Went through my first LD air compression Winterization per the manual. The last step is pushing in the valve on the city water inlet after the system is depressurized. I am hoping to clarify if this is final task to discharge any water in the city water line, and where this water drains to? Thanks
When you push the pin in the valve, a few drops of water will squirt out towards you and dribble onto the ground.
That's the last step in the manual. I've used that compressed air procedure sucessfully
A number of times.
Ed
Agree with Ed. Remember to keep your fresh water drain valve *cracked* open so any residual water will drain out, and no critters will climb in.
Just reviewed my winterizing notes. There are a few things I do that are not in the owners manual.
Bring inside anything that may freeze. Like cleaning supplies, canned goods, etc. check the medicine cabinet.
Fill both the gas tank and propane tank to reduce condensation in the tanks. I put StaBil gas stabilizer in the gas tank.
Put pink stuff in the toilet bowl to keep the seal from drying out.
The manual says to leave the fresh water drain valve partially opened. I plug the drain with a wad of something to keep critters from crawling in over the winter. A piece of a kitchen scrub pad works well.
If you have a TPMS system, remove the sensors to save the batteries.
I put stuff like cardboard, next to the windows to keep the sun from fading the upholstery and the cab area.
I use blocks to raise the front of the camper so water doesn't puddle on the roof.
If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.
Ed
The first time I pressurize the system in the Spring it's always tense hoping the pump shuts off and nothing leaks. So far, so good.
Great tips. I'll add these as additional notes in my manual. I've already started a list of plumbing connections to check when the system charged again in the Spring. Thanks
How sad it is to realize that these fine coaches will now be abandoned and forgotten for so many months when they could be giving so much pleasure to their owners! :( :(
I'm very glad that I live in an area where full winterizing is not necessary; I do take some basic precautions against potential damage, but I can certainly understand the need to seasonally button up the rig if one lives in a location where snow, ice, and sub-freezing weather are the norm, and there are limited, or no, opportunities to head south for the duration.
Some people who live in (or travel to) snow country do use their rigs for winter "adventures", e.g., skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and, through savvy preparation (or good fortune), seem to manage not to freeze themselves or their rigs; these "fun stuff" choices are fine examples of "YMMV"! :o
Joan
I winterized Friday because of a threatened temp drop into the mid 20s over the weekend. The fun part is I just finished undoing it all for a Thanksgiving trip to Huntington Beach State Park, SC. I still break out the manual, but have the winterizing procedure down to around an hour. That includes getting all the tools out then put away.
Take care everyone. I'll think about ya when I set up the coffee filter.
John
o7 mid bath
How sad it is to realize that these fine coaches will now be abandoned and forgotten for so many months when they could be giving so much pleasure to their owners! :( :(
Isn't winterization the act of removing your summer clothes and replacing them with heavier clothes and switching to a winter sleeping bag?
This is what we have done this for 21 years.
We look forward to the winter camping season.
Our winterization includes carrying snow cables, for the LD and equipping the Jeep with winter survival gear.
The holding tank's drain lines have had heat tape applied and then were wrapped with insulated foam tape.
While we have never had a holding tank totally freeze, the drain lines have frozen many times.
Usually an hour of electric heat will thaw the drain lines and valves.
Winterizing holding tanks | Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602095133892/)
FYI I have talked with dozens of LDs over the years and, without exception, they all prefer to spend the winter in a warmer climate.
LD whisperer.
Larry
This is my first winter with our LD so I 'm being very cautious, and it has been a good learning experience to run through the procedure. I live only aprx 1 hr east of Tucson but have many freezes, sometimes into the mid-teens.
This is my first winter with our LD so I 'm being very cautious, and it has been a good learning experience to run through the procedure. I live only aprx 1 hr east of Tucson but have many freezes, sometimes into the mid-teens.
Do the freezing temps last all day or only at night.
If it warms up during the day, you may not have a problem with the plumbing freezing.
Larry
Two more items, overlander.
Before you blow out the lines, remove the screens from each faucet. You will be surprised how much stuff gets blown out of the lines by the air pressure. Then put them back in finger tight. When you are ready to run water through the system in the Spring, remove them again. This will prevent the screens from getting clogged up.
When it's time to add water back, that's the perfect time to do the annual bleach sanitizing of the water system.
Ed
How sad it is to realize that these fine coaches will now be abandoned and forgotten for so many months when they could be giving so much pleasure to their owners! :( :(
Only hibernating a bit. If the roads are clear, we will take out the LD monthly to exercise the rig. Already had November done before the snow and cold hit Sat. & Sun. Probably take it out for Christmas shopping in December. Heading to warmer climate the last week of Jan. So, sitting temporarily to give it and us a rest, and never forgotten.
Do the freezing temps last all day or only at night.
If it warms up during the day, you may not have a problem with the plumbing freezing.
Larry
Rarely do the the temps remain freezing, and as typical is the desert climate we have big temp swings.
PVC fittings in our garden have frozen overnight in the past, causing them to fail. These were exposed parts to the outside air, but made me concerned about the LD system. Matt
Two more items, overlander.
