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 04-28-2016, 06:49 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Newbie Seeking Advice

Or, as we called them back in the day, "FNG"

I'm heading up to Michigan in a couple weeks to set up my new 29HFS.

When I picked it up at RVW, it was somewhere around 100 degrees below zero and the guys did their job as best they could with telling me this and that.

None of it stuck, of course. I've lived in FL for the last 40 years and was near to turning into a popsicle. Plus, my teeth were chattering so bad I couldn't hear anything

My main concern for now is draining the anti-freeze out of the freshwater tank and the HW Heater. The other tanks too, if you think it's necessary.

Are the drains fairly easy to find? My Owners Manual is so generic, it's of no real value, so I'd appreciate any help/advice you have.

Not being lazy, just that crawling around under a trailer at my age isn't my idea of fun.

Also, if you have any other thoughts for a person so new he doesn't even know what he doesn't know.......

Thank you in advance
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 07:27 AM   #2
clr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hawkins, Texas
Posts: 1,243
First off I always like to perform the deweatherization at a campground with full facilities so that I can dump all of the tanks. The winterizing process is done one of two ways or some combination of the two ways. The most common is to place RV antifreeze in all the water lines with all of the water removed from the water heater and the fresh water tank.
So the fresh water tank drain valve may have been left open. Check to make sure that the valve is closed. Normally the hot water heater has been by passed so you must ensure that the water heater bypass valve (s), or handle are placed back in the normal position. There are mostly three type of hot water by pass arrangements, RV's with a UDC normally have a handle that must be placed back into the normal position. If you do not have a handle there is either one or three valves at the back of the water heater must sure they are positioned so that water is able to flow into the hot water heater. Hook up the city water to the rig and open each facet and run the water until the water is clear. Do this on all of the facets one at a time. Remember to do the outside shower (if equipped) and the washer and dryer connections as well. Dump the tank and you should be good to go.
__________________
Chuck & Sandra
Engineer/Teacher
2010 F350 CC 6.4
2015 Prime Time Sanibel 3601
clr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 08:24 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Quote:
Originally Posted by clr View Post
First off I always like to perform the deweatherization at a campground with full facilities so that I can dump all of the tanks. The winterizing process is done one of two ways or some combination of the two ways. The most common is to place RV antifreeze in all the water lines with all of the water removed from the water heater and the fresh water tank.
So the fresh water tank drain valve may have been left open. Check to make sure that the valve is closed. Normally the hot water heater has been by passed so you must ensure that the water heater bypass valve (s), or handle are placed back in the normal position. There are mostly three type of hot water by pass arrangements, RV's with a UDC normally have a handle that must be placed back into the normal position. If you do not have a handle there is either one or three valves at the back of the water heater must sure they are positioned so that water is able to flow into the hot water heater. Hook up the city water to the rig and open each facet and run the water until the water is clear. Do this on all of the facets one at a time. Remember to do the outside shower (if equipped) and the washer and dryer connections as well. Dump the tank and you should be good to go.
Thank you. I likely wouldn't have thought about the outside shower. And what's a 'UDC'?

Anybody with a 2016 29HFS wanna tell me where to look for the various Drain Valves?

Thanks again.

When I picked it up, they were winterizing it and I asked why. The kid said, "You never know what they put in these things at the Factory"
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 08:34 AM   #4
clr
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hawkins, Texas
Posts: 1,243
A UDC is a Universal Docking Station. This is where most if not all of the connections required for the RV are terminated or connected.
__________________
Chuck & Sandra
Engineer/Teacher
2010 F350 CC 6.4
2015 Prime Time Sanibel 3601
clr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 09:03 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
BT ,Dont turn your HWT bypass valves to "Summer use position" untill you have ran city water through the entire F/W system! Then turn the "Bypass valve on you W/H to Summer Use" this way will insure NO "Anti-Freeze" enters the W/H Tank,that will Foam and take Forever to flush! Youroo!!
__________________
youroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 09:15 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
BT, you want to Locate and drain your "Water Filter Vessel" of Anti-freeze as well and place the "Cartridge" into the filter! This cartridge will probably be in a Kitchen drawer?? Youroo!!
__________________
youroo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 01:27 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Thank you. Keep it coming; even though I'm a little fuzzy on some of it, I'm sure it will make more sense when I'm actually looking my Toy Hauler.
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2016, 04:41 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
WolfWhistle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,275
BT, do you have a cartridge filter? Isn't your WH bypass valves under the cook top behind the wooden panel? Unless they've made major changes you probably don't have a UDC.
WW
__________________
Hyper Lite was sold

2017 F-250 4x4 6.2L Gas
I can't fix everything, but I can make it so nobody else can
WolfWhistle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2016, 01:42 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Quote:
Originally Posted by WolfWhistle View Post
BT, do you have a cartridge filter? Isn't your WH bypass valves under the cook top behind the wooden panel? Unless they've made major changes you probably don't have a UDC.
WW
I don't know where anything is at this time. My 29HFS is 1,400 Miles away from me.

Thanks for the tip.

I'll give you an update when I can actually see the trailer.

Here's the link to pics/description, etc of my trailer.

Other than this, I'm blind as a bat

2016 XLR Hyper Lite 29HFS Toy Hauler Travel Trailer by Forest River Stock# 161163 Inventory - The Original RVWholesalers
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 08:04 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
The Big Toe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 308
Quote:
Originally Posted by WolfWhistle View Post
BT, do you have a cartridge filter?
WW
WW, am I supposed to? I bought a cartridge filter from Amazon (cheap, so it's no biggie if I can't really use it)

Do we have a 'Water Filter Vessel' on our 29HFS?

If so, where is it?

It's gonna be cold when I get up there, so the less I have to mess around with water, the better I'm gonna like it.

Thanks in advance.

And you say the cook top lifts up to expose the bypass valve?

The FR Manual was written by Lawyers. It has such useful information as, "If you come to an intersection and a Road Sign says, 'Right Turn Only' make sure you only turn right. Failure to do so could result is serious bodily injury or death"

They also have such helpful tidbits as, "Don't drive off a cliff. Doing so could cause serious bodily injury or death"

As far as Maintenance, repairs and such they're even more helpful, "Take your RV to a qualified RV Repair Shop or your local dealer for trained Service Personnel to clean your windows or fry your eggs."

Lawyers.........
The Big Toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2016, 08:29 AM   #11
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ze-101446.html

This FAQ has a complete guide to dewinterizing.

If you can not find your low point drains or your fresh water tank stopcock, then you might want to think about making an appointment with your local RV shop to do it for you (ask if you can watch).

They also have classes for new owners and you might be able to get scheduled for one. Expect to pay something for the training.

Watch YouTube videos and you may learn enough to do it yourself.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
newbie

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 07:08 AM.