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Topic: Winterizing discussion 2016 (formerly known as "sucking anti freeze") (Read 581 times) previous topic - next topic

Winterizing discussion 2016 (formerly known as "sucking anti freeze")

New to the forum..I have been voraciously reading for nearly a month. I bought a 2001 U320 42 ft coach. It has 30,000 miles on it. I came  from a 99 Airstream Cutter and the learning curve is large. This forum is so nice and so friendly and sooo packed with info. I live in Boise ID and we are prepping for winter. So I have read all I can find and I have a few questions. I think I found the hose to suck anti freeze in with...so I will post a few pics...am I right??  Set me straight...Thanks so much.



updated topic title since discussion expanded to include more instructional info - Michelle
2001 U320 42 tag with two slides
Build number 1583
Love this forum for all of it's help and members

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #1 –
I hook mine up right to the inlet side of the pump.

Rich
Rich and Peggy Bowman
2002 U270 3610 WTFS, build #5939--"Freedom"
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe
SMI AirForceOne brake system
PakCanoe 15

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #2 –
This is a pretty basic winterizing process.  Dump the waste tanks and drain the fresh tank.

Low pressure (20-30 psi) air blows out water well. Turn on the tank fill valve for a minute to blow water out of those lines into the tank the turn the fill valve off and open one valve at time, hot then cold until just air comes out.  Then do all of them again.  Don't forget the wet bay faucet.  Then open the hot and cold line valves and let them drain until only ait.  Be sure you remove the water filter under the sink and put in the by pass plug.  Make sure to open the drinking water faucet too.  If you have an ice maker or washer/dryer they need to be drained as well. Flush the toilet several times until only water.  This is a good time to put some plumber's silicone grease on any rubber gaskets in the flapper.

Pump potable antifreeze from a five gallon bucket into the pump. Start with the shower, hot until pink comes out then cold.  Then one faucet at a time including the drinking water faucet. I have neither an ice maker or washer.  Follow the instructions for those.  Fill till pink.  Once you have done all of the faucets open each of the water line drains until pink comes out.  Catch the overflow in a small bucket. You can use this in the drains.  Do all of the faucets once again and then the line drains.  Make sure you flush the toilet a few times until the bowl is filled with pink.don't forget the wet bay faucet.

Pour a couple cups of antifreeze in each drain. Shower, bathroom and kitchen.

It takes about 5-6 gallons with an AH.

Some potable antifreeze in the waste tanks is OK.  Actually it is fine.  Whatever you have left pour down the drains. I leave the fresh tank drain valve open with a small bucket underneath.  The line drain valves get left closed. Reconnect the water line to the pump. This is also a good time to replace or clean the filter just before the pump. 

Step by step. Repeat.  It takes me about an hour. 

Please  feel free to ask more questions if anything is not clear.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #3 –
We broke 80 this week in Sarasota. What's antifreeze? 🌞

Just starting to get the hot tub ready!
Randy (N4TDT) and Karen Crete
Sarasota, Florida
SOLD:  2000 U270 34' WTFE Build 5756 "Ole Red"

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #4 –
It is what saves you from thousands of dollars of damage when it gets below freezing and you didn't do it.  In MN ... I have done it on every RV we have owned since 1974.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #5 –
Roger,
 
Thank you for the detailed Winterizing procedures.
 
Do you have procedures for de-Winterizing?
 
Thanks,
 
Trent
Trent and Jean Eyler
2000  U295  4003  WTFE  ISC  350
Build#5603 MC#17385

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Roger & Susan in Home2 –
Pump potable antifreeze from a five gallon bucket into the pump. Start with the shower, hot until pink comes out then cold.  Then one faucet at a time including the drinking water faucet. I have neither an ice maker or washer.  Follow the instructions for those.

Adding to what Roger said, for our coach it usually takes 6 gallons, we do winterize the icemaker in the fridge (prior the one in the Dometic side by side, now the residential) plus the Splendide.

