Storage suggestions 07 Signature. Thanks.

[grizzly]

I bought a house and will be selling our RV but until then we are moving out of it and storing it. It is an 07 Sig. The rv park where we have been is letting us store it and it will be hooked up to power and water. This may be a dumb question but should I store it with slides in or out? Aqua hot will be on in electric mode to keep bays heated underneath and I will have a dehumidifier on inside as well as a small space heater. Just wondering if it matters. Also the water will be on with a heated hose.

[DavidL]

I would store it packed up.  Less spots for critters to enter.  And less things to get hit in the storage lot.

[vito.a]

I would store it with the water off and the slides in. 

Is the electrical connection large enough to run the inverter, refrigerator, and Aqua Hot?

[96 EVO]

I don't even leave my water spigot open when I leave for a few hours.

[grizzly]

21 minutes ago, vito.a said:

I would store it with the water off and the slides in. 

Is the electrical connection large enough to run the inverter, refrigerator, and Aqua Hot?

Yes it will be.Regular rv hook up site 30 amp maybe 50

34 minutes ago, DavidL said:

I would store it packed up.  Less spots for critters to enter.  And less things to get hit in the storage lot.

Will be in a rv site in a park

[vito.a]

30 amp may not be enough for the Aqua Hot with two elements.  Remember a 50 amp connection is actually 100 amps. 

[grizzly]

21 minutes ago, vito.a said:

30 amp may not be enough for the Aqua Hot with two elements.  Remember a 50 amp connection is actually 100 amps. 

Have used 30 amp before with no problem

[Tom Cherry]

A little more info would be great.  Your profile lists CA.  Where are you storing it and what is the anticipated overnight lows….plus the daytime highs?

Monaco tech support says or said that one is “generally” OK as long as the night time temps are in the mid 20’s….assuming the usual daily radiant sun or heatup. Most, me included, use RV antifreeze.  I did have one minor issued…a cracked toilet valve…when it was down to zero and the day time highs were in the mid teens.  But, I am also under a carport shelter and have class A rigs on either side….thus no real daytime warming,

Personally. I’d air purge the plumbing…..then dump the two tanks….and also the fresh tanks.  Put on the house bypass connection so the filter bowl is empty.  Then pump in or follow the Winterizing in the manual.  I’d opt for the Camco RV antifreeze.  Leave the cabinet doors under the sinks open and the refrigerator open for air circulation.  

Read, carefully the storage section of the manual.  Dehumidifier is not needed if you worry about freeze protection.  My windows are closed and I have never seen any signs of mold or mildew…..after 11 years of doing this.

Absolutely NO to any water hookup.  The pump needs to be used to put in the RV antifreeze and that protects it.  You then do a final dump of the tanks…..but leave a smidge of the purged RV antifreeze there.  You set the washer to wash….water temp in middle.  With Pump on….fill for a few minutes.  Then put selector switch into DRAIN…it will cycle a few times….3 minutes tops.  Repeat once…..good to go.

Pull the icemaker filter off.  Purge the icemaker cavities….or use a paper towel and wick out the water.  Be sure to pump RV antifreeze out the line…use the cutoff valve.  Do NOT put RV antifreeze in refrigerator…leave the line open.

Use a swatch of “pantyhose” and a zip tie. Put that over the open icemaker line to prevent insects.  I use a plastic garden hose plug over the back wash hookup.

Pull out the fresh hose….and allow it to drain.  Power reel it in….let it drain….then plug or use the pantyhose to cover the inlet.  Leave the drain valve open under the fresh tank.  Any residual will evaporate.

Thats the drill. This is what the dealers use.  PERSONNALLY….for your SIG….do this.

TURN OFF both disconnect switches.  That shuts down the Board 6 which runs or controls the BIRD or Big Boy charging. Leave the cables hooked.  Turn OFF the inveeter….push the power button on the Magnum….or remove the Negative.  That TOTALLY kills the inverter….

ALL interior 12 VDC lights should be off…

I’d purchase a PulseTech SC400 4 amp charger….assuming you have flooded cells in both banks. Hook that up to the Chassis and order a 36” #2 gauge (3/8” terminal holes) cable from Amazon.  Jumper the positives from Chassis to House…..hook up the Pulse.  They will be maintained and charged and desulfonated.

IF you have AGMS…..on both banks…..order the XC450.  If AGM one bank and flooded the other….order BOTH….use XC400 on flooded and XC450 on AGM.  NO NEED for a jumper…

[grizzly]

I will be going and checking on it periodically as I will be about 2 miles away and I will also go in and use it occasionally but not very often,. It very rarely freezes here maybe down to 29 or so for a couple of days. Highs won't be over 70 and only in summer. I will be doing work on it from time to time so that is why I was going to leave water hooked up. Question is does it matter if water lines have pressure if slides are in? Need dehumidifier up here because it is by the coast. The fridge will be left on. I am only expecting to store until Jan as a potential buyer would come get it then. Will be in it and using it until the end of Oct

[Tom Cherry]

Leaving the water hooked up, as easy as it is to unhook, would be, in my mind….a recipe for disaster.  The refrigerator is your call, but most shut off and let them air to prevent mold.

A pressurized water system is a catastrophic disaster just begging to happen.

Turn off and UNPLUG all the Home Entertainment components.  UNPLUG the Microwave to prevent stray currents.  i just added the Belkin cube surge suppressors to the icemaker and microwave outlet.  I left BOTH unplugged also.

Slides should be in.  

I’d disconnect one of the small control wires to the BIG BOY.  Then use the 36” jumper between positives.  Mine stayed that way for at least 18 Months.  Frank M has the copper tubing jumper on his Big Boy.  That way, a Charging failure due to the #6 board is averted.

I’d run a #12 or #14 gauge extension cord from the BLOCK heater to the rear bedroom engine hatch….and run my dehumidifier off that.  Again….the Magnum is a point of “shutdown”.

Purchase both ANT and MICE baits.  One on BOTH sides of the pass through bays.  At least 3 or 4 inside the MH.  Cabinet doors still open for warm air circulation during the day.

We’ve over the years…seen about every failure…..and if you want to be totally secure and conservative….then the above is the most foolproof.

The only thing you have to do….make sure the extension cord is pulled inside the MH during your quarterly drives.

You drive until the Tranny gauge matches the Engine….then turn around.  You run the AC about half way out….then switch to Heat Pumps.  All set to be on 100%.

Fire up the Diesel Aquahot when you turn around and set all zones for Furnace. 

Exercise (read Battery 101) the house batteries at least 3 cycles every 4 - 6 months.

 

[waterskier_1]

If it were me, I would winterize it.  I winterize and unwinterize my coach 4-6 times a year.  I live in Colorado, and it does get cold enough to freeze.  I keep the coach in my yard, so it's close, but I also have to pay for the electric to heat it.  I can keep it at 40°F in -10°F weather with the Aquahot on one electric element (I only have 30 Amp service).  But I'm not sure all the nooks and crannies where water might settle, would remain warm enough.  I have the larger Aquahot 600D with two electric heat elements, only because the previous owner "thought" he'd winterized well enough and it didn't get "all that cold", and froze the boiler.  I see no reason to have water on when you have it in storage.  I've gotten to where I can unwinterize in about 15 minutes, and winterize in 20 minutes or so, if it isn't freezing and snow blowing.  I always store mine with the slides in, and awnings in.  I don't want my toppers ripped off by a burst of wind, and it's much easier to heat (or cool) with the slides in.

  -Rick N.