De-Winterizing Question?

Mechanic Bob

Senior Member
RV LIFE Pro
Joined
Jun 3, 2023
Messages
133
Location
Wilmington, NC
2023 320MKS
Lines were drained
Lines were blown out
Lines and Water heater were filled with antifreeze.

MAYBE take a camping trip in the middle of January.
So in prep prior to taking the trip, I would like to do the following:

Drain the lines (of antifreeze)
Blow out the lines.

This way if we go camping, little effort needed to flush the lines and get the water system to normal operation.
If we don't go camping, I would think it is STILL winterized.

What do you think?
 
I would leave it as is for now. Mid Jan is a long ways out. I’d say on the day before, just open the low points and faucets and let it drain out. Along with the tankless wh if you’ve got one of those. I never blow the fluid out of mine. I just run fresh water through it till I don’t see or smell pink stuff. That’s worked for years. Hasn’t killed us yet.
 
I would leave it as is for now. Mid Jan is a long ways out. I’d say on the day before, just open the low points and faucets and let it drain out. Along with the tankless wh if you’ve got one of those. I never blow the fluid out of mine. I just run fresh water through it till I don’t see or smell pink stuff. That’s worked for years. Hasn’t killed us yet.
Why not blow out the Antifreeze? What would it hurt?
Werther or not if I charged the system with fresh water, if I go camping.
If not, the system is still winterized.
 
You'd be fine either way. If you want to blow it out first, it certainly isn't going to hurt anything. But just running water through the system would work just fine too. I like to blow mine out before putting in antifreeze just to get as much water first, but it's also always been fine when I've only run antifreeze through without blowing the lines out first. I just flush with water when we're ready to go again. Your choice.
 
Do not add anti-freeze to hot water tank if tank has anode. It breaks down anode. it's recommended to bypass the water heater when winterizing your camper
 
At one of the national rally's talking to the Atwood rep asked about winterizing the water heater. He said it's not necessary. Drain some water off and what's left can freeze but there would be plenty of room for expansion and not harm anything.
 
Thanks for all the replies! I am going to do the Low Point Drains. Not going to Blow it out.
This way I am good to go, whether we go camping or not!
 

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