dewinterizing

NSTS1470 · 04-15-2010, 02:49 PM

Heading out for my first trip with the new TT on Sunday. Being new to this I have a few question. When dewinterizing is there anything else to do other than draining, hooking up water supply and giving it a good flush?

Aslo I'm looking for a little more specific info on the furnace. My manuals are in the trailer and I wont have access to them till Sunday morning. Do I need to light the pilot or just turn on and up the thermostat?

I know this is all simple stuff but being my first trip I'm start the classic second guessing and the nerves are kicking in.

Festus2 · 04-15-2010, 03:20 PM

Regarding de-winterizing and specifically the plumbing aspect of it, if you do a Google search on Dewinterizing RV's, you can find numerous sites which will give you a step-by-step process. While the specific details might vary from unit to unit, what you have generally described above is the main process.
I just did mine today. No leaks (that are obvious) so the pink stuff must have worked. The only problem I ran into was tightening up the drain plug anode ........ I had to make numerous adjustments to the tightness of the plug before it would stop dripping .....used Teflon tape. I think I have it right now.
You do not need to light any pilot light for your furnace. All the switches and controls for your furnace on mounted on the small panel on a wall in your unit.

NSTS1470 · 04-15-2010, 04:24 PM

My TT has be bypass kit on teh water heater, so am I correct to say that I would not have to touch the anode.

Festus2 · 04-15-2010, 04:43 PM

When your unit was winterized, the hot water tank should have been drained and that is accomplished by removing the plug/anode. After draining, the plug may have been replaced by whoever did the winterizing. When I do my winterizing, I leave the plug out and then re-insert it when dewinterizing. Depending on the kind of lining in your HW tank, you may or may not need an anode-type plug. I do. If the plug is already in, then in your case, I would think that all you have to do is turn the valves to the correct position on your bypass kit and refill the HW tank. After refilling, check at the plug for leaks. You may have to recheck again when you fire up the tank and have hot water in your tank. Sometimes, with the increased pressure caused by the hot water, you may have to snug up on the plug a touch to stop any minor leakage.
If your plug is the anode type, then I might suggest that you check it because it is a "sacrificial zinc" which gets eaten away by the chemical reaction that takes places within the tank.
If you have a Suburban HW heater/tank, then it requires an anode plug. If you don't use an anode plug, the inside lining of your tank will soon get "eaten away".
If you camp in areas where the water is heavily mineralized, your anode will not last as long. I check mine every year. A new plug/anode costs a few dollars. A new HW tank? How deep are your pockets?

NSTS1470 · 04-15-2010, 05:34 PM

thank you so much for all the great info and the speed at which you reply. It is greatly appreciated. I do have an anode plug so the tips you provide are great. The last question ( I think ), is in regards to sanitizing. Is that something I should do being a new TT. Or is that something that is only necesary once water starts to smell or taste bad. I did a google search on dewinterizing and some articles mention sanitizing with bleach and some don't.

Stargazer · 04-15-2010, 06:00 PM

When I dewinterized my trailer, in addition to flushing out the pipes, I wanted to make sure the fridge worked. At first it wouldn't start, so I fired up the burners on the stove top first. I guess that got the propane going through the lines again and then the fridge was able to start.

Festus2 · 04-15-2010, 06:40 PM

Personally, I don't sanitize that often. I may put a small amount of bleach in when I finish off my dewinterizing and that will be it. I have never had a problem with my fresh water. We usually use a small "jug" of water that has a Brita Filter in it and use that .... I know it does nothing for the "sanitizing" of the water but it does filter out most of the various tastes you get in water as you move around the countryside. I also have an outside filter on my water hookup which helps considerably.
I find it a bit of a nuisance using bleach as it takes quite a few flushes before you get rid of all that taste and smell from your fresh water tank.
To be on the safe side, and for your first trip and time out, you might want to use bleach to sanitize your tank and system. Hope this helps.

SLIMSHADIE · 04-15-2010, 08:33 PM

You may want to sanitize your system. My TT being similar to yours, I always heard it was good, if not safe, to sanitize your system 1 or 2 times a year. 1/4 cup for 15 gallons and hold for 4-6 hours, after running thru all faucets, then drain and refill and flush. Last thing I want to be out in the woods and deathly sick!

bennydog · 04-16-2010, 07:34 AM

I do mine every year. Fill with 60 gallons water 1 1/4 cup bleach run faucets to fill water heater and lines, top off and let sit while I go through the rest of the stuff. 6 hours later drain all (including HW tank) fill flush and let sit over night. Just makes sense to not take any chances.....I hate being sick on vacations, that's what work is for.

Bob

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