Leaving Alde on instead of winterizing - SE USA

Sneakle

We live in North Ga where winter temperatures swing between freezing and warm days.  We still will be using the Tab for short weekend trips when the weather is nice. Rather go through winterizing and de-winterizing I've been leaving things connected to shore power and Alde heat set at 55 degrees.  Is this excessive "wear" on my Alde, or my electric bill?

targ

You'll be running the circulation pump, so that is extra wear.  But I doubt it would really matter.

The bigger issue, depending on which T@B you have, is that your black/grey/fresh tanks are outside the heated space so running the Alde won't do anything to keep them from freezing. 

Even if the tanks were in the heated space, your dump valves are outside.  So you still need to do some winterizing.

Sharon_is_SAM

Yes there is wear of the Alde and converter, but aside from that, what about the water left in your plumbing lines?  Wouldn’t that be susceptible to possible bacterial growth hanging out in a warm plumbing line?  You did not say how long of time in between weekend trips, but Alde does recommend emptying the water tank if not using the system actively (to prevent bacterial growth) as well as to restore a required air cushion. In addition, the shower trap, dump valve(s) and fresh water tank outlet are exposed to freezing temperatures, so unless you are draining your tanks and protecting the p traps and valves with antifreeze, you may risk freeze damage.  To me, it is so easy to blow out the lines and add a little antifreeze to the traps, toilet and dump valves, it does not make sense to take the risk.  You don’t have to add antifreeze to the fresh water tank or Alde, so no DE-winterizing required.

Sneakle

Ok thanks. I need to drink a cup of coffee and go back and research again about blowing out the lines on Tab 320s. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@Sneakle, try here.  https://us.v-cdnnet/5021717/uploads/editor/f4/n58uymbo6aav.pdf

Sneakle

All the tanks have been dumped, the fresh water tank reads zero and I've opened up the faucets.

targ

Be sure to tip the nose up and down.  You'd be amazed at how much water gets left in if you don't!

FWIW, I follow those same instructions that @Sharon_is_SAM posted.  (Well, more or less since they are generic enough to cover multiple models.)  Our T@B is currently empty of water, but we still camp and use the Alde to keep warm.  We just have the pink RV antifreeze in the traps, toilet, and in the dump tubes to keep the gate valves from sticking.

51chevy

I’m a little confused on the whole winterizing deal. Once you’ve blown out all the water from the lines, emptied the water tanks, fresh,gray,black, what’s left to freeze. The only thing I can think of would be a little condensation collecting. I wouldn’t think that would be enough to expand to the point of bursting anything. Am I missing something or does someone out there have stock in the antifreeze company. Lol.  Also the Alde system I would think would be the most worrisome for damage and need to be drained of all fresh water unless it as left on.

dragonsdofly

@51chevy, there are many places that small amounts of water can hide, freeze and cause damage. The toilet flush valve, the gate valves (slides) to empty the gray and black tanks, the exterior shower connections, etc. are places that even a few drops will and have caused damage. There is  very recent thread about a broken toilet valve after winter storage, damage caused by water remaining inside the valve that you could look up, it includes photos of the damage. If you have any questions, please look in the manuals category and  read the very detailed winterizing and de-winterizing instructions put together by members of this forum. Individual line item instructions are detailed because t@b owners have missed, forgotten or just didn't know about  how many things can be damaged by improper winterizing. Water droplets "hide" and can collect at joints and low points.

lkc001

That's why I do the antifreeze method---I don't trust myself to get ALL of the lines, valves, etc, blown out properly.   RV antifreeze is cheap.

Cbusguy

The hassle of broken lines and fixtures,  isn't worth the hassle to me,  I just fill with RV antifreeze and forget it. 

ginsbuj

I was told by dealer in Phoenix that I wouldn't need to winterize in Southern Arizona. Is there a temperature guideline for absolute safety? I've lived in frigid climates and obviously have seen 20 below for days on end. Tucson is a different story. Most times the coldest we ever see is say 25 degrees for a few hours. I have however experienced one night several years ago that it did get down to 15 degrees. 

ChanW

32°F?

Verna

Tucson had below 32* and snow two or three times last winter, by the way. 

I was on on the other side of the mountains and we had the warmer weather with no sub-freezing temps and no snow.