Winterizing procedure for 2014/2015 Dutch Stars

[wagonmaster2]

Has anyone compiled a complete winterizing procedure for the 2014/2015 Dutch Stars, especially including the washing machine and ice maker for a residential frig? I tried to do a Search but found nothing. Dutch Star Don has written so many excellent procedures for these coaches maybe he has already done this someplace.

I know from my past 2004 DP that the washer and ice maker take special attention.

The only information in the Newmar Owner's Manual seems to be really past dated since it refers to draining the water heater (nothing about the Oasis system).

I'll be approaching this procedure in a couple of months and want to be prepared. Also, with the extra 1/2 bath, added length of coach, the washing machine, ice maker, and the Oasis system about how much anti-freeze will it probably take?

[joelyn5]

Wagonmaster, I have an 11 Essex with residential reefer and Oasis. Here are a few tips.
First of all, it's infinitely easier to winterize if you can blow out the system with low pressure air (40 PSI or so---your water compartment says to limit water pressure to 60 PSI). Ok here we go. Open all the low point drains in the water compartment and also drain the fresh water tank. You can see a valve coming out of the base of the fresh water tank. Close the low point drains. If you have air, now is the time to connect your compressor to the fresh water fill fitting. Starting at the furtherest from the water fill valve go throughout the coach and open (I do it one at a time) all the faucets. Close the when air comes out. Remember to do both hot and cold. Run the washer through a couple fill rinse cycles until all you hear is air. Again, remember to do both hot and cold fills. Go to the water dispenser and dispense water until air comes out.
disconnect the air. Get a bunch RV antifreeze (my coach has only 1 bathroom; I need about 12 gallons. Get a large clean bucket, fill it with antifreeze, set the valves on the water pump to suck antifreeze from the bucket, turn on the pump and then go throughout the coach opening and closing the valves just like you did before. Run the washer through at least one rinse cycle. Dump a cup or two of antifreeze in the bottom of the washer. Now for the tricky part. By doing what you've done you have antifreeze up to the solenoid that controls water input to the icemaker. You probably don't have to do anything else because the valve is on top of the reefer and whatever water is beyond the valve heading to the ice maker probably gravity drained out. But being the type of guy I am, I don't want to take any chances. So leave a gallon or so antfreeze in your bucket, leave the pump on, turn on the reefer, turn on the icemaker and come back in 6 hours or so. By then the icemaker should have cycled a couple times and you'll have antifreeze in the line all the way to the icemaker. Stick your finger in the ice tray and you should feel slippery antifreeze. Don't worry about cleaning it up when you dewinterize----turn on the water, turn on the reefer and icemaker let it cycle overnight. When you fill the hot water system with antifreeze you'll be filling the loops in the Oasis and protect it. Now if you don't have a compressor you'll follow the same steps, but you'll just use alot more antifreeze to make certain that a good slug of antifreeze has reached everything. PS Don't forget to flush the toilet a couple times and cycle the dishwasher. And finally, pour a cup of antifreeze down all the sinks, showers and into the dishwasher. Good luck.

[Jim_L]

joelyn5 - very well written and I agree with all that you suggest. There are only a couple items that I do in addition, but not sure whether it is really necessary. The Oasis has a fresh water drain that I open when the air is attached. Not sure that is necessary since not a lot of water comes out. Also, I like to take the ice cube tray out and clean the antifreeze out of it. I have heard that the antifreeze can be slightly corrosive and can cause pitting on the surface that then makes ice ejection more difficult. Probably overkill but thought I would mention it.
Jim

[joelyn5]

Yep, great idea on the icemaker. Actually I stuff a bunch of paper towels in it and soak up all the antifreeze so that it doesn't sit there all winter. And one more thing: if you have a dishwasher take the strainer at the bottom out and sop up the water that remains in the little sump there---then dump a little antifreeze in it.

[Kend51]

The RV Geeks have several good videos of winterizing

[wagonmaster2]

Thanks guys. It all sounds very similar to what I did on my previous coach but I didn't have an Oasis system, the residential frig, or the stackable washer/dryer.

