Res fridge winterizing

[3532]

Hey guys , on our 357mdok we have the residential fridge with water and ice maker fed off the on board drinking water system.

How are you winterizing the fridge and ice maker ? When I bought the camper the guy doing the final walk through said to just not use it for a couple weeks and it’ll be fine. Not sure I believe that.

Not sure I want RV antifreeze in the fridge and ice maker system as it could take a while to clean out next spring ??

I don’t want problems from freezing !

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by 3532

Hey guys , on our 357mdok we have the residential fridge with water and ice maker fed off the on board drinking water system.

How are you winterizing the fridge and ice maker ? When I bought the camper the guy doing the final walk through said to just not use it for a couple weeks and it’ll be fine. Not sure I believe that.

Not sure I want RV antifreeze in the fridge and ice maker system as it could take a while to clean out next spring ??

I don’t want problems from freezing !

Been usino RV antifreeze in a residential fridge for 7 years. The first year I didn’t and it cost me a ice maker solenoid valve and 3 hours of labor.

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Been usino RV antifreeze in a residential fridge for 7 years. The first year I didn’t and it cost me a ice maker solenoid valve and 3 hours of labor.

I may have the same drinking water system in our '21 Pinnacle. The only way I can think of winterizing it would be to attach a jug of anifreeze to the fresh water system in the basement and let it make "pink" ice? or is there another way?

[F350guy]

I'm doing this from memory but I believe our Whirlpool fridge had specific instructions not to use the pink stuff. There is something in my folder that tells how to drain the lines using compressed air. I did not use the pink stuff at all when I winterized the Pinnacle last year except in the Splendide washer/dryer. I carefully blew out all the lines and called it a day. There is a drain valve behind the rear wheel on the street side of the coach that I think is for the icemaker/drinking water system. During the cold snap in February it got to 8 below and we had no issue when we opened it up in the spring.

I removed the drinking water jug early on and tied it in to the city water system. I thought it took up too much room in my storage plus was a bit of a pain. I put a separate filter under the sink for the drinking water spigot and the fridge has its own filter. Add in the whole house filter in the wet bay and we get very good tasting water and ice.

[MickUpi]

I have used compressed air for years to blow all water out of the lines and water heater. I have never had a problem.

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by F350guy

I'm doing this from memory but I believe our Whirlpool fridge had specific instructions not to use the pink stuff. There is something in my folder that tells how to drain the lines using compressed air. I did not use the pink stuff at all when I winterized the Pinnacle last year except in the Splendide washer/dryer. I carefully blew out all the lines and called it a day. There is a drain valve behind the rear wheel on the street side of the coach that I think is for the icemaker/drinking water system. During the cold snap in February it got to 8 below and we had no issue when we opened it up in the spring.

I removed the drinking water jug early on and tied it in to the city water system. I thought it took up too much room in my storage plus was a bit of a pain. I put a separate filter under the sink for the drinking water spigot and the fridge has its own filter. Add in the whole house filter in the wet bay and we get very good tasting water and ice.

Originally Posted by MickUpi

I have used compressed air for years to blow all water out of the lines and water heater. I have never had a problem.

Yes, I was wondering about antifreeze on a residential fridge. I figured shutting off the fresh water system, remove bottle , and use the pump to get all the water out of the lines through the spigots inside. I know where the fridge drain is, as well as the main fresh water tank drain on the passenger side which should be empty as we haven't used it. The gray and black water tanks would be empty, so do I need to do anything to them? The tankless water heater is a mystery to me as far as winterizing it. All I see on the outdoor panel is electronics, on/off switch and what appears to be a drain line. If I shut off the gas and power to it, I would think that might work. When you guys talk about blowing lines with air, exactly where and how are you blowing air in the lines?

[Murff]

You buy a valve that screws onto your city water port. It has either a schrader valve or an air compressor fitting. Hook up your air compressor and dial down the air pressure.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Brass-C...1481488&sr=8-9

Youtube has a lot of RV winterizing videos.

Murff

Murff

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by jetlag

I may have the same drinking water system in our '21 Pinnacle. The only way I can think of winterizing it would be to attach a jug of anifreeze to the fresh water system in the basement and let it make "pink" ice? or is there another way?

That’s the way I do it. Some refrigerators have a method of jumping the ice maker to continuous cycle the ice maker.

What I do first is connect my compressor into the water system and let it set for a few how’s and blow all water out of the fridge water and ice maker lines.

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by Murff

You buy a valve that screws onto your city water port. It has either a schrader valve or an air compressor fitting. Hook up your air compressor and dial down the air pressure.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Brass-C...1481488&sr=8-9

Youtube has a lot of RV winterizing videos.

Murff

Murff

Lol, just finished reading the manual, might as well have been Chinese, and then discovered the air method of doing this. Amazon to the rescue and a blowout valve on the way. I can also do the tank less water heater . Just need to look at the pictures on the valves and wet panel. It wants a 45 degree setting between the valves. Must check my compressor, never checked the pressure gauge and not sure it even works. The blowout valve ordered has a manual shutoff if I need to manually restrict air pressure. Relieved I can bypass the anti freeze mess. Here temps are really cold if less than 40F. 32F or below is a very hard winter. Typically in the 40’s and up. Of course we do get the Russian, ie. north of Mason Dixie line, blows sometimes and it gets down in the 20’s but not often. Thanks for the tip. Owe you a few drinks

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

That’s the way I do it. Some refrigerators have a method of jumping the ice maker to continuous cycle the ice maker.

What I do first is connect my compressor into the water system and let it set for a few how’s and blow all water out of the fridge water and ice maker lines.

Thank You
I think I can shutoff the
drinking water system, open the drinking water spigot with pump on, clean all ice from Fridge and open the low point drain for it and should be good. My bride has hid the Whirlpool manual. The Jayco manual says something about a winterizing sheet for the whirlpool. Will look for it tomorrow. If I understand this correctly the only water coming in the Whirlpool is from the bottle in the basement, but will update as soon as I find the manual
Rene

[Kahoneys]

Just realize that if your refer has a water filter it will likely take out the color from the antifreeze. 1st year we put a few gallons through before we realized it and also had a very pink filter cartridge.

[JohnstonJ&P]

First year, had our dealer winterize & we had the pink ice slush also. Did the same year 2 - and as long as you disinfect really well when you get her back out, no problems so far. We do change water filters (both rig and refrigerators) after sanitizing..

[jetlag]

Originally Posted by Kahoneys

Just realize that if your refer has a water filter it will likely take out the color from the antifreeze. 1st year we put a few gallons through before we realized it and also had a very pink filter cartridge.

The manual specifically says to remove filter if winterizing with Antifreeze, thanks