Before you blow out the lines, remove the screens from each faucet. You will be surprised how much stuff gets blown out of the lines by the air pressure. Then put them back in finger tight. When you are ready to run water through the system in the Spring, remove them again. This will prevent the screens from getting clogged up.
When it's time to add water back, that's the perfect time to do the annual bleach sanitizing of the water system.
Ed
Before you blow out the lines, remove the screens from each faucet.Good tip, Ed. I've never done that in 14 years of winterizing/dewinterizing.
Chris
I am wondering if any one out there from the NorthWest area (Washington State Puget Sound) while storing their LD in the past has prepaired it for the couple of cold snaps we get here by just lightly heating things up enough to keep the freeze out. We plan to take our 98~MB out several times this winter season but don't want to go through the full on winterizing process after each time. We have done so in the past with our itaska in storage with a simple electric oil filled heater set to low, it worked great if I remembered to turn it on before the occasional freezes we get here. The itaska conveniently has all of its plumbing and water systems in one small area, easily heated with a electric oil filled heater. With the Mid-Bath these systems are in a larger more spread out area. Last week we were camping at altitude in Nevada where it got down to 16 degrees but we were plugged in so our 5200BTU portable ceramic heater with fan did the job just fine. But that could get expensive to run that each time we have a threat of a freeze. Has anyone figured out what is the lowest temperature to keep a MB at that a freeze outside will not cause problems. There may also be times when I can not get to the MB to check up on it for a week or two. Ultimately if we are going to be gone for a while for peace of mind, we will have to winterize but for those times that we are not I would like to have it ready to go. As Always, Thank You for all of your advice. . .
Karen~Liam
98~MB
I think the only practical solution is to have covered, heated storage. Check with your local community airports to see about renting part of a hanger. I know that the Arlington Airport has hangers for rent.
Ian "Silver Fox"
27 MB, Seattle
Karen, Liam, we live in near Sequim, very close to the water. So we get a lot of marine effect. We have our RV in a barn, with no heat. I keep a five gallon bucket of water on the floor near the rig. It has never had ice in it. We have had hose bibs that had hose still attacked freeze and break.
I do blow out the links because we always expect temps in the 20's at night, and I am a belt and suspenders guy. That said, we very rarely see a day that does not get above freezing. If I was concerned at all I would put an electric heater in the rig.
We don't do a hard winterization because we always take it out for January and February razor clam digs.
Paul, I figured that you would respond since you live in Sequim and would have some good advice and Ian you hit the nail right on the head with a hammer. Our LD ~ MB is stored in a airplane hanger on Vashon which we kicked out our old itaska to covered storage in Oregon(another story). The whole hanger would be expensive to heat, where as only heating the LD would be less expensive, I am trying to find the balance of the least heat during the cold periods. Thank You Paul and Ian.
~Liam
98~MB (still unnamed)
How about a couple of big blue tarps and a few two bys for support and a well protected heater inside? About the coldest I have seen in the last 35 years in Shoreline, which is just north of Seattle was 15 degrees and that was unusual. On the boat i used a couple of "golden rod" heaters, available at any marine supply store and a circulating fan. A nice thing about the golden rods is that they do not get HOT, just warm so it is safe to use them in an enclosed space and a fan to circulate the air. Limit the space you are heating.
Ian
So we dropped below freezing here on Vashon last night with snow falling now. I liked Andy's idea of using smaller heaters to distribute the heat, so I found some 300 watt and 500 watt heaters at various hardware stores around here. Home depot and other big box stores did not have the smaller heaters just the 5200BTU stuff. In our 98~MB I pulled the bottom drawer and aimed one of the 300W heaters toward the hot water heater, placed a 300W in the bathroom with the cabnet door open and propped the main door open and put the 500W heater in the kitchen with drawers and cabnet doors open. I drained any last liquid in the gray & black tanks and pressed the pressure button on the city water inlet to drain out what I could get from that line. The heaters are running off a electric timer set to 6 pm to 9am to be on. I closed off the cab area with a sleeping bag we use for this when we are in cold weather. Wish me luck!!!
Karen~Liam
98 ~ MB
Good luck- let us know how it works!
I'll bet this guy doesn't worry about winterization . . .
Checked our 98~MB today in the evening after last nights freeze & snow. All looks good infact the timer had restarted the heaters before I got there (I assume since they were on) and it was warm in the camper, I wonder if the 500W + the two 300W is not to much for this temperature level with lows of 25 degrees? Tonight we are expecting more lows in the mid twenty's and more snow accumulation. Yesterday evening our power venter for our boiler for our house failed, I have a replacement but it is not a direct fit, it will require some modification for it to work, so it looks like we are using space heaters for this cold snap and no hot water till it is fixed. We might consider spending some time in our MB, it's warm and can have hot water and hot showers.
Karen~Liam
98 ~ MB - (the life boat)
We might consider spending some time in our MB, it's warm and can have hot water and hot showers.
