Winterizing

[Redetotry]

I need to know this...I didn't empty my water heater yet & we've had nites in the 20's! Days in the 40-50s tho. Didn't see any water leaks when I was in there on Snday. NOW, I read the manal & am nervo-s abot the annod rod, so I'm glad to hear yew did it Tab-rgh! Anything else I shoold know abot??? I added antifreeze to my fresh water tank! Was that wrong??? Ran the water p-mp til the pink slime came "threw" the fawcets...G'grief, I need a BOOT CAMP! Or to not be so cheap & take it for professional winterizing!!! What's a Rhino hose? I have a coiled 1/2" hose (red, if that signifies anything) in the side compartment & have no idea what it's for.

Ummm like me when all else fails, read the directions! Be sure in the spring you flush well like Maggie said because I found pink stuff in my shower hoses, inside and out the first time I turned them on. And yes, adding it to the fresh water tank is wrong according to the place I took mine, just plan to rinse a loooooong time.

[carolb]

Thanks BJ & Sandersmr (yore name???)...OK, reading the directions helps? good one BJ!! I only do that after I've made all the mistakes I can possibly make!!! I took my HB to bro's & he helped me get the pl-g/annode rod owt, which drained the water heater. No pink slime in the water, bt the rod was covered with it! Well, the caked lime on the rod was pink! I don't have a by-pass valve, fownd that owt. A good fl-shing in spring? Something I can do at my sis's in Jan (FL GTG). As for coiled hose, I do have an owtside shower, don't know abot a tank fl-sh system. Hmm, I also added only ONE gallon of pink antifreeze. SIX??? yikes, I'm too stewpid to own an RV???? Bt I ran all fawcets & toilet til pink slime appeared, so doesn't that mean I have it in my system--I mean enoff to keep those small pipes/hoses from freezing???? I need more? I can do that! Again, THANKS! & Happy T-day!

[Redetotry]

Carolb, maybe you could take your RV into a RV repair shop or call and tell them what you have done so far to see if you are good for freezing weather. You wouldn't want to risk a really expensive repair bill to save a few dollars. Considering what these things cost I want to keep mine in as good a shape as possible should I decide to 'move up' or sell. JMHO

Also from the sound of your anode rod you might need a new one, they should be replaced periodically. Also when I took mine in they said to dump the black and fresh water tanks AFTER they winterized as you don't put the stuff in those just a little down the sink drains inside and a bit in the toilet bowl to keep the ring from ruining. I looked at my bill for winterizing and it didn't say how many gallons they used just the total cost.

I'm having mine waxed, if yours is sitting out like mine is it is another necessary expense or chore but neither I or DH can climb on the roof to do it ourselves. I've hired a guy who comes to your home and charges $10. per foot. I don't know if that is in line with other places but he was recommended by the RV repair place I go to so hopefully he will do a good job.

[Bethers]

Carol, why do you say you don't Have a bypass valve? I've never seen an rv with a water heater without one. That doesn't mean they are always easy to find, tho. Often they are under the kitchen sink.

And one gallon of the pink stuff should be enough. Two maximum.

[Sandersmr]

Beth - my heater doesn't have a bypass. But I'm not pumping antifreeze through the system. When I do winterize, I drain and then pour the antifreeze into the p traps and toilet.

[Bethers]

Beth - my heater doesn't have a bypass. But I'm not pumping antifreeze through the system. When I do winterize, I drain and then pour the antifreeze into the p traps and toilet.

That's really unusual - first I've ever heard of it. I've had people tell me they didn't have them and they did - but guess they are cutting costs in other ways - will have to look for that now when the time comes to look at rigs again.

When I was taught to winterize, I was taught to use the bypass and pump it through to make sure it got in all the lines. That might be why lots are changing to not pump it - if some don't have bypasses anymore.

Learn something new every day.

On edit I went to the Sportsmen forum and found a post where they recommend you ADD the bypass and then they go on to do winterizing the way I was taught to do it .... but nothing wrong with the other way.

http://www.sportsmenclassicclub.com/for ... nterizing/

[carolb]

BJ, Maggie (dawh, why didn't I look for yore name in yore sig!) & Bethers...THanks! Ok, sonds like I need to take a trip to an RV place. As for bypass valve, my bro said I don't have one? He always knows this st-ff, bt co-ld be wrong Yep, need to spend a few dollars to save a lot later, eh? ...Happy Tday!

[Bethers]

BJ, Maggie (dawh, why didn't I look for yore name in yore sig!) & Bethers...THanks! Ok, sonds like I need to take a trip to an RV place. As for bypass valve, my bro said I don't have one? He always knows this st-ff, bt co-ld be wrong Yep, need to spend a few dollars to save a lot later, eh? ...Happy Tday!

Carol, most RT's that I'm aware of come with the bypass, but I'm guessing there are probably some that don't. Maybe one of the ladies that has/had one and ever needed to use it could chime in on where on a RT it might be located, so that you could be sure. They aren't necessarily where you would expect them to be. So your bro might be right - but I'd want to be sure.

[JudyJB]

My first solo trip in my new RV was to learn how to use all the systems. I had full hookups at the state park so I could flush all the pink stuff it came with out of the pipes. Well, obviously I must have looked like i didn't know what I was doing--which was 100% right--because within three minutes I had my first offer of help.

So I got it hooked up and started running water to get rid of all the pink stuff. I was doing fine until I forgot to unplug one of the sinks and water ran onto the floor! Had to mop it all up!

I had been told to not open the bypass valve on the hot water heater until all the pink stuff was gone. So just as it was getting dark, I figured I had better do it then so I could take a shower, so I opened the valve, which was under my sink. Well, water started gushing on the outside, and I could not find any flashlights. As I was searching around, I had three men knocking on my door with "Lady, do you know you have water gushing out of your motorhome?" They suggested I turn off whatever I had just turned on. Duh!

Somehow, I got sane enough to turn off the valve and with a penlight, the guys found an outside plug that had been left off. So they got it put back in and tightened up, then I was able to turn on the valve again. It was a very exciting evening!!

The point is that we all have stories about learning the hard way. Now you will have yours. Just keep reading all the manuals and asking for help, and you will be a pro in no time!

[carolb]

An "RT"? Is that the by-pass valve??? Love JdyB's story! Seems like we all go threwgh this beginner "I don't know" phase? I'll call an RV dealer to see if I can pick the brain of a service/repair person or get an appt for next weekend. thanks

[Bethers]

An "RT"? Is that the by-pass valve??? Love JdyB's story! Seems like we all go threwgh this beginner "I don't know" phase? I'll call an RV dealer to see if I can pick the brain of a service/repair person or get an appt for next weekend. thanks

RT is Road Trek. I think that's what you have?

[carolb]

Dawh! I'm jst getting back to this topic, & yes I DO have an RT Do I feel stewpid or what!!! Did get everything winterized, I think? I was in my RT over the weekend, had left a plastic bottle of water in there, & THAT wasn't frozen, which serprised me! Temps had been down to the 20's at night! Ok, going off to lick my woonds now.... repeating to myself "I have an RT, I have an RT, I have...."