Spring time rituals

[smurfs_of_war]

What little tips and tricks do some of you guys that have their campers in winter storage have to keep things working and in good shape?

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[mtofell]

Depends a lot on the temps where you're at. I seem to bounce back and forth between doing a full blown winterization and just running a space heater. The space heater routine is for when I plan to use the trailer soon.

Throughout the winter I check in the on the trailer every couple weeks to be sure it's not leaking (or being occupied by a transient )

I keep it plugged in all the time and my trailer is a 2013 and I've been told it has a built in battery conditioner.

Mainly, I just sit around and wait for it to stop raining so I can go out and enjoy RVing.

 

[tsc]

Not sure if you're asking about what to do during winter storage or spring prep, so I've kinda added both.

I've got a tent trailer that I park in the garage.

Mice are known to go through the little holes and wreck havoc on interiors. So, the tent trailer forum guys suggests going around with a flashlight and where one can see light through a hole, fill them up with silicone. I do that at the end of camping season

I have a WFCO 3-stage converter, so I leave the trailer plugged in 24/7. It will float charge the battery, so I don't need to remove it from the trailer and throw a charger on it every couple of months. Lots of people swear by the Battery MINDer, but I've never used one. Others take the battery off and store it in their basement, and charge it every month or so.


I also have it jacked up and resting on blocks (off the main frame). It keeps the pressure off the tires and won't cause flat spots (and excessive pressure on one spot of the trailer bearings).

Come the spring.

I walk around, make sure all the tire pressures are good and they look ok, no dry rot or cracking; repack my bearings; check the 7-way bargman and test the emergency break-away switch (make sure, you're not attached with the 7 way, it's been known to fry brake controllers).

Flush and sanitize my water system and check to see that all appliances work (fridge, stoves, water heater and furnace).

Also check the propane detector, replace the smoke detector battery and turn the fire extinguishers upside down and wack the bottom with a rubber mallet--the powder settles and the bouncing from traveling down the road, seems to compress it, this way, it breaks up the power.

 

[smurfs_of_war]

These are great, keep 'em coming!
I have a list that I do already, but I am just looking for some ideas or items I may be missing. Caulking always seems to be the big job :/

mtofell- it's colder than a witches tit up here, so it's a full RV antifreeze winterization. Then the count down to spring.

 

[Ionicbrick]

Just a tip on winterizing your water systems. There's no need to fill the water lines with the pink stuff. Unless you have a huge rig with a long branch of pipes, you can do it all with air. Close the water heater valves as usual and drain your heater by removing the plug or anode rod. Then use an air compressor to blow out the plumbing lines. They sell an adapter on Amazon and in most larger camping stores. Around 30-40 psi should be enough. Let the system pressurize and then open each faucet and fixture starting with the closes the one to the compressor and working your way back. Do the whole cycle two or three times until no water is left. Then just put a bit of pink stuff in each drain and toilet and you're good to go. If you sanitize your system at the begging of the season you can just start off with water and a cup of bleach and cycle it through. No more extra step of removing the pink stuff, and it's obviously quicker in both start up and shut down.

 

[audio1der]

-I leave our fridge & freezer doors ajar.
-I leave our vents (2) open fully. All year. They've never been closed.(we have good vent covers). It lets a bit of dust in over the winter but it also lets the RV breathe, and because it's so dry here in the winter, keeps everything dry inside.
-Dryer sheets EVERYWHERE. Our storage lot is all gravel (I wouldn't have it any other way) but they keep it smelling fresh and I've read mice don't like them.
-I remove the 1-way check valve from the black tank flush line; it traps water in it, and we've already replaced one. Takes 1 minute to replace each spring.
-Remove any trace of food so as not to tempt mice
-Wash & wax after last use, for UV protection and to not let bugs bake themselves on.

That's all I can think of right now.