Heading South - Need Help “Dewinterizing”

TRNewtown · 01-14-2021, 10:35 AM

I hope to dewinterize tomorrow before heading down to Florida. I am reading through the owner’s manual, but would appreciate any suggestions especially with the sequence of the process. For example, at what point should I reinstall the water filter. How do I make sure antifreeze doesn’t get into the water heater? I’m hoping to create a bullet point list that I could use and save for future use.

Tom
2018 Melbourne 24L

Stingray75 · 01-14-2021, 11:14 AM

Here’s how I dewinterize my pinnacle once we reach warmer weather.
Leave the water panel set to winterize/sanitize, connect and turn on a water source.
Run water thru all lines except fridge ice / water as if you’re winterizing looking for a clear flow. Don’t forget the outside shower, any external port and washer hookups.
Turn off water and set the control panel to tank fill. Turn on supply and run tank fill for a few minutes.
Turn off water, open fresh tank drain and set water panel to city fixtures or whatever yours says to run off external water supply.
Turn on water supply
Open valve to fridge water / ice maker and run a pitcher of water thru. Toss the first few trays of ice
Install filters

Hope this helps

TRNewtown · 01-14-2021, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingray75

Here’s how I dewinterize my pinnacle once we reach warmer weather.
Leave the water panel set to winterize/sanitize, connect and turn on a water source.
Run water thru all lines except fridge ice / water as if you’re winterizing looking for a clear flow. Don’t forget the outside shower, any external port and washer hookups.
Turn off water and set the control panel to tank fill. Turn on supply and run tank fill for a few minutes.
Turn off water, open fresh tank drain and set water panel to city fixtures or whatever yours says to run off external water supply.
Turn on water supply
Open valve to fridge water / ice maker and run a pitcher of water thru. Toss the first few trays of ice
Install filters

Hope this helps

This was very helpful!! Looking forward to warmer weather.

RogerR · 01-14-2021, 02:06 PM

You can delay de-winterizing until you are far enough south to be sure you are out of a freezing temperatures. Pick up a couple of gallons of cheap pink antifreeze for flushing. Use bottled water for drinking and wipes for cleaning.

Then, at your first temperature safe stop flush out the pink and start using water through the system per the instructions above.

TRNewtown · 01-14-2021, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerR

You can delay de-winterizing until you are far enough south to be sure you are out of a freezing temperatures. Pick up a couple of gallons of cheap pink antifreeze for flushing. Use bottled water for drinking and wipes for cleaning.

Then, at your first temperature safe stop flush out the pink and start using water through the system per the instructions above.

Looks like temperatures will only go down to 41 f before we leave. Will pack bottled water and a few gallons of pink antifreeze before heading out.

TRNewtown · 01-17-2021, 09:55 AM

I’ve been able to clear out all the pink antifreeze, drain the fresh water tank, and fill the fresh water tank with fresh water. The hot water is not getting hot. Looking in the manual there is a diagram of a water heater bypass with three valves. Where are these valves located/how do I access them?

RogerR · 01-17-2021, 10:22 AM

Simple method is to go outside and find the vent for the hot water heater. Usually has an access panel to work drain it and to do repairs on heater. Then do inside and find a panel that has screws or a door to access it inside. On many, this is also where the pump is located. The actual valves are in the lines and may be hidden from view. Flashlight and slowly feeling around the pipes one at a time will help. Watch a couple youtubes on hot water heaters and winterizing.

TRNewtown · 01-18-2021, 11:19 AM

I finally found the water heater shutoff valves. They are behind a panel (secured with four screws) beneath the refrigerator. Seems like information that could have been in the manual.

**norty1** · 01-18-2021, 11:22 AM

The manuals are so generic that they are mostly useless for details like that.

TRNewtown · 01-18-2021, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norty1

The manuals are so generic that they are mostly useless for details like that.

Agree 100%!!

RogerR · 01-18-2021, 01:17 PM

You will need to access the valves many times over the RV's lifetime. I recommend you install hidden, self closing hinges. I cut off the threads of the screws and glued them into the holes to cover the holes. Saves a lot of time in the long run. Don't lose the screws, hard to find a match.

