Residential Refrigerator - Winterize it or not?

[Mosnowman]

I searched through the threads and can’t find the answer to this question. We have a new 2018 3721RL and I don’t know what to do regarding the residential refrigerator? The fiver will be connected to shore power but not heated over the cold Missouri Winter. It will be stored at my lake place outside. It has a large Samsung fridge with ice maker. I have not used the ice maker yet.

1. Disconnect power to fridge or leave it on?
( if disconnect is the answer unplug at inverter? )
2. How do you winterize it if required?
3. Icemaker requirements?

Thanks! I really appreciate you experts opinions!!

[mtlakejim]

This is a good topic. We just bought a 381th with the same fridge. We always keep a little heat going in the interior in the winter here in North Arkansas. Just seems to be secondary insurance even with the winterized water lines. Oh watch out for your exposed water line if your fridge is in a slide. Our ice maker water line is catching on some sheet metal that was not properly trimmed to make room for the line as the slide goes out!


As for your questions, if I had to guess I would say leave the fridge on to reduce mold and smells when it warms up. It is 110 volt so it will take power directly from the power line not from the inverter which only powers your 12volt devices. Other than the ice maker water line you should not have any issues provided you don't have any food stuffs in the fridge that might have an issue if they get too cold. After all it is a Fridge it is designed to be cold....

[kdeiss]

You need to put Pink Stuff in your Ice Maker their are videos out their to show how.
Clean the Refrigerator good with Baking Soda dry well crumble news paper and fill the space leave the dor open a few inches trust me this works well.
Disconnect AC and disconnect battery terminals remove batteries and take in basement or garage charge about once a month or just leave in rig and be sure to disconnect terminals. Ether method works over the years I have done both no need to leave rig plugged in!

[DarMar]

There is a low point drain just for the line to the fridge icemaker. It tees off from the cold water line under your island sink. The first thing you need to do is locate that drain line centred underneath your rig and remove the cap to allow any water to drain out.

After that I would recommend when you winterize that you make a batch of pink ice cubes to ensure you have antifreeze through the ice maker lines. At least that is what we do.

[mtlakejim]

Just don't drink the pink ice or eat the yellow snow.....LOL








But seriously good info.

[Twopetes]

Where would I look for the frig low point drain? Directly under the sink?

[brad2388]

Under the ice maker there is a button you press which activates the ice maker basket and pumps water in the basket.
I get my antifreeze in the pump and hit that button a couple times so the antifreeze comes out. That way you dont have to wait for it to make ice.

[DarMar]

Originally Posted by brad2388

Under the ice maker there is a button you press which activates the ice maker basket and pumps water in the basket.
I get my antifreeze in the pump and hit that button a couple times so the antifreeze comes out. That way you dont have to wait for it to make ice.

That is what we do as well to hurry along the process when winterizing and also again in spring to get rid of the pink ice cubes.
That button (reset button) can be difficult to find the first time. One just has to feel around for it.

[TLightning]

Put two or three trouble lights with 60 watt bulbs in and around the ice maker....then be sure you power does not go off.

[kdeiss]

One method to pump pink into the Ice Maker

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

[JABURKHOLDER]

Not familiar with your floor plan. I have a 3791RD with the fridge in the slide.
The water feed line to the fridge is teed into the cold water line for the sink in the island.
There is an on/valve for that feed line. Under the slide there is a flexible feed line that goes to the back of the fridge. Disconnect the line under the slide and leave disconnected. Blow out your water lines as normal. Close the feed line valve under the sink. Add the pink stuff as normal. NO pink will go to the ice maker. It is not necessary. Turn the fridge off at the breaker panel. It’s usually the same one for the bedroom. That’s the quickest way. Prop the fridge and freezer doors open for circulation. In the spring, reconnect the feed line under the slide AFTER you flush the system.

[Md.FireFighter 3791RD]

On my 2016 3791rd there is also a shut off valve besides the one under the kitchen sink in the very bottom of the pantry on the back wall with a tiny hose going to back of fridge. Has anybody noticed this valve.

[DarMar]

Yes. On our 3721 It's behind the bottom drawer that needs to be removed.
We found that when we used the low point drain to first get most of the water out when we loosened that valve we seemed to get a lot more water out. Of course one needed a towel back there as well to catch what drsined back from there and the ice maker.

[kdeiss]

Originally Posted by JABURKHOLDER

Not familiar with your floor plan. I have a 3791RD with the fridge in the slide.
The water feed line to the fridge is teed into the cold water line for the sink in the island.
There is an on/valve for that feed line. Under the slide there is a flexible feed line that goes to the back of the fridge. Disconnect the line under the slide and leave disconnected. Blow out your water lines as normal. Close the feed line valve under the sink. Add the pink stuff as normal. NO pink will go to the ice maker. It is not necessary. Turn the fridge off at the breaker panel. It’s usually the same one for the bedroom. That’s the quickest way. Prop the fridge and freezer doors open for circulation. In the spring, reconnect the feed line under the slide AFTER you flush the system.

Keep in mind that when you drain that line it does not completely drain the line.Their is still water in the line above the solenoid and into the Ice Maker

[WeBeFulltime]

Originally Posted by DarMar

After that I would recommend when you winterize that you make a batch of pink ice cubes to ensure you have antifreeze through the ice maker lines. At least that is what we do.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........You make ice out of antifreeze?!

[kdeiss]

When water enters the system in the Spring the first Ice cubes will a little slushy the second batch hard and Pink the next batches will be slightly pink!
So the reason the antifreeze is freezing is because water has entered the system

[DarMar]

Originally Posted by WeBeFulltime

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...........You make ice out of antifreeze?!

Well ok you got me. It really is pink slush.

[topjustice]

On page 42 of the 2018 Keystone Owner's Manual it covers winterizing of the residential refrigerator ice maker. Below is the language in the manual and there is also a clear diagram of the ice maker system on page 42. Note that is specifically says not to add antifreeze because all water will drain out the low point valve. I know some have said that all water does not drain but just wanted to cite what Keystone says for what it's worth.

"Most residential refrigerators come equipped with an ice maker. If the refrigerator is installed in a slide out that does not have an access point inside the trailer for the ice maker line to be routed then the line is run outside through a wire tender and into the slide box, behind the refrigerator. This introduces the possibility of the ice maker line freezing in cold weather. In order to prevent this, the ice maker should be turned off and the water line drained. A shutoff valve is installed for this purpose near the kitchen sink and a low point drain valve is located beneath the
trailer. To drain this line the shutoff valve must be turned off and the low point drain valve (or cap) must be opened. This low point is part of the water line that continues on to the ice maker and opening this drain will allow all water in the line up to the ice maker to drain out. See diagram below. The ice maker water line should not be winterized with antifreeze. Simply drain the line along with the rest of the water lines when preparing for the cold weather months, but do not add antifreeze."

[Luc]

I can speak from experience that doing the low point drain didn’t work in my case. I did it my first winter and the valve to the ice maker froze and broke. What I found out when I pulled the fridge in the spring was that the line behind the fridge was looped so it didn’t completely drain, so I now put antifreeze in it.

[kdeiss]

I am sorry to disagree when opening the low point drain you are not fully draining the line their is still water above the solenoid and into the Ice maker. You have to energize the solenoid to fully drain the line. Like Luc mentioned go with the Antifreeze you can cycle the Ice Maker manually till you see pink then you can be sure