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10-31-2020, 08:13 AM
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#1
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: pleasant valley
Posts: 85
M.O.C. #18743
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Tank heaters
Does anyone keep their tank heaters on all winter instead of winterizing? We are going away in December so does it pay to winterize only to have to dewinterize in 2 months? How costly is it to keep the RV heated?
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10-31-2020, 08:19 AM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Charleston
Posts: 456
M.O.C. #23094
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Winterize your RV and save yourself many troubles later. Been there and done that. Once. Never again.
__________________
2019 Montana HC 310RE
2010 Wildcat 29RLBS
2014 Ford F-350 Lariat 6.7
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10-31-2020, 08:21 AM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Roseville
Posts: 265
M.O.C. #25257
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I would use air to blow out the lines and put antifreeze in the traps and call it good.
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Jim and Carole
Roseville, MN
2018 RAM 3500 DRW, Diesel, Long Box, Air Lift Bags - 2020 Montana HC 381TH, Sailun S637
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10-31-2020, 08:40 AM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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As simple as it is to blow out the lines it makes no sense not to if you live where it gets cold. Just for example, an ice storm takes out the power for several days and now you have some frozen pipes and probably have killed your batteries. Why put yourself thru that extra stress?
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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10-31-2020, 09:25 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sebring
Posts: 3,662
M.O.C. #9969
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The Tank Heaters will do nothing for the rest of the water lines unless you run the furnace to keep the belly warm.
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Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD High Country DRW 4X4 Crew Cab w/Duramax/Allison, Formally 2010 Montana 2955RL, Now Loaded 2016 SOB, Mor/ryde IS, Disc Brakes & Pin Box, Comfort Ride Hitch, Sailun 17.5 Tires.
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10-31-2020, 10:51 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,615
M.O.C. #22835
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My Montana 375FL will burn through a 30 pound tank of propane running the furnace when the outside temperature reaches about 20 or below. About half of your heat will blow in the belly in your camper. In order to keep pipes from freezing the furnace has to stay running.
Tank heaters are flat pads placed under each of your holding tanks and heat only the tanks. And then, they are designed to just keep them from freezing. They are 12 volt and run off your house battery, and will deplete a battery within a few hours, unless you can keep the batteries charged by keeping the trailer plugged into shore power.
Winterizing is your safest way to go. Blowing or pumping the pink, either way is much safer that what you are proposing. I've winterized and un-winterized (pink stuff) as many as 4 times over the winter months in the pasts. No biggie.
__________________
History is not about the past, it's an explanation of the present.
2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Silverado Duramax, 6.6L Dually
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10-31-2020, 04:52 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Lamesa
Posts: 621
M.O.C. #26010
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I know this is redundant but just winterize. If just blowing out and doing the traps takes 15 minutes. Trying to do what you propose with the pads, heating etc. is fraught with potential serious problems.
__________________
Danny and Susan wife of 55 years
2019 Ram Laramie 3500 6.4 4x4 CC 4.10 SRW
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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10-31-2020, 07:45 PM
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#8
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Islip Terrace
Posts: 405
M.O.C. #22165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hitdrd
Does anyone keep their tank heaters on all winter instead of winterizing? We are going away in December so does it pay to winterize only to have to dewinterize in 2 months? How costly is it to keep the RV heated?
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All depends, we have been using ours all winter upstate NY. I leave the furnace at 40 deg with tank heaters on, so far no issues & we use 30 lbs every other week at 17$ per fill. The key is the furnace must be left on with no other auxiliary heaters. Now with the microaire tstat I can monitor for any problems.
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10-31-2020, 11:11 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,754
M.O.C. #7560
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Sue-- As stated in the posts above the blowout method is your best bet especially if you are planning on taking it to warmer weather later this year or early next. Just remember one thing-- when blowing the lines out DO NOT use any air pressure over 50 PSI. IF you use higher pressure you can blow the lines and connections and develop leaks once you hook water up again. Also don't forget to blow out the following besides the main water lines-- the black tank flush line, the line going to the fresh water tank, the outside shower line and the washer line if you have a washer installed or not. When you dump some of the pink rv antifreeze into the p-traps also add a little more and it will flow into the gray tanks and add some to the toilet and the black tank. Leaving it in the toilet will keep the gasket in the toilet moisturized and flexible. If you notice if you go to any RV dealer and go through a unit on the lot, you will see pink rv antifreeze in the toilet, shower drain and sink drains.
