DFC
Alpharetta, GA
New Member
Joined: 02/01/2012
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Hello Everyone!
We are owners of our very first TT. We purchased an Enterra 303BHS at the Atlanta RV Show and took delivery of it this past weekend. Being new to all of this I feel like my subject line right now... Thankfully, I have found this site and it is helping me learn what I need to know.
My question is about de-winterization. We are planning to take our first trip over President's Day weekend down to Tybee Island. The unit I took delivery of came winterized and I need to de-winterize. Should I do this before we go on our trip or can I do it at the site when we get there?
My other question is do I need to winterize again after the trip? We live in the Atlanta area and have had a very mild winter so far. I know I am asking everyone to play meteorologist with this question but really just not sure. Is it one of those safer than sorry kind of things?
Thank you, everyone, in advance for your assistance!
-Diego
|
Shot-N-Az
Va
Senior Member
Joined: 06/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
We dewinterized during our Christmas trip to florida at our overnight stop in SC. No big deal, just hook up to city water source and run faucets until they run clear.
We re-winterized when we got back home. Given how this winter has gone, there have been maybe five nights here in my part of Va that the antifreeze has been needed.
If you don't want to run the pink stuff back thru your system, just keep a close eye on the weather reports. Unless it is going to dip below freezing for more than a few hours, I wouldn't be too concerned. Having said that, I'm very conservative when it comes to protecting my rig against things that can cost money to fix if I bet wrong.
|
mpfireman
Cook County Il
Senior Member
Joined: 12/26/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
De winterizing at home is easier than at your camp site. BUT, if you have ANY questions about what to do, your fellow campers will gladly assist you. Does your hot water heater have a by pass system? Do you have propane in your tanks? Going out on your FIRST trip, I would camp out in your driveway if possible for a day or two, that way you will learn on what is needed when on the road. Hoses, Fresh water and sewer, cribbing blocks, Folding chairs, spare Electrical cord, ETC. You will learn as all of us have. What seem's as a must have item, is soon not that important when camping.
Seasoned campers will help you in your must have list. And it all boils down to what type of camping you will be doing, Private, State, Federal, all require different items necessary for camping.
Welcome to the fold.
1998.5 Dodge Ram Quad Cab Cummins
1998 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver
|
rvten
Crossville,TN
Senior Member
Joined: 11/30/2000
View Profile
|
Do it before you leave. This way you also get to check for leaks and fix them.
Do not think you will get any hard freeze in GA. Drain and blow out the lines should do.
Tom & Bonnie
Crossville, TN.
Aspect 29H 2008 Type C
Ford Flex SEL 2010
There is no B+
.jpg)
|
Markiemark32
Atlanta
Full Member
Joined: 12/18/2011
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Welcome aboard, lots of help & opinions on this site.
Most of it very useful & enlightening.
I am also, new first time TT owner, in the Atl area. My wife and I did install, the kit(valve by the water-pump) so winterizing could be done routiniely in the winter. So far we have been taking it out throughout this winter. Nice thing in Atlanta, accessible to some great areas for camping throughout the year.
We de-winterized at the site, so far. Only issue, since having to run water until all pink out of system, it can fill grey water tanks quickly. Depending on the campground, grey water disposable may be at the site or at a dump-station.
If we know trailer is going to be dormant for couple weeks, we have been winterizing, to be on the safe side, with the flucuating weather. Once kit is in, it is jus the anti-freeze (cheap from Walmart) and taking the time.
That being said, just returned from a trip, and currently did not winterize, due to forecast, looking mild with lows only mid 30's.
Once you learn the system, winterizing is not that time consuming, and a good habit in the winter.
Have fun with the new trailer, we definitely are!
Markiemark
|
|
|
skipnchar
Topeka or somewhere else
Senior Member
Joined: 12/17/2003
View Profile
|
It does't matter WHERE you do it so do the task where it works best for you. You WILL need a spot with a sewer connection to do the job properly. If you have antifreeze in your lines you'll need a place to dump the antifreeze and if you used compressed air to winterize instead of antifreeze, you'll STILL need a place to dump the heavy bleached solution from your lines and tanks when you sanitize the water system. If you do the job before you leave you'll have immediate use of your water system for cooking, cleaning, drinking and bathing but if you want you'll have to carry water for use until it's finished.
As for re-winterizing, it depends on the weather where the trailer will be kept. Water freezes at 32 degrees regardless of where it is or how mild the winter is. The SAFE way would be to winterize again but it's your trailer and you know best what the weather in your area is and might be so you make the decision.
Good luck and have a good trip / Skip
2011 F-150 HD Ecoboost 3.5 V6. 2550 payload, 17,100 GCVWR -
2004 F-150 HD (Traded after 80,000 towing miles)
2007 Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
US Govt survey shows three out of four people make up 75% of the total population
|
Dick_B
Palos Heights, IL USA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/10/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
It was suggested that to dewinterize just hook up to the campground source and flush out the lines. This may work BUT to be safe I would suggest sanitizing the system. Search this Forum for `sanitizing' or `sanitize' if you don't know how to do it.
If you decide to hook up to the campground source check them for water pressure. If it is above 50 lbs or so use a pressure regulator at the source to keep the pressure low enough to avoid over-pressuring the RV system.
Dick_B
2003 SunnyBrook 27FKS
2011 3/4 T Chevrolet Suburban
Equal-i-zer Hitch
One wife, two bikes (both Electric Schwinn's with motor assist)
|
Old-Biscuit
Across the USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/20/2009
View Profile
|
Got a kick out of your subject title.......
Reminded me of Donald Rumsfeld's famous intelligence "Things we know, things we don't know" explanation 
Hope you now know about de-winterizing
|
mlts22
Austin, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 11/15/2010
View Profile
|
I'd make sanitizing part of the de-winterizing process. Flush the pink stuff out of the system, then do the bleach thing, running a little bit through all valves. Then let sit for a while (preferably 24 hours). After that, do a rinse with water + baking soda (the baking soda does zero for santization, but neutralizes any bleach still in the lines and helps with taste/odor), rinse that out, and one is ready to go for the 2012 season.
|
extremis
BC
Full Member
Joined: 05/20/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Make sure to flush the hot water tank. When I first got my trailer new, it was winterized from the factory. I didn't realize they put anti-freeze in the hot water tank. When I first set up I then had to keep flushing the 6 gal tank till it ran clear. That took a while, especially since I filled it with water first before draining the anti-freeze. If I'd of known, I would of drained it first and run water through it with the low point drain off or the anode rod/plug out.
|
|
|
