Winterizing problem

[Frisbee]

I Tried to winterize my 2018 Precept and ran in to 2 problems:
1. All the switches on the panel were set properly and I reversed the screen on the water inlet to depress the check-valve, but the antifreeze would only siphon up at about 1 gallon an hour. Eventually, after several hours, I did get antifreeze through all the facets.
2. I get no antifreeze through the line for the Norcold Refridge Ice maker. I disconnected the line from the ice maker but am concerned about water in the line. Shouldn't I be getting antifreeze from the line?

[GCSuper]

Originally Posted by Frisbee

I Tried to winterize my 2018 Precept and ran in to 2 problems:
1. All the switches on the panel were set properly and I reversed the screen on the water inlet to depress the check-valve, but the antifreeze would only siphon up at about 1 gallon an hour. Eventually, after several hours, I did get antifreeze through all the facets.
2. I get no antifreeze through the line for the Norcold Refridge Ice maker. I disconnected the line from the ice maker but am concerned about water in the line. Shouldn't I be getting antifreeze from the line?

Had the same issue on our Precept. The first time I did it it worked perfect. The next few times not so much. I finally elevated the bucket and that helped it to work. The ice maker takes time. Had to run several cups of water before it would turn pink.

[BZTS561]

A couple things come to mind. First off, how is your water pressure when you are using the onboard water tank and pump for normal water usage? I ask this as I wonder if the screen filter on the water pump line might be obstructed.

Next recommendation is to echo the recommendation to elevate the bucket of antifreeze above the hose inlet level. Gravity is your friend.

Before starting it is important to remove the water filter from the canister. Before replacing the canister fill it with antifreeze. This way you are not trying to purge all that air before the antifreeze starts flowing.

Before I do any of the inside faucets I do the hand shower faucet in the wet bay. Since I pour all my antifreeze into a bucket and draw from it, I put the hand shower head into the bucket and let it run for a good bit on both hot and cold. This gets the air out of the warm water line without wasting a bunch of antifreeze.

If you are not getting good flow while doing this stage you have something else going on. My flow rate is worthy of showering under.

With regards to the ice maker line, I do not worry about getting antifreeze to flow to the ice maker itself. The feed line should unscrew at the back of the refrigerator and you should be able to open the tap fitting on that line and get antifreeze flowing out that line easily. Comes out at quite the rate on mine.

I haven't had any repercussions from not getting antifreeze in the ice maker solenoid and up into the ice maker, and we store through a long cold winter. I do not put the feed line back on the solenoid, but leave it loose with the faucet closed.

[Ray,IN]

Assuming you have a Norcold refrigerator,

Why winterize the ice maker? It is designed to freeze. Shut off the incoming water at the under-counter filter, remove both incoming and outgoing water lines from the ice maker solenoid and drain the valve body, the line to the ice maker automatically drains. The incoming line from the undercounter filter may be cleared with regulated air pressure then turn the flow valve back off on the filter housing.
I've been doing that since 2013 without once adding RV antifreeze into the ice maker system or associated plumbing.
This may be useful: http://bryantrv.com/docs2/docs/icemaker.pdf
If you have a residential refrigerator the above will not apply.