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11-01-2020, 07:37 AM
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#10
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
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Also, if you do have a washer, put some antifreeze in it and run the spin cycle so the pump gets the antifreeze in it. They hold some water and can freeze and break the pump housing. You can guess how I learned that.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
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11-01-2020, 09:53 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 525
M.O.C. #19994
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DQDick
Also, if you do have a washer, put some antifreeze in it and run the spin cycle so the pump gets the antifreeze in it. They hold some water and can freeze and break the pump housing. You can guess how I learned that.
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that is exactly why I always use the pink stuff, we don't drink our on board water so I just pour 6 gallons in the FW tank and open each faucet until it shows pink, I run the washer until pink then hit the drain button. in the spring I fill the FW tank and drain a couple times, run water at all faucets then sanitize with bleach mixture. 25 years of this, never an issue
__________________
The "Black Pearl"-2017 3731FL Legacy Package
2017 F-450 Platinum, 6.7 PSD
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11-04-2020, 03:44 PM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Qualicum Beach
Posts: 665
M.O.C. #26399
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hitdrd
Does anyone keep their tank heaters on all winter instead of winterizing? We are going away in December so does it pay to winterize only to have to dewinterize in 2 months? How costly is it to keep the RV heated?
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The tank heaters will not protect the plumbing lines. The heaters are for those of us who camp full time.
__________________
2018 Keystone Montana 3811MS
2017 Ford F450 diesel dually
600AH Battle Born Lithium Batteries, 1,080 watts solar
3,000 watt hybrid inverter with 120A charger
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11-04-2020, 04:08 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Long Isalnd
Posts: 137
M.O.C. #23929
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2 gallons of antifreeze:$8
15 minutes of your time:
Peace of mind priceless
Winterize
__________________
Don and Kathleen
2019 Montana 3791RD 20th anniversary.
2014 Ram 3500 Dually CC, CTD, Aisin “Kasper”
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11-04-2020, 06:48 PM
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#14
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Omaha
Posts: 256
M.O.C. #17319
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When you winterize your washer don't forget to do both the cold water fill and the hot water fill so that both the cold and hot lines get antifreeze. And pour a little into your soap dispenser in the washer too.
__________________
Bill Hutfles
2010 Montana Mountaineer 326 RLT
2012 Dodge Ram 3500 dually, 60 gal tank, Ride Rite Air Springs w/guages & pump
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11-04-2020, 09:24 PM
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#15
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin
Posts: 226
M.O.C. #18363
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Move to AZ for winters.
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11-04-2020, 10:36 PM
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#16
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Omaha
Posts: 6,754
M.O.C. #7560
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McRod-- We've done that and had to put water in our fresh water tank and also unhook the city water hose nightly and had 8" of the pretty white stuff and we were less than 40 miles from the Mexico border. It still gets cold down in AZ in the winter too but we still head there because it's warmer than our State of Nebraska MOST OF THE TIME!
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11-04-2020, 11:35 PM
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#17
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Austin
Posts: 226
M.O.C. #18363
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That's true. If you want a temperate winter climate Florida is a better option, or go further south into MX.
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11-07-2020, 11:27 AM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 383
M.O.C. #21993
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Thanks everyone. Been a long time since I had to winterize (Virginia was the last time), all this information is a big help as we are going to winter over in northern CA next year, also reminds me why we live in Florida.
__________________
I was once intelligent beyond my years. Now, I’m years beyond my intelligence.
2020 Montana 3561 Legacy, everything except paint.
2018 Silverado 3500 DRW, 50Gal Transfer Flow, Andersen hitch.
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