Winterizing the plumbing

[Bill]

Winterizing a TM is easier than winterizing any other trailer - but not quite as easy as the manual makes it sound. Here is a straightforward list of steps that will do the job.

1. Underneath the left side of the trailer, you will find 4 drain valves hanging down on tubes or hoses. Two are ahead of the tire, two behind it. Open all four, and leave them open for the winter.
2. Inside the trailer, open all faucets and leave them open for the winter. There are two faucets in the kitchen sink, two in the bathroom sink, and two in the shower.
3. Unscrew the shower head from the end of the hose. Don't lose the little washer that is between the head and the hose. Shake all the water out of the shower head, put it in a baggie with the little washer, and store it. Lift the hose up to empty it, then lay it down in the bottom of the tub.
4. If you have a sprayer on the kitchen sink, repeat step 3 for it.
5. Open the door of the outside shower, and pull out the hose. Open the faucets and leave them open. Unscrew the shower head, shake out all the water, and store it and its washer in a baggie. Lower the end of the hose to the ground, and drain it. Many people tuck the hose back into the compartment - I prefer to put a baggie and rubber band over the end (to keep it clean) and let it hang.
6. After the fresh water tank is empty (one of the valves in step 1 drains it), run the water pump for no more than 5 seconds. This purges any little bit of water from the pumping chamber.
7. Put a cup of RV antifreeze down the kitchen sink drain, another in the bathroom sink drain, and another in the shower drain. Nominally this is not required, but is a belt-and-suspenders step.
8. Finally, pull the white handle at the front of the base of the toilet. Wait a few seconds, then push it back. Go outside and make sure the black and gray water tanks are empty. When they are fully drained, close the slide valves, and be sure to leave the cap on the end of the pipe, to keep animals out.

That's it. You do NOT need to open up the water heater. You do NOT need to install a water heater bypass. You do NOT need to pump antifreeze through the lines. You do NOT need to pump compressed air into the system. Why not? There is no water left in the system - you have drained it all out. So there is no water left to freeze.

If I have missed any steps, please PM me.

Bill
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Winterizing - non-plumbing related notes:
o Park the TM with the tires on a plastic or non-pressure-treated wooden board. Concrete and asphalt absorb oils out of the rubber. Be sure the board is at least as wide as the tire tread, and that the entire tread width is on the board.
o Some people jack up the TM at least partially, to take weight off the tires. The value of this step is unclear, but it can't hurt.
o Add distilled water to the battery if required. Then fully charge the battery, and disconnect it.
o Batteries don't especially like storage in a warm place (warmth increases self-discharge), so unless you anticipate extremely cold temperatures, it is OK to leave it in the TM. A fully charged battery will freeze at -92 degrees F, but at 40% charge, it will freeze at -16 degrees F.
o If you remove the battery from the TM for storage, you can set it on any surface. The idea that it should not be set on concrete is a myth.
o If you store your TM outside in snow country, it is not a good idea to leave the shells raised.
o The TM roof structure can be damaged by a heavy snow load, especially if rain follows and soaks into the snow. If you store your TM outside, don't allow snow to get more than about 6 inches deep. (See your TM manual.) Get a snow rake from a hardware store and pull most of the snow off the roof when it starts to pile up.