Winterizing Questions

[dmason]

Going to attempt this myself this year, but have a few questions:

1. The coach has a "winterizing" system installed with a reservior tank behind the panel in the water bay. By instructions looks like you fill up the reservior and flip the switch on the panel in the water bay. The antifreeze is then drawn thru the fresh water system and out the faucets. Has anyone used this type of system? Assume it takes care of the fresh water system but not the washer/dryer or ice maker?
2. How do you drain the ice maker or blow the water out out of it? Last time the dealer ran antifreeze thru it and that produced pink ice for several batches.
3. Same question for the washer/dryer? Assume you have to run it thru some cycles with antifreeze in it?
4. Sanicon should be no problem. Once all other winterizing is done just run system until you see antifreeze come out?
5. Do I completely drain the HW heater? And blow it out?
6. For the fresh water tank - drain and leave empty?
7. If I wanted to completely blow out the system and not use antifreeze is there a single connection to hook the air compressor to?

Appreciate any thoughts and suggestions. Thanks.

[Robi.1014]

Richard,

I don't own this system, but I helped a guy troubleshoot his one winter while dry-camping in Key West.

Your questions:
1. Assume it takes care of the fresh water system but not the washer/dryer or ice maker?
> Like you say below, if you run the washer and you let the ice maker run until initial pink shows up in the ice, then they are protected too.
2. How do you drain the ice maker or blow the water out out of it? Last time the dealer ran antifreeze thru it and that produced pink ice for several batches.
> the ice maker's white neoprene hose would need disconnecting outside and then drained (along with the valve there). Suggest you put up with "the pink ice" rather than mess with these terminations.
3. Same question for the washer/dryer? Assume you have to run it thru some cycles with antifreeze in it?
> Again: because you have this "built in" antifreeze system, you might as well use it. What you gain from running a wash-cycle is that the washer's waste trap would also (now) experience some antifreeze protection.
4. Sanicon should be no problem. Once all other winterizing is done just run system until you see antifreeze come out?
> I think yes.
5. Do I completely drain the HW heater? And blow it out?
> Draining & blowing the HWH is best. BTW, this system that I worked on in Florida also had an automated HWH bypass valve. Just throw the switch if you've got it. But whether you have a manual or automated HWH bypass valve, do drain and blow-out the HWH.
6. For the fresh water tank - drain and leave empty?
> That's what I do. Others might say (for extra protection) to put some antifreeze there....in case there is some minor amount of water remaining.
7. If I wanted to completely blow out the system and not use antifreeze is there a single connection to hook the air compressor to?
> I'm unaware of such a point as provided-for by the manufacturer. But you could do this yourself by disconnecting the fresh-water feed/input into your 12V water pump and adapting a compressor connection there. I'm also thinking that this "pump input" pipe that you disconnect would also be the low-point of the fresh water tank...thus draining it completely (but of course, you have a low-point drain installed already).