Winterize

[46490]

Any helpful tips to winterize the coach? How much antifreeze (RV) will I need? Does the fresh water tank need to be emptied? Is as simple as using the antifreeze fill hose and turning on the water pump and waiting until the pink juice comes out of each faucet (hot and cold)? For the dishwasher and washer I would think you just pour a little in them and turn them on for a minute or two. Am I on the correct path to success? Please comment - this is the first time with this coach.

[HarleySG]

You're on the right track. Attached is the Winterization PDF from Entegra.

[HarleySG]

Sorry, would help if I attached it.

[jestal]

Take the "winterization hose" and duct tape the end of it to the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Pour the antifreeze into the bucket. Much easier than trying to draw it from the gallon jugs one at a time.

Once the plumbing is full of antifreeze by running faucets, flushing, etc. the dish washer and washing machine need to be started on a cycle and then stopped. Instructions on interrupting the cycles are in the manual for the dish washer and the washing machine. You really need to start the clothes washer with the setup on cold then warm then hot to fill all the solenoids.

The reefer ice maker fill solenoid and hose is the most challenging item I find. The drinking water tap and reefer door water are straight forward but the icemaker solenoid requires some tricks or careful timing to get antifreeze into it.

I first drain all plumbing by opening all the low point drains at the wet bay and then opening all faucets and water points inside the coach. Next I blow the system out with 45 PSI air including the hose reel and hose. Then open the winterization hose valve, turn on the pump and fill all the systems with antifreeze from the bucket. Don't forget to move the shower control from cold to hot to completely fill with antifreeze.

I usually go thru at least 18 gallons of antifreeze. there is more plumbing than you think and cycling the dish and clothes washers properly sucks down a lot of antifreeze. as well as filling all the traps and toilet pumps and drains.

Don't forget the wand in the wet bay on cold and hot, too. The most expensive item to be sure and get filled is the domestic hot water loop in the Aquahot unit.

[jestal]

A bit exaggerated on the antifreeze amount. I bought 18 but have 3 gallons left over! Still a lot! We move the coach while it is still winterized so I keep the extra on board for "flushing" on our winter departure until I get far enough south to un-winterize. I am always leery of having to leave the coach in case of an emergency so I keep it winterized "just in case."

[DebbieMH]

Move south .....

[buddy110]

Empty all tanks. Although controversial I use air, ~30 psi to blow out all the lines one at a time, including the fridge, ice maker, DW and washer. I do this two or three times until there is no water whatsoever exiting the lines. Then I pour some Af into the traps, toilets etc making sure it some reaches the gray and black tanks. I just hate the smell and foamy pink crap in the spring

[46490]

Originally Posted by jestal

Take the "winterization hose" and duct tape the end of it to the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. Pour the antifreeze into the bucket. Much easier than trying to draw it from the gallon jugs one at a time.

Once the plumbing is full of antifreeze by running faucets, flushing, etc. the dish washer and washing machine need to be started on a cycle and then stopped. Instructions on interrupting the cycles are in the manual for the dish washer and the washing machine. You really need to start the clothes washer with the setup on cold then warm then hot to fill all the solenoids.

The reefer ice maker fill solenoid and hose is the most challenging item I find. The drinking water tap and reefer door water are straight forward but the icemaker solenoid requires some tricks or careful timing to get antifreeze into it.

I first drain all plumbing by opening all the low point drains at the wet bay and then opening all faucets and water points inside the coach. Next I blow the system out with 45 PSI air including the hose reel and hose. Then open the winterization hose valve, turn on the pump and fill all the systems with antifreeze from the bucket. Don't forget to move the shower control from cold to hot to completely fill with antifreeze.

I usually go thru at least 18 gallons of antifreeze. there is more plumbing than you think and cycling the dish and clothes washers properly sucks down a lot of antifreeze. as well as filling all the traps and toilet pumps and drains.

Don't forget the wand in the wet bay on cold and hot, too. The most expensive item to be sure and get filled is the domestic hot water loop in the Aquahot unit.

