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Joined: 09 Oct 2011
Location: Tacoma, WA.
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Posts: 4 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Winterization
    Posted: 16 Nov 2011 at 10:36am
Originally posted by techntrek

Welcome, Tripod girls!

Thanks techntrek!...have been on here for awhile..just realized I may not have posted..thought I did but I go back and forth between this forum and the "other" one.Wink  It was by chance I found the owners forum..in the beginning of summer the nation site had updates or something going on and when searching for it, the owners forum came up.  So its all good!
3PsNRPod
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Nov 2011 at 9:56am

Welcome, Tripod girls!
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 866 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 8:38pm
I remember several years ago when we had a 25 ft Bayliner  aft cabin they sold a device that was plugged into 120 and layed in the engine compartment, I think it was like a block heater that created low level heat, would not get hot enought to cause a problem, but would keep moisture at bay. We have our pod plugged into a GFCI next to an outbuilding, I plan on covering it with a factory pod cover, ouch expensive but fits perfect. This will be my first winter in our pod, any one have problems with mildew with a factory pod cover, they claim it breathes ?
Dane and Donna Smith
2011 RP-172
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Posts: 426 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 6:06pm
I keep the Pod plugged in all season before it is Winterized. And I keep the airconditioner on at the setting I have in the house. Have not had any moldy'mildewy smell or any sight of any. I have not kept it hooked up in Winter, pretty dry most of the time, I keep a check on it weekly. Cleaned it well before closing it up, Frig. open with baking soda, sometimes crack (very small) the vent . Gets so cold in there that I dare a mold grow! I bought the Damp Rid did not have to use it last Winter. But will keep a "nose" on it. With the ac on it keeps it cool and dryer in Season.
I have "pro and coned" the question of covering it. The advice here is pretty much split. I know from car experience that a cover is not good. But this was a car in a carport, not garage where I would not have needed one anyhow. It ended up with "chill bumps", pimples and had to be repainted! Just got too humid under there. Costly way to find out for sure.  I know some of the weather in the North just about calls for protection of the investment. But may be cold enough not to build up heat under the hood and cause problems. I still plan to get a coat of wax on it before Winter sets in, some protection. Leaves are just about gone, those do stain if not looked after. That big white roof is a target for birds, but I take a hose to it when the weather allows.
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Posts: 4 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 5:17pm
I have our pod plugged in for the winter also...bought a small ceramic heater-put on low-and cracked a bedroom window with the bath vent open.  I have it covered so am hoping to have some circulation going on in there.  I am hoping that with the heater the pod will not become moldy/mildewy...for the northwest we are in a cold snap right now with the daily temps in mid 40's and last night 26!...but I know that rain is acoming!   Thanks for all the winterization tips on this thread..had mine done by dealer but was able to follow him around with the list.  And as I re-read back through the "terms" I actually get some of it!Wink
3PsNRPod
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Posts: 571 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 2:48pm
mountain mist, we're going to be over in eastern PA for Thursday thru Saturday of Thanksgiving. We'll let everyone know how it goes. The Park, French Creek is the closest state park in PA or NJ that is open year round. For early winter snow, see my post in the miscellaneous/off topic thread "with a heavy heart".
The first thing I did last year when we got the pod was to run a 10ga 30amp line to the corner of the garage closest to the pod parking place. We keep the pod plugged in when it is home, and run the shower fan to help keep the inside fresh. We covered it last winter with the camo cover, but ended up quite moldy by spring. We are going to get some big buckets of DampRid this winter to seeif we can prevent that.   
Chris and Walt
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2011 at 2:27pm
Bump.  Made some edits to the list, cleaned it up.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Posts: 426 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Nov 2011 at 8:41am
Just read FurPod with the snake shed in their rv. Did not have to worry about mice with that "guest" there. Sounds as if it overwintered fat and ready to leave its too tight skin!
'11 Forest River r.pod 171
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Trudi and Austin mini-schnauzers
change here, Trudi has gone, Austin now has a small black schnauzer buddy, Bentley
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Posts: 5 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2011 at 2:10pm
Thank you Doug and Charles.
Aris, Baltimore, MD
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Posts: 57 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Oct 2011 at 2:58pm
The anode rod is made of zinc.  If the water is acidic, it erodes/oxides some of the zinc from the rod producing zinc oxide.  The oxide can settle on the bottom of the tank forming a soft white slimy material.  That material can then be swept up the pipes and start to clog the holes in the faucet aerators.  I had to unscrew my Pod's faucet aerators and flush them out.  They were nearly clogged.
That is why it is recommended that you use a heater flush rod.  It fits on the end of a garden hose and is a narrow tube with a curve at the end.  After removing the anode rod, insert the flush tube, and rotate the tube as you flush out the heater tank.  Make sure that you adequately flush out the lower part of the tank...this is where the slime usually collects.  Flushing the tank will save you the trouble of cleaning the faucet aerators later.
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