Winterizing T@B 320

huanvanho

I have 2017 T@B 320S. I live in Texas, temperature could drop to 20 few days in the winter. I can't bring my T@B inside the garage. What can I do to make sure piping not freeze and rupture? Do I need to keep Alde heater On for these cold days? Is that sufficient to protect all piping?

Sharon_is_SAM

You should drain and blow out your lines and add antifreeze to the p traps and gray and black tank gate valves.  The Alde will keep the inside plumbing warm (open the bathroom and sink cabinet door) but it will not protect those drains and pipes under the TaB (the pick up from the fresh water tank to the pump, the fresh water tank drain, the waste tank gate valves).  So, no guarantees if you only run the Alde.  

https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/6r/eust2xvs5t11.pdf

huanvanho

Hello Sharon. If I keep the Alde ON. It should protect all piping inside the NUCAMP. RIGHT? and if I drain the fresh water tank, Gray and Black water tank and keep all the valves open. It should protect outside PIPING? is that sufficient? I do not want to use Anti freezer because that chemical is toxic.... Thanks for your comments

pthomas745

@huanvanho The antifreeze that is used to winterize is Propylene Glycol. It is not toxic.  It is a "generally recognized as safe" chemical that is found in many consumer products, food, cosmetics, etc.  The glycol used in the Alde system is also Propylene Glycol.  "RV Antifreeze" is (normally) Propylene Glycol.

The "toxic" antifreeze is Ethylene Glycol, what has been used for years in regular car radiators.  And, yes, if you consume it, it is quite dangerous.  Which is why it should not come anywhere near your pipes in your trailer.

Keeping the Alde on might help the trailer for a short period of time, but the trailer has many exposed areas where the Alde would be ineffective, as Sharon_is_Sam points out.

Sharon_is_SAM

@huanvanho - if you are not using your TaB regularly in the winter, then you should be draining your Alde water tank and plumbing anyway.  It is not a big deal to open your low point drains even if you heat the cabin for the purpose of preventing freezing.  

Draining your tanks will prevent tank damage.  The outside shower (if you have that), the shower p trap and the piping under the TaB is probably the biggest risk.  As you can see, the fresh water drain is a low point and should empty the piping leading to the pump.  I would empty the fresh water tank, then run the pump dry a little bit just in case there is some water in those lines as seen in this picture.  Then let the drain valve dry and leave it open.  Your pump is behind the toilet - you can drain the white hoses on both sides of the pump and empty the filter of water - then leave the hatch open to get some heat to that area.  I would still put pink RV antifreeze down the shower trap.  It sits below the TaB floor.  Just remember, if you have an electric outage, you will need to heat with propane.  

huanvanho

Thanks PThomas and Sharon. Your pictures are clear and understood.