richard5933 Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Any tips on winterizing the black tank on our coach? This will be the first winter with this particular setup, and as much as I've tried it doesn't seem possible to totally drain the tank. I'd guess that there is about 1-2 gallons still in the bottom of the tank. Our tanks are rectangular and were custom made from 3/8 poly sheeting. My plan right now is to winterize the fresh water system and p-traps, and then to pour a about 5 gallons of pink antifreeze into the black tank to keep the residual waste (the stuff that won't drain) from freezing. Once we get the antifreeze in the black tank, I plan to open/close the black tanks valve to get that antifreeze mixture through the valve cracks and crevices to be sure that there is no residual water in them to freeze. The fresh water tank also won't totally drain - there will be about 1/2 gallon left once it's drained. My plan was to use an empty fitting on top of the tank to drop a vinyl tube into a low spot and try and suck out the rest of the water with a shop vac. I didn't want to put antifreeze into the fresh water tank. Workable plan? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Richard, If it were me and I was concerned, I would drain and flush the Black tank, then add a few gallon of water so nothing solidifies and add about 2 pints of Pink RV Antifreeze. I would do the same with of Gray water tank. As for the fresh water tank I would drain it as best as you can and drain the hot water tank then blow out the water line with air on the shore water hook up. The small bit of water in the bottom of the fresh tank won't cause you issues, as well as the Gray and Black tanks, as they all it will have plenty of room to expand of it happens to freeze. If you are still concerned about the fresh tank pour in a half gallon of Vodka into the tank and enjoy dewinterizing in the spring. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhartjim Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Move further south. 😎 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted October 5, 2018 37 minutes ago, elkhartjim said: Move further south. 😎 And miss all the fun up here in the winter? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Richard, As we say in Texas "That just ain't rite". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted October 5, 2018 I spent 20+ years in Texas and other southern locales. Couldn't wait to escape to somewhere with actual seasons and where the weather report didn't include some variant of 'heat' or 'hot' 3/4 of the year. Other than a few months (Dec - Feb) we generally have decent weather, and even in the coldest of the cold it doesn't stop us from going about our daily activities. Granted, we wear warm clothes, but we are active indoors AND outdoors all year round. Now I just have to figure out how to best protect our coach for those pesky few winter months... Fresh water is pretty simple. It's just that this is the first time I've seen a black tank that couldn't be fully emptied. It's the original tank from 1974, and it's in great condition. Guess they didn't have a wide selection of pre-fab tanks to choose from so they built these custom for our coach. In doing so, they mounted the discharge port on the side, and the flange causes the actual opening to be about 1" above the bottom. Even with the coach parked on a decent sideways slope, there is still a gallon or so of waste in there. Drats. Anyone know of a chart to calculate the correct ratio of pink antifreeze to black tank waste to keep it from freezing? 😕 The stuff I'm using (Splash brand, from Menards) says it's good to -70F. Other brands claim to be good to -50F. Since the record low in our area was only -29F, I think I'm good with either one in the proper ratios. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Richard, May be "bending" this thread a little off course, but we found our posting in Nashville, TN to be just that-- 4 seasons but little severe weather. Ya, there was the year with a really "awesome" ice storm, but other than that ....... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bm02tj Report post Posted October 5, 2018 Just remember to leave all ball valves half open or half closed as water gets behind and can crack a valve if left open Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted October 6, 2018 55 minutes ago, bm02tj said: Just remember to leave all ball valves half open or half closed as water gets behind and can crack a valve if left open Actually, I don't think I have any ball valves other than the two brass ones I added to fill the fresh tank. All the rest are gate valves or faucet type shut offs. All plumbing is copper, other than the under sink water filter. Remember, this is a 45-year-old coach. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted October 6, 2018 Richard, I would go with Herman. Just omit the Vodka...Unless it's Everclear or pure Shine, it will freeze! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rsbilledwards Report post Posted October 6, 2018 Richard, Don't worry about the tanks it will not be a problem, however be sure when you park to open the blade valve and re-drain anything there that may have sloshed down the pipe. Blow out the other plumbing with better tha or at least 50 psi of air. Do not allow that air into the tanks, they will not like that much at all. Right on having the ball valves closed ask me how I know. A little of the pink stuff down the drains. I am in Colorado and it has worked for me. How did the recharge go? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
five Report post Posted October 7, 2018 On 10/5/2018 at 2:59 PM, hermanmullins said: ....I would drain and flush the Black tank, then add a few gallons of water so nothing solidifies and add about 2 pints of Pink RV Antifreeze. I would do the same with of Gray water tank.... That's what I do, and just drain the fresh water. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailman Report post Posted October 8, 2018 ATTENTION SPLASH -75 HAS NO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CHECK CONTENTS MENARDS FMP -50 HAS A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE << ETHANOL>>>IN THE LIST CONTENTS After reading the information I returned all my -50 and replaced it with the Splash -75 Read the contents and be safe. Tim tne mailman Winnebago Class C 2014 Cambria Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted October 8, 2018 7 hours ago, mailman said: ATTENTION SPLASH -75 HAS NO HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES CHECK CONTENTS MENARDS FMP -50 HAS A HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE << ETHANOL>>>IN THE LIST CONTENTS This is the main reason that I'm using the Splash -75 this year. I had some of the stuff with ethanol left over from an older coach, and it's what I plan to use in the black tank to keep the remaining contents from freezing. The Splash -75 is what will be pumped through the fresh water system. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted October 8, 2018 Richard, I am lucky that I have an insulated garage where we keep the coach. In the coldest days it never get below 45 degree in the garage. I am sure that in "Beautiful Southern Wisconsin" it will get much colder than down here in "Windy North Central Texas". When we did store the coach in a covered, but open, storage shed, I would drain the three tanks, put some Pink Antifreeze in the darins and blow out the water lines. I didn't run any of the Pink stuff through the lines. I felt like if I blew out the lines there was no need to put anything in the water lines. With winter coming on let me just say, "Keep Cool" Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mailman Report post Posted October 8, 2018 Herman Yes, I do the same run air blow out the lines. But I do follow up with antifreeze, I also pull the filter on the water pump to get the trap water out of the input to the pump. There has been some campfire talk about replacing seals etc. with the ethanol. <toilet> Do not forget the by-pass for the hot water tank. I pull the plug on the water heater and blow the water out of it first with air than switch in the by-pass before installing antifreeze. Tim the mailman RETIRED N8AHK Winnebago Class C 2014 Cambria Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
