Help needed! 2015 Solera 24r water system questions

[Cendyj]

We just purchased a 2015 Solera 24r in a private sale without benefit of a walkthrough from previous owner as he has passed. We’ve had many RV’s over the years but are stumped by a couple of things. Firstly, pushed inside the inner compartment where we found the water pump (hidden in a storage bay driver’s side) there is an extra length of capped white hose. We assume that is used for drawing in antifreeze solution for winterizing. We can only find one silver colored in-line valve in there and are only getting mostly air with a spit of water when we try to use the water pump. (Tank monitor says it’s full). Also we have turned the large valve handle from winterize to normal. It had obviously been winterized because pink liquid came out of the lines when we first hooked it up to city water. Are there other valves we haven’t found? We also need to know where the drain is for the fresh water tank, please! Hubby crawled around underneath but only found, near the spare, what might be the overflow valve for the fresh water tank since it wasn’t capped.

Secondly, what is the purpose of the brass port inside a small door near the water hookups and above the dump compartment along with the coiled blue hose that obviously attaches to it. Is that a black tank rinse mechanism?

Finally, we found what appears to be a water filter inside a small cabinet under the bed. How do you go about changing the filters in that?

Sorry so long! Any assistance is greatly appreciated!

[lwalkplumb]

We have the exact same unit. Drain valve for water is in same compartment as winterizing hose. Make your lever is not in winterizing position. Your pump could be filling water heater, make sure plug is in water heater and your low point drains are capped, directly behind steps underneath. We took out water filter as we never drink water from Motorhome. Good luck. Blue hose is just a outside water hose.

[Cendyj]

Thank you for the response! We will check for that drain more carefully tomorrow.

[DaveJordan]

Originally Posted by Cendyj

Finally, we found what appears to be a water filter inside a small cabinet under the bed. How do you go about changing the filters in that?

Yup, that's a water filter. The filter element is inside the clear plastic housing. The clear plastic unscrews from the fittings on the top of the filter housing. There's a special white plastic tool - long handle with a loop on one end that fits around the clear plastic. You slide that over the housing from the bottom and turn it to tighten / loosen the housing. Everything's pretty tightly fit in there and it's difficult to just get the housing apart, let alone do it without getting water everywhere...

It might be this filter (if not, it's very similar):

https://waterpur.com/collections/cci-10-clw

Note the plastic tool for unscrewing the housing as well as the filter elements.

Dave

[dogpa]

I have the same exact unit as well and had the filter explode at 2 am on a trip so I removed it and use filter system in input hose. It was as Fave said really tight and very susceptible to freeze if not winterized correctly.

[Cendyj]

That doesn’t sound like a situation we want to be in, ever! We do use an inline filter on the hose so how does one go about removing the one under the bed? Sounds like something we should get a RV tech to do.

[dogpa]

I did it myself after reading a post here.

[Bob2019]

Another thing to be aware of when you change the in-house water media or dump the water out of the housing for winterization: Make sure you don't loose the inside "O" ring. You will have a leak that can only be solved with a canister "O" ring. Ask me how I know.

[TomAR]

I drink my RV's water all the time. The system does need care and attention, and this includes filtering your water. Blue Camco or white Aqua-Crest hose filter on incoming water, AND a good filter element in that under-bed filter.
For winterizing, remove the filter element and use a 'by-pass' plate in the housing. See: https://www.amazon.com/Watts-FP-WP10.../dp/B001QY1LA2
And routine system sanitization, of course.

[Japwolf]

Hello everyone,
I am a new member and happy to be here. I have a 2010 Solera 24r and would like to winterize it also. Is there a tutorial video on this RV to winterize. I have seen videos on winterizing, but not on my model RV. Thanks

[Mikegjax]

Originally Posted by Japwolf

Hello everyone,
I am a new member and happy to be here. I have a 2010 Solera 24r and would like to winterize it also. Is there a tutorial video on this RV to winterize? I have seen videos on winterizing, but not on my model RV. Thanks

This will help as far as bypassing the water heater. If you remove the drawer under the closet you can see the valves. You might need to remove the panel below the closet to reach the valves. I can turn the valves from the drawer access.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=...WH5wKBsKz4CQ15

In the outside compartment where the water pump is accessed is the winterizing valve (if you have one).

