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Question for the Boat/Rv winterization experts

mesquito_creek

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Should I be worried? I store my boat and RV in a lightly insulated metal building. I have never winterized either of them but I am seeing colder than normal… anyone else deal with this on the regular? Located in Big Water UT Lake Powell.

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SoCalDave

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With those lows in the teens I would be somewhat worried about the boat but not so much about the RV as I'm sure it has coolant/Antifreeze in it.
Maybe a block heater for the boat? That's all I got.
 

monkeyswrench

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If the RV is inside, it is probably a bit safer, as it already has some insulation. Out here, there is always a mad dash before the first predicted freeze on boats.
I'd say check with @Shlbyntro , but I think today is a big day for him, and may not be around much.
 

mesquito_creek

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If the RV is inside, it is probably a bit safer, as it already has some insulation. Out here, there is always a mad dash before the first predicted freeze on boats.
I'd say check with @Shlbyntro , but I think today is a big day for him, and may not be around much.
I am not as worried about the boat. The motors are in a fully enclosed fiberglass bildge with some soundproofing type insulation. Inside a metal building with a full insulation kit of vinyl backed fiberglass insulation.

The Rv might be a problem… I don’t normally add any anti freeze and it’s fine, but those 2 days next week of 30 degree highs wont be good. Hopefully the outlook changes. I don’t think anyone can predict the weather a week in advance…

Even then the sun hits the building all day and must add some heat.

I am a total cold weather dummy. Never lived anywhere colder than the IE in Cali or Phoenix.
 

monkeyswrench

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I am not as worried about the boat. The motors are in a fully enclosed fiberglass bildge with some soundproofing type insulation. Inside a metal building with a full insulation kit of vinyl backed fiberglass insulation.

The Rv might be a problem… I don’t normally add any anti freeze and it’s fine, but those 2 days next week of 30 degree highs wont be good. Hopefully the outlook changes. I don’t think anyone can predict the weather a week in advance…

Even then the sun hits the building all day and must add some heat.
Up here, I rely on visual weather forecasts and how my broken bones feel. Waaay more accurate than the web🤣
 

mesquito_creek

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It would sure suck to be wrong on that one...haha
How's your insurance policy structured?
Were'nt you thinking "it's time for a road trip anyway"?

If the weather gets any worse you are right… I will be road trippin. I hate the cold in all it’s forms.
 

pwerwagn

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Is the rv drained at least? Faucets open? Low point drains open?
 

farmo83

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IMO it's not so much if it gets cold, it's when it stays cold that you start to have problems. If it doesn't get above freezing for 24-36 hours then I will take winterize my stuff.

To me the risk isn't worth the reward. I can maybe buy a new motor vs an hour of my time.
 

Shlbyntro

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a couple hours just below freezing usually isnt enough to damage major components but can damage ancilliary components like plastic fresh water lines or their fittings. being indoors, id say 99% that you will be fine tho

if it makes you feel better, empty your fresh water systems and go drop a household space heater inside the shop, but I doubt youll need it



edit: i read your weather report wrong this morning as an hourly off the right hand bank, not a daily. i would try and at least drain everything that doesnt have antifreeze if youre not climate controlled
 
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liquid addiction

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There should be a couple of drains on the RV that you can open and then open the faucets to get the water out of the lines. If you are concerned about the boat, you could put a clamp on type light fixture with a 50-60 watt bulb in it and put it under the motor cover. I would be mostly concerned about next wednesday and thursday on your forecast. Being inside will really help tho.
 

mesquito_creek

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IMO it's not so much if it gets cold, it's when it stays cold that you start to have problems. If it doesn't get above freezing for 24-36 hours then I will take winterize my stuff.

To me the risk isn't worth the reward. I can maybe buy a new motor vs an hour of my time.

That’s what I am going off of also. The shop maintains about 10 degrees above outside so it should still get to 40 degrees at somepoint on both those days of 30 for the high.

Here’s how I will know. My solar batteries inside the shop have 30 degree low temp cut offs. If I can’t reach them through my Wi-Fi monitor or my blink cameras go dark, I have hit 30 and it time to haul ass up there!

I have been meaning to buy a Wi-Fi thermometer deal… procrastinate biting me in the ass on this on!
 

RogerThat99

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In my RV, I drain all the water lines, tanks, and water heater. I then pour some RV antifreeze into all the drains, and into the black tank. I use 1 gallon between all drains to fill the P trap as well as the some in the gray tank. Another gallon in the black tank. It is about $6 a gallon, do cheap insurance.

I only add the antifreeze when it will be cold. After a winter camping trip, I leave it until the next cold snap, as it may not be cold enough before I use it again.

