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TIPS FOR WINTER STORAGE IN FRIGID COLD


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#11 patrkbukly

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Posted 06 February 2020 - 04:14 PM

"Feels Like" was negative 28 here night before last. 

In deep winter I just drain and blow out the lines so all is empty.

No issues yet. 


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#12 New Man

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Posted 06 February 2020 - 11:19 PM

My 2 cents, for what it is worth. (Wish someone had explained all this to me three years ago.)

 

2016 Fleet, three WISCONSIN winters so far (snowbirding in Southwest at moment). Leave outside on truck, roof down. Try to keep the snow from building up too much, but I've had 6-8" with no problem. Of course clear it completely before raising roof. And roofwall fabric does get real stiff below freezing. I take all cushions out and store them in my unheated garage. I used a bucket of DampRid in the camper the first year, but it took a good week for the chemical stink to clear--never again, and no problem with humidity/mold over the last two years.

 

Batteries: I pull the batteries and put them both on a single cheap Harbor Freight trickle charger [wired just the way they are in the camper] in the unheated garage--so far so good.

 

Water system: Mine is the simplest--tank, pump, cold water faucet--so more complicated systems will be...more complicated. The first year I used pink RV antifreeze. After three full flushings still tasted like c***p for a couple of tanks. Never again. Last three years I just drained the tank, ran the pump until it stopped pumping water, turned it off, and left the faucet open. No problem first two years, but not sure about this year:

 

I just got introduced to the joys of SHURflo pump troubleshooting, and from now on I will: 1) drain the tank; 2) open faucet and run pump until dry; 3) unscrew faucet nozzle from base; 3) [my SHURflo manual p. 2, "Winterizing":] "remove the plumbing at the pump's inlet/outlet ports", put a big towel under it [!], and run the pump "until the water is expelled" from the pump; 4) leave the plumbing off the pump; 5) blow out the lines.

 

This might be overkill, but I just spent a number of hours figuring out and fixing a jammed "check valve" in my pump, which I believe was caused by a little water freezing in the pump and pushing the valve's O-ring out of position. If I get really obsessive about this, I might even replace the pump's mounting screws with some hanger bolts and wingnuts so that I can easily pull it every winter and replace it in the spring. [To my eyes, the pump is the obvious weak link in the system: I assume that a little ice in open water lines or the tank shouldn't damage anything (?)] But I'd rather spend my time staring at cactus, which is why I bought this camper in the first place.

 

Hope this helps somebody. When I first got the camper and asked FWC about winterizing with RV antifreeze, all I got was "Some guys do, and some guys don't; it's up to you." I get it that they don't want to stick their necks out, but a little more guidance would be nice, especially since they are selling expensive, complicated products to people that have minimal experience with this kind of stuff. Okay, off the soapbox, and back to staring at the cactus...


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#13 JaSAn

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 01:14 AM

My Grandby is 43 years old.  It has been stored outside for at least the last 10 years in Minnesota.  The coldest it has seen since I have owned it is -32ºF.

  • It is stored top down on a platform in my driveway from Thanksgiving to Mother's day (fishing opener).
  • All food, clothing, and gear is removed.
  • I do not have a water tank or system.
  • Batteries are stored in an unheated garage on a battery maintainer.
  • I remove snow from the roof periodically.

The fabric, including window plastic, is original, still weathertight.  Window plastic shrunk and wavy but not cracked.

No known damage from being stored outside.

 

jim

 


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Sköldpaddan, a 1977 FWC Grandby
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#14 larryqp

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 11:37 AM

If you find that the pink RV antifreeze leaves an after taste, you could always drain the tank, blow out the lines with low air pressure (less than 50 psi) with a compressor, you can buy a screw in adapter and then use cheap Vodka to winterize the pump. Vodka is safe, won't freeze until it get to something like -15 degrees F.

 

Most people just drain the hot water tank n RVs. But since you don't drink hot water the pink RV antifreeze is fine to winterize the hot water tank after you drain it, if you want a little more protection.

 

We don't have a water system in our FWC camper but I use the pink RV antifreeze to winterize all the water lines in my cabin in colorado and haven't noticed any after taste, but people have different taste sensitivity. I have a bypass on the hot water heater, so close the bypass valves, drain the hot water heater, blow out the lines and then pump the pink stuff thru the water system opening one water faucet at a time until the pink stuff comes out. 


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2016 F150, FX4, XLT super cab

2019 FWC Hawk Shell

2009 Ford Ranger 4x4, XLT, Supercab total loss on 7/30/19

2014 FWC Shell total loss on 7/30/19

Towed behind our home which is a 2005 Kountry Star Diesel Pusher


#15 aleadbet

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Posted 24 February 2020 - 04:32 PM

What about winter camping? Do most folks just bring water in jugs? The daytime temps where we're going will be fine, but it could go slightly below freezing at night....


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#16 patrkbukly

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Posted 24 February 2020 - 05:06 PM

"Slightly below freezing" should be no issue. 

Typical mornings you will be firing up the furnace warmng the camper up quickly.

 

But if you feel you will be lower than that, and/or driving through frigid temps (0F to19F or lower) all day as I did last year in March through Wyoming and Montana I would just drain it to be safe.  

 

Just my .02 cents


Edited by patrkbukly, 24 February 2020 - 05:07 PM.

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