Date:         Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:53:31 -0400
Reply-To:     Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike Collum <collum@VERIZON.NET>
Subject:      Re: Winterizing Newbie Question
Comments: To: Mike Elliott <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <48D30021.1010208@gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Mike Elliott wrote:
 > 1984 WBX, will be pretty much doing nothing during these much colder
 > winters, what should I do to winterize her? (Or him. Whatever.)

Easily overlooked for Westies is any water in the onboard fresh water
lines and the P trap.

Even if the "City water" port is never used, water can leak by from the
faucet and put fresh water in that line.  There is a check valve at the
port itself and pushing it inward with a small shaft will allow it to
drain.  Blowing out the "P" trap is a good idea so the drain pipes don't
freeze and break.  You can place the cardboard tube from a paper towel
roll over the drain (cap removed from under the van, of course) and blow
water out of the trap.  Putting RV water tank antifreeze in the onboard
fresh water tank is a good idea.  Then running the pump (turn on the
faucet) so that the line from the tank is purged of fresh water and
antifreeze takes it's place.  The antifreeze that then fills the drain
trap is a bonus.

Mike
Houlton, Maine/Glade Spring, Virginia