2019 Forester - Winterizing Tube Setup - How To Use

[Luis Diaz de Leon]

I am trying to do my first winterizing of my new Forester. I am not finding anything specific in any Forest River manuals, my online RV Owner's Kit, YouTube videos, etc. that show explicit instructions or photos on how to use the Winterizing tube/bypass valve setup on board the 2019 Forester. My local RV dealership was not very helpful and the Service Dept. told me I would have to pay for any consultation over the phone... what??

Let me attached a picture of what I am staring at and maybe someone out there has the exact same winterizing setup on a similar Forest River Forester or Sunseeker MH? I'm good on all other steps leading up to adding the antifreeze. I do not own a portable air compressor yet, so I am not blowing any air through the lines my first year.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Luis

[BehindBars]

The simplified version: poke the loose end of the winterizing (suction) hose into and to the bottom of your antifreeze jug. You may need to prop the jug on an inverted 5 gal bucket or something in order to get the right height for the hose to reach. Turn the black valve (where the suction hose attaches) 90 degrees so it aligns with the suction hose. Now, whenever your water pump runs (when you open a faucet) it will pull from the antifreeze jug instead of the fresh water tank. Monitor the antifreeze level in the jug so it doesn’t go dry and suck air.

You said you were good up to this point, but do be sure your water heater is bypassed, or else you will use up many gallons of antifreeze trying to fill the water heater tank.

[Luis Diaz de Leon]

Thanks BehindBars for your timely reply!
Do you know if on the photo, the chrome lever on the blue line just to the right of the black lever you identified, is a water heater bypass? It is not labeled in any way, so I am not sure. Or maybe that's a low point drain for the fresh water tank? The original glossy marketing brochure mentions a bypass valve. Maybe I still need to locate the interior panel inside the MH that gets me to a bypass lever on the backside of the water heater. I will look for that next....

Thanks again!!

[BehindBars]

The chrome valve to the right of the black “winterizing” valve will drain your fresh water tank.

Your water heater bypass valve(s) are most likely behind your water heater. Find your water heater outside the coach. Then inside, behind the water heater, look for a cabinet door or screwed-on access panel. The water heater bypass is likely to be accessible there. It may be composed of three valves. Simply put, you would change the position of all three valves and then the water heater would be bypassed.

Install your antifreeze, then when that’s all done, shut off the water pump, and then drain the water heater tank of water by way of its lower nylon drain plug.

[Steve-W]

Your bypass valves are on the back of the water heater. There should be 3 valves. The red pex line that goes through the floor is the low point drain for the plumbing system. There will be a threaded cap on the end under the coach.

It is best to completely remove the clear water filter housing after you winterize. Water trapped in the threads can freeze and crack the housing.

Do not turn the electric element on with the tank empty you will fry the element almost immediately.

[Tombsy]

Not sure which Forester you have but my heater bypass valves are behind a panel with 4 screws under the kitchen drawers.

[Swampy]

Originally Posted by Luis Diaz de Leon

I am trying to do my first winterizing of my new Forester. I am not finding anything specific in any Forest River manuals, my online RV Owner's Kit, YouTube videos, etc. that show explicit instructions or photos on how to use the Winterizing tube/bypass valve setup on board the 2019 Forester. My local RV dealership was not very helpful and the Service Dept. told me I would have to pay for any consultation over the phone... what??

Let me attached a picture of what I am staring at and maybe someone out there has the exact same winterizing setup on a similar Forest River Forester or Sunseeker MH? I'm good on all other steps leading up to adding the antifreeze. I do not own a portable air compressor yet, so I am not blowing any air through the lines my first year.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Luis

