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zaine2451 · 12-09-2013, 07:29 PM

I have a 2014 forest river georgetown 351ds. I looked at the week's weather prediction and it stated it was not in the freezing temparature. I left for a week and everything is frozen over, Any one can help me to fix this situation?

Also I have looked over multipule manuals on how to winterize the unit but the manual does not give anyspecifics in how to do it. Can anyone give me a step by step instruction in how to do this process. Its a 2014 forest river georgetown 351ds.

Thank you.

Sbryant · 12-09-2013, 08:14 PM

I have had 2 MH's prior to my Gtown 360 so I am just learning this unit. Many people on this forum are going to give you a lot of really good info. Don't know exactly how to thaw your unit out except plug it in to shore power and turn the heater on. But when we winterized our unit we just make sure that all holding tanks are empty ( but we don't blow air thru the lines) and pour RV antifreeze down every drain. Do not use car antifreeze. Also I have just learned the wonderful Gtown artic PAC. It sounds like the best invention since sliced bread. And I leave my heater on set at 50 degrees to ensure warmth since we are having such horrible temps here in MS that we are not accustomed to. Good luck and you will love camping.

jergeod · 12-09-2013, 11:52 PM

Give us and idea where you might be located, that will give us and idea just how frozen everything might be.

zaine2451 · 12-10-2013, 12:05 AM

I'm located in Washington to visit my family for Christmas. Historically for the past ten-fifteen years the area did not have freezing temperatures. Thanks for the response!

zaine2451 · 12-10-2013, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaine2451

I'm located in Washington to visit my family for Christmas. Historically for the past ten-fifteen years the area did bit have a freezing temperature. Thanks for the response!

.

I apologize I meant to say is that "the area did not have freezing temperatures,"

mark0224 · 12-10-2013, 01:08 AM

First you need to thaw things out, turn heat on and open all valves. There should be a plug of some sort on your water heater open the pressure blow off valve and remove plug at bottom of tank. If your tank is froze you need to thaw it some how. once everything is thawed out take an air compressor, set at 20 lbs of air no higher, hook it up to city water and blow the water lines out opening valves closest to city water first and furthest last. You must also locate water tank drain valve and open it making sure it is out of water. Once hot water tank and lines are blown out switch the bypass valves on the back of the water heater so antifreeze cant get in. On mine I just disconnect the inlet side of the pump at this time and put that hose into the antifreeze jug, make sure you get antifreeze for rv water systems in. Turn your pump on it will suck antifreeze in then open valves closest to pump first then furthest also flush toilet. You should see red antifreeze coming out. when this is done , may go through 2 to 3 gal of antifreeze, shut pump off close valves then dump some antifreeze down all sink and shower traps. You should be done, make sure if you have an outside shower you don't forget it. In spring flush all lines before you reverse the hot water bypass, antifreeze in the hot water tank is not good for it. If all this fails take to dealer and have them do it and show you how.

alparmer · 12-10-2013, 08:46 AM

PM sent with procedures. Let us know how it goes.

43D18 · 12-10-2013, 10:48 AM

Congrats on the new coach. As for your current situation, might be helpful for us to know what you mean by "everything is frozen over". But in short, like others have said, warm it up....run the furnace which will in turn heat the basement, turn on your arctic pack. You should be thawed in no time.

alparmer · 12-10-2013, 11:45 AM

Here is what the valves should look like to bypass the heater's tank. As you can see, the antifreeze is blocked off from entering the tank. If you turn all three again, then the crossover pipe will be blocked off and the in/out valves will allow water to enter and exit the tank. Hope this helps.

zaine2451 · 12-10-2013, 12:57 PM

Wow thank you! I love being an RVer!

BamaBob · 12-10-2013, 01:12 PM

Another thing you might consider Zaine...

How cold does it usually get in your area and do you really want to put up your MH for the winter season or do you plan on going out on weekends?

Where do you store your MH? At your house? Do you have 30/50AMP Shore power there (or at least 110V?)

We live in the south so freezing is not too big a issue (although we have had a couple of cold nights!) We also like to go out for a weekend getaway during the winter months so here is what we do (YMMV

We had a electrician come in and install a 50AMP recepticle near our RV pad (this way we can run everything in the unit - which includes a nice fireplace

we keep our tank heaters on (believe this will translate to your arctic pack)
we have a space heater we keep on in the unit - it has a "Anti-freeze" feature: if the air temp drops below 45 deg, the unit will come on until ambiant temps are 50 deg - this keeps the upper pipes from any freezing danger.

When we are ready to go out, we disconnect, slides in, and off we go! If we camp in a area that is colder (like going to the mountains for the weekend) we leave the space heater on when we go out for the day - saves out propane and uses the park electricity >;-)

campnqueen · 12-10-2013, 01:33 PM

alparmmer...great diagram!! I may print this out and keep for our new WP25ULA!! I get it!!

alparmer · 12-10-2013, 02:21 PM

I created winterizing procedures for Zaine since he has the exact same coach as ours. If anyone else is interested I can clean it up and put some illustrations, etc. and post it here. The winterizing procedures that comes with the 351DS are generic and confusing and do not mention anything about the residential fridge.

43D18 · 12-10-2013, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alparmmer

I created winterizing procedures for Zaine since he has the exact same coach as ours. If anyone else is interested I can clean it up and put some illustrations, etc. and post it here. The winterizing procedures that comes with the 351DS are generic and confusing and do not mention anything about the residential fridge.

That would be great, Al. I have a pretty good grip on what to do, but having a reference for this coach would be great. And I agree - the info from the manufacturer is pretty much worthless - it has very little information specific to this coach. In fact, the documentation that came with ours includes a fair amount of references to towable units, which of course has *nothing* to do with our coach.

Would love to see your handiwork, and if you're feeling generous, you might share it with your selling dealer to be a help to others that buy that coach.

-Mike

alparmer · 12-10-2013, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43D18

That would be great, Al. I have a pretty good grip on what to do, but having a reference for this coach would be great. And I agree - the info from the manufacturer is pretty much worthless - it has very little information specific to this coach. In fact, the documentation that came with ours includes a fair amount of references to towable units, which of course has *nothing* to do with our coach.

Would love to see your handiwork, and if you're feeling generous, you might share it with your selling dealer to be a help to others that buy that coach.

-Mike

I got the procedures done...was a little bored today. I'll post the document on a new thread.

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