For my boat, I just drain the engine and water lines. I also throw a heavy moving blanket over the engine. The blanket only will help if it gets cold suddenly, and for a short time.
 

mesquito_creek

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In my RV, I drain all the water lines, tanks, and water heater. I then pour some RV antifreeze into all the drains, and into the black tank. I use 1 gallon between all drains to fill the P trap as well as the some in the gray tank. Another gallon in the black tank. It is about $6 a gallon, do cheap insurance.

I only add the antifreeze when it will be cold. After a winter camping trip, I leave it until the next cold snap, as it may not be cold enough before I use it again.

For my boat, I just drain the engine and water lines. I also throw a heavy moving blanket over the engine. The blanket only will help if it gets cold suddenly, and for a short time.

That’s why I thought I built an insulated shop.. Lol! To not have to do any of that!

It’s worked out fine the last few years and but dam it’s cold this year!
 

chadzilla

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Since it is inside a shop, I would not panic. It takes a surprisingly long time with temps staying well below freezing to do any damage to an engine especially if it is inside a building. You need temps in the teens for over 24hrs to hard freeze and damage something. We go thru this every year with customers up here in Washington. We have had boats come in piled up with snow and not have any freeze damage. Here is something you can do to put your mind at ease. Get an incandescent drop light or shop light, plug it in and put it in the bilge. The heat from the light will keep it surprisingly warm in there.
 

JDKRXW

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Assuming you don't have 110v (or more) in your building ; I'd be draining anything that can be drained and running some anti freeze into anything that can't be.
3 days in a row with lows in the mid-teens and not getting above freezing during the day = very good chance of problems.
 
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cofooter

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Assuming you don't have 110v (or more in your building) ; I'd be draining anything that can be drained and running some anti freeze into anything that can't be.
3 days in a row with lows in the mid-teens and not getting above freezing during the day = very good chance of problems.
Agree, lightbulb or space heater in the boat engine compartment, and drain and blow out the RV water system. Don't forget to drain hot water heater. Lots of info on-line, takes 10 minutes.
 

alohajeff

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Having had freeze plugs pushed out of boat motors (stored indoors) and RV's frozen solid in single digit weather I'd say the RV is less likely to suffer long term damage. The boat is much easier to winterize so I'd start there. Pink RV anti-freeze is cheap. Buy 20 gallons of it. Grab a 5-gallon pail and let the engine suck it up until it blows PINK out the exhaust. Whatever is left over use in the RV. The freshwater tank is "plastic" and should be OK. Grey and Black tanks too. But the water pump is usually located in a compartment with little to no insulation and will freeze before anything inside the house does. Let the pump draw the RV antifreeze into the system and open the taps, shower and toilet one by one. When you see pink, shut them off. Leave some PINK in the toilet. Don't forget the outdoor shower if you have one.

Most RV's use PEX. That stuff can freeze almost solid and usually survive but there are a lot of others bits n' bobs that can freeze, crack and ruin your next trip. The antifreeze stuff is cheap at Wal-Mart and you'll kick yourself if something expensive breaks because you didn't take the couple of hours to winterize it.

The 13* / 30* days are the ones you have to worry about. That will almost certainly cause damage if you don't do something.

Aloha
 

240Hallett

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Is the RV plugged in? Could you just run the heater on low for a few days to keep the ambient temperature up?
 

mesquito_creek

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It’s Utah…. Just give it an hour and the weather will change! The forecast already gave me back 6 degrees on the back to back 30s!
 

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mesquito_creek

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Is the RV plugged in? Could you just run the heater on low for a few days to keep the ambient temperature up?

Totally…. If I drive the 5 hours to get there I will just live for a week inside the RV inside until the weather gets better.

We that’s pretty much the point of moving it into the shop for the winter, so I don’t have to do anything to de winter/winter as I come and go this time of year. But I hate the cold so I avoid it
 

77charger

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I’d be more concerned if it was closed cooling and no antifreeze. Doesn’t damage occur when water freezes and expands I think with a typical boat system that uses lake water it’s not sealed off and water can expand as it freezes??
 

mesquito_creek

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If I had a remote Wi-Fi thermometer with a little bit of data logging for 50 bucks on Amazon I wouldn’t be guessing… sometimes I am dumb ass for sure!
 

Shlbyntro

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the water gets trapped and can not flow out. The inline GMs like to crack in the side of the block about 1/2 below the head on the exhaust side where as the v8s like cracking in the intake valleys under the intake manifold.
I’d be more concerned if it was closed cooling and no antifreeze. Doesn’t damage occur when water freezes and expands I think with a typical boat system that uses lake water it’s not sealed off and water can expand as it freezes??
 
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