There is a test or reset button in the Samsung icemaker so you can force a cycle start and get pink pumped into it.  In the Dometic I think it was a plastic gear you turned.  It takes a couple of times - be sure you have paper towels in the unit to catch the liquid (you'll see the small reservoir in the fridge fill with pink).  Also take out the water filter in the fridge first (the fluid will flow fine without it).

We flush the toilet a few times as well to make sure pink is in all its plumbing (especially since it's a Vacuflush).

Lastly, we fill until we see pink in the drum, reset, then drain the Splendide a couple of times to make sure fill hoses, machine, and drain all have pink, both hot and cold fill.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #7 –
NEW NEWS I learned last month. Putting pink in the icemaker can damage it. On my ice-maker on another toy, it says right on the front "DO NOT WINTERIZE WITH ANTIFREEZE". I was like derp?!? What's this mean. So I done searched the interwebs and found that the glycol, over times, destroys the mold material in the ice tray.

The instructions just said to "unhook water supply and run icemaker to winterize". Yeah, right. Anyway, my NEW technique (after learning this new NEWS) is to un-hook the small line exiting the solenoid water valve, put a catch can under the outlet, and then cycle the machine until pink gets into the valve.  I just blow some air through the line leaving the solenoid valve (just blow on it with my mouth works fine).

The OLD way was to just run it till some pink cubes came out. But the new way is faster and elimates the potential risk. The interweb forum experts say it takes several years of pink to damage the icemaker, but it will eventually make ice cubes with chunks of plastic....fail.
1998 U270 34'

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #8 –
Also make sure, if equipped, to run pink thru the sprayer nozzle on the toilet. Forgot that once LOL.

For those without aquahot, I drain the hot water heater and bypass it. I put a little bit of pink in the hot water heater, but don't fill it full.

My friend with a 95 slant nose said he just blows air out. If you have pex plumbing, there is a safety factor.  I'd rather have pink everywhere because I know there are some low spots that don't get drained, even when blowing out with air.

I also put a gallon or two in the fresh water tank and dump some in the gray and black tank to make sure it doesn't freeze at the low point at the dump valves. A few bucks of antifreeze is worth it to me, even if it is overkill.
1998 U270 34'

Re: sucking anti freeze

Reply #9 –
Thanks Michelle for the add-ons about the washing machine and ice maker.

Tent,

Basically it is the opposite as winterizing.  It takes a bit more time but still it is only a few hours.  Lots of opinions on this.  This is what we do.  It works and we have good water.  Sometimes we leave in the winter heading south still winterized.  We have a couple jugs of water along for what needs to be done. De-winterizing happens when we get to warm enough.

Open the hot and cold water drain lines (4 on our coach) and all of the faucets to let the lines drain. Drain the fresh tank. When they are done close the faucets and connect water to the supply hose, we have a valve by the pump that needs to npbe opened,  Turn on the water. Open the faucets one at a time until clear water comes out, toilet and any thing else as well. Then the line drain valves.  Repeat untill everything is running clear.

Fill the fresh tank about half way. Add about 1/4 cup of bleach (or your preferred disinfectant)  at the fill hose end to make sure the hose gets sanitized as well.  Pump this water through all the lines till to smell some bleach. Let this sit for a couple hours. If you can drive a bit, good.  Drain it all out, pump,all the lines as much as you can.  Refill the tank about 1/4. Pump this water through all,of the lines and faucets, toilets, everything.  Drain all of this fresh out.  Then fill the tank using 2 tablespoons of bleach per hundred gallons (full tank).  Now put in the new drinking water filter.  And you are good to go.

At times when it is not winterized I store the coach with almost a full water tank.  If it sits for more than two weeks then I will drain it out into the garden and refill with fresh before we go.  This seems to work well for us.  Some like to store it empty.  Seems more likely to get something growing in there when it is empty.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN
 

Re: Winterizing discussion 2016 (formerly known as "sucking anti freeze")

Reply #10 –
Thanks to all who replied...it sounds pretty basic..I'm on it.
2001 U320 42 tag with two slides
Build number 1583
Love this forum for all of it's help and members