Winterizing Issues

Thinking very seriously about using the pressurized air method of winterizing our new pod. It will be the first time for me so I'd like to get it right! I'm assuming when you add pressurized air you by-pass the hot-water heater, which you drain by removing the anode rod. Correct? I understand adding rv antifreeze to your sinks and shower traps but wouldn't you also add a cup or two to your holding tanks, fresh, gray, and black? Just to make sure any residual water that maybe in your holding tanks won't freeze? Any confirmation and help on this would be much appreciated since I plan on making the air inlet connector this week in anticipation of winterizing.Thanks in advance!

Yes, you need to pull the anode out to drain the hwh.  You also need to turn all the bypass valves above your hwh to the opposite direction.  On my 177 there are 3 valves to turn.  Maybe my well water is special but that is all we have ever used in our fresh water holding tank for nearly 7 years now.  It wasn't until last summer when I sanitized the tank for the first time since we owned it in 2011.  Fortunate I guess as we both use it for drinking water.  As I posted in another place next spring I will put some water in the holding tank and let it sit for a couple weeks and then take a sample and send it to the county extension agent to see if there are any harmful critters lurking about.  Based on the results I will either sanitize or forego the process.  You will always have some residual water in your 3 tanks but there is plenty of room for expansion, if say you have 3 gallons in a 30 gallon tank.  We have never had any freezing issues in our tanks.  For the first time this fall I made a concoction of 1/2 cup Borax, 1 cup Pine Sol and 3 tablespoons of ammonia.  Add enough warm water to make 1/2 gallon of solution and shake to mix contents.  Pour 1/2 into toilet and the other down the sink to go to the gray water tank.  I then added another gallon of water to both so I probably have 2 gallons or more in each tank going into winter.  I did this as my neighbor told me it will sweeten the smell of both tanks come springtime.  Even after draining my fw tank I bet there are still at least 3 gallons or so in the bottom of the tank.  As far a hooking up the air pressure gun I have a pigtail under the kitchen sink that comes out of a 3-way valve, turn it 1/4 turn to open the pigtail line to the water supply line, from there it goes to the water pump and then to the sinks, shower, toilet.  After finishing remember to move the 3-way valve to the original position.  If you forget you will get frustrated the following spring because your water pump will turn on but not pump water because of that line being open it will cavitate.

Pilot, Nice job on the video.  It's very informative. 

If you can be certain that all of the water is out of all of the lines, you're right.  Air doesn't freeze at temps survivable by humans.  But if a little bit of water is left in the pump or in the toilet valve, it can freeze and burst the pump or valve.  Ask me how I know.  It only takes a tiny bit of water in the right place.  However, if there is a bit of water and you pump antifreeze through the whole system, any water is going to be replaced with slightly diluted antifreeze, so -50° antifreeze might freeze and expand at -40°.

The best thing might be to blow out the water, run antifreeze through ths system and then blow that out.  Depends on how cautious (or paranoid) you want to be.

If Jato and others have gotten by only blowing out the lines for years, it's pretty safe, but nothing is 100%.  Antifreeze is the standard for winterizing, and it's cheap and easy.

Depending on where you are in NC to some extent, you might be okay just blowing out the lines, but I'm basically in Nashville, and it's probably warmer here in winter than in a lot of NC.  My toilet valve froze and broke a couple of years ago. 

TT

We know of quite a few campers with different name brand TT.'s who do pretty much as we do.  Blow out the lines, that is it.  Add rv antifreeze to traps and you are good to go.  We are now on year 6 doing it this way, and no problems.  Winter temps often times will hit -15F or more in our January freeze.  A few winters ago we had sustained temps that were in the -24 to -28 F range.  The pod was fine, but the peach trees all died.