98 ~ MB - (the life boat)
Living inSoCal, we consider the LD to be our 'life boat'.
With earthquakes and large brush fires always possible, we keep the rig filled and ready to go, in case the stuff hits the fan.
Larry
Living inSoCal, we consider the LD to be our 'life boat'.
With earthquakes and large brush fires always possible, we keep the rig filled and ready to go, in case the stuff hits the fan.
Larry
Not to mention the ability to use it as a guest "house" for visitors!
This week was projected to be our first consistent several nights in the 20s/highs in the 30s, so I drained the tanks/H2O heater/rinsed the black tank, & blew out LDy Lulubelle Saturday, & took her to the farm to nestle in her Morton Building...there were forecasts of rain on Saturday, but nothing happened 'til after midnight, & then we woke up to a couple of inches of snow, which was gone by mid-afternoon Sunday when the sun came out. Wrestling the passenger twin mattress out of the way, so I could stand on my head to access the H2O pump should qualify as an Olympic event. :D
I will be anxious 'til spring, though. I read & re-read the manual, & took it with me to the Westlake's Ace store to confer with the Wizards there (some of whom have RVs & have done the deed themselves, though not on an LD). With no gauge on the little Campbell Hausfeld compressor I bought at an auction this fall, the Wizards found one to go on the end of the hose & we marked 50 psi on the compressor dial, & they then helped me cobble together fittings to connect the compressor hose to LDy Lulubelle's pipes. I blew 'til no more H2O came out; I sorta felt some air coming out of the cold faucets, but not so much out of the hot--even though I followed the directions on pulling the plug/opening the pressure valve to drain the H2O heater, & then I blew some more, but somehow my ears thought there was a gurgling noise at the high-rise bathroom faucet, so I blew some more... At some point I discovered air leaking around the supply fitting that comes off the H20 pump, where I'd connected the compressor... :'( I'd been at it for hours, it was dark, & I still had to wrestle things around out at the farm, so I will appreciate any warm thoughts for LDy Lulubelle's plumbing between now & spring, with the hope that Karma will be nice to me, & that her plumbing has no winter disasters & I've not created a disaster with the air leak at the pump (which I wrote a note to check next spring before a drop of H2O goes near her pump/etc.). Oh, dear...I just realized I forgot to burp the city H2O connection...arrghh--winter in Missouri... :'(
We live in the Portland Or area. Weather is relatively mild. We do get snow, a few inches, but it lets rather fast - day or two. We camp/rv year round.
I do the factory recommended air winterizing about mid November. It takes me about 30 minutes top. When we go camping I look at the projected temps at the 'goal' place. If it's going to be belong freezing we use the 'pink' stuff for flushing and bring water along in inside containers. Some years I've winterized two or more times. It's worth it to us as we love to get out.
"If you have a TPMS system, remove the sensors to save the batteries."
My experience is the sensors don't always come back to life so I just leave them on. Anyone else have a similar experience?
Harry 2006RB
Low tonight forecast at -3* Tomorrow's high at 20*😱
On Thursday it might get up to 24*👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
That's the test of my winterizing ability. 😳
Ed
"If you have a TPMS system, remove the sensors to save the batteries."
"...My experience is the sensors don't always come back to life so I just leave them on. Anyone else have a similar experience..."
It has been my experience over the decades that electronics like to be fed. Depriving them their source of power be it a plug into the wall or a battery can be a death sentence.
Unless the electronic component is non-operational, I always feed it. I'm not an electrical engineer, but I was given this advice by people in the home theatre industry. So I, for one, will follow this "precautionary tale".
TPMS batteries need to be changed yearly anyway and it's a small price to pay to keep their circuitry fed if it means they will be ready when you need them.
At about $75 a pop to replace one sensor, a $6 battery seems like money well spent.
Just sayin'
Kent
Low tonight forecast at -3* Tomorrow's high at 20*😱
On Thursday it might get up to 24*👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
That's the test of my winterizing ability. 😳
Ed
Where are you, Ed?
Where are you, Ed?
Colorado near Boulder.
Right now it's 15*
Brrrrr.
Ed
Colorado near Boulder.
Right now it's 15*
Brrrrr.
Ed
And I thought we were cold at 22 this morning! So are you storing your LD outside?
And I thought we were cold at 22 this morning! So are you storing your LD outside?
Yes.
Tomorrow I will sweep the snow off the solar panels.
They do a great job of keeping the batteries charged. Even the chassis battery.
Ed
Follow up on the cold weather we have been having here in the Puget sound and how to keep our 98~MB from freezing. We just had our second day of snow and freezing temps here for 5 days now although the temperature has risen above freezing during the day. I checked on the MB yesterday and found Ice in puddles out side but water in pans used to drain the last of the gray water was not frozen inside the hanger where the Lazy Daze now rests. The heaters which I set have also been coming on at 6pm and going off at 9am. So far all looks good and the freezing temperatures are now predicted to be above 35 degrees for a while.
Karen~Liam
98 ~ MB