Put away for the Winter

[RWJSIM2003]

Well worked all weekend on the RW and put her away for the Winter in Storage.

Added two Solar battery Chargers
Removed all the lose or cracked roof calk and replaced (7 Tubes or Alpha sealant)
Winterized all the lines (Washer was a pain) and Drains
Added two battery operated dehumidifiers. One in kitchen area one in Bedroom. Will Have to check these every couple weeks.
Covered wheels and tires

First time I had to winterize the RW since we bought it Two years ago. Told the Wife today that I am ready to retire and go somewhere warmer.

Now at work so I can relax from the weekend

[atom ant]

Interesting - I never had to use a dehumidifier. Will it collect water and you have to drain it so it doesn't freeze?

[RWJSIM2003]

It will collect water and then I placed them in a larger Bowl if they Freeze it would not hurt anything and when full they auto shut off. I will keep a eye on them to see if it really helps but we get a lot of rain here in the Northwest and its nice keep out as much humidity as possible.

[atom ant]

Oh I hear you on the NW! I did 6 months in winter in WA and that moisture would cut right through this dry weather boy.

In CO, I parked ours (still do I guess) inside a garage with a dirt floor, and that would actually generate moisture and I always wondered if it was hurting anything. I would see moisture on the tires and figured some big rat was running around peeing on my tires, but in reality it was frost that formed on the aluminum wheels overnight and would melt when the sun came out and warmed the metal building. I wondered if it could form on the wheels, if it would form on the aluminum frame inside the walls. At times I could see the dew lines on the side showing where the frame was.

[RWJSIM2003]

yes we may not get the really cold weather but the rain and humidity in the winter can take a toll on a RV. Next year I will have the cover done and it will be better protected.

[Dave&Ginny]

I wasn't going to winterize mine this year but it's going in the shop tonight for a new radiator and the shop required it since they won't keep it plugged in. It's always a sad experience to pump the pink stuff.

Around the 1st of the year we're going to head to Southern Texas for a few weeks and I'm itching to go.

[atom ant]

I was a disaster trying to get ours winterized this year. 8 gallons and ran short. Fortunately Colorado decided to give us another month of 80 degree weather so I could master it, along with some help of finding bypass plugs for all the water filters.

I saw on older Itasca motor coach that came with a Swan automatic winterizing system. They quit doing it because the antifreeze would make the solenoids stick every spring, but kind of a cool idea. On board antifreeze tank, push a button, open valves, done.

Winter run sounds fun Dave - buddy and I used to run to Galveston with the RVs in Feb.

[Dave&Ginny]

Last February we ran ours through a snow storm in WV and I was surprised how good it did with the mountains and snow. The hardest part of winterizing mine is dealing with the ice maker and washing machine. Other than that it's pretty easy just disheartening.

As long as I keep it plugged in at the house I really don't have to worry about winterizing because the electric side of the Aqua Hot keep the basement pretty warm. The basement also has it's own thermostat but to use it I have to fire up the Aqua Hot.

[atom ant]

I forgot about the electric side on your aqua-hot. That would be nice.

I'm going to wire a momentary bypass on the ice maker solenoid to shoot antifreeze up the tube. It was a pain coaxing it to take water on its own. Once it goes up the tube its just a spout into the tray, and the tray already freezes so not worried about it. Ours had a frozen and broken solenoid when we bought it, and kind of a pain to put in.

[atom ant]

Dave, ever wonder why the don't make autochains for MH, or even a dually pickup for that matter.

[Dave&Ginny]

Brad, every year they come up with new stuff so I'm sure they'll come up with a better system someday. That's why I like competition in the RVs, it keeps all the manufactures trying to out do each other.

It's 11:00 pm and I just got home from dropping my Entegra off at the service center. It's 29 degrees and a beautiful night for driving....NO BUGS. I sure hated to pull away from the service center without her. Ginny calls it "my other love".

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by atom ant

I forgot about the electric side on your aqua-hot. That would be nice.

I'm going to wire a momentary bypass on the ice maker solenoid to shoot antifreeze up the tube. It was a pain coaxing it to take water on its own. Once it goes up the tube its just a spout into the tray, and the tray already freezes so not worried about it. Ours had a frozen and broken solenoid when we bought it, and kind of a pain to put in.

There's so many plastic parts that easily break if the pink stuff isn't ran through correctly. I used to believe in using air pressure for winterizing but not anymore. Too many solenoids and small areas to gather moisture

[mhs4771]

The simplest way to winterize is take you RV somewhere warm for the winter.
We haven't winterized in over 6 years, oh wait, we do winterize, but it's the house before we leave and turn off the power.

[atom ant]

I think I would miss the snow actually. I don't mind winterizing.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

There's so many plastic parts that easily break if the pink stuff isn't ran through correctly. I used to believe in using air pressure for winterizing but not anymore. Too many solenoids and small areas to gather moisture

Ya, I've always been a fan of antifreeze, it's just too easy. I think it was Vaughan that suggested to pour it all in a large container to avoid having to change bottles and it works nice that way. I used a 7 gal water jug.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by atom ant

Ya, I've always been a fan of antifreeze, it's just too easy. I think it was Vaughan that suggested to pour it all in a large container to avoid having to change bottles and it works nice that way. I used a 7 gal water jug.

I use a 5 gallon bucket

We like camping in the snow because there are fewer people and cozy. With the Redwood I was always worried about frozen valves on the Black and grey tanks so for the toilet we'd use windshield washer fluid to flush. With the heated under belly that we have now we don't have to worry about it.

[RWJSIM2003]

Winterizing the RW was not to bad I did use a 5 Gal Bucket and two gallons for the drains. Washer was a little bit of a pain but I managed. I had already done the Ice maker line blew it out last year and we do not use it keep it shut off at the sink. Hopefully we will get to use it more next year 2016 was not a good year for us to go camping only were able to use it 10 times. We kinda miss being in it FT but that's the way it goes until I can retire and I have at least 10 years before then.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny

I use a 5 gallon bucket

We like camping in the snow because there are fewer people and cozy. With the Redwood I was always worried about frozen valves on the Black and grey tanks so for the toilet we'd use windshield washer fluid to flush. With the heated under belly that we have now we don't have to worry about it.

Ya I did worry a little about the those drops on the Redwood. For those that got the new heated tank option on Redwood, are those 12V or 110V?

Winter pushed into spring for us this year, so I've had ours in the snow several times - it is fun and I don't worry about the wet bay freezing on this one. Drove it to Wyoming in a snowstorm once to buy diesel just to try out the defrosters and mirrors .

[Tomkidder]

I winterized mine about a month ago and took it to Atlanta for the body damage repair, (Blown tire repair goodyear G rated) finally. We will be leaving Maine and heading to Deadhorse Alaska around December 27, if all goes as planned I really hope my wife finds something warmer to go to work at. We will not be bringing the RW for that trip. We are hoping to be home in March and then on to a warn spring climate. I really have been missing living in my home for the past month.

[homeguy]

We winterized ours for the first time last year. We had to take it into the shop for repair from a blowout coming back from Georgia. I messed something up as when we got it back in the spring, long story, I had to replace the 2 bypass valves in the control center as they both had a crack in them. Couldn't believe how expensive those things are for such a simple task. Hope I never have to winterize it again. My wife calls it my man cave!