First Attempt at Winterizing - Fiberglass RV
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Old 10-03-2020, 04:20 PM   #1
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Name: Steve
Trailer: Scamp 13
Wisconsin
Posts: 8
First Attempt at Winterizing

We bought a Scamp 13 this year. I read the manual and did the following:

1) Opened the sink and shower faucets.

2) Emptied the Fresh Water tank

3) Removed the hot water heater drain plug to empty the hot water heater. Replaced the plug.

4) Put 1.5 gal of RV antifreeze into the fresh water tank

5) Closed all the faucets

6) Turned on the demand pump. Pump kept running so I opened the sink cold water faucet until pink stuff came out. Then opened up the show cold water until pink stuff started coming out. This seemed to use most of the 1.5 gal so I turned off the pump, put another .25 gal into the fresh water tank, turned on the pump and flushed the toilet until I got pink stuff coming out. Then I turned off the demand pump (which was still pumping).

7) Poured RV antifreeze down the sink, shower and toilet. Turned on the shower demand pump for a bit.

8) Pushed in the little white piece behind the screen in the city water line, which let water out followed by a little pink antifreeze.

9) Drained the black and gray tanks.

I am wondering why the demand pump keep pumping. I would have thought it would stop by itself. Should this be happening?
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Old 10-03-2020, 04:38 PM   #2
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The demand pump will keep pumping if the water level is low. That's perfectly normal since it's triggered by low pressure. Just turn it off. And if you have a way to disconnect the battery, do that since there's things like propane sensors that will keep drawing a small amount of current all winter.
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Old 10-03-2020, 05:20 PM   #3
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Name: Jack L
Trailer: Sold the Bigfoot 17-Looking for a new one
Washington
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You did not mention it, but maybe you did it anyway. When you drain the water heater you should open the relief valve at the top of the heater to allow air in and completely drain the tank.
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Old 10-03-2020, 05:36 PM   #4
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Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
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If you have a water heater and did not shut off the supply to it, or use a bypass, then the water heater now has AF in it, and it does not need that.
Was the AF in the tank above the line going out? You can lower the front of the trailer to help with that. If it was not above the out line then the pump will keep running.
Other than that it sounds like you covered all the right steps.
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Old 10-03-2020, 10:52 PM   #5
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Name: Kenneth
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I added a winterizing valve

Quote:
Originally Posted by gordon2 View Post
If you have a water heater and did not shut off the supply to it, or use a bypass, then the water heater now has AF in it, and it does not need that.
Was the AF in the tank above the line going out? You can lower the front of the trailer to help with that. If it was not above the out line then the pump will keep running.
Other than that it sounds like you covered all the right steps.
I also posted this in another topic, but here we go again.
It is an A/B valve that flips between fresh water and a hose that drops in the jug.
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Old 10-03-2020, 11:09 PM   #6
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I use a hand pump. It pumps RV antifreeze from the jug, through the city water inlet. No antifreeze goes into the water heater ( already placed in bypass ) and none goes into the fresh water tank.
I do have to run the trailer pump for about 20 seconds, after draining the fresh water tank. That clears water out of it.
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Old 10-04-2020, 08:08 AM   #7
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Smith Valley, Nevada
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Steve, you only mentioned opening the cold water taps. You must flush the antifreeze through the hot water lines too. The best way to do this is with a water heater bypass, and then opening the hot water faucet and shower valves to get the pink to them too.
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Old 10-04-2020, 03:16 PM   #8
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Trailer: 2014 16 scamp side dinette/Rav4 V6 Tow pkg.
Pennsylvania
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Did you shut the water taps off when done.
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Old 10-04-2020, 04:15 PM   #9
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Name: Tony
Trailer: Scamp
Ohio
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Scamps and the hot water heater during winterization. So this has been a source of confusion for me. The scamp training videos provide instruction to turn on the hot taps the sink and the bathroom. This gets antifreeze into the hot water pump and the hot water lines. I think the hot water lines drain with the hot water tank but pushing some antifreeze in the line very well may be necessary. There is no hot water tank bypass valve on a scamp. Anyway I mechanically followed the instruction and had no problems last year. The process does put some antifreeze in the hot water tank. I drained it after filling it in the spring. I think the process is sound but am not clear on what is happening. And why should I care if rv antifreeze goes into the hot water heater?

It seems that the Scamp water system has not changed recently so I’m sure it is very well understood, just not by me.
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Old 10-04-2020, 04:29 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony D View Post
And why should I care if rv antifreeze goes into the hot water heater?

Only because it costs money and the water heater holds six gallons. And, if you drain it, there is no water to freeze anyway. I also check my anode to see it it needs replacement.
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Old 10-04-2020, 07:20 PM   #11
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Name: Tony
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Ohio
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Glen, got it. And I suppose to move fluid to the spigot you’d might need to fill up the hot water tank. I think the Scamp Video process does the hot water part at the end. It seems the goal is to clear the line from the fresh water tank to the hot water tank. That includes the hot water pump. It wouldn’t take a lot of antifreeze to do that. It kind of makes sense, I’m not 100% sure though.
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Old 10-05-2020, 10:30 PM   #12
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Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Schwetzel View Post
We bought a Scamp 13 this year. I read the manual and did the following:

1) Opened the sink and shower faucets.

