It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And here in the mountain west, we know Utah’s winters are an adventurer’s delight, attracting people from all around the globe to experience our extensive list of natural wonders and recreational activities. It’s true. We do, in fact, have the ‘best snow on Earth’. And if this is your first time traveling into the snowy white-capped backcountry with a Bean trailer, we guarantee that every adventure this winter will be worth it.

Ensuring that your Bean is properly winterized will increase the longevity of your trailer and will make certain the safe storage of your Bean during below freezing winter weather.  If not attended to, it’s common for RV and trailer owners to experience problems such as busted pipes, battery corrosion and sulfation, and all around a decrease in trailer longevity.

Our engineers recommend performing maintenance on these two items to properly winterize your trailer.

Holding Tanks

  • Open up all drains, faucets, and shower valves, and drain all water from the system. Propping up the front of the trailer may help in assisting with removing any water. A light sputter will indicate that your trailer is properly drained.
  • If you have an attached water tank, we recommend the same draining process.
  • Optional: Blow drying vulnerable areas may help in ensuring that all pipes and valves are dry, unable to freeze or rust, and safe to store.

Adding antifreeze is recommended and it will guarantee that your trailer’s water tank remains safe from any winter elements entering the system. Automotive antifreeze is not recommended for cold storage protection. It can be toxic and can lead to contamination. Use trailer and RV antifreeze;  bottles are generally pink-colored and can be purchased at most any automotive care shop. Our experts recommend these steps when filling antifreeze into your trailer’s water system.

  • After all water is drained, pour two to four gallons of antifreeze into the trailer’s water system. Leave all faucets open to ensure that the antifreeze smoothly flushes throughout the system. Depending on the model of your Bean trailer, a sink may be installed in the galley. Pouring antifreeze directly into the sink’s drain safely ensures that the antifreeze reaches all areas of the water system.

In the spring, you can safely clean the water system and remove the antifreeze by turning on the water pump and flushing fresh water throughout the system.

  • If you drink from your water tank, it’s important to sanitize it before and after you winterize your trailer. You can do this by pouring a small amount of bleach into the water system once the antifreeze has been drained.

Battery

Each Bean trailer is equipped with a stock 100 Amp Deep Cycle AGM battery, with the option to upgrade to a LionEnergy Safari UT 1300 battery. Both types of batteries generally perform well in cold climates. However, if you decide you want to store your trailer this winter, we recommend these steps to in order for your battery’s performance to remain in tiptop shape.

  • Remove the battery and store in a cool-dry place with plenty of ventilation. Do not place the battery on the ground due to the risk of potential damages.
  • Never store your battery in a discharged state (causes sulfation).
  • Charge the battery fully but avoid overcharging. Overcharging can deplete the cells’ electrolyte levels, reducing the battery’s life.)
  • Checking the battery regularly for sulfation can ensure that it is safe for use in the spring.
  • Optional: Attach a battery maintainer. This will supply your battery with small amounts of electricity for long periods of inactivity, thus increasing the life of your battery.

Questions?

If you’re still unsure how to winterize or de-winterize your trailer, we’re always here to help!

Give us a call at 844-770-7030, or join the Bean Owners group on Facebook to learn new tips and tricks from our growing Bean Family.