Winterized Class B?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by sctucker

I prefer to use the pink stuff simply because I can still flush the toilet. You simply drain the tank, pour several gallons of the pink antifreeze in the tank and then run all the faucets until pink stuff comes out. You can then use the toilet without manually dumping pink stuff in to flush. It does have an alcohol smell to it and it is harder to get it out when you are ready to dewinterize but since I don't drink the water from my fresh water tank it's not a big deal.

So, you keep the fresh tank filled with antifreeze?
Interesting.

[sctucker]

Originally Posted by Bud

Are you traveling like this? Stationary?

Does the toilet get used much using this method?

Both traveling and stationary. Not sure how to quantify "much" but it gets used the same as in the summer when it is not winterized.

[sctucker]

Originally Posted by avanti

So, you keep the fresh tank filled with antifreeze?
Interesting.

I don't fill it. Just enough to use the toilet so I will put in 5 or 6 gallons and then add more if need be.

[Belzar]

We travel all winter...flush toilet with jugs of antifreeze (about 1/2 gallon per day), carry jugs of water inside van, use lidded 5 gallon bucket for gray water and an electric tea kettle for hot running water. Once you are used to water conservation its very easy and not too inconvenient. When I winterize I have a bypass valve by the water pump to keep antifreeze out of the fresh tank. This makes it much easier to rinse out system in spring. With the crowds out this summer and expected this fall, I look forward to October-April camping season.

[Vee and Zeekie]

Originally Posted by Belzar

We travel all winter...flush toilet with jugs of antifreeze (about 1/2 gallon per day), carry jugs of water inside van, use lidded 5 gallon bucket for gray water and an electric tea kettle for hot running water. Once you are used to water conservation its very easy and not too inconvenient. When I winterize I have a bypass valve by the water pump to keep antifreeze out of the fresh tank. This makes it much easier to rinse out system in spring. With the crowds out this summer and expected this fall, I look forward to October-April camping season.

Thank you! I guess that is one solution. So, you don't have running water out of your sinks when you are doing this method? You just use water out of bottles to wash up and cook with? Seems a shame not to have running water when one has faucets. But, I guess this is just for the part of the year when things freeze.

[Belzar]

No actual running water. We have a plastic liner in the sink which we dump in large bucket. While it is possible to have 4-SEASON Class-B it requires 24/7 heat/power, which isn't practical for many travelers.

[Average_alice]

I thought I'd add that there are a few "risk takers" on the forum who haven't posted on this thread but they just drain their tanks and de-pressurize the system and don't winterize at all. The argument is that the PEX piping won't burst unless pressurized. Others have stated that the weak points are the faucet valves. Anyway, being lazy, I'm taking the risk-taker approach with our 20 year old Roadtrek in addition to the fact that we abandoned our black tank, installed a porta-potti, heat water on the stove, don't need to flush a toilet, and in the winter use water jugs and a plastic water dispenser at the sink for our fresh water. Having abandoned our black tank we just collect the grey water and sprinkle on nearby plants when dispersed camping. But a word of caution about listening to any of my post here is that we do have a leak going on between our gravity fill line and the fresh tank. We bought the unit used and I don't know when this occurred or why at that spot because it's not one of the lowest points. And we've only camped in freezing temps about 5 nights so far in the last year. At our home it rarely freezes and it's only overnight. Anyway, I hate winterizing!

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Average_alice

I thought I'd add that there are a few "risk takers" on the forum who haven't posted on this thread but they just drain their tanks and de-pressurize the system and don't winterize at all. The argument is that the PEX piping won't burst unless pressurized.

Good point.
PEX isn't rated as "freeze-proof", but for all practical purposes it is. Plus, as Davydd has pointed out, some pipe configurations with low-point valves can be very easily drained without drama.

It would be quite possible to design a water system that never needed real winterization. I am picturing using only robust, metal fixtures, avoiding dips in the pipe runs, hydronic flash-plate water heater, and a pushbutton labelled "winterize" that opens one or more electric low-point valves.
Toilet might be tricky--figure something out.
Hmmm....

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by Average_alice

But a word of caution about listening to any of my post here is that we do have a leak going on between our gravity fill line and the fresh tank. We bought the unit used and I don't know when this occurred or why at that spot because it's not one of the lowest points. And we've only camped in freezing temps about 5 nights so far in the last year. At our home it rarely freezes and it's only overnight. Anyway, I hate winterizing!

Those fill lines do seem to degrade over the years. I replaced the one in my 2000 200V Roadtrek about 4 or 5 years ago. The tubing had split at a sharp bend.

It was NOT a fun job but the split was getting bigger. The replacement does have a small drip when (over)filled, as in water backed up into the fill tube. Way too difficult to access for me to worry about.

[Davydd]

Although I no longer need to winterize in Minnesota with an indoor climate controlled garage I think my van can withstand freezing temperatures on the road with fresh water in the tank without winterizing. Our first week in our van in January 2016 was traveling in 24/7 freezing temperatures down to -5F including 0 deg. boondocking at a Cracker Barrel in Gallup, NM. Since then we have endured on the road down to -15F twice. I guess we have a four season van on the road and the only precautions we have done is flush the toilet with half and half pink anti-freeze and put anti-freeze in the bathroom drain floor trap. We can't avoid cold weather. We camp at Tahquamenon Falls SP in Michigan's UP every January and we take our first trip in January to points south and last year endured three overnights chased by the Polar Vortex until we hit above freezing temperatures in Texas.

