Water Dispenser & Ice maker -- HELP

jfred1947 · 12-01-2016, 06:43 PM

We just took possession of a 2016 Berkshire XL 40RB. The set up for the
Water dispenser & Ice Maker says to hold the water dispenser arm in for
up to 4 min to purge the system of Air... I have done that but still NO WATER... any ideas of what I am doing wrong......Don't want to tear down
and drive to dealer if I don't have to, So any help would be GREATLY appreciated.......

gordonsick · 12-01-2016, 06:58 PM

There is a shutoff valve where the water dispenser line takes off from the 1/2" PEX line. It is likely under a sink. Either the kitchen sink or bathroom sink.

Make sure the valve is open. Mine came with the valve closed.

jfred1947 · 12-01-2016, 07:13 PM

Gordon, Thanks SO much for your help that is exactly what was going on
opened the valve and out came the water......

You'd think that would have been a good clue to tell us when we had the walk thru....

Thanks again

gordonsick · 12-01-2016, 07:19 PM

I agree that the manuals are pretty thin on these important details. And, a lot of dealers do a poor walkthrough.

Oscarvan · 12-01-2016, 09:39 PM

After two weeks of ownership I must say that the only REAL gripe I have is the lack of documentation.

There is a pile of manuals, but the information is all over the place, some of it buried deep, and some not there at all. And, I only need one instruction on how to operate a GFI, not 8. A little more organization would also help. But mostly what is lacking is a comprehensive manual that describes design and operation of the various systems in a logical and organized fashion. The "The journey starts here" book is, frankly, a joke.

I am reasonably technically savvy and I have been messing with cars, boats, trucks and RV's for decades. Still, there were a number (as in too many) of "how the heck do it work" and a number of "what the heck is it doing and why and is it really broken now?" moments. I can only imagine the trauma that less knowledgeable people must go through before they are comfortable.

PDI's can only do so much, and there is a LOT. It is virtually impossible to show, and remember, everything you need to know in a few hours. It would take days.

I think there is a lost opportunity for Forest River here to 1:Provide their new owners with a low/no stress introduction to their new pride and joy: "Insert this DVD in the player, and follow along in the book". And, 2: Develop a reputation in the industry for doing just that. I can tell you that the problem, like many other problems in this industry, is across the board. (This is our third brand new unit...)

That said, although this unit is the most expensive one we've ever purchased I must say the fit and finish is the best I have seen so far. It is clear that it was not put together by a bunch of meth heads with staple guns and using the philosophy that "tight is good, stripped is better" which is so prevalent in Elkhart and surrounding realms....... Little teething problems, but nothing where you scratch your head and wonder why they didn't take a little more time to do it right.

Pretty darn happy so far.

Hey, maybe there is an opportunity for a cottage industry here. A few of us could put our heads together and write the book....... Nah, too much work.

jkoenig24 · 12-02-2016, 05:43 PM

I've STILL never found information from Dynamax / Forest River regarding winterizing RESIDENTIAL appliances. My 2015 DX3 has a residential fridge with an ice maker on the door AND an ice maker in the freezer. By chance, I have learned that the water filter inside the fridge removes the pink dye from RV antifreeze. It also has a residential washer (and stacked dryer). The "documentation" included was a complete joke. Virtually none of the included information applied to the DX3 (it did tell me about older, non-DX3 models). Factory reps just tell me to look online BUT, the only videos I find are for standard RV refrigerators, NOT residential models. I also received NO schematics for anything. I have to guess as to what the various valves do. I am NOT a happy camper.

ScottBrownstein · 12-02-2016, 07:22 PM

You will find pretty much all you need on this forum. Instruction manuals are very expensive and difficult to keep current, especially with all of the 3rd party systems that are included. If you want help...just ask. I am sure that there are forum members who can help you through what you need.

jfred1947 · 12-03-2016, 08:52 AM

Scott, I could not agree more.. For this problem I called the Dealer put out a message for the Walk Thru Manager to call me. I posted a Message for help on this Forum and within minutes I had an answer.. I am still waiting to hear from Walk thru. Kind of sends a message doesn't it.

gordonsick · 12-03-2016, 09:59 AM

It looks like the Dynamax factory doesn't work like the Berk factory. Berk owners get a big briefcase of documentation, which consists of material that the installers of various components get from the shipping box when they install components.

You can often go to the website of the component manufacturer and find manuals. Various manuals get posted on this site, and I grab them whenever I see them.

I and others think that Forest River could do a better overall manual for their motorhomes, since they install an integrated system.

I've been burned by not knowing that the air suspension might not inflate at the beginning of the day. The simple solution is to stop, extend the jacks, and retract the jacks with the engine running. The cycle seems to get the message to the airbags.

As you've discovered, disclosing the location of the ice maker shutoff is a good idea. Knowing where the plugs are for hooking up the washer and drier. Knowing the importance of shutting off the big 12 switches on the house and engine batteries for medium-term or longer storage. Etc.

jkoenig24 · 12-03-2016, 10:16 AM

Dynamax includes a big box of all the manuals that came with the various products as well as a sheet listing all the serial numbers. In the Frigidaire manual, it tells me if the fridge will be in sub-freezing conditions (like being in an unheated garage), the water MUST be drained and, I should call a Frigidaire service tech to do it! I believe he would need access to the rear of the fridge which, because it's installed in an RV, ain't going to happen!. This is the third time I've had to winterize my 2015 DX3-37RB. I've been connecting an air compressor set at 40psi. In years past, I could hear & feel air coming out of the water dispenser. I'm not hearing that this year. At the FROG Rally back in August, one of the techs said there was a drain under the fridge. That panel is SCREWED on indicating to me that it should stay put. Looking through the louvers, I see hoses and valves but NO drain (see my earlier post regarding NO plumbing schematic included). Again ALL the online tutorials avoid talking about RESIDENTIAL appliances. Totally unacceptable!

ScottBrownstein · 12-03-2016, 12:14 PM

jkoenig24 If you don't hear any air coming out of the water dispenser it should mean that the filter is pulled in the reefer or that the "pull up" valve that routes water to the fridge is turned off. On my unit, when you pull the filter it shuts off the water to the rest of the unit. Popup might be hard to find but it is generally in the back of a cabinet near the fridge where the PEX line is converted to the 1/4" polyethelene line to the fridge.

jkoenig24 · 12-03-2016, 07:58 PM

When I pull the in fridge filter after trying to get water, I get a loud "whoosh" and some fluid droplets at the two ports on the filter. I'm pretty sure in the first year's winterizing, I got fluid and air from the dispenser port on the door. As already mentioned, with NO plumbing schematic, I have NO idea what valves go where. Since I AM getting that "whoosh" when I pull the filter, I'd say that whatever valve controls the flow, is open.

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