To De-Winterize or Not for April/May Utah trip?

sbhtennis

Headed to Utah from Seattle in  mid April . But worried about  getting into some possible below freezing temps while driving there and also when camping . Staying at Capitol Reef  NP April 14th for a few days which can be cold. Then will be in more milder temps in the lower desert near Moab etc. But then coming back mid May via Bryce, which at 7,000 ft can still get below freezing at night.   I have never  winterized or de-winterized my Tab Max 400S ( 2016 model)  by  myself.  I have had the dealer do it. Is it even possible to  dewinterzie and then winterize if necessary while traveling.?  Or should I just leave it in the winterized mode the whole trip. It freaks me out to think that if it gets below freezing I could damage things. And it  sounds so complicated whenever I read how to winterize and de-winterzie that I am not sure it would even be doable whilst camping if necessary. 

Sharon_is_SAM

Hi @sbhtennis.  I think you mean that you have a 320 S. 

We have traveled out to the Moab area in March/April from Ohio.  We dewinterized in Moab at a full hookup site.  How did your dealer winterize - AF in the fresh tank and plumbing or did they just blow out the plumbing and put AF in the traps?  Either way, just hook up to water and the sewer, open your taps and shower to get all the air out and to fill your Alde tank.  If there is AF in the fresh tank and Alde, that will be your biggest challenge to rinse out all of the AF.  Don’t run the Alde until the AF is rinsed out.

Although we had freezing temperatures overnight, they were not sustained.  The inside plumbing stays toasty from the Alde - just leave the bathroom and the sink cabinet doors open.  A full fresh tank takes a long time to freeze.  The most vulnerable areas are under the TaB and are exposed - the fresh tank outlet and drain, shower p-trap and the sewer valves.  

You did not say how you are camping, but this is what I would do once you are dewinterized and using your plumbing.  If you are at full hook ups and you anticipate a non-sustained freeze:  turn off the water spigot and drain your hose.  Dump your tanks first, then disconnect your sewer hose.  Dump AF into both tanks and work the outlet valves so that AF moves to both sides of the valve.  Pour AF into the shower drain as the shower P trap is more exposed.  Done.  

If you are boondocking, keep your fresh tank full.  Open the hatch above the toilet to get warm air to the pump.  Pour AF down the shower drain and into the gray tank and down the toilet.

Under these conditions, I would not re-winterize unless there is a sustained freeze.  This is probably not the best time to learn how to winterize.  

pthomas745

April is still winter in the intermountain west.  Learn how to winterize.

ChanW

While camping, you can easily keep the inside of the Tab warm enough, and the pipes thawed (other than the outdoor black & gray drain pipes), but, depending on the temperatures that you see, while driving, the inside of the Tab will not stay warm at highway speeds. BTDT. There's a nice exchange of air inside at 50-60 mph!

So if you're going over high-altitude passes, and the temps are expected to be below freezing for any extended period, you'll  want your pipes drained first.

If you have a small 12v compressor, and the air hose fitting for the city water connection, draining the lines before you hit the road shouldn't take more than 5 to 15 minutes, with a little practice. It's really not as difficult as the 'long forum discussions' sometimes might seem to suggest!

manyman297

I live in Utah and have tent and popup camped in Moab in April and May. I think you’d be fine dewinterizing by then. It can get cold but not to where things will freeze.

johnfconway

Have what's needed to winterize on hand. Get daily site-specific NOAA forecast -- including hourly temperature predictions. Winterize only if temperatures are to be sustainably well below freezing.

sbhtennis

Thanx everyone

ColoradoSun

You could certainly see snow at Bryce Canyon in early to mid May but more concerning would be a clear cold night following the snow. That's when overnight temperatures could fall into the low 20s or even teens. Even then the coldest temperatures would not be prolonged. You can also move down to lower altitude in the surrounding valleys. Although they sometimes have even colder temperatures where cold air sinks overnight.