TRNewtown · 02-02-2021, 09:16 AM

Now that I have mastered dewinterization, I now need to winterize as we head north again. I have figured out how to drain and bypass the water heater. I know how to drain the water tank. I know that I need to have the pink antifreeze run through the water lines, but I am at a loss on how to get the antifreeze into the water lines. I have taken a flashlight and have looked for the elusive clear hose that supposedly sucks up the antifreeze in all of the bays. No luck finding this hose. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to find this hose and what it may look like and what it is connected to???

Tom
Melbourne 24L

rkymntsno · 02-02-2021, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRNewtown

Now that I have mastered dewinterization, I now need to winterize as we head north again. I have figured out how to drain and bypass the water heater. I know how to drain the water tank. I know that I need to have the pink antifreeze run through the water lines, but I am at a loss on how to get the antifreeze into the water lines. I have taken a flashlight and have looked for the elusive clear hose that supposedly sucks up the antifreeze in all of the bays. No luck finding this hose. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to find this hose and what it may look like and what it is connected to???

Tom
Melbourne 24L

I'm probably not much help but have you looked near the water pump? Not familiar with your Melbourne but if you don't have a wet bay like most with it there, it might be near the water pump???

ALJO · 02-02-2021, 09:32 AM

with wet bay usual there's a connection for the AF-Hose, decals should show the valve settings

TRNewtown · 02-03-2021, 06:48 AM

I took another look in the wet bay and couldn't identify a connection for the anti freeze hose. With cold temps and snow up north, I've decided to stay in Florida for a few more weeks. I will see if I can find someone around here to help with this issue while I'm still in warm weather.

RogerR · 02-03-2021, 07:48 AM

If you can't locate the suction hose (mine is soft, clear poly hose, very flexible, designed to fit into the top of a gallon jug) anywhere then how about using the blow out method. You need a fitting, $8 on Amazon or anywhere that sells RV stuff and an air compressor. Check your manual, I run 40 psi.

After draining tanks and low point drains I install the fitting, turn on my compressor set to 40 psi and open 1 tap at a time. Hot, then cold, until they stop spitting water. Shut off and move to next one. Let the pressure build up so the small compressor can deliver enough air. Then I wait a few minutes and do a complete round again to let water settle.
Blowout adapter on Amazon $7.49
Cheap compressor at Harbor Freight about $60
Or borrow one, bet someone at that RV park you are in will lend you one and show you how!

rkymntsno · 02-03-2021, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRNewtown

I took another look in the wet bay and couldn't identify a connection for the anti freeze hose. With cold temps and snow up north, I've decided to stay in Florida for a few more weeks. I will see if I can find someone around here to help with this issue while I'm still in warm weather.

That's great you have the flexibility to stay in FL a little longer. But I'm curious, are you posting in the Class B/C forums also? I'm surprised another Melbourne owner didn't chime in. You're in a fifth wheel forum. I know there's all kinds here, just sayin.....

TRNewtown · 02-03-2021, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkymntsno

That's great you have the flexibility to stay in FL a little longer. But I'm curious, are you posting in the Class B/C forums also? I'm surprised another Melbourne owner didn't chime in. You're in a fifth wheel forum. I know there's all kinds here, just sayin.....

Hmm. I am relatively new here and I thought this was a general tech forum. I will try the class C forum. Thanks!

rkymntsno · 02-03-2021, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRNewtown

Hmm. I am relatively new here and I thought this was a general tech forum. I will try the class C forum. Thanks!

I could be wrong. I'm not even sure how the posts come up, lol.

Jagiven · 02-03-2021, 09:04 AM

Tom do you have a gravity fill for your FW tank or do you have a wet bay command center something like this image? If you do, can you post an image of it?

If you have a gravity feed, you need to locate your water pump (follow the noise), and you will have a valve(s) right before the inlet that you need to flip
to direct the pickup to the clear hose.

If you have the wet bay configuration, you use the city hose connection to draw the antifreeze into the system. Do realize, you need a short section of hose (2-4 feet or so, shorter the better). You need to removed & flip over the cone washer, at the city water connection. The flipped cone washer presses on the backflow preventer allowing the pump to draw water into the system. Don't for get to flip it back.

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