Luis, you don't need a big air compressor to blow out the plumbing for winterizing, one of those cheap 12Volt types used to inflate tires will do! You will need the adapter plug to connect the air to your fresh water inlet. I'll give you a step by step procedure to winterize your RV:
1. Turn off any shore power to the water heater and turn off the propane, also make sure the switch on the control for the water heater is off, as well as the switch on the lower left side of the heater itself (assuming you have a Suburban brand.) also, make sure your holding tanks have been emptied before you start. 2. After the water in the heater has cooled, open the pressure relief valve PTR (lift the little lever and leave it sticking up) remove the drain plug at the bottom front of the WH, stand back and let it drain. While it is draining, open the hot water faucets on the inside (kitchen sink, lavatory, bath tub, etc.) as well as the outdoor shower. Caution if the water is not cooled and you do not relieve pressure with the PTR valve first, you could be scalded when the 6 gallons of hot water come gushing out the WH when you remove the drain plug. You can replace the drain plug after the water finishes running out. 3. Find the valves above the low point drains and open them and let both the cold and hot drain out. 4. open the drain valve for the fresh water tank and let it flow. After everything has finished draining out, close the low point drain valves and all the faucets. Assuming you want to use the RV antifreeze in your plumbing, 5. Locate the bypass valves at the rear of the water heater and open the by-pass and close the cold and hot feed valves to the WH. (The valve handle when perpendicular to the pipe is closed, parallel is open). 6. Going back to your water pump, take the hose that is connected to the 3-way valve ahead of the pump and loose on the other end, and bring it out where you can stick it into the jug of antifreeze all the way to the bottom. 7. Double check that you have closed all the inside faucets as well as the outdoor shower. 8. Switch the water pump on making sure the end of the hose is stuck into the antifreeze and make sure the valve is drawing from the jug rather than the FW tank. (You will have to keep an eye on this to keep from running the jug empty.) 9. When the pump stops, the system is pressurized and you can open each faucet until you see the pink fluid squirt out. (Allow a cup or two of antifreeze to flow out of each hot and cold faucet. Be sure to flush the toilet until you have a few cups of pink in there as well as dumping a few cups in a flush. Lower your shower to the tub drain into the tub drain and let a cup or two of pink to come out both hot and cold. Do the same with the outside shower although you don't need to waste the AF on the ground, so when it starts to come out pink, turn it off. Lastly, 10. Assuming you allowed a couple of cups of AF into each P-trap when running the faucets and tub shower, you should have enough AF in the holding tanks to keep them from freezing and you are ready for "Old Man Winter" to do his worst.

In the spring, just sanitize and fill your fresh water tank then run the pump on normal feed until you get plenty of clear water from all faucets and the toilet flushes clear, then close the WH by-pass and open the cold and hot feeds to the WH, turn on the pump and you can hear it fill, when water starts coming out of the PTR valve, flip the lever down and you are ready to go camping again!

Good camping ......... Swampy

[Bob2019]

You should be able to turn the 3 valves without removing the panel above the drawers. Under the sink there is open area back of the water heater where you can get your hand in and turn the valves. It is that way on my Forester 2861.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by BehindBars

The simplified version: poke the loose end of the winterizing (suction) hose into and to the bottom of your antifreeze jug. You may need to prop the jug on an inverted 5 gal bucket or something in order to get the right height for the hose to reach. Turn the black valve (where the suction hose attaches) 90 degrees so it aligns with the suction hose. Now, whenever your water pump runs (when you open a faucet) it will pull from the antifreeze jug instead of the fresh water tank. Monitor the antifreeze level in the jug so it doesn’t go dry and suck air.

You said you were good up to this point, but do be sure your water heater is bypassed, or else you will use up many gallons of antifreeze trying to fill the water heater tank.

After you have it set up as described above, bypass and drain the water heater.

Then run each faucet (starting with the one closest to the pump) until pink stuff runs out, both hot and cold taps. Check the antifreeze level in the jug.

Flush each toilet until pink stuff runs out. Check the antifreeze level in the jug.

Run the outside shower until pink stuff comes out, Check the antifreeze level in the jug.

Go outside to the city water connection. Remove the hose, Remove the little conical screen. Stand to one side and push the little rod until pink stuff comes out. Check the antifreeze level in the jug.

Be sure your gray water tank and black water tank are empty. The tanks can withstand freezing temperatures, but the plumbing to the drain valves is delicate and must be drained.

I can do this in my unit using less than a gallon of antifreeze. It may take more for you.

[wilfb100]

Many people recommend when winterizing with antifreeze you start at the fixture at the end of the plumbing run and work your way in. I have thought about this a bit but have not figured out why. Can anybody shed light on whether it is best to start at the fixture that is farthest away, if indeed that is the correct way to proceed, and explain why?

