Topping Up Your Camper's Antifreeze: A Step-By-Step Guide

Adding antifreeze to your camper is an essential step in preparing your vehicle for winter. This process, known as winterization, helps to prevent any water in your plumbing system from freezing and causing damage. While it can be expensive to pay someone else to do it for you, it is a simple process that can be done at home without a professional mechanic. This guide will take you through the steps to successfully add antifreeze to your camper and protect it from freezing temperatures.

Drain the water system

To drain the water system in your camper, follow these steps:

Step 1: Prepare Your Camper for Draining

Park your camper on a ramp to facilitate drainage. Secure it by applying the parking brakes and placing a physical barrier, such as a chock, behind the rear tires to prevent it from moving. Ensure there's enough space beneath the camper to place a container under the drain outlet.

Step 2: Turn Off the Water Supply

Before starting to empty the tank, turn off the main water supply valve or disconnect the hose from the water source. This will prevent any residual water from entering the tank while you drain it.

Step 3: Open All Faucets and Taps

Open all the faucets in your camper, including the shower, kitchen, and bathroom. You may also need to open any outside showers. This will help drain most of the water from the tank. You can capture and reuse this water for tasks like cleaning or watering plants.

Step 4: Flush the Toilet

Flush the toilet until no more water comes out. This will help drain the water from the toilet tank.

Step 5: Locate and Open the Drain Valve

After closing all the faucets, locate the drain valve or petcock, usually at the bottom of the tank. Refer to your camper's manual if you're having trouble finding it. Opening this valve will allow residual water to pour out, so place a bucket underneath to collect it.

Step 6: Open the Low-Point Drain Valves

Twist open the low-point drain valves near the main drain valve to empty the water from the drain lines. This step ensures that there's no more water in the plumbing system.

Step 7: Check the Water Level

After opening the low-point drain valves, check the water level to confirm that the tank is completely drained. Look inside the tank or check the transparent scale on its side. This step helps prevent issues caused by stagnant water.

Additional Tips:

• If you're storing your camper for an extended period, it's recommended to drain and sanitize the water system to prevent bacterial or algae growth.
• Regularly draining and cleaning the water tank is crucial to maintain clean and potable water.
• When refilling the tank, always use fresh, clean water, and consider installing an inline water filter.

Empty the lines

This is a crucial step in the process of adding antifreeze to your camper. Here is a detailed breakdown of the steps involved in emptying the lines:

Remove inline water filters and bypass:

Start by removing any inline water filters that may be present in your system. It is important to bypass these filters to ensure that the antifreeze can flow freely through the lines.

Drain the fresh water tank, including gray and black holding tanks:

Completely drain the fresh water tank, as well as any gray and black holding tanks that may be present in your camper. This step ensures that there is no water left in the tanks that could potentially freeze and cause damage.

Remove water from the water heater and water lines:

Next, you will need to remove all water from the water heater and water lines. This is a critical step to prevent freezing and potential damage to these components.

Open hot and cold faucets to drain water:

Open all hot and cold faucets, including those in the kitchen, bathroom, and shower. This will allow any remaining water to drain out of the lines. Leave the faucets open until you are sure that all water has been drained.

Place the blowout plug into the water intake valve:

You will need to purchase or locate a blowout plug that fits your water intake valve. This plug will allow you to connect an air compressor to blow out the lines and remove any remaining water.

Set the air pressure to 30-40 psi to avoid water line damage:

It is important to adjust the air pressure to the correct level before proceeding. Set the air compressor to deliver air at a pressure between 30 and 40 psi. This will ensure that you do not damage the water lines while blowing out the lines.

Use the air compressor to blow strong air into the lines:

Connect the air compressor to the blowout plug and turn it on. This will force strong air into the lines, removing any remaining water.

Open up each water valve individually to blow out excess water:

One by one, open each water valve and allow the air compressor to blow out any excess water that may be present in that particular line. Make sure to close the valve after blowing out the water from each line.

Repeat the process for all water lines:

Repeat steps 10 and 11 until you have blown out all the water lines in your camper. This ensures that no water is left in the system, which could potentially freeze and cause damage during cold weather.