What do you do to ensure the Aquahot is fully protected. I was told when the antifreeze comes out of the hot water faucet the Aquahot is good to go, is this true?

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by 46490

What do you do to ensure the Aquahot is fully protected. I was told when the antifreeze comes out of the hot water faucet the Aquahot is good to go, is this true?

I like to see pink at the rear bath and be sure to open the low point drains at the Aquahot

[HarleySG]

Originally Posted by 46490

What do you do to ensure the Aquahot is fully protected. I was told when the antifreeze comes out of the hot water faucet the Aquahot is good to go, is this true?

This is true as long as you don’t turn the bypass valves on top of the Aquahot. These should be left in there current / normal position. This way, you’ll know that antifreeze is going through the Aquahot. Aquahot states that if you run all the hot and cold faucets in the coach, and you see antifreeze come out of both sides, you’re god to go. Don’t forget to remove all your filters first.

Cheers

[98winnie]

use air to blow the water out of the lines, empty your holding tanks and pour antifreeze in all your traps. I guess it might depend on how far north you are, but works fine for me in Oklahoma.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by jestal

A bit exaggerated on the antifreeze amount. I bought 18 but have 3 gallons left over! Still a lot! We move the coach while it is still winterized so I keep the extra on board for "flushing" on our winter departure until I get far enough south to un-winterize. I am always leery of having to leave the coach in case of an emergency so I keep it winterized "just in case."

I and all people I know winterize with 2 gals of antifreeze. I have a 32' TT. Buddys 42' 5th uses 2 gal. What are you doing with it?. Filling the FW tank. Don't put it in the tank. Use a by pass line on the water pump and pump dirrectly into the lines. 2 gals is plenty. 3 tops. You tube is your friend!

[cavie]

Originally Posted by 46490

Any helpful tips to winterize the coach? How much antifreeze (RV) will I need? Does the fresh water tank need to be emptied? Is as simple as using the antifreeze fill hose and turning on the water pump and waiting until the pink juice comes out of each faucet (hot and cold)? For the dishwasher and washer I would think you just pour a little in them and turn them on for a minute or two. Am I on the correct path to success? Please comment - this is the first time with this coach.

You tube is your friend

[jestal]

Originally Posted by cavie

I and all people I know winterize with 2 gals of antifreeze. I have a 32' TT. Buddys 42' 5th uses 2 gal. What are you doing with it?. Filling the FW tank. Don't put it in the tank. Use a by pass line on the water pump and pump dirrectly into the lines. 2 gals is plenty. 3 tops. You tube is your friend!

Uhhh….did you read my post? The part about taping the winterizing tube to the bottom of the bucket? Yes, I know and use the winterizing tube.

And,yes, I put about 3 gallons into the fresh water tank by back filling it. Due to the location of the bung on the fresh water tank it is impossible to completely drain it and get all the water out of the lines and fittings going to it so I compensate by putting some antifreeze into it.

I thought the myth of simply blowing out with air had been proven to be insufficient for winterizing especially on the Aquahot.

You are obviously not winterizing a washing machine nor a dish washer. My clothes washer will take almost 4 gallons alone assuming everything else is done and the lines are full up to the washer.. You must to start a cycle on hot, let it begin to fill then interrupt the cycle and reset the unit. Then restart the unit on warm, let it begin to fill then interrupt and reset. Do the same then on cold. It takes about 5 or 6 minutes to start each cycle, let it begin to fill then hold the reset button until that cycle aborts. You will not do that with 2 gallons.

Similarily with the dishwasher it must be filled, started, run and then emptied so that all the internal pumps and heater are full of antifreeze.

Don't tell me how to winterize a coach if you are used to hunting camp travel trailers. I know I am OCD and winterize to the extreme but a $2.29 gallon of RV antifreeze is much less expensive than a new dishwasher or even pulling the washing machine out to replace the pump or fill solenoids.

Sooo….yes.....I loose the contest for how much Antifreeze I use but I have had no freeze problems on a complex coach. Too many other problems to deal with to add freezing in the mix.