[BeeBoB]

First you need to install a water filter winterizing by-pass or you will waste a lot of anti-freeze. Remember to remove the filter. Second I installed an On/Off swt. at the pump so that I can operate the pump with out going back into the RV. Makes it a lot easier to watch the fluid going into the system. Third, I no longer use the Hot Water Heater safety valve to let air into the tank while draining. I just open any hot water faucet to let air into the system (out door shower is usually near by). Those safety valves can sometimes start leaking if operated.

[BeeBoB]

I always start the antifreeze drain at the NEAREST faucet to the pump. My belief is that I want to PUSH the fresh water out of the system, not by-pass any water lines. I open both cold and hot water faucets as I go. This way by the time I get the the last line I know that nothing has been diluted.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by BeeBoB

I always start the antifreeze drain at the NEAREST faucet to the pump. My belief is that I want to PUSH the fresh water out of the system, not by-pass any water lines. I open both cold and hot water faucets as I go. This way by the time I get the the last line I know that nothing has been diluted.

I agree. Intuitively, if you start with the farthest tap, you have all those side tees of clear water seeping into the antifreeze. Maybe not a measurable amount, but more than if you start with the nearest.

A similar situation is flushing/bleeding the brakes on a motor vehicle. On older vehicles where all four wheels were on the same hydraulic circuit, you always started with the shortest path first and worked outward.

[ArkRVHog]

I have a 2018 Forester 2801QSF which is identical to very similar to what you show. Here's my winterization checklist that has worked perfectly for me over two seasons now. Let me know if you have any questions.

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by Bob2019

You should be able to turn the 3 valves without removing the panel above the drawers. Under the sink there is open area back of the water heater where you can get your hand in and turn the valves. It is that way on my Forester 2861.

That depends. On our Sunseeker 2500TS, the bypass valves were below the sink cabinet floor and behind a permanently attached plywood cabinet panel. It was an absolute bear to get at without damaging the woodwork. The sink cabinet door had to be open to see the panel.

[ProfChuck]

Originally Posted by Luis Diaz de Leon

I am trying to do my first winterizing of my new Forester. I am not finding anything specific in any Forest River manuals, my online RV Owner's Kit, YouTube videos, etc. that show explicit instructions or photos on how to use the Winterizing tube/bypass valve setup on board the 2019 Forester. My local RV dealership was not very helpful and the Service Dept. told me I would have to pay for any consultation over the phone... what??

Let me attached a picture of what I am staring at and maybe someone out there has the exact same winterizing setup on a similar Forest River Forester or Sunseeker MH? I'm good on all other steps leading up to adding the antifreeze. I do not own a portable air compressor yet, so I am not blowing any air through the lines my first year.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Luis

Absolutely save your money talking to the dealer and just buy a decent compressor with it instead. Then follow all the good advice you have gotten on this site. Take your time and do it slowly and deliberately and double check everything you do. It's not brain surgery and only requires care. By the way you will need an adaptor for the compressor hose end to go to the hose fitting on your RV. The compressors I have looked at that would work well are around $100-150, but, once you have one it will last for years. I use the "complete blowout" method and only put antifreeze in the traps, allowing the liquid in the tanks to run into either a bucket or a drain. Haven't had a problem in over 40 years doing this. Also make sure you empty the little strainer that is just before the pump and the filter sump. The dealer told me to put towels around the filter sump when unscrewing it, but, I bypassed it on day one and use an exterior filter (whole house type) with cartridges you can get for about $4.00 and if it leaks, will leak outside and not inside the our TT. Like torquing your wheels, best if you do it yourself. Then you know it is right.

[tlf65]

I always follow all of the great advice given previously but after I finish winterizing I remove the little water pump prefilter and the water filter canister and leave them off. In the past I have had these freeze and crack even though empty, I believe it' was due to a small amount of moisture in the threads.

[wilfb100]

I do not see a problem with leaving the whole filter canister in place while winterizing, assuming you remove and empty it first, then reinstall dry before starting the process. The antifreeze will indeed fill the empty canister. After the lines are all winterized, use the antifreeze in the canister to protect plumbing traps, toilet, etc. You can even put a capped water bottle in the canister to reduce the amount of antifreeze in the canister, but there would seem to be little to gain doing that.



Thanks for the comments on where to start winterizing (beginning or end of the line). Starting at the closest faucet makes sense as explained in responses to my question.