Winterizing Your Newmar In-Depth - Mike Mas

[BPeas]

Mike, Thanks for the detailed instructions for winterizing the New Aire. Your site and instructions are the only place I've seen that mentioned that the new washing machines that only hook up to the cold water faucet. Our New Aire also has a hot line capped off behind the washer. So when following the Newmar instructions on how to winterize the washer the hot line was missed first pass through.

Do other Newmar model owners have the newer washing machines that only have the cold line hooked up? Make sure you flush the water out of the hot line.

Now to find the line at the source in the basement and put a valve on it there so not to miss it again.

[TWINCAMSAM]

Mike-excellent post and web-site. Great garage also.

I realize you have the newer refrigerator in your NA but I have the older one in our 2014 Mountain Aire. I bought used a few months back. Do you have any idea how to winterize the older frig? It only has the through the door ice and water.
Thanks

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by TWINCAMSAM

Mike-excellent post and web-site. Great garage also.

I realize you have the newer refrigerator in your NA but I have the older one in our 2014 Mountain Aire. I bought used a few months back. Do you have any idea how to winterize the older frig? It only has the through the door ice and water.
Thanks

Hello - winterizing the refrig is pretty much like any device - once you get the RV juice under pressure, just run the Refrige and let it make some red ice. Sometimes there is a valve in the ice maker you can push to bleed the line out.

Also if you have a water despencer in the door, run it first to purge out the clear water.

Thanks for all the kind words guys!

Drive Safe Mike

[JMH]

When I asked the factory about winterizing the fridge they said run the ice maker until you get pink ice. Now being an engineer by trade I thought they were pulling my leg.

Let’s see, fridge cools to 0 degrees, antifreeze stays liquid to -50. That tells me no cubes. So I tried their suggestion and to my amazement, the fridge made pink cubes (I used the pink stuff). One of these days I am going to solve this mystery of physics, but not tonight [emoji6].

[Idleup]

Originally Posted by JMH

When I asked the factory about winterizing the fridge they said run the ice maker until you get pink ice. Now being an engineer by trade I thought they were pulling my leg.

Let’s see, fridge cools to 0 degrees, antifreeze stays liquid to -50. That tells me no cubes. So I tried their suggestion and to my amazement, the fridge made pink cubes (I used the pink stuff). One of these days I am going to solve this mystery of physics, but not tonight [emoji6].

LOL Even though these "Factory" guys are supposed to be experts in everything, they are not always correct.

It's not uncommon for the first load to make ice cubes because it's diluted with straight water remaining in the lines. Not until you purge all the water will you get straight UN-frezzable juice.

Keep in mind most of these ice-makers have a hand operated valve for bleeding the lines.

Regards

[cinergi]

It still freezes or becomes slushy but the key is that it doesn’t expand.

Use the ice maker ‘test’ button so you don’t have to wait for hours to winterize the fridge.

[toneil7163]

I understand the line leading to the ice-maker ,so why do you winterize an ice-maker when it's designed to operate at 0 degrees.

[JMH]

Originally Posted by cinergi

It still freezes or becomes slushy but the key is that it doesn’t expand.

Use the ice maker ‘test’ button so you don’t have to wait for hours to winterize the fridge.

Where is the test button? I have the whirlpool in my 2019 Ventana.

[cinergi]

Originally Posted by JMH

Where is the test button? I have the whirlpool in my 2019 Ventana.

Varies by make and model. It will be on the ice maker housing itself and designed to prevent accidental activation. Usually requires pressing and holding for a few seconds.

[Idleup]

Yep with these brutal temperatures lately you definitely want to make double sure everything is protected.


Mike

[cspieg]

Great information on how to winterize my coach but I am unable to find a drain valve on my Oasis system. Is the distribution module usually located next to the heat module or is it remote to that? There is no drain valve in the compartment where the heat module is.

[Idleup]

Hey guys I included below an email from a New Aire owner where his dealer stiffed him on a scam winterizing job on his coach. You have to be very careful trusting just any dealer to perform the service. I included his email below for owners to review some of the less than desirable work being performed on these expensive coaches. I know its not something every owner would like to tackle but it needs to be done properly.

Regards - Mike

Mike,

Thank you for publishing that wonderful article about how to winterize your coach. Unfortunately, I paid about $400 to a service facility to “winterize” my New Aire. Since I live in the northeast I have to winterize earlier in the year. As a matter of fact, I had to do so in October because the temp dropped into the teens this year, and today it is 14 deg.
After reading your article I carefully went over the coach and found lots of areas that had been neglected. They blew out the system with air and dumped some antifreeze into the drains....that’s about it. I found that the water supply to the washer had not been winterized, including the washer itself. The ice maker wasn’t winterized, nor was the front windshield waterline and the Oasis wasn’t winterized. In general I am very disappointed in the service facility, but your advice probably saved me from further distress and cost come the spring.

Thanks again Bill

[Coral]

Thank you for the article and effort put forth on the webpage. As a DIYer I appreciate tips and instructions that save money.

[MJM1954]

Great video, thanks. One suggestion. Use a 5 gallon bucket to load up with antifreeze and then just stick the syphon hose into it. Saves multiple trips in and out of the coach switching the gallon jugs.