Winterizing black tank

[bogen2]

I’m wondering what others do to winterize their black tank. I always put 5-10 gallons into the black tank after dumping. Should I be draining that to keep it from freezing? Or just leave it to thaw in the spring?

Bob

[RJAPCOK]

I’m wondering what others do to winterize their black tank. I always put 5-10 gallons into the black tank after dumping. Should I be draining that to keep it from freezing? Or just leave it to thaw in the spring?

Bob

Last year I used a "black tank cleaner", filled the tank with water, let it soak 2 days, drained it and flushed it really good, and then drained it again. Then I blew out the flush line with compressed air. I added antifreeze in the toilet and it stayed there all winter. When I de-winterized, everything seemed to be fine.

I hope this helps.

Bob

[Country Campers]

I have always drained my the best I could. When winterizing I just ran the antifreeze thru the toilet and have not had a problem. You could also just dump a gallon of antifreeze down the toilet and let it in the tank until first use. I do not think letting water freeze at the drain valve would be good for the valve. When I use to winterize I would drain at home and allow the valve to stay open for a few days to dry out as much as I could.

Brian

[Cate&Rob]

bogen2
Hi Bob,

Ideally, all tanks should be as empty as possible and whatever liquid is left in the tank should have as high a percentage of antifreeze as possible. I drain all tanks completely, tipping the trailer as high as possible and as low as possible with the landing gear. Then, I winterized the plumbing system, catching the water that comes out of each faucet first in a bowl and then letting the following antifreeze go down the drains into the tanks. For a long winter freeze, I would be generous with the amount of antifreeze used.

Rob

[mpking]

bogen2
.... I winterized the plumbing system, catching the water that comes out of each faucet first in a bowl and then letting the following antifreeze go down the drains into the tanks.
Rob

I learned something new. I never thought of that.

Last year I dumped at the campground, came home, winterized, dumped the greywater left from flushing in my backyard, and then put some more antifreeze in the drains

This would save that morally ambiguous dump in the backyard...

[Cooper]

Last year I used a "black tank cleaner", filled the tank with water, let it soak 2 days, drained it and flushed it really good, and then drained it again. Then I blew out the flush line with compressed air. I added antifreeze in the toilet and it stayed there all winter. When I de-winterized, everything seemed to be fine.

I hope this helps.

Bob

hello…did you only blow the lines with compressed air or did you use rv anti freeze as well?

many thanks

coops

[Cate&Rob]

Cooper
See this discussion. https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ack-tank-flush (My comment in post 6)
In "theory" blowing out the flush line with air should be sufficient . . . but, a lot depends on how this line was routed in your trailer.

Rob

[RJAPCOK]

Cooper When I winterize, the only line I blow out with compressed air is the black tank flush line. The rest of the system I drain and pump in RV antifreeze. This winter, I am going to try to put antifreeze through the black tank flush line as well.

Bob

[Cooper]

Cooper When I winterize, the only line I blow out with compressed air is the black tank flush line. The rest of the system I drain and pump in RV antifreeze. This winter, I am going to try to put antifreeze through the black tank flush line as well.

Bob

many thanks

Bought a hand pump and used it to add antifreeze into black tank flush line.

coops

[Cooper]

Cooper
See this discussion. https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ack-tank-flush (My comment in post 6)
In "theory" blowing out the flush line with air should be sufficient . . . but, a lot depends on how this line was routed in your trailer.

Rob

Many thanks

[JBill9694]

Watched neighbor winterize the other day (We full time so not something we do). After he got a good flow of antifreeze through his outdoor spigot hose he hooked that hose up to his black tank flush and pumped antifreeze into the line that way.