Community Forums

smlranger · 10-23-2015, 05:49 PM

While we love the CC and think it is generally a well built coach, I would agree I was surprised they provided no fittings for using an outside source of RV antifreeze. My previous coach, a Winnebago Journey, had electrically-controlled solenoids that isolated the water heater and a fitting in the pump inlet with an attached tube that you put in the pink stuff. All you had to do was hit the 'winterize' button and the deed was done.

I will have to winterize my Allure next week and I am installing a ball valve and T in the suction line from the fresh water tank to the pump inlet. That will let me use the existing pump to pull antifreeze from a bucket. I do not want to put the pink stuff in my fresh water tank.

On my Allure, I can identify the suction line that comes out of the bottom of the FW tank and goes to the filter on the pump inlet. I will cut into that and install the shark bite ball valve and T.

srh · 10-23-2015, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smlranger

While we love the CC and think it is generally a well built coach, I would agree I was surprised they provided no fittings for using an outside source of RV antifreeze. My previous coach, a Winnebago Journey, had electrically-controlled solenoids that isolated the water heater and a fitting in the pump inlet with an attached tube that you put in the pink stuff. All you had to do was hit the 'winterize' button and the deed was done.

I will have to winterize my Allure next week and I am installing a ball valve and T in the suction line from the fresh water tank to the pump inlet. That will let me use the existing pump to pull antifreeze from a bucket. I do not want to put the pink stuff in my fresh water tank.

On my Allure, I can identify the suction line that comes out of the bottom of the FW tank and goes to the filter on the pump inlet. I will cut into that and install the shark bite ball valve and T.

That is a great idea! I would like to see a pic or two when you have it done. I have a gravity fill cap for the freshwater tank, but it apparently is designed by someone with little or no practical sense. Its location makes putting antifreeze in it almost impossible unless you had a secondary pump.
Good luck with yours!

CoCoDave · 10-24-2015, 06:02 AM

smlranger has a good idea for a permanent configuration.

I got one of these adapters from the local RV supply when I was winterizing our Monaco Windsor. When hooked up the plastic tube goes into the antifreeze jug and the coach water pump sucks it up and sends it into the plumbing without involving the water tank. It takes about 2 minutes to install and another 2 minutes to uninstall. They cost something like $1.75 and come in 90 degree elbow like in the picture or straight.

FWIW

srh · 10-24-2015, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoCoDave

smlranger has a good idea for a permanent configuration.

I got one of these adapters from the local RV supply when I was winterizing our Monaco Windsor. When hooked up the plastic tube goes into the antifreeze jug and the coach water pump sucks it up and sends it into the plumbing without involving the water tank. It takes about 2 minutes to install and another 2 minutes to uninstall. They cost something like $1.75 and come in 90 degree elbow like in the picture or straight.

FWIW

Wow! perfect solution. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
I see it is attached to the inlet of the pump. Do you take it off/on, or is it permanently mounted?
(Second Edit) I see, on a closer note -you took the the other hose off!
I like this much better than pouring antifreeze in the fresh water tank!
Have a great day!

CoCoDave · 10-24-2015, 08:24 AM

It's installed on an as-needed basis. You have to remove it to reconnect the water's source to the pump for normal use. The collars for the adapter and for the coach's PEX connection have wings that make attaching and detaching easy to do with fingers - no tools required.

Here's an image of the configuration as it would normally be without the adapter.

j

You can see what needs to be done to hook it up and then restore back to normal.

HTH

srh · 10-24-2015, 09:16 AM

CoCoDave: I appreciate that very much - seems easy to do. But have one other question, my pump looks a bit different, but how can you tell which is the inlet and which is the outlet of the pump? I have a small access opening and very hard to see! Thanks, again!

CoCoDave · 10-24-2015, 10:41 AM

The inlet side should have a small strainer similar to the one in the picture. The one on my current coach (2002 Affinity) is slightly larger and the plastic parts are black instead of white.

