Winterizing for a Maine winter.

[Mcb]

I’m hoping some of my Oliver owning “ neighbors” will weigh in on this.. As ridiculous as it seems, it being the end of July and really hot, I find myself wondering if there are any extra precautions or advice when it comes to winterizing for a Maine winter beyond the process recommended by Oliver.. 

of course the best precaution against having a freezing issue would be traveling where it’s warm during the winter..... 

thanks for any input!

 

 

[Mainiac]

Hi "Neighbor"

I have found it best to have at least 6 gallons of RV antifreeze on hand. During the season they can run out, or the price rises. Off season they don't carry it. I have found I use about 3 gallons every time. I thought that was a lot for such a small system, but the hand pump for the inlets used quite a bit. Also when sometimes I might want to head for warmer climes in early Spring (or Mudseason), I carry a couple of gallons in the closet. We use it to 'flush' with so that we don't have to de-winterize until south of the Mason/Dixion Line. We also blow out the lines twice before adding the antifreeze, so get an air valve/ hose fitting adapter. (I assume you have some type of air compressor and a socket to remove water heater drain if you are getting the standard water heater).Have been doing this for the last 20 years this way and never have had a problem. When working at a CG we used to do 40 some units. It may take an extra 15 to 20 minutes to do it this way, but that is less time than to replace a toilet valve or a piece of plumbing. Stop by if you want to talk about it, or just want to revisit an Oliver...

Edited July 27, 2020 by Mainiac
Fingers can't spell

[Mcb]

Thanks Mainiac,

looks like pretty standard stuff.. blowing out the lines is part of my routine as well, dealing with the water heater etc.. I don’t take any chances..

hadn’t thought about having anti freeze on hand while traveling to flush with though.. Good idea!

i noticed in the owners manual for the toilet that they recommend disconnecting the waterline from the water valve.. ever do that? 
Thanks for the offer of coming for a visit and to check out your Oliver.. May take you up on that.. I’m looking for some floor dimensions, Deb is a rug hooker and wants to get started on one for the area between the beds, as far forward as dinette or so..
 

Thanks again!

 

 

[Mainiac]

Will have to look and see about disconnecting that valve as that little piece is about $60, and quite vunerable. Will have to put a sticky note somewhere to remember to hook back up before "wakeup".

The floor is almost a perfect 24" ( if I remember right). Deb is welcome to measure for length (and width). We also have one between the door and the dinnette. Helps big time when coming in inc!ement weather.

Sandi is a quilter, so I know the pain..lol.

We are not that far away, at least as the crow flies. Welcome to check it out.

 

 

[Ray and Susan Huff]

I'm going to Home Depot this weekend.  Is this the correct pump for winterizing the black flush valve, city inlet, and   .  . . . . .  seems to me there are three things . . . . .

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Hand-Pump-Kit-with-Fittings-36003/205518939

[Brian and Maria]

7 minutes ago, Susan Huff said:

I'm going to Home Depot this weekend.  Is this the correct pump for winterizing the black flush valve, city inlet, and   .  . . . . .  seems to me there are three things . . . . .

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Camco-Hand-Pump-Kit-with-Fittings-36003/205518939

That’s the pump we use, works fine.

[SeaDawg]

Not in stock at my HD. Will you need to order ahead?

[Mainiac]

Hand pump through the outside shower maybe the third?

[Ray and Susan Huff]

4 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Not in stock at my HD. Will you need to order ahead?

Thanks . . . . If they don't have one at ours tomorrow, that is what I'll do.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

3 hours ago, Mainiac said:

Hand pump through the outside shower maybe the third?

I looked back . . . . @topgun2's post.  It was  "City Water, Fresh Water and Black tank flush".  The outside shower faucets are easy enough to turn on while winterizing, the same as the inside faucets, till pink flows from the shower head.

[Mainiac]

18 hours ago, Susan Huff said:

outside shower faucets are easy enough to turn on while winterizing, the same as the inside faucets, till pink flows from the shower head.

As John Oliver explains in the winterization video of Oliver University you WILL want to connect the hand pump to the city connection and pump antifreeze through the outside shower, after normal winterization procedure is complete. 

[Mch]

Possibly a dumb question— I attempted search but I’m very much a newbie. What is “EZ winterization” that is listed as a standard feature on new Ollie?

[NCeagle]

On 9/26/2020 at 6:29 PM, Mainiac said:

As John Oliver explains in the winterization video of Oliver University you WILL want to connect the hand pump to the city connection and pump antifreeze through the outside shower, after normal winterization procedure is complete. 

"We DO NOT recommend using blown air to winterize your travel trailer!" is also called out in that video.  What's up with that??  From what I've read, it seems nearly everyone uses air to blow out the lines before pumping in the antifreeze - not just Ollie owners.  I actually thought blowing out the lines before using antifreeze was recommended as the only sure way to get ALL the water out.  Is it just a case of some owners using too much pressure and blowing up the plumbing and this is the way to say it's not covered by warranty?

[Mainiac]

1 hour ago, NCeagle said:

"We DO NOT recommend using blown air to winterize your travel trailer!" is also called out in that video.  What's up with that??  From what I've read, it seems nearly everyone uses air to blow out the lines before pumping in the antifreeze - not just Ollie owners.  I actually thought blowing out the lines before using antifreeze was recommended as the only sure way to get ALL the water out.  Is it just a case of some owners using too much pressure and blowing up the plumbing and this is the way to say it's not covered by warranty?

