Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-23-2012, 07:24 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
DeRosa2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 18
Winterizing using Anti-Freeze Inlet Connection

Does anyone know how to winterize using the anti-freeze port on the new forest river travel trailers? I have a new 2013 V-LITE
__________________
Rob D.
DeRosa2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-23-2012, 08:43 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Old car's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: south Kansas City area
Posts: 1,298
Sent you a private message.
__________________

Randy and Patty
2015 Sabre 33 CKTS-6 Platinum Edition
Reese 16K Slider hitch
2015 GMC Sierra 3500HD diesel dually
Old car is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 08:49 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeRosa2013 View Post
Does anyone know how to winterize using the anti-freeze port on the new forest river travel trailers? I have a new 2013 V-LITE
Let me know if you get any how to info to winterize through af inlet.
minilite12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 09:03 AM   #4
Junior Member
 
DeRosa2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by minilite12
Let me know if you get any how to info to winterize through af inlet.
I did. Send me your email to robert_derosa2002@yahoo.com

I will email you what another member sent me.
__________________
Rob D.
DeRosa2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-25-2012, 09:06 AM   #5
Junior Member
 
DeRosa2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by minilite12
Let me know if you get any how to info to winterize through af inlet.
You will need to locate your water pump. If you turn it on ( with water in the tank of course) you can usually hear it. Mine is behind an access panel near the water filter system.

You will also need to access the back side of your water heater.
__________________
Rob D.
DeRosa2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2012, 01:01 PM   #6
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 80
Why not post the info up here for all to read ? I am sure there are others wanting to know ...like me

__________________
2014 Rockwood 2604 WS
Chev 4x4 2500 HD v8
tugger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2012, 08:02 PM   #7
Junior Member
 
DeRosa2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 18
Hang on. Its a word doc. let me see if i can copy and paste
__________________
Rob D.
DeRosa2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2012, 08:04 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
DeRosa2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Eastern North Carolina
Posts: 18
Make sure fresh water tank is empty and black and grey tanks have been dumped with no chemicals in the tanks.
Open all the faucets and inside shower to let water clear from the lines. Don’t forget the outside shower. Close all faucets after they have run dry.
Open the low point drains and let drain until water stops running out.
Take pressure off the hot water heater with the relief valve and remove the anode rod.
Run the water pump for about 30 seconds.
Open the bottom right panel on the entertainment center to get to the water pump and water filter. Carefully remove the water filter housing and dump the water. I hold the fitting at the top of the filter while removing and replacing so as to not twist all the plumbing fittings. Be careful not to damage or lose the O-ring inside the filter housing. Remove the cartridge for the winter. If you are going to use the filter next season, let it air dry and then put in a freezer zip-lock bag and freeze for the winter. If you are going to use a new filter cartridge; replace in the spring. Put the filter housing (with O-ring) back in place.
I use the air compressor run between 35 to 40 psi with the special adapter I showed you in a previous picture. I first put it in the fresh water fill valve to make sure all water is blown out of the fresh tank. Close the fresh tank dump valve. You are done with it until spring.
Hook up the air line to the black tank flush connection on the side of your trailer. Blow out the line with your dump valve open to get all water out. Once you are down to a drip you can remove the air line and close your black tank dump valve.
Hook up the air line to the city water connection on the side of your trailer. Then go around and open one faucet at a time to let any water run out and close that faucet. Do this for both hot and cold on the outside shower, inside shower, kitchen sink, and bathroom sink and then flush the toilet. Once I have done this I turn on the water pump and quickly repeat these steps. Turn off the water pump and remove the air line from the outside fitting. You are finished with the air compressor at this point.
Turn the valve on the water pump to bypass its use and to enable the antifreeze pickup port to be used. Double check your water filter canister. If you have accumulated more water remove, dump and replace again.
Access the hot water heater and close the cold water “in” valve, hot water “out” valve and open the valve in between the water lines.
I put my anode rod back in loosely just so it doesn’t get lost or allow bugs to crawl inside. Replace the caps on the low point drains and make sure your dump valves are closed. All faucets need to be closed as well.
It will take about 3 gallons of RV antifreeze to do the entire system. I believe I sent you a picture of a suction tube with hose end fitting that I assembled. I use the clear tubing so that I can monitor the flow of the antifreeze going into the trailer.

