Winterization November 20, 2016, 11:06:47 pm 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
Re: Winterization Reply #1 – November 20, 2016, 11:54:17 pm 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 sucessfullyA number of times.Ed
Re: Winterization Reply #2 – November 21, 2016, 07:11:56 am 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.
Re: Winterization Reply #3 – November 21, 2016, 07:12:10 am 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.EdThe 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.
Re: Winterization Reply #4 – November 21, 2016, 09:16:31 am 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
Re: Winterization Reply #5 – November 21, 2016, 10:46:40 am 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!
Re: Winterization Reply #6 – November 21, 2016, 11:25:31 am 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"! Joan
Re: Winterization Reply #7 – November 21, 2016, 12:08:48 pm 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 2 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #8 – November 21, 2016, 12:44:25 pm Quote from: Lazy Bones - November 21, 2016, 10:46:40 amHow 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 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 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #9 – November 21, 2016, 01:42:52 pm 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.
Re: Winterization Reply #10 – November 22, 2016, 12:32:56 am Quote from: Overlander - November 21, 2016, 01:42:52 pmThis 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
Re: Winterization Reply #11 – November 22, 2016, 06:53:53 am 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 2 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #12 – November 22, 2016, 08:38:24 am Quote from: Lazy Bones - November 21, 2016, 10:46:40 amHow 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.
Re: Winterization Reply #13 – November 22, 2016, 09:23:25 am Quote from: Larry Wade - November 22, 2016, 12:32:56 amDo 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
Re: Winterization Reply #14 – November 22, 2016, 01:01:19 pm Quote from: Ed D. - November 22, 2016, 06:53:53 amTwo 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.EdBefore 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
Re: Winterization Reply #15 – November 23, 2016, 12:45:46 pm 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 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #16 – November 23, 2016, 04:14:09 pm 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 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #17 – November 23, 2016, 06:42:02 pm 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. 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #18 – November 24, 2016, 12:10:03 pm 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) 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #19 – November 24, 2016, 02:19:36 pm 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
Re: Winterization Reply #20 – December 05, 2016, 11:56:19 am 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 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #21 – December 05, 2016, 12:06:36 pm Good luck- let us know how it works!I'll bet this guy doesn't worry about winterization . . .
Re: Winterization Reply #22 – December 06, 2016, 12:52:26 am 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) 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #23 – December 06, 2016, 12:18:02 pm Quote from: Karen & Liam - December 06, 2016, 12:52:26 amWe 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 1 Likes
Re: Winterization Reply #24 – December 06, 2016, 06:07:31 pm Quote from: Larry Wade - December 06, 2016, 12:18:02 pmLiving 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.LarryNot to mention the ability to use it as a guest "house" for visitors!
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