Two Simple Maintenance Questions

[Retread]

Hi,

Being mechanically declined I need help with a couple of simple questions about maintenance for a 2005 Limited 33 RSE.

How does one get at the tail light assembly to replace a bulb. It looks like
the rubber seal should just pull out but I am concerned about breaking something if that is not the case.

Also, the unit needs to be winterized this year (staying home in Oregon) and I am going to do it myself. I know that it is recommended to always have water in the black water tank but I presume that is not true for a winterized unit. Also, I am looking for an adapter to connect my tire inflator pump to the city water line to blow out the water. So far I have not found such an adapter. Does anyone know where they are available?

If anyone is looking for a nice park by the shore in Oregon they could try the Netarts Rv Park and Marina in Netarts. We spent a couple of months there this summer and loved it. The crabbing and fishing were very good.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Currently in SoCal but heading home soon,
Retread

[Martind4]

Your assumption about having empty black and gray water tanks is correct. If anything, leave a little pink rv antifreeze in the bottom so the valves don't freeze, or leave them open to insure the tank stays empty.

The adaptor to pressurize your water system with air is available at Camping World or other rv dealer. You can also make your own fairly easily with parts from a hardware store. Be sure to turn your air compressor down to about 30-40 psi to avoid blowing something loose in your water system. My adaptor has a garden hose fitting on one end and a quick connect air chuck on the other. That way I can pressurize the system with air and then go inside to turn on the faucets, shower and flush the toilet without needing someone to help me.

In Wisconsin, I don't trust blowing the water system out with just air pressure so I also use the pink RV antifreeze. Don't forget to drain your water heater and use the bypass to insure that no antifreeze gets inside (it takes a lot of flushing to get is out of the water heater).

On my taillights there are screws to remove before the lens comes off. Sometimes the lens stays stuck and I have to pry it a little to get it loose.

Hope this helps.

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retread Hi, Being mechanically declined I need help with a couple of simple questions about maintenance for a 2005 Limited 33 RSE. How does one get at the tail light assembly to replace a bulb. It looks like the rubber seal should just pull out but I am concerned about breaking something if that is not the case. Also, the unit needs to be winterized this year (staying home in Oregon) and I am going to do it myself. I know that it is recommended to always have water in the black water tank but I presume that is not true for a winterized unit. Also, I am looking for an adapter to connect my tire inflator pump to the city water line to blow out the water. So far I have not found such an adapter. Does anyone know where they are available? If anyone is looking for a nice park by the shore in Oregon they could try the Netarts Rv Park and Marina in Netarts. We spent a couple of months there this summer and loved it. The crabbing and fishing were very good. Thanks in advance for your help. Currently in SoCal but heading home soon, Retread

Hey retread,

Regarding the tail lite....first of all if the taillite is burned out on a 05 Excel Limited......it's a LED and must be replaced as an assembly. To get the tailite out....simply use a small straight blade screwdriver and put it between the side of the lens and the black rubber surround seal and work the taillite out.....the seal will need to stay in the body of the coach. Unhook wires and reinstall new lamp assy. back into the seal. Easy.

The only bulb in the rear outside of the coach is the back up lights.

Never winterized a coach in my life and I ain't startin' now. When I hafta do that they's puttin' my in "the home". Sorry no help there. rockin'

P.S. We spend the summer in Portland.......maybe we can do a happy hour and I can do a complimentary "inspection" of your Excel coach!!! We be haven fun now!!!

We have an early 05 L33 RSE in our park right now and I don't ever find anyone home...is that you???? You say southern CA....We're at Golden Village Palms Hemet, CA

[gdbontly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martind4 The adaptor to pressurize your water system with air is available at Camping World or other rv dealer. You can also make your own fairly easily with parts from a hardware store. Be sure to turn your air compressor down to about 30-40 psi to avoid blowing something loose in your water system. My adaptor has a garden hose fitting on one end and a quick connect air chuck on the other. That way I can pressurize the system with air and then go inside to turn on the faucets, shower and flush the toilet without needing someone to help me.

I took this route as well--very easy to make an adapter for cheap. I added a ball valve so I can turn the air on and off at the adapter. I also have a portable regulator (not shown here) to drop the pressure down to the recommended 30-40 psi. Here's what my adapter looks like.

[lostagain]

This is the adapter you need. Camco Mfg Inc - Blow-out Plug - Winterizing - Camping World

You don't need an adapter if you use this method.