HTH

srh · 10-24-2015, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoCoDave

The inlet side should have a small strainer similar to the one in the picture. The one on my current coach (2002 Affinity) is slightly larger and the plastic parts are black instead of white.

HTH

Thanks, CoCoDave! Mine looks a little different than the picture, but I got it to work. I have my ice-maker on and see what it produces with the pink stuff. I have an Amana side-by-side. I found where the filter is, but since I had pumped the antifreeze, I left it on. I'll replace it when I de-winterize in the spring.

BrianGlenn · 10-26-2015, 09:43 AM

The Amana refrigerator has a water reservoir in behind the crisper drawer. It needs to be drained and bypassed.

From Country Coach tech articles,

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 antifreeze
to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.
by James Jordan, Country Coach Service Training Manager
• As published in the WINTER 2007 issue of Country Coach Destinations

This was also posted here.....

smlranger · 10-26-2015, 02:03 PM

We do not recommend using RV antifreeze
to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.

I am confused why they could make that recommendation when most of our
CC's have either Hydro Hot or Aqua Hot systems where you are specifically told that blowing out the water lines is not sufficient to protect the fresh water coil in the hydronic unit. You must pump RV antifreeze thru that coil to protect it from freezing. In fact, I found yet another tech article written by a CC engineer (from Sherry Fannon 's website) where he recommended blowing out the lines with air (which I did) followed by pumping RV antifreeze thru the system (due to the Aqua Hot system).

I decided not to complicate things and did what CoCo Dave suggested. I just attached a fitting with a 1/2" hose directly to the pump Inlet and used that to pump the pink stuff from a 5 gallon bucket. I ended up using 8 gallons to do the entire coach including the washer and fridge. I saved an old filter to use in the fridge just for winterizing and will remove it when we use the coach again.

BrianGlenn · 10-26-2015, 02:38 PM

smlranger,

I agree, I use a short section of plastic hose and fitting to draw RV antifreeze up to the pump suction from a gallon bucket. I was posting the info for the water reservoir in the residential Amana fridge option, and how it needs to drained and bypassed.

Brian

smlranger · 10-26-2015, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianGlenn

smlranger,

I agree, I use a short section of plastic hose and fitting to draw RV antifreeze up to the pump suction from a gallon bucket. I was posting the info for the water reservoir in the residential Amana fridge option, and how it needs to drained and bypassed.

Brian

Thanks for the tip on that reservoir. That explains why it seemed to take a bit of time for the clear water to come out of the water dispenser and for the pink stuff to appear.

Next time I do this, I will deal with the reservoir.

srh · 10-26-2015, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smlranger

We do not recommend using RV antifreeze
to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.

I am confused why they could make that recommendation when most of our
CC's have either Hydro Hot or Aqua Hot systems where you are specifically told that blowing out the water lines is not sufficient to protect the fresh water coil in the hydronic unit. You must pump RV antifreeze thru that coil to protect it from freezing. In fact, I found yet another tech article written by a CC engineer (from Sherry Fannon 's website) where he recommended blowing out the lines with air (which I did) followed by pumping RV antifreeze thru the system (due to the Aqua Hot system).

I decided not to complicate things and did what CoCo Dave suggested. I just attached a fitting with a 1/2" hose directly to the pump Inlet and used that to pump the pink stuff from a 5 gallon bucket. I ended up using 8 gallons to do the entire coach including the washer and fridge. I saved an old filter to use in the fridge just for winterizing and will remove it when we use the coach again.

smlranger:
Did you do what is suggested at Post #37? If so, I need to that yet too!

Thanks,

srh · 10-26-2015, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianGlenn

The Amana refrigerator has a water reservoir in behind the crisper drawer. It needs to be drained and bypassed.

From Country Coach tech articles,

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 antifreeze
to winterize any of the fresh water lines in your coach.
by James Jordan, Country Coach Service Training Manager
• As published in the WINTER 2007 issue of Country Coach Destinations

This was also posted here.....

Wow, I'm glad to know that! Thanks for your post.