2) Emptied the Fresh Water tank

3) Removed the hot water heater drain plug to empty the hot water heater. Replaced the plug.

4) Put 1.5 gal of RV antifreeze into the fresh water tank

5) Closed all the faucets

6) Turned on the demand pump. Pump kept running so I opened the sink cold water faucet until pink stuff came out. Then opened up the show cold water until pink stuff started coming out. This seemed to use most of the 1.5 gal so I turned off the pump, put another .25 gal into the fresh water tank, turned on the pump and flushed the toilet until I got pink stuff coming out. Then I turned off the demand pump (which was still pumping).

7) Poured RV antifreeze down the sink, shower and toilet. Turned on the shower demand pump for a bit.

8) Pushed in the little white piece behind the screen in the city water line, which let water out followed by a little pink antifreeze.

9) Drained the black and gray tanks.

I am wondering why the demand pump keep pumping. I would have thought it would stop by itself. Should this be happening?
The pump may have kept running because it was ;putting anti-freeze into the hot water heater. We unhook our pump on the inlet side of the pump and put another hose on it and into the anti-freeze and turn on the pump. We also have a hot water heater by pass valve. This way you don't have all that anti-freeze in your fresh water tank. It is to hard to rinse out. After running the anti freeze into the lines and are done we rehook the line from the fresh water tank to the pump. Another way is to put a special valve that has a way to leave the extra hose on it and leave the lines hooked up. We have had those and like that also.
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Old 10-06-2020, 04:39 PM   #13
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You have not winterized the hot water lines. Here is how to do it:

http://scamp.n0kfb.org/tech/winterizing/index.htm


--Dan Meyer
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Old 10-10-2020, 12:35 PM   #14
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Name: R
Trailer: Escape
Illinois
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Referencing the antifreez bypass at the pump: This makes life so much easier! In addition , I find that I use less antifreeze and it is faster. After draining and bypassing the hot water heater and draining the fresh water tank - 15 minutes tops.
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Old 10-10-2020, 01:59 PM   #15
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Name: Ray
Trailer: scamp
Indiana
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I actually blow overything out. I have an air compressor and put it on low regulated preasure. Then I built an adapter hose to air compressor and hook the air compressor to the city in with about 5 lbs preasure on the air. Then I let it all blow out.

Then I pump some potable anti-freeze in and blow that out and through the system.
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Old 10-11-2020, 09:18 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by computerspook View Post
I actually blow overything out. I have an air compressor and put it on low regulated preasure. Then I built an adapter hose to air compressor and hook the air compressor to the city in with about 5 lbs preasure on the air. Then I let it all blow out.

Then I pump some potable anti-freeze in and blow that out and through the system.
I did this for years with no problem. I set my regulator at 40 PSI and blew everything out. No pink stuff in the pressurized system at all. But don't forget to pour some into the traps and the toilet.
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Old 10-11-2020, 10:29 PM   #17
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How 'bout the battery?

In addition to winterizing the water system, I also take the battery into the garage and put it in a place where I can put the battery minder on it for periods of VERY cold temperature.

I would think WI would get much colder than where I live in UT and chance freezing the battery.
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Old 10-11-2020, 10:44 PM   #18
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I believe Trojan batteries says a fully charged battery will not freeze to 69C below.
9. Can a flooded battery freeze?
The only way that a battery can freeze is if it is left in a state of partial or complete discharge. As the state of charge in a battery decreases, the electrolyte becomes more like water and the freezing temperature increases. The freezing temperature of the electrolyte in a fully charged battery is -92º F (-69º C). At a 40% state of charge, electrolyte will freeze if the temperature reaches approximately 16º F (-9º C).
See all the myths:
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Old 10-11-2020, 11:12 PM   #19
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Freezing Lead Acid batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doninut View Post
I would think WI would get much colder than where I live in UT and chance freezing the battery.
Doninut
Our car batteries do not freeze if they are charged. On my RV I use a 10-watt solar panel to keep the batteries charged right where they are at. I feel that the safest place for the batteries is in the RV. I use no controller and check the voltage now and then. The coldest I have ever experienced here in Wisconsin was 50 below zero, Rice lake that night had -60, AND I DO NOT DO WIND CHILLS. Most winters we get a few nights in the 30s below here but -40 is more common in the far north.
NOTE TO PEOPLE REMOVING THEM, take a picture so you hook them up correctly next year.
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Old 10-12-2020, 05:24 AM   #20
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Name: Steve
Trailer: Scamp 13
Wisconsin
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Great advice everyone. I will have to look into installing a hot water bypass in my Scamp. I think it would make his process easier.
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