Hook up the hose end fitting to the antifreeze port on the side of the trailer. This is where you really need two people. Patty will be inside and turn on the water pump. I stay with the antifreeze jugs to switch them out as needed.
It takes a little time for the antifreeze to be “picked up” by the pump but you will see it flow into the trailer. The water filter canister will fill up first. I start with the outside shower and open up the cold side first and leave it open until pink stuff runs freely out the showerhead. Close and repeat process on the hot water side. You need to do this complete process with the inside shower, both sinks and finally the toilet. You will probably see some water still come through so make sure you are running strong pink streams with each side of each faucet. Let your inside toilet flush valve run until you get plenty of pink stuff there as well. Turn off your water pump.
Pour antifreeze down each drain (both sinks and shower) and also on top of the valve in the toilet to block odor and keep the seal moist.
Close up the cabinet doors where your water pump/water filter is located as well as the hot water heater. Check for any leaks in these areas before you seal them up. Wipe down the sinks, shower, etc. because the pink stuff may stain. Keep your freezer door and fridge door cracked so they don’t get musty smelling.
You’re done! I remove my battery for the winter and keep it on a maintenance charger which cycles automatically. Fairly inexpensive at Wal-Mart.
I mentioned dryer sheets, mothballs, Irish Spring and Damp Rid in my previous email. I also keep my roof vents cracked a little bit for some air flow.

It wont allow me to copy and paste the photos




__________________
Rob D.
DeRosa2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-26-2012, 09:41 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Old car's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: south Kansas City area
Posts: 1,298
I confess, I put these instructions together. One thing I wrote is a little out of order. Put the caps on the low point drains before blowing out the lines. I don't think enough pressure got into the lines to push all the water out so that is why I still had water come out in the kitchen sink before I got good pink flow. Once I had a good flow I know the water got pushed out by the antifreeze so I am not worried about it for the winter. Capping the drains will let enough air pressure do it for you.

These instructions were written for another member who has the exact same trailer as me. Water pumps and hot water heaters may be located in different areas of your trailer but the basic process stays the same.

I'm sure there are other opinions and processes other members use. This is not the "answer all" or perfect method. Just one guys thoughts. It works for us. Good Luck!
__________________

Randy and Patty
2015 Sabre 33 CKTS-6 Platinum Edition
Reese 16K Slider hitch
2015 GMC Sierra 3500HD diesel dually
Old car is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-27-2012, 04:30 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
amxpress's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Clayton, NC
Posts: 695
This is out of my owner's manual(KISS):
__________________
2013 Palomino Columbus 320RS
2007 Dodge RAM 2500 6.7 Cummins
Reese 15K manual slider
Prodigy
M.I.L. in Florida for good!!
amxpress is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2012, 09:06 PM   #11
Member
 
dsotmoon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 42
Quote:
Originally Posted by DeRosa2013 View Post
Turn the valve on the water pump to bypass its use and to enable the antifreeze pickup port to be used.
I just want to make sure, do I turn this knob so that it faces straight up to pull from the winterizing outlet?




__________________
Joe
Salem, VA

2011 Dodge Ram
2013 Rockwood 8319SS
dsotmoon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2012, 09:18 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Old car's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: south Kansas City area
Posts: 1,298
Not knowing all your plumbing and how it flows I don't want to give you bad information. The handle should be in line with the hose for it to flow and to block off the line--the handle should be perpendicular to the hose. Line from fresh water tank should be blocked off so it looks like your valve handle needs to be turned 90 degrees.
__________________

Randy and Patty
2015 Sabre 33 CKTS-6 Platinum Edition
Reese 16K Slider hitch
2015 GMC Sierra 3500HD diesel dually
Old car is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2012, 06:58 PM   #13
Member
 
dsotmoon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 42
Just fyi for anyone with the same set up and wondering as I did, I winterized this past weekend, turned the valve in the pic above straight up position, closed the water heater bypass, turned on the water pump, connected the antifreeze to the winterizing inlet on the outside and pumped right in, perfect, easy, fast

i imagine now that i know where all the valves are, winterizing can be done in about 30 minutes max
__________________
Joe
Salem, VA

2011 Dodge Ram
2013 Rockwood 8319SS
dsotmoon is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2012, 12:16 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
HONDAMAN174's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Big brown desert
Posts: 3,003
Is the socket size for the water heater anode 1 1/16th?

Need to grab one today
__________________
2014 Stealth Evo 2850- "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7- "Clifford"
2013 Honda Accord Coupe V6 w/Track Pack- "Julia"

Just glad to get away
HONDAMAN174 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2012, 12:21 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
Yes,6PT. Youroo!!
youroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-15-2012, 12:30 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
HONDAMAN174's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Big brown desert
Posts: 3,003
Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
Yes,6PT. Youroo!!
Thanks. Hello harbor freight!

Headed to Williams,AZ for thanksgiving and will probably be parked until Christmas after that so might as well blow out the lines until needed again.
__________________
2014 Stealth Evo 2850- "Woodstock"
2011 Toyota Tundra Rock Crawler TRD 5.7- "Clifford"
2013 Honda Accord Coupe V6 w/Track Pack- "Julia"

Just glad to get away
HONDAMAN174 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:55 AM.