Winterizing the Truma

[Alison]

Hi, newbie question here. I have a question for those with the Truma. We are trying to figure out winterizing it. I recall from our walk-through at pickup that we just use the easy drain lever and pull out the filter, but in the manual, there are like three different sets of winterizing instructions and some include a process for adding antifreeze. Can someone tell me if we need to use RV antifreeze, or just drain it?

[Overland]

Check to see if you have the bypass kit installed - look for a set of valves on the water lines going into the unit. (Mine does, but at the time, Oliver was experimenting, so I don’t know if other trailers have it - I assume they do.) If you do have the kit, follow the directions in the manual for the Comfort model with the bypass kit, which just involves turning three valves before winterizing.

 

Basically, all you’re doing is shutting the valves to the water heater so that when you winterize the rest of the plumbing, you don’t get antifreeze into the Truma. Then drain the Truma like Oliver showed you.

[John E Davies]

I don't have the Truma, but I can suggest that you clean it internally (chemically de-scale it) before you winterize and drain it. Deposits that are left to harden over the winter will be harder to remove in the Spring.

 

 

Do you have the inside control panel? I sure hope so....

 

How do you like the unit so far?

 

John Davies

 

Spokane WA

[Alison]

Overland, Thanks for the input, it is really helpful. We are planning to try to fit in one more trip next weekend, but we are getting snow and freezing weather in the next few days. The Oliver doesn’t have water in it right now, so I couldn’t leave the Truma in Eco mode to ensure the water didn’t freeze. I was trying to make sure that draining and pulling the filter was sufficient to keep anything in there from freezing. Of course, we left the thermostat inside set to the high 40s to make sure the rest of the plumbing stays above freezing. I was 95 percent sure just draining and pulling the filter was sufficient, but wanted peace of mind that I was doing all that I needed to do. If we are lucky enough to be able to make one last trip next weekend (it’s snowing in the mountains now and through the week, so we’ll see), we’ll winterize in two weeks and your info about the valves will be very helpful then as well!

 

John, Thanks for the suggestion on de-scaling. I’m not sure we’ll need to do it this year, as we’ve only filled the water tank a total of four times since we drove the Oliver home in June, but we’ll definitely need to do it next year, and yes, prior to the cold dry winter will be better! I’m really happy with the Truma. It heats fast and I love the fact I can turn it on and start doing dishes a couple minutes later. I also love that we can use it in freezing temps without any worries.

 

Alison

[Rumline]

Sorry for the threadjack but I have a related question.  I forgot to close the bypass valve (mine appears to only have one valve on the intake, nothing on the output hose) when I pumped antifreeze into the trailer.  Did I ruin the Truma?  It's going to be a couple of days until I can flush out the antifreeze with water and then drain the water...warm days keep disappearing from the forecast.

[Overland]

Normally, you don't put antifreeze into a water heater because it will corrode the anode.  But I don't think that the Truma has one - at least I don't see anything about it in the manual.  But perhaps there's something else in there that would corrode - I guess the best route is to call Truma.

 

But I'd also check the bypass valve.  You said you forgot to close it, but normally it is closed, so maybe you forgot to open it?  If so, then antifreeze couldn't  have gotten into the hot water line and therefore none in the output of the Truma.

 

I'm really surprised that there isn't a valve on the output.  I'd verify if that's the case and if so call Oliver because it should be there.

[Rumline]

I called Truma and they said to flush it out ASAP but no damage should have occured.  I flushed it out Tuesday as it was snowing (air temp 35°, nothing was sticking).  I heated up the trailer up to 60° prior to doing anything with the plumbing.

 

Regarding the lack of a valve on the output hose, I believe there may be a backflow preventer installed.  See pic:

 

Edit: photo uploading doesn't appear to be working. I'll try again later.

[Overland]

Good info to know and glad there was no damage.

 

BTW, I decided to order the Electric Antifreeze Kit for the Truma.  Since we winter camp, it should be useful.  I comes with a replacement filter element that contains a heater, and also a bung for the exhaust that prevents cold air from getting in.  It's supposed to be used while traveling or overnight so you don't have to keep the gas on.  Looks like a dead simple installation.  I'll be interested to know how much power it pulls and if it's practical to use off batteries.

[Rumline]

I'm interested to see what you think of it; I've been thinking about that as well.  My thoughts are that it might prevent you from having to winterize if you're driving though cold weather.  It is the most exposed delicate plumbing component although I'd still be worried about other things freezing.  It sounds like it'd be very effective at keeping the thing warm overnight while camping in cold weather.  On the other hand, battery capacity is more precious to me than propane, since I'm not cool enough to have lithium batteries.  ;)  I guess if you're somewhere that has electric hookups that's not a concern.

 

Can you operate the unit (run hot water) while the Electric Antifreeze kit is installed?

[Alison]

Well, we winterized today and I hope we did everything right because low temps on Sunday are going to be 8 degrees! Like Rumline, I only had one valve available on the Truma as well. Closed it. Hope that’s all I needed to do to protect the Truma (other than draining and pulling the filter, which I did last week). I emailed Oliver a few days ago for specific directions on bypassing the Truma since it doesn’t look anything like the diagram in the Truma manual, but I never heard back.

 

Rumline, glad you were able to drain the antifreeze out of the Truma and get everything taken care of, despite this weather we’ve been having.

 

Sad to be done camping for the season. We had planned to go to the Sand Dunes this weekend to celebrate my birthday, but Sunday’s weather is just too cold and snowy to be driving home.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 10/5/2018 at 1:33 PM, Alison said:

Hi, newbie question here. I have a question for those with the Truma. We are trying to figure out winterizing it. I recall from our walk-through at pickup that we just use the easy drain lever and pull out the filter, but in the manual, there are like three different sets of winterizing instructions and some include a process for adding antifreeze. Can someone tell me if we need to use RV antifreeze, or just drain it?

Regarding the use of antifreeze: when winterizing the RV with antifreeze you must always drain the Truma tank and remove the inline filter.  There is an additional step when winterizing with antifreeze: you must bypass the Truma in the water system so not to get antifreeze into the Truma.  I believe, in the Elite II twin, the valves for bypassing are under one of the beds (curbside?)  This may be why you are confused.