Open or Closed?

I'm curious, do you leave your holding tank drain valves open or closed after winterizing? I've done both and I really don't think it makes much difference, but what do you do?

Richard,

I leave mine closed.

When I winterize the Cat I make sure that on the way to the CG I fill each tank about 1/3 and then add water softener. When I arrive at the CG I fill and flush each of the holding tanks twice making sure that they fully drain. In flushing the blackwater tank I use one of those wands with the flexible extention on it. I then head home to winterize the water system. In doing that I let at least a gallon of anti-freeze go down the drain of each tank along with 8 ou. of deoderizer in each. I believe that by leaving the tank valves closed and holding back the anti-freeze there is less chance of the valve seizing up during the long winters here. It also makes sure that all of the drain traps have a good fill of anti-freeze in them too. I've done this for all three of the 5'ers that I've owned since 1989 and never had a problem in the spring when I opened the trailer for the season. In all that time, I've never really had an odor problem either.

JMHO on how to do it.

We leave them closed.

Closed with some RV antifreeze in the tank.

Closed over here.

Closed with antifreeze.

Closed with antifreeze here......

Open with screen material over the out going pipe outlet.

Closed with antifreeze.

I leave mine closed, because if I dont fluids would drain out all over the place, WINTERIZE whats that mean????? . I use the Cat all year here out west. The coast is nice all year long, already have reservations for three days in Dec and three days in Jan...

That's just cruel bsmall2800.

Closed I would have thought might also stop vermin getting into the tanks Nice/warm and sheltered in here said Micky.
Sean

Closed, with some anti-freeze.

Closed - with antifreeze.

In a few weeks, we'll unwinterize the trailer -either at home or in a campground farther south. Then we'll winterize it again when we get home or while we are still in the south. ...... Then we'll unwinterize it again in mid-January - most likely somewhere in the south, and winterize it again when we are about halfway home.

Closed with two parts anti-freeze and one part valve lubricate inside the tank. Works great.

Closed

jamesb said:

Closed with two parts anti-freeze and one part valve lubricate inside the tank. Works great.


What do you use for lube in the tanks?

Closed with anti-freeze here as well...