Winterizing, what should I do?

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by KyCharlie

Complete beginner here with brand new Coachmen Galleria. We live in KY which can have some cold weather, so I had our coach winterized by a local dealer. We keep it parked outside.
Should we do some winter camping and return with the chance of more cold weather, I know we’ll have to re-winterize.
However, if I can find indoor parking with a 30 amp hookup, could I keep the furnace at 50, turn on the tank heaters and not have it winterized?

If you leave the heat on, you'll need to leave 12V battery power on for the controls and tank heaters, and pass-through 120V power on for heating elements in the Truma. How much of a chance do you want to take that the power won't go out, and what is the potential for damage if it does? Is there a GFCI breaker on that 30A circuit?

I would winterize it. It takes me less than half an hour to do mine, and I could probably do it a lot faster if I wasn't doing the slow mosey by myself. Someone inside running faucets while I'm outside with the two gallons of antifreeze, could do it even faster, but I normally do it myself.

From my post above: "Mine is set up so I can winterize it with propylene glycol RV antifreeze in less than 30 minutes, with the pump sucking antifreeze from the jug using the outside water connection, but winters are cold here so I need to be able to do that on the road when returning home from warmer climes."

[jrobe]

I rigged up a system for fast winterizing in my van. Where the pipe comes out of my freshwater tank and goes directly to my water pump, I spliced in a T fitting with a couple valves. I then have a 2 foot hose on one side of the T fitting which is right under our rear couch.

I drain the freshwater tank and then shut off that valve on the T fitting to keep antifreeze out of the freshwater tank (so I don't have to flush the antifreeze out of the tank in the spring). Then I stick the 2 foot hose in a jug of antifreeze and turn on the water pump to pump a little to each faucet.

I blow everything out with an air compressor fitting on the outside city water connection first which removes about 95% of the water. I probably only use 1/2-1 gallon of antifreeze then to protect all the faucets, the water pump, etc.. If my wife is there to help open each faucet, I can winterize in 15-20 min.

[KanzKran]

Originally Posted by KyCharlie

Complete beginner here with brand new Coachmen Galleria. We live in KY which can have some cold weather, so I had our coach winterized by a local dealer. We keep it parked outside.

Which brings up another question - did your dealer blow the lines out with air, or did they use antifreeze? And if they used antifreeze, did they drain and bypass the Truma Combi? Do the Truma cold supply and hot service lines have bypass valves?

I ask because you're not supposed to run antifreeze through the Truma Combi. If you're going to use it for heat, you really don't want antifreeze in it, though you can run it dry for cabin heat but make sure you have the water heat function turned off.

[sc68z28]

Originally Posted by KanzKran

...though you can run it dry for cabin heat but make sure you have the water heat function turned off.

I have the Truma/Alde # 3010 -614. I do NOT see a way to turn off the hot water heater while using the hydronic heating system.

In the Truma/Alde owner-instructions it says...
"You may use the boiler to heat the RV without filling the water heater."

Am I missing something?

Bill.

[KanzKran]

I assumed you had the Combi. I don’t know anything about the Aldi. So ignore what I said.

[sc68z28]

Originally Posted by KanzKran

I assumed you had the Combi.

No Prob. Your statement might be true for the person you QUOTED (KyCharlie) I'm the OP. Just thought I was missing something.

Bill.

[chrislana]

Do you have a Truma water heater cause they say that the antifreeze is not good for the water heater?