Bypass the water heater

Bypassing the water heater is a crucial step when adding antifreeze to your camper. This process ensures that antifreeze does not enter the water heater, which could cause issues. Here's a detailed guide on how to bypass the water heater:

Locate the Water Heater and Bypass Valve

The water heater is typically located on the outside of your camper van, behind a large cover, with a screen on the upper right-hand side. Open the screen, and you will find the anode, which is usually removed during the tank draining process for winterization.

Now, move inside your RV and locate the heater from the inside. You may need to remove a cover to access it. Identify the cold water inlet and hot water outlet. If your RV has a bypass valve, these two pipes will be connected by a third pipe.

Operate the Bypass Valve

The operation of the bypass valve depends on the type of system you have:

• Three-valve system: Ensure the valves on the cold and hot water lines are turned perpendicular to the line. Turn the bypass valve to be parallel to the line, allowing antifreeze to pass straight through, bypassing the tank.
• Two-valve system: Turn both valves parallel to the line, allowing water to bypass the heater.
• One-valve system: Simply turn the valve perpendicular to the line to bypass the hot water tank.

Additional Steps

• Remove the fuse of your heater to prevent it from turning on while no water is inside.
• Drain the water from the system, including the water heater, by opening all hot and cold faucets, as well as the toilet and outside shower.
• Install a water pump converter kit to allow you to bypass the freshwater tank and run antifreeze through the water lines.

Connect the antifreeze

Now that you've gathered your supplies, drained the water system, and emptied the lines, it's time to connect the antifreeze. This process will involve connecting the antifreeze to the inlet and pumping it into the RV system. Here's a detailed guide to help you through it:

Locate the Antifreeze Inlet:

The antifreeze inlet is typically located near the water pump. Refer to your RV owner's manual to locate the inlet. It is important to identify this correctly to ensure a proper connection.

To connect the antifreeze, you will need a water pump converter kit. This kit allows you to bypass the freshwater tank and use the water pump to run antifreeze through the water lines. Connect the water pump converter kit to the antifreeze inlet. Place the other end of the kit into a bucket filled with antifreeze. Ensure you are using non-toxic, biodegradable antifreeze with a burst protection rating of at least -50°F (-45°C).

Pump the Antifreeze:

Once the connections are secure, turn on the water pump to start pumping the antifreeze. Open each faucet, starting with the one closest to the pump, and run the water until you see the antifreeze coming out. You will know it is working when you see the bright pink fluid. Repeat this process for all faucets, including the shower and toilet. Don't forget to also pour about a cup of antifreeze down each drain to protect the pipes and seals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

It is important to note that automotive antifreeze is highly toxic and should never be used in an RV's plumbing system. Always use propylene glycol-based RV/marine antifreeze, which is safe for fresh water systems and does not leave an aftertaste. Additionally, remember to bypass the water heater before adding antifreeze to avoid using excessive amounts of antifreeze. Finally, properly dispose of any leftover antifreeze at a designated hazardous waste disposal site, as it is toxic and should not be poured down the drain or onto the ground.

By following these steps and being mindful of common mistakes, you can effectively connect the antifreeze and protect your RV's plumbing system from freezing temperatures during the winter months.

Pump antifreeze through the plumbing system

To pump antifreeze through the plumbing system of your camper, you will first need to drain the water lines and the freshwater tank. Open all the faucets, including the outside shower, to allow the lines to drain completely. You will also need to open the low-point drain lines for both the hot and cold water lines.

Next, turn off the water heater and drain it by removing the water heater drain plug and opening the pressure relief valve. If your unit has a tankless water heater, refer to the operator's manual for winterization procedures.

Now, you can begin to pump the antifreeze through the system. Connect a bypass hose to the suction side of the water pump and connect the other end directly to the antifreeze container. If your RV has a pump bypass, locate the loose end of the bypass hose and place it into the antifreeze. Ensure that the bypass valve handle is aligned with the bypass hose.

Turn on the water pump and open the cold-water side of the faucets one at a time until antifreeze comes out. Repeat this process for the hot water side, including any outside showers or kitchen faucets.

Finally, seal up the system by reinstalling the drain caps and plugs and closing any valves to keep critters out of the freshwater system.

Frequently asked questions