Winterize Amana Fridge question

[smlranger]

For any of my fellow CC owners with the 22cu.ft. side-by-side Amana.....

I winterized last year and will need to do so again soon. Has anyone figured out a way to by-pass that rather large water reservoir in the back of the fridge? It probably holds at least a quart of liquid and that is a lot to flush out and rinse. I tried to remove the lines from the thing but they just will not come off. I thought maybe I would cut them, add some 1/4" push on connectors and short piece of tubing to bypass it.

[CarlAda]

First year owning a coach with that fridge, so awaiting an answer Sorry, can't help

[BrianGlenn]

Got this out of the CC Tech Topics document for a relative that has the Amana fridge. It says you can either barb together the two hoses or turn the reservoir over so the lines are on the bottom, and then used regulated compressed air.


Q What do I need to do to winterize my Amana residential style refrigerator?
A The fresh water system for drinking water and ice making needs to be
evacuated. We recommend that you use a properly filtered and regulated (45 psi
max) supply of compressed air to perform this task, just as you would for the
rest of the plumbing systems. We are assuming at this point that you have in fact
winterized the rest of the coach and that the water supply is turned off and the
air supply is connected in its place, but turned off for now. Next, locate the
water reservoir for the cold water dispenser (in the crisper drawer) and
carefully remove the fastener holding it in place. You may now either remove the
reservoir - and use a barb union to join the two waterlines together - or you may
turn it upside down so that both lines are on the bottom. With either choice, you
would now turn on the air supply and operate the dispenser until the all the
water is blown out of the supply lines. The ice maker should be operated until no
more water flows into it and no ice is made. We do not recommend using RV anti-
freeze to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.
by James Jordan, Country Coach Service Training Manager
• AspublishedintheWINTER2007issueofCountryCoachDesti nations

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by BrianGlenn

Got this out of the CC Tech Topics document for a relative that has the Amana fridge. It says you can either barb together the two hoses or turn the reservoir over so the lines are on the bottom, and then used regulated compressed air.


Q What do I need to do to winterize my Amana residential style refrigerator?
A The fresh water system for drinking water and ice making needs to be
evacuated. We recommend that you use a properly filtered and regulated (45 psi
max) supply of compressed air to perform this task, just as you would for the
rest of the plumbing systems. We are assuming at this point that you have in fact
winterized the rest of the coach and that the water supply is turned off and the
air supply is connected in its place, but turned off for now. Next, locate the
water reservoir for the cold water dispenser (in the crisper drawer) and
carefully remove the fastener holding it in place. You may now either remove the
reservoir - and use a barb union to join the two waterlines together - or you may
turn it upside down so that both lines are on the bottom. With either choice, you
would now turn on the air supply and operate the dispenser until the all the
water is blown out of the supply lines. The ice maker should be operated until no
more water flows into it and no ice is made. We do not recommend using RV anti-
freeze to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.
by James Jordan, Country Coach Service Training Manager
• AspublishedintheWINTER2007issueofCountryCoachDesti nations

Thanks. I will look again but last year I could not get those lines off the reservoir so don't see how they can be barbed together without cutting them.

Also, the suggestion not to use RV antifreeze in any of the freshwater lines conflicts with the absolute recommendation and need to use the pink stuff for the Aqua Hot and the clothes washer. Even if you keep the cold water faucets closed and don't activate the water dispenser on the fridge, some of the pink stuff will work its way into the cold water side.

[Mr_D]

Last year I left it on and kept heat in the rig, but we have very mild winters here. Maybe two weeks of daytime below freezing days a year.

[CarlAda]

That's what I'm considering doing, MrD ... just keep the heat running to keep the coach above frigid temps. Medford OR isn't known for really cold winters.

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by CarlAda

That's what I'm considering doing, MrD ... just keep the heat running to keep the coach above frigid temps. Medford OR isn't known for really cold winters.

That is what I did the first two winters we had this coach. In VA we do get some really cold weather in Jan-Feb. I left the coach plugged into my 50 amp service, put two trouble lights in the wet bay on a T stat, and set the Aqua Hot for 45F. Had no issues.

Now that we have moved and I am using a new storage location with no electric, I need to winterize. If things go according to plan, coach will only sit for late Nov thru December since we hope to go to Florida and other warmer spots in Jan - Feb.

[DrDaveMA]

If you use compressed air be aware if you "do the process" too quickly some water can stay in the lines and run back into the low spots in your water lines. Inevitably in will end up in a plastic part (the toilet sprayer valve, the refer water/ice valve, etc) which will freeze. My suggestion, remove the air pressure and let the system settle for an hour or so, then re-apply the air pressure. That will allow any water to settle in the lines and get blown out during the subsequent air pressure cycles. You can also put some of the pink stuff in the lines, after blowing out the lines it takes less pink stuff since the water is not diluting the anti freeze.