Temporary winterizing

[outback521]

I'm forced by circumstances to spend the next couple of weeks in my travel trailer that is not a four season trailer. I'm hooked up to city water and electricity but am worried about pipes freezing at night, as it's getting down to the mid to high 20s at night, but up to the high 30s or 40s during the day. Can I winterize the trailer by adding antifreeze to the grey water tank and fresh water tank and running it through the pipes (as the manual instructs) to protect against nighttime freezing, but then add a city water connection in the day in order to draw water (after running the water through the pipes for several minutes to get rid of any antifreeze residue)?

Is this a viable solution to protect the pipes from freezing at night but continue to draw water during the day?

 

[SnowbirdInFlight]

Temporary winterizing

Actually we are currently doing this because we can't get away for another two to three weeks. We fill up the holding tank and use without anti-freeze and the pipes are fine (temps are low as 18 at night right now) although we do put the AF in the grey and black holding tanks. We haven't had any problems yet. Just can't wait to head south in the next few weeks!

 

[Kirk]

Temporary winterizing

Outback,
It just depends upon where your water lines and tank are located if you will have any problem. The first thing to freeze is the hose that carries the water from the hydrant to the RV. If it doesn't get below 20 at night you probably will not have any problems with the pipes inside the RV. Trace you plumbing to see where it is located. If they are inside of the RV and you keep the heat to where it is comfortable you should not have any problems. If the lines run through the cabinets, just keep a light bulb in each one that is turned on and it will keep it above freezing.

You might be able to put antifreeze in each night, but it would be a real pain and the water will taste bad. It really isn't very practicle. But I would think that you could operate from the fresh water tank at night and thus have water all of the time. And you also need to keep the water heater hot to be sure that it doesn't freeze.