I would think so. Some folks always seem to go with "bigger is better".  On our compressor we have set the pressure regulator to 40 psi. We have always blown out twice as well. First time we open all the faucets and blow to remove most of the water. We wait about ten minutes and blow again. That removes those little drops that roll down to the low spots. We also make sure the temperature and pressure relief valve is open on the water heater at this stage and we have pulled the anode.  In some parts of the world only air is used. Then we pump the anti freeze. If there is a reasonable reason not to blow I would like to hear it. Always willing to learn...

EDIT: in a second thought. We always use the City Water port to blow the air from. We NEVER use the pump (EZ winterization port) to blow air...

Edited September 30, 2020 by Mainiac

[Mainiac]

7 hours ago, Mch said:

Possibly a dumb question— I attempted search but I’m very much a newbie. What is “EZ winterization” that is listed as a standard feature on new Ollie?

With a short hose you are able to pump directly from the anti freeze bottle directly into the plumbing system.

[topgun2]

It is possible that we are mixing a bit of "apples and apples" in this discussion.

I believe that the comment about NOT recommending blown air for winterization pertains to the practice of ONLY using blown air and has nothing to do with using blown air in COMBINATION with using RV antifreeze.

While not impossible to remove ALL water from the plumbing system using the blown air approach - it is very difficult.  Given the small spaces in back flow preventers and single handled faucets a single drop of water can do a fair amount of damage.

Given that most RV antifreeze protects down to between 10 and 50 below zero any residual water that is left in the system from pumping the antifreeze through simply gets mixed into the antifreeze solution.  Yes, this might reduce the level of protection by a few degrees but given the winters we experience here in Western North Carolina, I do not worry about it.  I would guess that in more severe climates and/or if you are worried about this potential mixing of a small water and antifreeze, you could use the blown air in combination with the antifreeze.

Bill

[John E Davies]

Using air regulated to about 60 psi (just like your water regulator) won’t hurt a thing. Blasting 145 psi air into your plumbing can rupture lines or blow off connections. I use air followed by antifreeze. It just seems like a better way to get things done.... if you don’t have a regulated air source, just skip that step.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[NCeagle]

Ok, no worries.  If you listen to the video John also says you "may" damage the plumbing (as JD mentions), so I think they are in fact worried that some owners may use unregulated air pressure.  Really it's all irrelevant unless it voids the warranty on the plumbing.  I just had questions about the statements since they seem to go against common practices.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

On 9/26/2020 at 3:29 PM, Mainiac said:

As John Oliver explains in the winterization video of Oliver University you WILL want to connect the hand pump to the city connection and pump antifreeze through the outside shower, after normal winterization procedure is complete. 

To winterize the outside shower faucet, can't you just open each valve (hot and cold) as you do for the inside faucets?  I guess I don't understand what is meant by the outside shower connection.

[Mainiac]

1 hour ago, Susan Huff said:

To winterize the outside shower faucet, can't you just open each valve (hot and cold) as you do for the inside faucets?  I guess I don't understand what is meant by the outside shower connection.

There is water between the city connection and the outside shower. The hand pump clears that portion of the line.

[Ray and Susan Huff]

23 minutes ago, Mainiac said:

There is water between the city connection and the outside shower. The hand pump clears that portion of the line.

So when you pump antifreeze in through the city connection, it also winterizes the shower faucet?  Or do you still have to open the shower hot/cold to winterize the shower hose and head when winterizing the interior water supply lines?

Maybe if I watch the video it will make more sense 😀

[bhncb]

50 minutes ago, Susan Huff said:

So when you pump antifreeze in through the city connection, it also winterizes the shower faucet?  Or do you still have to open the shower hot/cold to winterize the shower hose and head when winterizing the interior water supply lines?

Maybe if I watch the video it will make more sense 😀

Take a look at the plumbing layout schematic in the owners manual. It'll make sense then.

[SeaDawg]

The only plumbing we've ever wrecked by freezing (not winterizing early enough, camper in outside storage) was the outside shower. A shutoff inside for cold weather camping would be a nice mod, or factory option. 

[Mcb]

On 9/30/2020 at 7:31 AM, Mainiac said:

I would think so. Some folks always seem to go with "bigger is better".  On our compressor we have set the pressure regulator to 40 psi. We have always blown out twice as well. First time we open all the faucets and blow to remove most of the water. We wait about ten minutes and blow again. That removes those little drops that roll down to the low spots. We also make sure the temperature and pressure relief valve is open on the water heater at this stage and we have pulled the anode.  In some parts of the world only air is used. Then we pump the anti freeze. If there is a reasonable reason not to blow I would like to hear it. Always willing to learn...

EDIT: in a second thought. We always use the City Water port to blow the air from. We NEVER use the pump (EZ winterization port) to blow air...

I use a compressor to blow the antifreeze out of the lines in the springtime as well...

[Mainiac]

8 minutes ago, Mcb said:

use a compressor to blow the antifreeze out of the lines in the springtime as well.

At wakeup I usually just hook up the water and run until clear at all faucets. I also use that time to sanitize the tank and water lines. Flushing the lines seems to eliminate any after taste the antifreeze might leave. That being said, if I happen to pull out near the end of winter, I might leave the antifreeze in until below the Mason-Dixon Line. That is also when we wake up the water heater. And we have a couple of gallons on RV antifreeze to flush with, and we carry a case of drinking water that we keep in a heat source (either truck or camper).