winterizing

I am winterizing the pod today. 2016 178. The low water drain I cannot get to come off, and there is no extra tubing to place in antifreeze.   Any help will be appreciated.

  Mountainrev: It sounds like you are confusing the low water drains with the fresh water tank drain.  The tank does need to be drained, but that isn't the low water drain.  In fact, there are two low water drains, one for the hot water and one for the cold.  They are usually right behind the axle on the street side of the pod.  There should be a decal indicating their location.  The cap on the water tank drains the tank.  The low water drains let (almost) all of the water out of the plumbing pipes.  The "almost" is the reason to use antifreeze.

  The water tank needs to be drained for the winter, but, at least arguably (someone on the forum says he never opens the low water drains) the low water drains need be opened too.  Your advice about how to get the caps off is good.

  There is more to winterizing than I'm getting into here, but as far as the low water drains are concerned, take the caps off, open the faucets in the kitchen and bath, and flush the toilet so that the plumbing isn't vacuum locked and all the water will drain.  Drain the water heater too.  Some people like to blow out the lines with low pressure air in the city water intake. 

Put the caps back on low the water drains, then do the antifreeze thing.  I agree with you on that too.  Why FR would skip the antifreeze tube on some models is a mystery to me, but apparently they did.  On my 176 the antifreeze intake is directly under the sink.

TT

I will be winterizing my R-pod for the first time when the weather gets cold enough that the pipes may freeze. I live at low elevation in the PNW (Oregon) so most of the time freezing temps will be temporary.

When it is not freezing my plan is to go out on trips at least once a month. That being said I could be winterizing the pod several times through the winter when the temperature warrant.

Seems for my situation using the compressed air method to winterize is my best option as I will be putting water back in the system when it is above freezing several time throughout the winter.

My question is, do you think using the compressed air method (done properly) and not adding anti freezing (other than the drains) is sufficient for winterizing the system?

Does anyone else use this method?

pnwcamper

Thanks Outbound!

I guess I am wondering if there is anyone here that uses the air method with success. From my experience (a little) water that freezes, as long as it is only a little bit, will not damage anything. (Little bit being a relative term).

Water expands when frozen but if there is room to expand it will not damage anything.

Thanks

Thanks techntrek, I have read many of your posts and appreciate your opinion. Sound like I may want to be "better safe than sorry" and use the antifreeze method.

I pulled the cover off my bed and found the water pump and figured out what the extra hose was that was in my storage compartment. See image.

I assume I would unscrew the (in line) from my on-board water tank (see photo) and replace it with the short hose which I would put into my gallon of antifreeze. Then go through your winterizing suggestions.
uploads/4646/hose.JPG
uploads/4646/Water-pump1.jpg

I also found this video that does suggest the air compressor method is an option but I think I'll subcribe to "Better safe then sorry".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVeFfQdYkw


Thanks