Winterizing a Berkshire Motorhome

**Herk7769** · 10-09-2015, 07:43 AM

How do you winterize your Berkshire?

How do you do the washer and the residential fridge with icemaker?

silver · 10-09-2015, 08:18 AM

did you trade your fifth wheel for a berk?

**Herk7769** · 10-09-2015, 08:29 AM

In the preliminary stages of buying a used one. I need the payload for Laura's dialysis supplies.

The Flagstaff is up for third party sale (it is listed in the classifieds here and on Philadelphia, PA Craigslist). The truck will follow or be included.

I know, a terrible time to list it, but I have clear title, it's winterized, and is in awesome shape. I can wait for Spring if needed.

Most likely the Berk will not be winterized when I get it and I will need to do it myself before the freeze comes; thus my thread.

silver · 10-09-2015, 08:45 AM

OK. I use 6 gallons of pink. I do not have a residential fridge but a buddy does and the important thing is to remove the filter and insert the bypass plug (looks like a baby bottle top) When you pump the pink in you will also be filling the cold water reserve if you have one. That is about 1/2 to 1 gallon. You winterize the washer by pulling pink through using warm setting on spin. Look at the lines behind to be sure pink draws through both cold and hot. I do not go through full cycle. only enough to fill lines. Then poor more in drum and let spin flush down drain.

Of course the above is done while water heater is in bypass. Water heater is the same as your fifth wheel

Pink goes in at what I call the wet bay. Will need to extend the factory hose. This is the bay on passenger side in front of the back wheel. Latches are under the coach. Look under and you will see them. In that bay is the pump, valve and location to pump in pink, water tank drain and on my 2008 low point drain. On newer coaches low point drains are over on the driver side by the water connections

I like to blow the lines out with air prior to putting in pink so pink is not diluted as I live in north east (cold winters).

Of course go one fixture at a time and do not forget toilet and hand sprayer.

wet bay pictures from 2008 coach

silver · 10-09-2015, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herk7769

In the preliminary stages of buying a used one. I need the payload for Laura's dialysis supplies.

The Flagstaff is up for third party sale (it is listed in the classifieds here and on Philadelphia, PA Craigslist). The truck will follow or be included.

I know, a terrible time to list it, but I have clear title, it's winterized, and is in awesome shape. I can wait for Spring if needed.

Most likely the Berk will not be winterized when I get it and I will need to do it myself before the freeze comes; thus my thread.

If you have not followed the threads the 340 HP Berks do not have much payload. 360 have more. Check this as you do not want to end up undersized. Other than that my 340 HP Berk has been great.

KennyGolub · 10-09-2015, 08:50 AM

I would suspect it's pretty much the same as your 5th wheel.

I use antifreeze in the traps (sink, shower, toilet).

I use air to blow the water out of the lines. While the compressor is attached, I turn the ice maker on and wait until I hear air escaping. Same for the water dispenser. I remove the fridge filter.

I haven't done the washer/dryer yet, but will have to do it this year. I see an access panel in the closet. I am hoping I can access the trap from there. I will try to run it with the air attached to get that water out.

Other than that, I drain the fresh water tanks. (the gray and black tanks are already empty0.

For the jacks, I make sure the air bags are inflated, then I build four towers of pressure treated wood so each just fits under each jack. I then dump the air bags so everything settles on those four towers.

Hope this helps.

Ken

**Herk7769** · 10-09-2015, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

I would suspect it's pretty much the same as your 5th wheel.

I use antifreeze in the traps (sink, shower, toilet).

I use air to blow the water out of the lines. While the compressor is attached, I turn the ice maker on and wait until I hear air escaping. Same for the water dispenser. I remove the fridge filter.

I haven't done the washer/dryer yet, but will have to do it this year. I see an access panel in the closet. I am hoping I can access the trap from there. I will try to run it with the air attached to get that water out.

Other than that, I drain the fresh water tanks. (the gray and black tanks are already empty0.

For the jacks, I make sure the air bags are inflated, then I build four towers of pressure treated wood so each just fits under each jack. I then dump the air bags so everything settles on those four towers.

Hope this helps.

Ken

Ken, yours is the model we are buying. (2015 400QL).

You might enjoy the comedic walkthrough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2EqLBqqKCs

Lou

Phil57 · 10-09-2015, 09:55 AM

Lou that's a great video. With that MH you should have lots of cargo capacity.

KennyGolub · 10-09-2015, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Ken, yours is the model we are buying. (2015 400QL).

You might enjoy the comedic walkthrough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2EqLBqqKCs

Lou

Thanks Lou..... I can't watch it until I get home because my place of employment blocks videos.

Ken

accumack · 10-09-2015, 10:16 AM

Good to see you coming to the darkside. I can't wait to see the mods you come up with for the Berkshire.

15berkxl · 10-09-2015, 10:56 AM

Scott is such a showman.

Wayne

gasman94 · 10-09-2015, 11:40 AM

Herk/Lou, met you at Goshen last year. Welcome to the Berkshire domain! As you will see from following threads, most of us are fiercely loyal. The forum is also a great way to get info about your Berk. I think that you will be happy with your purchase like the rest of us. I am doing my own winterizing this year and am following pretty much what others have stated on this thread.
Just a question to the others, though. Are you guys doing anything special with your demand water heater? I'm just assuming that running the pink stuff through the lines will be adequate..right?

Rich

gasman94 · 10-09-2015, 11:45 AM

Also, BTW, it looks like you're dealing with Total Value RV. Great place to purchase. I dealt with Chad and he was great.

Rich

KennyGolub · 10-09-2015, 12:15 PM

So what is the difference between a 40QL and a 400QL ?

dan-nickie · 10-09-2015, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

So what is the difference between a 40QL and a 400QL ?

About 360 QL.
Sorry I couldn't resist :-)

KennyGolub · 10-09-2015, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan-nickie

About 360 QL.
Sorry I couldn't resist :-)

Well that was a chuckle........

**Herk7769** · 10-09-2015, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gasman94

Also, BTW, it looks like you're dealing with Total Value RV. Great place to purchase. I dealt with Chad and he was great.

Rich

It will be a private sale.

Campin Cajun · 10-09-2015, 08:11 PM

Herk welcome to the Berk family.......that dude is funny, I've seen several of his videos. Great looking coach.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**Herk7769** · 10-09-2015, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KennyGolub

So what is the difference between a 40QL and a 400QL ?

I would like to know that as well.

gasman94 · 10-10-2015, 02:56 PM

Just (almost) finished winterizing the Berk. I opened the overflow/pressure relief valve on the demand water heater and let the pink stuff flow out. Can't believe I paid big bucks to do this job before. I've got the ice maker on right now and the system pressurized until I see some pink at the ice maker. Also used 6 gallons and put some no stinkum in the black and grey tanks. Also did generator service...oil, filter and coolant. No air or fuel filters...only 27 hours on genny.

Rich

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