Winterize using fresh water tank

[yeabuddy]

I'd like to winterize my trailer through the water pump by pouring antifreeze into the freshwater tank. How much antifreeze do I need to pour in the tank in order for the pump to be able to fill all of my lines, sinks, toilet, faucets etc.?

[gepaine]

2 gallons has done the job for me.

[JRTJH]

It depends on where the water pump fresh water pickup hose is positioned in the tank. If it's "right at the bottom inside the drain well" you should get efficient pickup of the antifreeze. If, however, it's an inch high, on the end of the FW tank, you'll need more antifreeze to get the FW tank contents high enough to reach the pickup hose.

Keep in mind that if you winterize this way, your FW tank MUST be empty of ALL water or you will be diluting your antifreeze before you run it into your lines.

On a 50 gallon tank, if there's 3 or 4 gallons of water left on the "low side" and not drained out, and you pour in 2 gallons of antifreeze, that's the same as mixing your 2 gallons of antifreeze with 4 gallons of water before you use it. Diluting antifreeze will cause it's "freeze temperature" to increase. You could winterize thinking you're protected to -40*F and actually only be protected to +20*F based on how diluted the antifreeze really is.

To make sure your FW tank is fully drained, open the drain valve, raise then lower the tongue with the trailer level, then raise/lower with the road side high, then raise/lower with the highway side high. That should help drain all water from the tank and reduce the amount of dilution you get when you pour the antifreeze into your tank.

For most owners, it's much easier (and more effective) to use a pickup hose and run the antifreeze through the water pump rather than using the FW tank. Plus, you won't have the antifreeze to flush out of the tank next spring.

[outwest]

If you don't have a water heater bypass, you will also have to put in enough antifreeze to fill the water heater (so you can get antifreeze in the hot water lines). Old trailer didn't have one so it took 11 gallons of antifreeze to winterize it:-(

[gepaine]

Couple of points not previously mentioned:

1) If your rig didn't have a pickup hose and valve installed at the factory, you will have to install one.

2) Using a pickup hose connected directly to the water pump can be difficult and messy if the water pump is not located in an easy to access location.

3) If you plan on using the fresh water from your tank next season, you will need to sanitize and flush the tank even if you don't put anti-freeze in it during winterization.

[Festus2]

Couple of points not previously mentioned:

1) If your rig didn't have a pickup hose and valve installed at the factory, you will have to install one.

2) Using a pickup hose connected directly to the water pump can be difficult and messy if the water pump is not located in an easy to access location.

3) If you plan on using the fresh water from your tank next season, you will need to sanitize and flush the tank even if you don't put anti-freeze in it during winterization.

gepaine :

1) You don't have to do any real, permanent installation. All you need to buy is the proper connector to fit the make and model of your pump. On ours, I simply slide the plastic hose lock back, push in the connector (which is attached to a 4 ft hose), push the lock/slide back in, and put the other end of this hose into the container of pink stuff. Turn on the pump and fill the lines as usual.

2) Our pump is fairly accessible and easy to work on which makes the task quite easy and without much mess at all.

[JRTJH]

Couple of points not previously mentioned:

1) If your rig didn't have a pickup hose and valve installed at the factory, you will have to install one.

2) Using a pickup hose connected directly to the water pump can be difficult and messy if the water pump is not located in an easy to access location.

3) If you plan on using the fresh water from your tank next season, you will need to sanitize and flush the tank even if you don't put anti-freeze in it during winterization.

1) The OP has a 2013 Hideout. It has a flojet pump. Installing a pickup hose is a simple matter of pulling a blue tab, disconnecting the input connector and connecting the "pickup hose" and pushing the blue tab.

2) The length of the hose attached to the fitting determines how easy it is to access the antifreeze container. If the pump is in an "awkward" location, a longer hose makes this easy to accomplish.

3) Sanitizing the FW tank is a matter of filling it, adding chlorine bleach, letting it sit, then draining and refilling. Flushing the antifreeze (non-toxic but not non-harmful) leaves an aftertaste unless you flush multiple times.

I'm not arguing with you about which is best, either way is appropriate, if you choose to add antifreeze to your tank and it works for you, that's great.

However, the OP should be aware of disadvantages and advantages of adding antifreeze to his FW tank and he should know about alternatives (and Keystone recommended methods) of winterizing. Locking anyone into one method only is not always in a new member's best interest.

[gepaine]

Locking anyone into one method only is not always in a new member's best interest.

I agree. That is why I added the 3 additional points so the OP would have a more complete picture of the pros and cons.

FYI: I only flush one time after sanitizing and there is no after taste from the anti-freeze.

[Mike L123]

I agree. That is why I added the 3 additional points so the OP would have a more complete picture of the pros and cons.

FYI: I only flush one time after sanitizing and there is no after taste from the anti-freeze.

Our experience, even though we used non-toxic RV antifreeze, was that the aftertaste lingered through most of the summer. This was several years ago and perhaps our sanitizing procedure was not proper. That being said, we will do whatever we have to, to not taint our fresh water tank with anything. As always, YMMV.

Cheers!

Mike

[LZScout]

If I don't use the freshwater tank for antifreeze, will I have to worry about the water line from the freshwater tank to the pump? My Alpine system has the Anderson Water Valve that has a winterize position that will draw antifreeze from the freshwater connection directly to the fixtures.


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[yeabuddy]

Thanks for all the replies. I used 3 gallons and it was enough to get through everything. I did bypass the water heater.
Being on a seasonal site (and planning on it for as long as possible) I don't use the freshwater tank so no worries there.

Another question...
Should I open up the freshwater tank low point drain to empty out the remaining antifreeze?