressure air can do more damage than ice.

[Mtn Charlie]

I moved to Florida. That resolved ALL winterizing issues.