Before using this valve, remove the water filter located at the foot of the bed. Reinstall the filter housing. Some insert an empty, capped drinking water bottle in the filter housing to reduce the amount of fluid it holds.

Insert the winterizing intake hose in the fluid container and position the winterizing valve to "winterize".

DO NOT ADD FLUID TO FRESHWATER TANK. Either drain the fresh water tank or fill, depending on how cold it gets where you have the RV.

With the winterizing hose in the container, turn on the water pump, open each hot and cold water valve until pink fluid comes out. Don't forget to operate the outside shower as well.

Don't forget to remove the low point drain caps (located just aft of the entry steps near under the kitchen sink) until pink fluid flows, then replace caps.

Another way to winterize is by using compressed air and blow all the water out of the lines. You would still need to drain the water heater and tank. Also, remove the filter the same as adding fluid.

Hope this helps. There may be others that can add or subtract from this.

[Japwolf]

THANK you Mikegjax.
I will study this. So far I have taken the plug out of the water heater and let the water drain out. Their is a little Pannell in the storage compartment where the is a valve. I opened the valve and water came out under the RV from a blue hose. I am asumming I drained the water out. I also emptied the black and gray tank. Just need to know how to bypass the heater and where do I put the hose to get the antifreeze in my lines. I to put the hose in the antifreeze, but where does the hose got to the RV. Sorry if these guest sound stupid. I am just trying to get it right.

[Mikegjax]

Originally Posted by Japwolf

THANK you Mikegjax.
I will study this. So far I have taken the plug out of the water heater and let the water drain out. Their is a little Pannell in the storage compartment where the is a valve. I opened the valve and water came out under the RV from a blue hose. I am asumming I drained the water out. I also emptied the black and gray tank. Just need to know how to bypass the heater and where do I put the hose to get the antifreeze in my lines. I to put the hose in the antifreeze, but where does the hose got to the RV. Sorry if these guest sound stupid. I am just trying to get it right.

Does your RV have the Winterizing valve? It would be located just to the left of the panel you open to access the fresh water pump. There should be a white hose that you pull from the compartment and stick in the anti-freeze container.

With the valve in the Winterize position, the pump will draw fluid from the container and pump it throughout the RV.

The video link I posted will show you how to bypass the water heater.

[Japwolf]

Yes, it has the winterizing valve. I will check for the hose. Should I screw the Water Heater Rod back in before I put the antifreeze in?

[Mikegjax]

Originally Posted by Japwolf

Yes, it has the winterizing valve. I will check for the hose. Should I screw the Water Heater Rod back in before I put the antifreeze in?

Leave the Anode out. You must make sure you are bypassing the water heater.

The water heater bypass system is common to most RV's. If you don't bypass the heater and the anode is out, all the anti-freeze will run out on the ground.

If you have the anode in and don't bypass the heater, you will need another 6 gallons of anti-freeze.

[Japwolf]

Okay great. I will leave the Anode out and fill the lines with antifreeze. I did find the white hose to put into the antifreeze bottle. Thanks, I have learned a lot just by your post.

[Mikegjax]

Just remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question. We all started at some time and learn along the way.

Good luck with your winterizing and I hope all goes well.

[Japwolf]

True, I did everything or so I think. but the pump is not sucking the antifreeze into the lines. I am using the winterizing hose and have the winterizing vavle set to winterize.

[Mikegjax]

Hold the container above the pump level and make sure you have a valve open in the RV.

Was pump pumping water out of the tank before you started all of this?

[Japwolf]

Yes last time we used are showed and sink. I will hold the bottle higher than the pump. Do I need to have my generator on to make the pump work. Thanks