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Old 10-25-2011, 05:33 AM   #1
ohiohideout
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Steps to winterize your Travel Trailer

For all you newbs out there like me, I spent the better part of a week researching how to winterize my Hideout 38BHDS.

There are 2 ways to winterize: 1) Compressed Air or 2) RV Antifreeze

I decided to use to the compressed air option so here was my check list

Tools you will need:
- Go to Home Depot and procure 3 items (1 air compressor fitting, 3/4" NPT Male fitting and the fitting to mate the two together)
- Phillips ScrewDriver/Drill
- 1 -1/16" socket (or Crescent and Monkey Wrench)
- Portable air compressor and extension cord

How to do it:
- Turn off the water supply to your camper
- Disconnect the drinking water hose from your camper and remove the small water screen (store it or discard the screen and replace next spring)
- Remove the water pressure regulator and store
- Set your compressor to about 30 psi
- Connect fitting to your drinking water hose and blow out the hose until only air comes out
- If you have one, don't forget to blow out the 2nd garden hose connected to the other side of your Y-connector
- Take some ziploc bags and cover the ends of the hoses, then rubberband them closed
- Using the 1 1/16" socket carefully remove the drain plug from your hot water tank (accessed from a panel on the exterior of your trailer)
- To fully drain the tank, while the water is draining flip the pressure relief
- Locate and open all Low Drainage points (note: I noticed that once I flipped the pressure relief more water came from the low point drains)
- Remove wooden cover housing Hot Water Tank and flip the valve to bypass
- With the compressor still set around 30 psi connect the fitting to your city water connection
- Go inside the trailer and blow out kitchen sink lines. Turn the cold water on until only air comes out then turn on the hot water until air comes out
- Next, do the same process for the bathroom sink
- Next, do the same process for the shower (do this even if you never used the shower! I found that water was still in these lines even though we never used the shower)
- Next, do the same process for the Toilet
- Next, do the same process for the outdoor shower
- Turn on the Water Pump switch for about 30 seconds and open the kitchen sink cold and hot water lines
- Now you need to dump some RV antifreeze down each of these drains to push the water out of the traps and ensure that the traps fill with the antifreeze.
- RV Antifreeze in Kitchen sink (both sides)
- RV Antifreeze in bathroom sink
- RV Antifreeze in shower drain (even if never used)
- RV Antifreeze in Toilet (pours some into the toilet and flush so it goes into the Black tank then pour some with the flap closed to maintain a nice seal on the toilet)
- Pump up tires to max recommended pressure (and cover if you have them, use a breathable cover not a tarp)
- Thaw and empty your Fridge of all contents. Thoroughly clean it and leave the doors propped open
- Remove all food from your cupboard. Including non-perishable items. Can foods may freeze and explode
- Leave cupboards propped open
- Lubricate slideout seals with silicone spray
- Retract Slideouts to bring them in
- Disconnect the electrical power cord from the power supply. Cover the end with a ziploc bag and rubberband it closed
- Remove the battery and store in a warmer place like your basement
- Cover A/C unit with a breathable cover (not a tarp) or use an RV cover
- Thoroughly clean your camper to ensure no rodents want to get in for food crumbs or anything else
- Empty and flush all holding tanks

That should be it! $100 saved by doing this yourself!

NOTE: Cycling the slideouts is a debateable topic. One theory is that the more you slide them in and out the more of a chance you have to damage your sealings. The other theory is that if you leave the slideouts out then snow could build up adding extra weight possibly damaging the retraction devices. Also, like snow build up on your roof, I guess the water from melting snow could penetrate the slideout seals. FWIW, I decided to retract my slideouts.

Hope this helps!

Good luck!
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Old 10-25-2011, 06:57 AM   #2
mikell
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After you blow everything out

Do it again

Doesn't hurt or cost anything and if you get a bunch of water keep doing it.

I have a whole campground to do.

mike

If you can leave the trailer plugged in do it. Just makes it easier to take care of things. Keeps battery charged
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:32 AM   #3
JRTJH
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Ohiohideout,

Good checklist, but one thing you didn't mention (I'm sure you did it) is to empty and flush all holding tanks and the fresh water tank.
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Old 10-25-2011, 08:06 AM   #4
ohiohideout
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@JRTJH

Good point. I pay for emptying of the tanks where I am so I did not include these.

It is good for those who do not have a service to include these on the checklist.

@mikell
You are absolutely right. As a newbie I think I actually did the process 4 times but I was guessing that it was overkill
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Old 10-25-2011, 09:07 AM   #5
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Ohiohideout, overkill is never an issue when next spring your camper made it through the winter without damage. I've often gone back a couple weeks after winterizing and just recheck things, and pour a little more antifreeze in the drain, etc. It's never "too much" to redo things when the outcome means "sweet success"
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Old 10-25-2011, 12:06 PM   #6
justduit2
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Thanks for the post O-H. Good info I'm getting ready to winterize for the 1st time myself, and like you have been reading everything I can find on the subject. I think I'm going the blowout and then antifreeze route, saw someone mention damp empty tubes being a bacterial breeding ground, I know I've seen mold develop readily enough in empty tubing before, so I'm thinking never too safe . I saw a fitting that had a compressor quick connect on one side and hose fitting on the other on amazon, got ready to order it today, and it said 2 to 5 months for delivery . Think I'll be going to HD and find the pieces you recommend.

Also, didn't see the black tank flush mentioned, I've seen a few times to not to forget to blow it out if you've got one.

Mark
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Old 10-25-2011, 12:53 PM   #7
JRTJH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justduit2 View Post
Thanks for the post O-H. Good info I'm getting ready to winterize for the 1st time myself, and like you have been reading everything I can find on the subject. I think I'm going the blowout and then antifreeze route, saw someone mention damp empty tubes being a bacterial breeding ground, I know I've seen mold develop readily enough in empty tubing before, so I'm thinking never too safe . I saw a fitting that had a compressor quick connect on one side and hose fitting on the other on amazon, got ready to order it today, and it said 2 to 5 months for delivery . Think I'll be going to HD and find the pieces you recommend.

Also, didn't see the black tank flush mentioned, I've seen a few times to not to forget to blow it out if you've got one.

Mark
WalMart has a hose blowout connection in their RV department for about $2.50. It's hanging with the regulators and brass hosee elbow connectors. I took that fitting, added a piece of black rubber windshield washer hose and plugged it into the air brush fitting I use to "sweep" the garage floor. Just open the low point drains, screw the fitting in the fresh water fitting on the trailer, push the compressor fitting into the rubber hose, turn it on and start opening and closing faucets... Be careful to adjust your compressor regulator to less than 40 PIS or so before you start.
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