What did you do today?

[davem1111 2,237]

Bought a camper trailer today - 2022 Coleman Light 1855RB.  Looking forward to taking it on the road, well, mostly taking it and getting "somewhere". Haven't decided where my first camping trip will be. Probably further south for warmer weather. 

[ebinmaine 74,666]

7 hours ago, davem1111 said:

Bought a camper trailer today - 2022 Coleman Light 1855RB.  Looking forward to taking it on the road, well, mostly taking it and getting "somewhere". Haven't decided where my first camping trip will be. Probably further south for warmer weather. 

 

 

Woohoo!!!

[lynnmor 8,098]

11 hours ago, davem1111 said:

Bought a camper trailer today - 2022 Coleman Light 1855RB.  Looking forward to taking it on the road, well, mostly taking it and getting "somewhere". Haven't decided where my first camping trip will be. Probably further south for warmer weather. 

Congratulations!

You need to understand that nearly all campers cannot handle subfreezing temperatures without damage.  There are some tricks about using water, such as using washer fluid to flush the toilet and dishpans in the sinks to catch water to be poured outside.  Let us know what you are up to, maybe some of us have suggestions.

[Handy Don 14,737]

1 hour ago, lynnmor said:

You need to understand that nearly all campers  cannot handle subfreezing temperatures without damage.

Same is true for boats with water plumbing and closed-loop cooled engines!

A couple of weeks ago I helped a friend make sure their new-to-them 32’ sailboat was ready. Tanks for fresh water, gray water, and black water, the water heater, head, engine (inner loop had good antifreeze coolant, whew!), bilge and all the various lines. Several hours work and lots of RV antifreeze. 

[Ed Kennell 43,142]

15 hours ago, davem1111 said:

Bought a camper trailer today

 

3 hours ago, lynnmor said:

some of us have suggestions.

I used a plan view drawing of my 35 footer to locate, number, and describe every valve, drain, and faucet.

To winterize I disconnected the water hose and opened every valve and faucet.  Don't miss the water heater drain and anode pocket and the clean and waste water tanks.

I used a wedge to block open the foot pedal flusher valve on the toilet.

After the water stopped draining, I connected an air compressor ( set at 40psi) to the water inlet hose.

Then using my numbered check list, began closing the valves starting with the one farthest from the air compressor inlet.

With all closed and the system pressurized to 40psi air, I open  the farthest valve until the spray mist stops and I get air only.

Continue opening one valve at a time until you get dry air only.

Then repeat opening every valve  again  to ensure no water mist is present.

Add RV antifreeze to all the drain traps.  I used silicon spray to coat the toilet bowl drain and left it blocked open with the wedge.

 

Never had a frozen pipe in the 15 years I had the camper.

 

 

[lynnmor 8,098]

Many newer campers have a flush system for the black tank, that needs to be winterized as well, many don't know or simply forget.

[nylyon-(Admin) 8,324]

16 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

 

I used a plan view drawing of my 35 footer to locate, number, and describe every valve, drain, and faucet.

To winterize I disconnected the water hose and opened every valve and faucet.  Don't miss the water heater drain and anode pocket and the clean and waste water tanks.

I used a wedge to block open the foot pedal flusher valve on the toilet.

After the water stopped draining, I connected an air compressor ( set at 40psi) to the water inlet hose.

Then using my numbered check list, began closing the valves starting with the one farthest from the air compressor inlet.

With all closed and the system pressurized to 40psi air, I open  the farthest valve until the spray mist stops and I get air only.

Continue opening one valve at a time until you get dry air only.

Then repeat opening every valve  again  to ensure no water mist is present.

Add RV antifreeze to all the drain traps.  I used silicon spray to coat the toilet bowl drain and left it blocked open with the wedge.

 

Never had a frozen pipe in the 15 years I had the camper.

 

 

Exactly what I do, have to add in adding 3 gallons of RV antifreeze to the SaniCon (macerator) system, remove the lower pump drain cap in the washing machine to empty, then add ½ gallon to the washer and run the drain cycle and finally I have a bottled water system which can not be blower out with air, so I add RV antifreeze to that system as well.

For the black tank flush, I use air on that too.  I forgot the bowl on the water pump last year and had to replace that this year, so removed the bowel and screen to ensure it was empty.

[Wayne0 1,363]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Same is true for boats with water plumbing and closed-loop cooled engines!

A couple of weeks ago I helped a friend make sure their new-to-them 32’ sailboat was ready. Tanks for fresh water, gray water, and black water, the water heater, head, engine (inner loop had good antifreeze coolant, whew!), bilge and all the various lines. Several hours work and lots of RV antifreeze. 

I can identify with that after having a 34' SeaRay to winterize every year. 2 big blocks, generator, heat/AC, fresh water system (hot&cold) and black water system. Lots of pink!

Edited 6 hours ago by Wayne0

[Ed Kennell 43,142]

Got the fruit trees all trimmed and the downed tree cut up.

 

[davem1111 2,237]

5 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

 

I used a plan view drawing of my 35 footer to locate, number, and describe every valve, drain, and faucet.

To winterize I disconnected the water hose and opened every valve and faucet.  Don't miss the water heater drain and anode pocket and the clean and waste water tanks.

I used a wedge to block open the foot pedal flusher valve on the toilet.

After the water stopped draining, I connected an air compressor ( set at 40psi) to the water inlet hose.

Then using my numbered check list, began closing the valves starting with the one farthest from the air compressor inlet.

With all closed and the system pressurized to 40psi air, I open  the farthest valve until the spray mist stops and I get air only.

Continue opening one valve at a time until you get dry air only.

Then repeat opening every valve  again  to ensure no water mist is present.

Add RV antifreeze to all the drain traps.  I used silicon spray to coat the toilet bowl drain and left it blocked open with the wedge.

 

Never had a frozen pipe in the 15 years I had the camper.

 

 

Obviously there's a lot to remember and you don't want to miss anything. They went over most if not all of this at the dealership but it will be hard to remember it all. They may have given me a winterization checklist, but I think they want people to bring RVs to them to winterize so a "too well educated" customer may stop being a customer.  I'll make my own numbered checklist as you have done.  But I may just be watching the forecast and heading south when subfreezing becomes persistent.  Not a fan of winter any more (if I ever was).

 

Someone mentioned a wash machine - this one is too small for that.