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Bhfromme 
Newbie 
Joined: 07 May 2017 Location: Maine Online Status: Offline Posts: 24 |
 Topic: Do we really need to winterize these things?Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 6:18pm |
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Okay from the stupid question department, I'm wondering do we really need to winterize the Pod?
We plan to use it through most of the winter. Why can't I just drain everything and keep the lines open to allow for expansion so if there is any water hanging around in low places it'll just freeze but not do any damage. Correct? Yes I'm new to this. But I'm not new to winter. If the lines are open and I keep a good charge in the battery I'm good to go. Right? |
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Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed
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Tars Tarkas
Senior Member 
Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 6:31pm |
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It just takes a little bit of water in the pump or the toilet valve to crack them. Some people think blowing out the lines is sufficient but after replacing my toilet valve I'm a believer in antifreeze.
Winterizing isn't that much trouble. TT |
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
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Old & out-to-play
Groupie 
Joined: 24 Nov 2016 Location: AZ Online Status: Offline Posts: 88 |
Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 8:05pm |
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Winter means different things depending on where you live. As a kid I spent years in Subury, Ontario in Canada. Winters were brutal with week's at a time well below zero. 20 years ago we built a home north of Los Angeles in the mountains. We had snow that would last for 2-5 days, temps at freezing point at night but warm days...no sustained periods of freezing. In both cases you would need some type of winterizing but in Southern California it would be minimal compared with Sudbury.
If you're in Maine off the coast I'm thinking Tars is right, "winterizing isn't that much trouble". You might consider also removing the battery keeping it in a warmer environment on a trickle charger.
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Old and in the way so now it's time to play
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jato
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3257 |
Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 8:38pm |
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In northern Michigan winters can get pretty 'cool'. It is not uncommon to have a cold spell in January where we hit -15 or colder for a few days or more. Except for the first winter (2011) we have always used an air compressor to blow out our water lines, I limit the pressure to 60 psi and it takes about 1 to 1.5 minutes to blow out everything and that is going over everything twice. No problems ever encountered. The first couple years I even pulled out the check screen by the water pump to see how much water may be lurking inside as well as open the low point drains . . . they were clean and dry as a whistle. Since then I blow the lines out and call it good then use about 1 pint of the pink rv antifreeze for the 3 traps on our 177.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4517 |
Posted: 28 Aug 2017 at 5:09am |
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We have some pretty cold winters,
we follow a similar procedure as Jato. On our 9th year of owning rpods and have never had a problem(knock on wood). Once you get a system down winterizing takes less than an hour. Better safe than sorry
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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riotkayak284
Senior Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2016 Location: Nashville, TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 162 |
Posted: 28 Aug 2017 at 3:51pm |
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One additional item that I use, is the antifreeze helps to keep the system free of bad stuff. Stuff that requires the disinfection of the system. It also does provide some protection for seals and such.
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ToolmanJohn
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2014 Location: Connecticut Online Status: Offline Posts: 451 |
Posted: 28 Aug 2017 at 8:53pm |
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RV Antifreeze. Cheap, easy to do. Protects the system components. Pour it into the traps of the shower, sink, and leave some in the toilet bowl.
DO NOT put it through the water heater. You must drain the water from the tank, and bypass the tank, before introducing antifreeze into the lines. After getting antifreeze though-out the water lines (pink coming out of all faucets, toilet, outside rinse port) then drain it through the low point drains. All you really-need is some in the traps, and leave some in the toilet to keep the valve wet.
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2017 ATC 7X20 Custom Toy Hauler
2013 R-Pod 177 (SOLD) 2013 VW Touareg TDI |
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spydie
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Jul 2017 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 159 |
Posted: 28 Aug 2017 at 11:50pm |
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I used to put anti-freeze through the lines like ToolmanJohn, but found out like many others on here that just blowing out the lines (I read someplace once that you shouldn't use over 40lbs air pressure), draining the water heater, pouring anti-freeze in the shower and sink drain p-traps and leave a little in the toilet bowl is all I do. Don't forget to open the outside shower faucets when blowing out the lines. Been doing that about 18 years now and no problems with weather below zero for a week or so at a time
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2018 R-pod 176
2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi 
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Do we really need to winterize these things?