RV Winterizing - Antifreeze Method

1. If you have any inline water filters remove and bypass before starting.
2. Drain the fresh water holding tank, close the valve.
3. Drain and flush the gray and black holding tanks. If your RV doesn’t have a built in tank flushing system clean the black tank out with a wand, or use a product like Flush King that allows you to clean both the black and gray tanks, close the valves.
4. Drain the water heater. Remove the drain plug and open the pressure relief valve, close the valve and replace drain plug. CAUTION (never drain the water heater when it is hot or under pressure)
5. By-pass the water heater. If you do not have a by-pass kit installed the water heater will fill up with antifreeze before it goes through the water lines, wasting six gallons of antifreeze.
6. If you have a water pump converter kit use it, if not disconnect the inlet side of the water pump (the line coming from the fresh water holding tank). Connect a piece of clear tubing to the inlet side of the pump and put the other end into a one gallon container of non-toxic RV antifreeze.
7. Turn the water pump on and pressurize the system. Slowly open each faucet one at a time until antifreeze appears. (Replace the antifreeze container as required).
Repeat this process on all faucets. Don’t forget the inside and outside shower, if equipped.
Flush the toilet, open and close the low point drains, until antifreeze appears.
8. Turn the water pump off.
9. Pour a cupful of antifreeze down each drain. Pour a couple of cups in the toilet and flush into the holding tank.
10. If your water heater has an electric heating element make sure it is turned off. This will protect the element if the unit is plugged in while being stored.
11. Make sure all the faucets are closed.
Consult your owner manuals for winterizing icemakers and washing machines.
The unit is winterized.

[BookIIRoadtrash]

My self I have never winterized a rig, but if I did I would use vodka instead of the RV antifreeze. I think it would be a lot easier for me not to have to worry about getting all the red stuff out of the pipes.

[KU9L]

Or a whole BOX of Oak Poop!

[rockintom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KU9L Or a whole BOX of Oak Poop!

I can see it now....rockin' just happens to show up at dewinterizing time. Next thing ya know......he's got a funnel in his mouth under the rig at the low point drain saying "let'er go"!!!!!! I wouldn't dream of letting the good stuff go on the ground. Besides, it probably would do some serious damage to the lawn!!! OK....enough of my fantasy!!!!

[Bill M]

Here's another option for a blow out plug. You can use a quick connect to your compressor, no need to hold it in place like the Camco plug.

Winterize Manufacturing - Quick Connect RV Blow Out Plug

Happy Travels

[steelheadbluesman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BookIIRoadtrash My self I have never winterized a rig, but if I did I would use vodka instead of the RV antifreeze. I think it would be a lot easier for me not to have to worry about getting all the red stuff out of the pipes.

Right on, Roadtrash, I never liked the red stuff myself!

[Jim & Bona]

Many of us have those 10 gallon Atwood water heaters that act like 16 gallon units thanks to a clever mixing valve. However, the mixing valve seems to suffer an inordinately high mortality rate following spring startup of coaches which have been winterized. It happened to me, before I learned that I could skip winterizing by coming south for the winter.

Having followed several threads on this subject over the years, I have come to believe that the mixing valve failure is due to water being trapped in the valve and not being flushed out, or drained, during the winterization process. Somewhere I read that a solution to this problem is to remove the mixing valve from the hot water heater and to store it in a warm place for the winter.

Does anyone else care to comment on this one? SKIA, I know that you were always clever enough to stay warm and avoid winterizing, but this should be right up your alley!

Jim

[Retread]

Thanks much for all the answers. They were a great help (as usual).

Maybe anti-freeze is just Vodka mixed with Pepto-Bismol?

Retread

[rockintom]

Oh yes....I have an opinion on this subject! Amazing ain't it? I've watched this mixing valve issue for years now. It is a major problem. My thought on it is that I believe that it's biggest issue is using hard water which most area have, combined with a period of time without being used or exercised whether it is winterized or not. The calcium and mineral build up gets dry and crusty and the mixing valve can't work IE freezes in place and can't regulate the water temp at the faucet. The valve defaults to the full cold position probably for safety reasons as the tank water on these models is 185*F and that would scald you!! The first signs of a mixing valve failure is very little hot water (100-105*F full hot) Many folks have learned how to disassemble the valve and move the adjusting screw around and make it work again. If you replace the valve it is expensive (to me-I think in the $250.00 catagory). On some floorplans the valve is easy to get to and on others you have to R&R the W/H to get to it (Ain't that right, Vaughn? ). To the best of my knowledge Atwood has made no improvement on the replacement valves.

We have used a water softener on both of our rigs and haven't had a problem at all....but neither rig has set for over 1 week not being used either! HTHs rockin' or SKIA

[Jim & Bona]

Tom,

I must disagree with you on this one. Having experienced one mixing valve failure (valve replaced under warranty and labor by myself) my belief in the cause of the failure is based upon the following facts:

1. The valve failed to operate properly immediately after the first, and only, dewinterization of our coach.
2. When the coach was winterized it was four months old (from date of manufacture) and had been used six weeks at one private RV Park with no apparent hard water issues.
3. Since the time the valve was replaced we have lived in the coach full time 2 1/2 years. We have travelled and stayed in 25 states and 6 Canadian provinces/teritiories, including Alaska. Water conditions have ranged from softened water to mineral content so high that the water turned black when it went through the water heater. I'm sure our system has been exposed to plenty of lime, calcium, and iron as I've needed to chemically clean the fixtures several times.
4. The replacement mixing valve is still working fine even after 2 1/2 years of exposure to some of the crummiest water in North America.

I rest my case on the empirical data cited above.

SKIA, maybe we need to cross section a failed valve to get to the bottom of this matter.

Jim