Dewinterization

[SAttridge]

Hi. We have a 2022 Aliner Expedition. We are heading south mid March. Coming from Buffalo. Long range forecast calling for nighttime temps below zero. Wondering if keeping it heated all night will protect the water lines. Has anyone done that? We were going to go to a dealer but he doesn’t use bleach to sanitize the lines. Aliner manual says you should.

Thanks in advance for advice!

 

[tombiasi]

I wouldn't bring de-winterized water line in below zero temperatures.

 

[SAttridge]

I wouldn't bring de-winterized water line in below zero temperatures.

Even if we leave the heat on for the night?

 

[jmkay1]

I can’t speak for the a frame as in my regular popup most of my water lines are actually underneath the camper floor. In my experience unless you are able to block the cold/wind from blowing under the camper your lines can still freeze. With that said you could disconnect The water at the end of the evening and drain the lines via the low point drain. With the heat in the camper and most of the water drained out of the lines it could help prevent any major freezing in the lower pipes. So long as it doesn’t get that much below freezing and it warms up during the day you should be ok. With that said What do you plan to do when you go back to Buffalo? I’m going by the assumption you’re still not out of danger of freezing weather up there. Me personally would just bring a Jug of water and use that vrs dewinterize then rewinterize when going back.

 

[tombiasi]

I can’t speak for the a frame as in my regular popup most of my water lines are actually underneath the camper floor. In my experience unless you are able to block the cold/wind from blowing under the camper your lines can still freeze. With that said you could disconnect The water at the end of the evening and drain the lines via the low point drain. With the heat in the camper and most of the water drained out of the lines it could help prevent any major freezing in the lower pipes. So long as it doesn’t get that much below freezing and it warms up during the day you should be ok. With that said What do you plan to do when you go back to Buffalo? I’m going by the assumption you’re still not out of danger of freezing weather up there. Me personally would just bring a Jug of water and use that vrs dewinterize then rewinterize when going back.

He said below zero. Since he said he was coming from Buffalo I assumed F°. Perhaps he meant below freezing.

 

[tombiasi]

Even if we leave the heat on for the night?

No. I wouldn't. Are you talking F° or C°?

 

[SAttridge]

No. I wouldn't. Are you talking F° or C°?

F*. Thanks.

 

[SAttridge]

I can’t speak for the a frame as in my regular popup most of my water lines are actually underneath the camper floor. In my experience unless you are able to block the cold/wind from blowing under the camper your lines can still freeze. With that said you could disconnect The water at the end of the evening and drain the lines via the low point drain. With the heat in the camper and most of the water drained out of the lines it could help prevent any major freezing in the lower pipes. So long as it doesn’t get that much below freezing and it warms up during the day you should be ok. With that said What do you plan to do when you go back to Buffalo? I’m going by the assumption you’re still not out of danger of freezing weather up there. Me personally would just bring a Jug of water and use that vrs dewinterize then rewinterize when going back.

Thank you for this.

 

[jmkay1]

He said below zero. Since he said he was coming from Buffalo I assumed F°. Perhaps he meant below freezing.

I’m assuming he ment below freezing. Because He also mentioned going south. Can’t speak for PA but in MD and VA area we don’t see much below 30 this late in the winter and days almost always are above freezing.

 

[eprovenzano]

In my Hybrid we left for a southern trip when the temps were in the single digits (F) I decided to wait until we got to our destination before dewinterizing the camper. I decided to error of the side of caution. The time I would have saved was not worth the worry about something freezing. Once at our destination, I did clean and flush and sanitize all water lines as if would do it at home... During that trip, my wife preferred to use bottled water as the water lines still had a hint of bleach from sanitizing. Again it's your call, but I decided to error on the side of caution.

 

[Sjm9911]

Travel south, dewinterize it yourself at a campsite, its easy. Otherwise , leave it winterized and use it without the water. Bring your own water in jugs. Easy.

 

[Econ]

Hi. We have a 2022 Aliner Expedition. h mid March. Buffalo. heated all night will protect the water lines.

If I was in Buffalo.

I think it would work. The one I would be most concerned about would be the supply line going to the cassette toilet. Open all the doors and let the heat under the cabinets. Raise the bed. I would also flush the system then blow the system out with compressed air. Back in the day I used the main tank I would tire of dewinterizing monthly when going on winter trips. Now I bring water in one gallon glass jugs. I plan on 1.5 gallons times 2 which includes coffee and bathing.

Amazon.com : blow water line oiut on RV

Check walmart, they will have blowout adaptors too

Note, I do not have a water heater to mess with. Your on your own there. Also consider low point drains.

 

[SAttridge]

Thank you all for your input. Because of it, we did decide to be safe rather than sorry. The perils of being new to the camper world! I am glad to have found this website. We cancelled our camping trip and booked a cottage instead. We are still goign to First Landing in Virginia Beach in April but I think we'll be OK by then.

Thanks again

PS - another valuable lesson is you do dewinterize early, DON'T COME BACK until the thaw

 

[davido]

Even if we leave the heat on for the night?

Yes, even so.

Your water tank is under the floor. And even if you aren't filling the water tank, some of your plumbing is under the floor. Additionally, the drain is partially external to the trailer.

Leaving the heat on at night is going to keep the interior warm. It's not going to heat those parts of the plumbing that are outside of the cabin. Yes, some warmth will radiate from within the trailer. But not enough to keep the plumbing from freezing at 0 degrees.

I have camped in a de-winterized trailer down to about 28f as the overnight lows. That is four degrees below the freezing temperature of water. But I'm taking the gamble that the amount of time BELOW freezing -- a few hours -- and the fact that it's not MUCH below freezing, my plumbing will stay unfrozen if I have heat on in the trailer. But 28f as an overnight low, with daytime temperatures above freezing is a much different scenario than 0f lows, with daytime temperatures still below freezing. That's not a gamble, that's a sure thing.

Your best bet is to keep the trailer winterized, and use it for shelter only, not for its plumbing.

 

[tenttrailer]

Are you saying 0 degrees F or C?

When we travel in cold weather I have many times started my trip winterized and dewinterized at the first or second night. But if forcast calls above freezing throughout the trip I de-winterize at home. Also, I bring with me the things to re-winterize on my return trip if the forcast call for freeze .

 

[PointyCamper]

Aliner plumbing and tanks are all above the floor. Inside the living space. Just camped for a week and some nights were below freezing. Nothing froze. Also have used jug/sink/drain into ext graywater tank at 17°and sink drain never froze.