Winterizing Questions for Garaged Sportsmobile

[oldbonesclimber]

That's quite a concept. Filling the holding tank with Stoli's! What a surprize when my wife wants a Shower. And Heated Stoli to boot. I may never come out alive. Sure would eliminate the disinfection issues and all the bottle rattle. Would be kinda like a pre NASCAR. Maybe I need to look into this when I go to Canada. I could just fill the holding tank with CC and avoid the duty.


Paul

[Gooseberry]

A mix not 100%.

Not sure what ratio

[Ford_6L_E350]

You only need 1% alcohol to prevent algea or similar from growing in the water tank/lines. So, maybe 2.5% of 80 proof. And, it doesn't need to be full. 2 cups in 4 gallons will work for that.

I don't know how much it takes to lower the freeze point. We don't have that problem here.

Mike

[Rapidz]

Hi:
Our garage stays at about 40 degrees. Went down to about 37 degrees last winter. We keep the Sportsmobile in it.
I drain the water tank and holding tank for the winter months. Put antifreeze in the holding tank. The pump and water tank are totally drained.
I have not had any problem with keeping the rig in the garage in the winter.
When we camp in the winter, we camp dry and take about 5 gallons of water with us, unless we can melt snow.
Rapidz

[bluesprinter]

Originally Posted by Rapidz

Hi:
Our garage stays at about 40 degrees. Went down to about 37 degrees last winter. We keep the Sportsmobile in it.
I drain the water tank and holding tank for the winter months. Put antifreeze in the holding tank. The pump and water tank are totally drained.
I have not had any problem with keeping the rig in the garage in the winter.
When we camp in the winter, we camp dry and take about 5 gallons of water with us, unless we can melt snow.
Rapidz

Thank you for sharing. I want to keep the garage at 40 but the lowest thermostat setting is 45, so I'm confident the garage won't go below 32.
Now here's my question about possible freezing. If everything is drained, why the need for antifreeze? Am I wrong in assuming that if a few drops of water remain in any of the tanks, that if it freezes it doesn't burst anything because there's plenty of room for expansion? Am I correct that the problem is water remaining in small cavities inside the water pump and the water heater where there is no room for expansion? Hence, either blow out the lines (and the pump and heater) or push through antifreeze which replaces the water and won't freeze? My concern about freezing is when I take the SMB out and park it for a few hours in 25 degree weather (if it's 5 below, I'm staying home, ha ha).

[Scalf77]

I would think you would be fine with not using antifreeze. I have never done anything more than drain mine in the winter. I don't regularly get below freezing, but on the occasions that we do, it would still be worse then your occasional drives outside of the heated garage.

-greg

[joey2cool]

To the core of your question then, water expands in all directions when it freezes. If residual water has filled a tight space it can stretch or break the container holding it. Pump chambers are good examples of this, but there may be small valve chambers at risk too (e.g., city entry valve with backflow and over-pressure restricter). Even a pipe trap, such as the one attached to the sink, can crack due to width-wise freeze expansion. Jage blows down his water system which is one way you can minimize the risk of residual water freezing. Something else to keep in mind is that a pipe may not break, but become fatigued over the years of being stressed by freezing water pressure and I doubt it's very good on the gaskets and joints either.