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Old 11-29-2004, 10:33 AM   #1
Dane
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A Few More Winterizing Questions

In getting into the winterizing process (Montana 2955RL) for the first time I have a few questions. Here is the situation.

After draining it; I poured four gallons of RV antifreeze into the water storage tank. Through the help I got in another recent post, I located and set the water heater to “bypass”. I opened each faucet separately, cold and then warm, until reddish water came out. This includes the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink, and the showers inside and outside. I flushed the toilet until reddish water was visible. I took an extra gallon of antifreeze and poured some solution in each drain. I put about one half gallon down the toilet. My questions follow.

Question 1 - Exactly how do I empty the hot water heater? Comments I’ve read mention removing the water heater element. What tool works best to do this? Nothing I have seems appropriate.

Another tip I’ve read follows…"go out to the city water hookup on the outside, remove the little screen and you should see a white pin on the one-way valve. Stand aside and push that pin so the water trapped in their shoots out. Otherwise it will freeze and **may** push the o-ring out of place."

Question 2 – How is this little screen best removed?

Question 3 – Am I forgetting anything else?

I know these may seem like basic questions to those accustomed to the winterizing process but I’ve learned the hard way to ask questions first and avoid tearing things up. As always, your help and advice will be greatly appreciated.
 
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Old 11-29-2004, 11:22 AM   #2
NJ Hillbilly
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1. Remove the anode rod. Open the outside cover, it looks like a bolt that goes into the middle of bottom of the side (sounds more confusing than it is), it is a 1 1/8" or 1 1/16" socket to easily remove it.
The water will drain out, I usuaully leave the rod out so if the little bit of water that remains freezes, it can push out the open drain instead if doing any damage.

2. The little screen is attached to the washer that seals Your garden hose when connected to city water. Gently pry the washer out and the screen will come out too.

3. Not that I can think of. I am a little anal and I also use compressed air to blow out the black tank flush line but most don't without incident.

John
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Old 11-29-2004, 01:57 PM   #3
Montana_738
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Hi,

I totally agree with NJ Hillbilly, but don't forget the outside shower.
Last year I forgot to open those valves and low and behold I frooze a line. When I went to fill my system last spring I heard water running, luckly I ran around the outside and opened the storage door, water was pouring from the top where the hose to the outside shower hooks up.
So thats a must gotta, make sure you get anti freeze out of those valves also.
I don't leave my water heater plug out either because of the bugs, I don't want any renters for the fall and winter season. I put it in and leave it loose, only tighten a thread or two. Guarteed bug free.

Hope this helps.

Bill & Rita
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Old 11-30-2004, 02:25 PM   #4
sreigle
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Dane, looks like you and the others have covered most things. The only other thing I can think of is the low point drains. Since you've already put antifreeze through the system you probably will be fine. If you want to make sure, you can drain any residual water at the low point drains. You don't have to keep antifreeze in the lines themselves so draining is not a problem. You have antifreeze in the traps and that should stay in place.

Below the rig you should see three water lines with caps or valves on them. One will be by itself. That is the fresh water tank drain. Since you put antifreeze in the tank you don't need to drain that tank further unless you had fresh water in it that's not been drained.

The other two lines should be right next to each other. One is for the hot water lines, the other for cold. Just remove the caps and let those drain until done draining then put the caps back on. Again, you probably are fine since some of the antifreeze you ran through the lines likely is all that's at the low points anyhow. Just wanted to mention it just in case.

When you get ready to winterize next year, you might check the water pump. There should be a clear hose not connected to anything. There will be a valve next to it. Turn the valve so the clear hose becomes the intake, put the hose in a gallon jug of antifreeze, turn on the water pump, open the faucets as you did this time. Then you won't need to pour all that antifreeze into the fresh water tank. Chances are you'll use about two gallons of antifreeze instead of four, also.
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Old 11-30-2004, 04:00 PM   #5
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Steve -

On my 3400 I didn't see any additional lines hanging down, that I recall. Also, our dealer never told me to do anything with the fresh water input. Will I have a problem next spring. I did all of the other items like running the pink through each faucet (hot and cold), outside shower, toilet, etc. Used the bypass for the water heater and then ran a little back into the water heater. All tanks drained (fresh, gray, black). I'm surprised that they didn't hinge the access door and put a latch vs. four screws.
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Old 12-01-2004, 04:52 AM   #6
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Ron, I see you're in Illinois. I was in Kansas when I twice had that o-ring pushed out of place in the city water inlet. So your winters are probably as bad, maybe worse, than ours. Once I was able to work the o-ring back in. The other time I ended up replacing the inlet unit. Another option to removing the screen and pushing the pin is to remove the water hose from the back of the inlet to release the pressurized water in there, if you can get to that hose. On the 3295 it's reachable in the water pump compartment.

During the factory tour I asked one of the factory reps why they don't enclose those low point drains. He said something about "regulations" requiring they be "easily accessible" or something to that effect. That makes me think the drains are required, possibly to meet RVIA standards(?). In any case, yours should have them somewhere. Anyone else with a 3400RL know where the low point drains are on that model?

Ron, since you ran antifreeze through the lines the low point drains will probably be full of antifreeze and be fine. You may have a problem with the city water inlet but you may not. In all those years it was just twice that I had a problem. That was before I discovered about releasing that pressurized water. That pin controls a one-way valve that prevents water from coming back out through the city water inlet. What I saw when I had the problem was when I filled the fresh water tank it would splash back out through the city water inlet because that valve would no longer stop the flow. It would come out there when I was filling the tank and it was pretty full and it would splash out that valve when going around corners or otherwise sloshing the water around in the tank. Not a show stopper, more of a nuisance.

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Old 12-01-2004, 11:08 AM   #7
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Thanks, Steve. Although the RV park where our unit is stored is closed, I will be going by there at Christmas and may "trespass" and check it out, just in case. If I recall the thread correctly, you take out the screen and push in on the check valve? Will give it a try. Thanks again.
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Old 12-01-2004, 02:00 PM   #8
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Ron, our 04 3400 has one low point drain for the fresh water at the back of the trailer about a foot or so in from the side under the water fill and electic hookup spot. The two other drain lines will be under the kitchen area, in front of the axels I beleive. Good luck. Terry
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Old 12-01-2004, 02:27 PM   #9
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Ron, yes, that's how you do it. The screen is embedded in a rubber/nylon washer so take a small screwdriver or dull knife edge to pry it out just like you would the washer in a water hose. Be sure to stand back when you push that white pin. If there's water under pressure it will definitely get you in the face otherwise. Not fun anytime but especially in winter weather.
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Old 12-01-2004, 04:41 PM   #10
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Might get hit with ice cubes now. We've had our second measureable snowfall, but now extended cold yet. We haven't had any periods over about 40 hours without it getting above freezing. I think I will check on my baby when I get down there in a couple of weeks.
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Old 12-02-2004, 12:00 AM   #11
Dane
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Thanks so much to each of your that responded to my questions. One impressive aspect of this forum is how respectfully the members treat each other. No questions are ever regarded as "dumb" questions. Again, I appreciate each of you!
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Old 12-02-2004, 07:18 AM   #12
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Dane, I think you hit it on the head as to why we like this forum, too. We've asked a lot of questions that on other forums have been labeled as 'stupid questions' and I've been called an 'idjit'. If someone doesn't know the answer, it's not a dumb question, no matter how obvious the answer turns out to be. Glad to have you aboard.
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