I was wondering about getting antifreeze in the ice cube maker since I always dumped the last cubes before lifting the bail to stop any more water entering. The solenoid for it was lower than the ice maker so I could disconnect both lines from it and drain all the water out of it which meant I never got any antifreeze to it by closing the valve in the water line feed under the kitchen cabinet.
And like you, I always stuffed strips of paper towel in the ice maker until I got out all the water left.

Think I can handle this now with what I already knew plus what you all have written. As soon as I get home I'm printing off your posts so I can have them handy.

I never used more than 5-6 gallons of antifreeze in my 36' DP but I knew this 40' DS was going to need lots more, just how much I didn't have any idea. Appreciate the heads up on that also.

Oh, another question. After doing all the winterization can the furnace still be used with antifreeze in all the water lines? On my previous 3 coaches I would run the propane furnace occasionally when the temps would get down in the single digits. May not do any good but i always felt I didn't want things inside the coach getting so cold brittle.

[joelyn5]

Wagonmaster, suggest you call Oasis and ask them that question. They've always been responsive to me in the past.

[wagonmaster2]

Appreciate that suggestion Joel. With so many companies that won't talk or do business with the consumer it's nice to know Oasis will at least talk. I found out Norcold certainly is no help over the phone (just go to your local Norcold dealer).

[Jager]

Maybe I missed it in the writeup but if you have water filters in your coach I would suggest draining them prior to putting in antifreeze. I'd even remove the filters.

[wagonmaster2]

Originally Posted by Jim_L

joelyn5 - very well written and I agree with all that you suggest. There are only a couple items that I do in addition, but not sure whether it is really necessary. The Oasis has a fresh water drain that I open when the air is attached. Not sure that is necessary since not a lot of water comes out. Also, I like to take the ice cube tray out and clean the antifreeze out of it. I have heard that the antifreeze can be slightly corrosive and can cause pitting on the surface that then makes ice ejection more difficult. Probably overkill but thought I would mention it.
Jim

Jim, how do you take the ice cube tray out? Is this very hard or complicated? I could get to the tray fairly easy in a Norcold frig but on this residential frig it doesn't look that easy to get to. Any advice will be really appreciated since I also don't like to leave antifreeze in the tray.

[Wizard]

Head to Florida for the winter

[Adam Hunter]

The Oasis and Aqua-Hot boilers can still be used for HEAT once winterized. As the Fresh water system is separate from the boiler heating loops.

[wagonmaster2]

Doesn't the Oasis system circulate fresh water both for hot water to faucets and hot water through the heating outlets? Guess I assumed that after winterizing the Oasis heating pipes would then have antifreeze in them instead of fresh water.
Course I still don't understand everything I know about the Oasis system.

[Adam Hunter]

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

Doesn't the Oasis system circulate fresh water both for hot water to faucets and hot water through the heating outlets? Guess I assumed that after winterizing the Oasis heating pipes would then have antifreeze in them instead of fresh water.
Course I still don't understand everything I know about the Oasis system.

The Hydro Hot can be configured with many different options, for the purpose of this thread lets look at it in basic form;

1. The Hydro hot has "Boiler" fluid that circulates through the heating loops in your coach. Those loops (and the boiler fluid within) never occupy the fresh water portion of your Hydro Hot.
2. The hot (fresh) water portion of the Hydro Hot is independent of the heating loops. Therefore the freshwater portion would either contain water while in use or if your coach is in storage - then RV antifreeze or blown empty with air.
3. There is generally a loop in most configurations for a engine loop that will transfer engine heat to the Hydro Hot system so you have hot water while travelling and or a pre-heat function that warms the engine for cold starts.

Hopefully this helps. There are some great people that have a significantly better working knowledge of the Hydro Hot/Aqua Hot units that visit iRv2, perhaps they will add to this?

I know most of us have Hydro-Hot style Hydronic heaters but the link below is a publication by the Aqua-Hot manufacturer - it is essentially the same principals in the Hydro-Hot units.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kxsTOpAA6A