[mechmike10]

If you want to regularly use the van in the winter, the compressed air method is by far your best bet, but, here is what you must never forget to do. When you have the system pressurized with air, be sure to flush the toilet and run the water pump for a few seconds at least. Those are the weak points in these water systems. You don’t want water in the pump if there is a chance of it freezing. The problem with the toilet is the flush valve; if that freezes and cracks, you must pull the toilet to replace the flush valve. (This is the voice of experience--after several years, I forgot once.) If you do not use van for an extended period of time, consider sanitizing the water system it per the instructions, even if you don’t use the pink stuff. If you do use the pink stuff, be sure to bypass the hot water tank before pumping the pink stuff into the van. This saves on how much antifreeze you need to do the job. Most RVs these days come with bypass valves already installed. Learn how to use them. If you pump pink stuff into the water heater, you will have a heck of a time getting it all out, and it will make the hot water foam. I can winterize our Class B (a Sportsmobile Sprinter) with 2 gallons of pink stuff.

[DesertCanuck]

Now it's time for a stupid question. Even though I live in central Arizona; I have another place north of here where I may be traveling to with my IROK in the winter so I have interest in this discussion. The "compressed air" method sounds straight-forward - the challenge is that I don't have an air compressor. For those who don't - are you renting one from someplace and if so, are there any specs on what is needed to get this done?

[avanti]

Originally Posted by DesertCanuck

Now it's time for a stupid question. Even though I live in central Arizona; I have another place north of here that is subject where I may be traveling to with my IROK so I have interest in this discussion. The "compressed air" method sounds straight-forward - the challenge is that I don't have an air compressor. For those who don't - are you renting one from someplace and if so, are there any specs on what is needed to get this done?

I just use one of the compact tankless ones that you can get at an auto parts store. You kind of have to get the hang of it. I let it run for a few seconds until some pressure builds up in the system. Then I quickly open whatever valve I am working on and it blasts the water out. Close the valve and repeat until you stop getting water. Really pretty easy.

There is a theoretical risk of over pressurizing the system, since there is no real pressure setting as you would have in a professional compressor. In practice, it has never been close to being an issue for me. I just pay attention and use common sense. Some of these things are capable of producing fairly high pressures, but it takes a long time to do so, since their volume capacity is very low.

One thing to remember no matter what kind of compressor you use is that you should work your way from the outlets nearest the pressure source, and out to the periphery of the system.

[mechmike10]

You only need a small 12 v unit. I have one of these, which I purchased from Pep-Boys: https://www.amazon.com/Compressor-Po...8832011&sr=8-2

(If you aren't familiar with PepBoys, it is a much smaller version of Canadian Tire.) You want an oilless air compressor. And you need a blow out plug (available at Wlamart, Camping World, etc.).

The main thing to keep in mind is not to overpressure the lines with too much air.

[Average_alice]

OMG (surprise) - we have a similar tire inflator, the Viair - I guess I was picturing one of those huge contractor air compressors! I guess we should learn how to do this.

[Vee and Zeekie]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Although I no longer need to winterize in Minnesota with an indoor climate controlled garage I think my van can withstand freezing temperatures on the road with fresh water in the tank without winterizing. Our first week in our van in January 2016 was traveling in 24/7 freezing temperatures down to -5F including 0 deg. boondocking at a Cracker Barrel in Gallup, NM. Since then we have endured on the road down to -15F twice. I guess we have a four season van on the road and the only precautions we have done is flush the toilet with half and half pink anti-freeze and put anti-freeze in the bathroom drain floor trap. We can't avoid cold weather. We camp at Tahquamenon Falls SP in Michigan's UP every January and we take our first trip in January to points south and last year endured three overnights chased by the Polar Vortex until we hit above freezing temperatures in Texas.

Which van do you have that withstands freezing temps without winterizing? Is it a factory-made one or a custom built one?

[Vee and Zeekie]

Originally Posted by mechmike10

You only need a small 12 v unit. I have one of these, which I purchased from Pep-Boys: https://www.amazon.com/Compressor-Po...8832011&sr=8-2

(If you aren't familiar with PepBoys, it is a much smaller version of Canadian Tire.) You want an oilless air compressor. And you need a blow out plug (available at Wlamart, Camping World, etc.).

The main thing to keep in mind is not to overpressure the lines with too much air.

I clicked on the Amazon link and there was only one available for sale and it was a refurbished one. I am not ready to buy one anyway since I don't even have a van yet!

[mechmike10]

I bought mine at Pep Boys in 2011-2012 for inflating tires. I just used the Amazon site to show a convenient picture of it. Anything similar will do as long as it has an attachment that can be screwed onto a tire valve. You will need that to screw it onto the blow out plug. Since it's been 8 years since I bought it, that model has probably been discontinued by now. Anything that old can't possibly be useful any more. :

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Vee and Zeekie

Which van do you have that withstands freezing temps without winterizing? Is it a factory-made one or a custom built one?

I believe he meant that it withstands freezing WHILE IN USE. This is called a "4-season" van. There are lots of these around.

Winterization is for when the van is NOT in use. Completely different issue. Davydd doesn't need to winterize his because he parks it in a heated garage.

[mechmike10]

I would concur with Avanti. In our van, the entire water system, with the exception of the grey water tanks, is inside the van. If we were using the van in sub-freezing weather (which we do not, usually), the inside temp would be kept above freezing for our own health/comfort. The only place we would need heaters is for the 2 grey water tanks.