RV Camping; Tips, tricks & repairs

[sabad66]

[FraserB]

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What's the group's practice and thoughts on gate valves over winter? totally empty black & grey with open gate valves, or closed with a few litres of antifreeze in each tank?

Totally empty, valves closed and then dump a few liters of antifreeze in each. Make sure to hit all the P-traps and put a cup or two on the toilet flapper as well. Anti-freeze is cheap and using a few extra liters is always cheaper than a split line.

[prae]

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Totally empty, valves closed and then dump a few liters of antifreeze in each. Make sure to hit all the P-traps and put a cup or two on the toilet flapper as well. Anti-freeze is cheap and using a few extra liters is always cheaper than a split line.

Thanks all for the shared personal experiences. I ended up just disassembling all the p-traps and hand-emptying them (well, with the exception of the bath/shower which is antifreeze'd) seemed easy enough.

I left my gate valves open and tanks totally dry but i might go for the antifreeze-in with closed-gate valve approach to keep the gate valve seals wet.

My biggest concern was ensuring that i had the freshwater tank totally empty, even jacking the trailer to tilt it various directions left me worried i was still mixing antifreeze with water. the youtubes showed me how to actually get at my pump and direct plumb an antifreeze bottle to the intake so i'll probably give that a quick run during the same trip.

[ExtraSlow]

I can never get the holding tanks completely empty, so I always assume the few litres i I pour down the drains doesn't dilute enough, so I leave my valves open in case there is plain water sitting on top of them.

I also don't put ANY antifreeze into my freshwater tank.

[suntan]

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Thanks all for the shared personal experiences. I ended up just disassembling all the p-traps and hand-emptying them (well, with the exception of the bath/shower which is antifreeze'd) seemed easy enough.

I left my gate valves open and tanks totally dry but i might go for the antifreeze-in with closed-gate valve approach to keep the gate valve seals wet.

My biggest concern was ensuring that i had the freshwater tank totally empty, even jacking the trailer to tilt it various directions left me worried i was still mixing antifreeze with water. the youtubes showed me how to actually get at my pump and direct plumb an antifreeze bottle to the intake so i'll probably give that a quick run during the same trip.

Don't put antifreeze into your freshwater tank. Jesus, you will taste it FOREVER. Why the hell are you anyways?

Don't put antifreeze into the hot water tank.

Antifreeze is > 50% water. Adding a bit more water does jack shit.

[prae]

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Don't put antifreeze into your freshwater tank. Jesus, you will taste it FOREVER. Why the hell are you anyways?

lol this is the help kind helpful, blameless and objective advice i love using beyond for.

Honest answer? hadn't a clue where to locate my freshwater pump or run a bypass on the pump intake. I doubt it'll make a huge difference in how much I taste it. Will report back in spring for y'all's entertainment.

edit: and before anyone tells me i should have RTFM, I did, it was well written but super generic, and did not offer any countenance on where to locate the freshwater pump.

I'm winterizing the family cottage and well system this weekend, so my opportunities to fuck this type of operation up are multiple this fall.

[ExtraSlow]

If you can, drain the fresh water tank now so you aren't leaving that stuff for 7 months to impregnate the plastic with its taste. Serious.
Drain the hot tank if it's got any in too.

[suntan]

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lol this is the help kind helpful, blameless and objective advice i love using beyond for.

Honest answer? hadn't a clue where to locate my freshwater pump or run a bypass on the pump intake. I doubt it'll make a huge difference in how much I taste it. Will report back in spring for y'all's entertainment.

edit: and before anyone tells me i should have RTFM, I did, it was well written but super generic, and did not offer any countenance on where to locate the freshwater pump.

I'm winterizing the family cottage and well system this weekend, so my opportunities to fuck this type of operation up are multiple this fall.

You can't put antifreeze into the freshwater tank from the pump, you can only fill the freshwater tank from the opening on the outside of your trailer. Don't put antifreeze in there!

You can hear the pump, it could be under one of the sinks or under a seat.

How did you fill the lines with antifreeze if you didn't use the pump???

[spike98]

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You can't put antifreeze into the freshwater tank from the pump, you can only fill the freshwater tank from the opening on the outside of your trailer.

I agree do NOT put antifreeze in the freshwater tank but your statement is not true for some models. I have a "sanitize" setting that draws from the city inlet to the tank via the pump. This is to be able to put bleach into the tank for yearly sanitization. It also comes in handy when dry camping and refilling your tank via an aux tank.

[nzwasp]

I have to replace my trailers jacks, they are not scissor jacks currently and are getting super stiff to put down. That being said is princess auto the best place to get these at $100 a pair or amazon or is there somewhere else in town scrapping trailers and selling these things cheap?

[nzwasp]

I have now bought trailer jacks but I have also broken two drill bits trying to drill pilot holes into the trailer frame, any tips or what should I be buying to get this done?

[ExtraSlow]

Drilling hardened steel is a bastard. Get a centre punch to make a "dimple" and then go slow-ish with not too much pressure. Or buy expensive bits, that actually is the best way, but I'm a cheap ass.

,for those camping this weekend, looks like reasonable weather. But time to winterize after this.

[Tik-Tok]

Sunday doesn't look nice enough for my taste. That's good weather at the start of the season, but not at the end. I think I'm going to winterize this weekend.

[ExtraSlow]

I had intended to winterize 2 weeks ago, but got sidetracked. I'm sleeping in the trailer this weekend but in my in-laws driveway, so I'll winterize while I'm there.

[nzwasp]

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Drilling hardened steel is a bastard. Get a centre punch to make a "dimple" and then go slow-ish with not too much pressure. Or buy expensive bits, that actually is the best way, but I'm a cheap ass.

,for those camping this weekend, looks like reasonable weather. But time to winterize after this.

Yeah after breaking two bits I got a titanium bit and a corded industrial drill thing from a friend and it still took ages to get through it, but they are all mounted on the trailer now and I put it away for the season this afternoon.

[ExtraSlow]

Awesome winterizing weather

[prae]

Thanks to all in this thread for giving me shit about antifreeze in the freshwater tank. It was the nudge I needed to go and find the mysterious third drain on my trailer and I probably had 3 litres of freshwater sitting in the tank. I feel much better about the quality of the winterizing I've completed now. Will report back in spring if any carnage.

[ExtraSlow]

Giving people shit is what beyond is for.

[nzwasp]

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Thanks to all in this thread for giving me shit about antifreeze in the freshwater tank. It was the nudge I needed to go and find the mysterious third drain on my trailer and I probably had 3 litres of freshwater sitting in the tank. I feel much better about the quality of the winterizing I've completed now. Will report back in spring if any carnage.

I still have about 3L of fresh water sitting in my fresh water tank although I have winterized the rest. I thought it would be alright just leaving it in there because the water level is below where the pump can drain it but I did notice there is a 3rd drain too. Should I drain it completely @ExtraSlow or is it ok leaving a bit of water in there?

[ExtraSlow]

I you can drain it, go ahead. if you cannot, no biggie, because it's got lots of room to expand as it freezes.